|
Memories of her mother, by Paulyne Jessee Mayes My mother, Gladys McDannald Jessee, was a kind, generous lady, who did a good job of keeping her five kids in line and out of trouble. We were never a problem for Dad to take care of when he came home. She was always there when anyone of us needed her. I learned many things from her: how to cut a dress, nightgown, blouse or skirt pattern from newspaper. And what I'm especially grateful for - how to cope without getting flustered, when unexpected guests drop in at supper time. She would mix up a batch of biscuits (no Bisquick in those days), add more canned milk to a pan of gravy, add water to the pot of beans (for juice to put on bread for "bean pie" as Dad always called it, add another potato or two to the pot for mashed potatoes. She could always feed as many as turned up. The relatives always said they "could get a good meal at Glad's house". Mom made the best lumpless gravy! We always had bacon drippings or "salt pork" to make it out of, and she always used canned milk, never fresh. She made a delicious tamale pie (and could extend it with more home-canned tomatoes and cornmeal mush, lots of garlic, onions and chili powder). She had a 9X13X3 pan she'd make FULL of the best macaroni and cheese. We had vegetables whenever any of our farmer relatives brought us some, like green beans, chard, corn or squash, or whatever they had lots of. We learned to eat everything! We always had very white dish towels, pillow slips, sheets and white clothes, "undies," blouses and socks, because Mom would lay them over green bushes or on the lawn because "the sun bleached them better over something green". The dishes were always clean, as she inspected them after the kids did them, and frequently we'd get something put back in the dishwater to do over again until we learned to do it right the first time. Her floors were mopped shiny and we used to laugh and say we could eat off her floors with the clean dishes. But dusting and emptying the ash trays? Forget it! She hated to handle those dirty ashtrays, but of course there'd come a time when Dad would say he needed an empty ashtray, so she'd put on of kids onto that job. She died of cancer in December 1967 at age 75. We kids area always recalling good stories and good times with our parents at the Jessee family reunion held once a year in October. We've had lost of fun "remembering" with our cousins and their kids. I look very much like my mother and often say "Hi Mom" to my reflection in the mirror. 
|