Happy Birthday, Grandma T.!

Today was my Grandma Florence Hedrick Traylor's birthday. She would have been 97 today. I know we all miss her. She was pretty amazing, really. Born in Drain, Oregon, she married my Grandpa, Floyd Traylor and had my mom and aunties. Grandma T. (affectionately known as Grandma Tator) was a character. Quiet, but shrewd. You listened when she talked, because most of the time her observations were right on. She loved to garden, to go on drives (the rule was you could never come back home the same way you left), and to watch the news. She believed in buying quality items, from furniture to clothing. For example, I still have her sofa bed couch and it is probably at least 60 years old (and it is actually comfortable to sleep on.)

Grandpa died young, in his 50's and Grandma never remarried. She said that she didn't want to get stuck caring for some old guy when he got sick, one that was not the true love of her youth. Grandpa was a logger, and he died of a heart attack in his log truck. Grandma ran their little grocery store and gas station, The Riverview Market, which was located on River Road, between Eugene and Junction City. Whenever we stayed over night, we got a little sack and could fill it up with any kind of candy we wanted. That left an impression, let me tell you. She had an old ugly one-eyed dog named Booby. Booby was pretty good company though.

Their little apartment was located behind the store, and she had no public restrooms. One day a pregnant lady came in and couldn't hold it any longer, expecting a bathroom, and instead peed all over the store floor. (The things a kid remembers!) One time she told me that if I sat on the counter and somebody came in and wanted to buy me that she would have no choice but to sell me to them. Anything on the counter was for sale, after all. That scared me, bad, and I hopped off. I loved that store. It was so interesting. After Grandpa died, she moved closer to us in West Eugene, and then later on to the street behind us.

I could go on and on, but, for now I will just say that we all love and miss our Grandma T.

Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

Grandma and Raymond at Camp Christian ...
right before she hiked to the top of the ridge
behind the camp house...no small feat, let me tell you.

Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

When she was little. My daughter Kari
looks a lot like her in this picture.

Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

Grandma with Uncle John and Uncle Homer

Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

Florence, Grandma Litha,
Uncle John, Uncle Homer and their dog, Amos.

When I see Brussels Sprouts, I think of Grandma T. She liked them, a lot. And, I remember how my cousin Nanci used to wrap them up in a napkin and put them under her chair cushion, so she could go and get her sack full of candy. I think that was considered cheating, Nanci.

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