Thoughtful Day

I just returned from the funeral of Eugenia Chapman. This sweet lady has been apart of my life forever. She cleaned Grandma Butters house and also our house until I graduated from high school. She was more than someone who came in weekly to dust and vacuum, Eugenia was family. In the last few weeks of Grandmas life she told me that Eugenia was one of her best friends.....at the funeral I realized that Grandma and Eugenia were kindred spirits. Eugenia helped us get organized.  I recall dreading when she came because she would not only work her guts out she would put us to work as well.  She was a hard worker and taught me that it is important to do the job right the first time. As a bratty preteen she would suffer with me through my bedroom....she didn't clean it but helped me keep at it until it was presentable. I know that she was a big help to my mom, especially when things were hard and when mom went back to school. She would not only clean up she would also make dinner, do the laundry and help us get the canning done.
After her years of cleaning, Eugenia went on to write a book with her daughter about her cleaning potions and ideas, called Cleaning Your House and Everything In It. She was then seen on TV nationally and had a radio program and a column in the news paper. It was always fun to say that I know her. There are things that I currently do while cleaning my own home that I know I learned from Eugenia. 

 

I say that this is a thoughtful day because thinking of Eugenia brings back so many great memories of my youth, my Mom and Dad and my Grandparents. (and not just cleaning memories). I think that summer also has a lot to do with it........swimming at Grandma Butters, the car trip with her and grandpa, flower planting, painting the cabana, the paint mess, goof balls, the sweet alohas and strawberry daiquiris.....I ate a bowl of strawberries for lunch today, that is how strong the memories are hitting me.  With Dad and Mom it's been the picking of morning glory.........I was trying to eradicate the morning glory from my flower garden this week and thought of the many holiday mornings we had to clean it up out of the bushes.......I  still hate it.  Working hard inside and out so that we could play hard. I still get everyone up to work hard on summer mornings so that we can then spend the afternoon playing.  Planting the garden, singing, boating, the motor home trips......so many memories all have to do with summer.

Thanks to my memory makers, you have made my life special.

MCC