Grannie Annie's sister, Mary passed away today after a long battle with cancer. I have always admired my great aunt Mary - she's everything you'd imagine in an fierce Texas matriarch. While I've been gathering stories from Grannie Annie, of course quite a few have come up about Aunt Mary. My favorite story is about the time she was visiting Grannie Annie when Grannie Annie lived in the old family farmhouse. Mary observed that the stove my grandmother was using was on its last legs, yet my tight-fisted grandfather refused to buy a new one. Now, I wasn't there to see the stove, but I can imagine, knowing Pop, he wouldn't buy one no matter how bad it was; in fact, despite my grandmother's pleas, he would have been just fine with her cooking out over an open campfire in the yard. Looking out for her sister, Aunt Mary finally told Pop that if that stove was still there the next time she came for a visit, she would drag it out into the yard and chop it up with an axe. Well, legend has it, when she next came for a visit, and the stove hadn't been replaced, she kept good on her promise and took an axe to it!
Now I have to ask you, who does this, except for a rockstar or one of those strong Texas women who has had enough??
Before Aunt Mary passed away, I shared this story with one of her granddaughters who had never heard it. As the collector of these stories I am proud to be able to pass them on - but prouder still of the powerful blood that flows through our veins. I hope her granddaughter will do what I do with these stories of our grandmothers and use them to remind us of how strong we really are.
