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April 10, 2020

Always remember the Lilies {or not}

This post was originally shared in 2011, but it's fitting for the Easter season and it's fitting to remember what a character my Grandma was. 

Does any flower scream Easter like the Lily?
Well, for me, there is none other.

As a child, going to church with Grandma I vividly remember the Easter lilies all lined up near the pulpit.

I remember reading through the church bulletin during the Easter service about WHO the lilies were for as they were all purchased in memoriam for someone.

I remember seeing that Grandma purchased one for my Grandpa after he died.
I would look towards the pulpit…wondering which one was ‘his'.

Years later, I would read that there was a lily placed in my Brother’s name.

And two Easters later, my Dad was added to the Easter Lilly collection.

Sadly, our family was filling up the lily section.

Cut to a few years ago when Grandma was still alive and in her mid 90's; she could no longer get to church for any services.

So Easter morning, the coach and I with the girls loaded up our car and made the hour & forty-minute trek to Grandma’s house in Miami to celebrate Easter.

I had the biggest, whitest lily in the back of the car for Grandma.

When we arrived, she was happy to see us all. She was always happy to see us.

When I handed her the big ole’ white lily…she looked at it, she then looked at me.

I said: Isn’t it beautiful?

Grandma: Lilies always remind me of funerals. And they stink. I don’t care for them. 

Good lord; I should have known.
 great grandma[5]

That woman could not filter her thoughts whatsoever.
So now, whenever I see a lily…I remember HER.

And then my thoughts roam to stinky funerals; then back to her and her unfiltered funny as heck self.

Do you remember when she called me a PERVERT?  Gosh, what are the chances of anyone ever calling me that again?

Wishing everyone a nice Easter wherever you are and with whoever you're with.

XOXO


11 comments:

  1. Your grandmother sounds like my grandmother who also had no filter1 I remember her asking me what was wrong with my hair and why don't I even try to look pretty! Luckily I was an adult and could just laugh it off! I love lily's but they are poisonous to cats so I can't have them in our house. Happy Easter to you and your family!

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  2. A woman I would have loved! lol Totally my kind of thinking and things that seem to flow out of my mouth!

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  3. My Mom always hated Easter lilies too and refused to have them in the house. All they meant to her was death.

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  4. Man, do I love your grandma. Something tells me she and I would have gotten along swimmingly. Although, I do love me a lily. In fact, I have one on my table right now.
    But I get the whole flower-funeral-smell connection.
    Heading over to read the pervert post.:)

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  5. Was not expecting that response to Lilies haha

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  6. Very well told story. I love grandmas without filters. Sounds like the title of show. Next week on, GRANDMA'S WITHOUT FILTERS.

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  7. I, too, always associated lilies with Easter. I'm not sure I can do that any more. Your Grandmother was a real character.

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  8. I managed to miss another post- I need to look farther down my list because your new stuff is getting stuck behind other new stuff. The nerve.

    Your grandma cracks me up. We had a great aunt dorothy who would ALWAYS comment on everyone's weight. "Looks like you gained a few," etc. My cousin was like (directed just to the cousin peanut gallery) 'Gee I wonder why Aunt Dor never married.'

    OMG that light switch is funny but gma labeling you as a perv is funnier.

    Your daughter taking off her shoes in church reminds me of Mini at age 3 or 4. Her shirt kept coming untucked during mass. I kept tucking it back in. Finally she got ticked off and pulled at her skirt. Next time I turned around she had yanked the skirt and underwear and tights clear below her butt. She was mooning everyone behind us. Bah!

    Happy Easter!

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  9. Your grandma sounds FABULOUS!!!!! And I love that she called you a pervert!

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  10. OMG, I love that. Matt's grandmother was much the same - sometimes sweet, sometimes very much not, in the best way.

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