Memorial Day Memories

It is another Memorial Day weekend and it is full of grills lighting up, babes in swimsuits and honey-do lists getting checked off. I went to one of the local lakes today to drop a friend off. As I wound my way through the many twists and turns to the lake I noticed all the vacationers sitting out on their patios and decks or enjoying the open water on their boats. That was all I needed to remember my Grandma Sieg and the wonderful days spent with them when they were camping.

The picnic table would be covered with plastic red and white checkered tablecloth held down by metal clips so the wind wouldn’t take it. They had the lawn chairs with the aluminum legs and plastic woven straps to sit on. The beverage of choice was always PBR, can or bottle, tucked snuggly in one of the many coozies floating around. Bug repellant was always needed. It seemed that the flies and the mosquitoes were always looking for something to eat.

My grandparents had a camper they pulled with their pickup and they always seemed to find the perfect they camping spot. They would roll out their canopy to offer more shade to us when the afternoon sun seemed to be its most brutal. There was always a little Coleman type grill set up and smoldering, perpetually waiting for the food to grace it and mark it with the flavor of grilled foods.

The smells that I remember are unmistakable. My grandma used to smoke and the smell of the cigarettes and onions are still comforting to me. The staple was always hamburgers and hot dogs, along with Hormel chili for the hot dogs. My grandma always had salad and fresh radishes to snack on and there was never a shortage of Shasta pop for us grandkids to drink.

My grandfather would have his bait in a bucket sitting in a flowing stream and we loved to check the fishing poles for a bite. I often wondered if my grandpa ever caught anything because he would leave the poles unattended for periods of time. I guess it never really mattered. My grandparents were together and enjoyed each other’s company tremendously. To pass the time my grandma would read tons of books and my grandfather would work on crossword puzzles during the heat of the day.

I didn’t realized how much I missed it until this weekend. My kids are the close to the age I was when we visited my grandparents on their camping trips. I want them to have that experience too. I know it will never be the same way I experience it, but I still want them to have those memories to wrap themselves up in when they feel lonely or they are missing someone. Just like when I miss my Grandma Sieg so much. My sister found a picture of all of kids sitting at a picnic table with my grandma during one of our many visits and gave it too me for Christmas. I can truly say that was one of my best gifts I have ever received.

It has been a little over fourteen long years since we lost her to an unfortunate mishap. Sometimes missing her doesn’t hurt too badly and then there are the times that it hurts so much that I can barely breathe. I know Memorial Day is remembering our Veterans and service members, but I am also remembering a wonderful time in my past, along with the great woman who filled it.