I'm sure it goes without saying, but women are phenomenal! March is Women's History Month and I've decided (beginning) today to use the remaining Fridays in this month to honor influential women in my family.
Today, I'll talk to you about my aunt - whom I'll call "AP" for the sake of this post. I thought it would be appropriate to have her also talk about who she views as the most influential woman in our family. For the sake of this post, we'll call her pick "Granny CC".
"AP"
(Madam Ancestry's personal family photo)
AP is hands down one of the most amazing women I know. I hope she knows how much I truly love and admire her. Recently, my sister went out of town and her children were talking to her about bringing souvenirs home. One asked if she could bring AP back with her. We had a good laugh about that. I shared the story with someone and she remarked with a smile "AP must sure be something! It seems like everybody in your family has a wonderful story to tell about her." I told her about all the amazing things she does from making clothes, to making candy, to making the best home-made rolls, interior decorating, and much, more more - seriously, the woman can do it all! Out of the many things I admire about her, there are a couple that stand out: (1) How she works to keep the family together and (2) How she makes each person feel special. She's always doing things to let me know how special I am...since I am the favorite niece (smile)!
I started thinking that I was close to my niece's age (about 6) when she created one of my favorite memories that I still think about until this day! I remember receiving a child's tea party set for Christmas and she was coming to visit in the Spring. I had my very own serving set and I was saving it just for AP! I remember talking to her on the phone and telling her about my plans and she told me she was excited and couldn't wait to have a tea party.
When she got there, I had everything all set - fruit punch, grapes, cheese and crackers. This was a big deal! I had a little table in my room with a couple of chairs. When she came upstairs, she told me how much she liked my room and she was so glad I had invited her to a tea party. She ooh'd and ahh'd and I felt like I had hosted the party of the century!
I recently mentioned it to her and she laughed. She vaguely remembered it. She reminisced about how we used to work on crafts together, like making t-shirts, and when I had begged my parents to buy me some Mickey Mouse designer jeans, and she looked at the pattern and made it for me before she went back home. She's a strong woman who is the epitome of you can accomplish anything if you put your mind to it. She has raised 5 children, 20 foster children, has about 3 god-children, and has enough grandchildren and great-grandchildren that I've lost count :-) She creates memories and that's one of the many things I love about her!
"Granny CC"
MA: Who doyou think is the most influential woman in the family?
AP: My Granny CC! She was a strong-willed woman and I spent a lot of time with her - so I have many great memories. I have many memories of going between Monroe and Detroit to go fishing with her each summer.
MA: What is your favorite memory of her?
AP: There are so many. I think I'd have to say how she collected sea shells for me - a bag full! I loved them and always held on to them. She used to make me bacon and eggs, and sometimes grits if we had time. We'd get a bag full of green grapes - they were ten cents per pound back then.
MA: (laughs) I would love to get grapes for ten cents per pound!
AP: She also made the best cakes! It smelled like heaven smelling those cakes (fruit cake and pound cake) under the bed. She also stored sacks of apples and potatoes under the bed.
MA: Why did she store these items under the bed?
AP: They didn't have a lot of space back then and you also didn't want anyone coming around eating up your cake! The cakes were tightly wrapped and stored in tin cans. I could hardly sleep from the aroma of those cakes coming from under the bed!
MA: What did you admire most about her?
AP: The unconditional love she showed me. She always treated me the same and did whatever she could for me. I always admired her spirit - she was a determined, strong-willed, and saved woman. She was a homemaker but was also business savvy. I can remember she bought several properties - even purchasing a farm when she was in her 70's. She would be on that farm catching chickens and plucking feathers. She made the best fried chicken you'd ever taste in your life!
MA: How do you think Granny CC helped shaped the family?
AP: She created some strong women with that same mindset. She passed those traits down to my mother, and my mother passed them down to me.
MA: What specifically do you think you gained from her?
AP: Mostly her determination and strong-will. I've raised 5 kids by myself after a divorce, been an entrepreneur, paid off my home, bought property on a resort, remodeling my home on my own several times. Just being good at whatever I put my mind to.
MA: I remember all those home renovations! They always turned out great!
AP: My mom was good like that too. I remember coming home from school one day to find that mama had knocked down walls in my bedroom to enlarge the living and removed a door to put a 12 foot picture window. Can you imagine coming home from school to find out your room is gone? (laughs)
MA: (laughs) That is pretty funny! Is there anything else you want to tell me about Granny CC?
AP: When I would visit her or she would visit us, she and I would always share a bed. She had a rocking chair in the room. One night she got up and asked if I saw someone sitting in the rocking chair. I told her no. She said it was her sister. It wasn't too long after that occurrence that she passed away. Maybe she saw something, I don't know. I hate that I didn't get to see her before she passed away (I was in the hospital). I loved my Granny CC, she was a remarkable woman. Even though she's gone, she will always stand tall in the minds of the family.
Stay tuned this month for stories on more influential women in my family! You can share your stories of influential women in your family by emailing me at madamancestry@gmail.com!
MA: What is your favorite memory of her?
AP: There are so many. I think I'd have to say how she collected sea shells for me - a bag full! I loved them and always held on to them. She used to make me bacon and eggs, and sometimes grits if we had time. We'd get a bag full of green grapes - they were ten cents per pound back then.
MA: (laughs) I would love to get grapes for ten cents per pound!
AP: She also made the best cakes! It smelled like heaven smelling those cakes (fruit cake and pound cake) under the bed. She also stored sacks of apples and potatoes under the bed.
MA: Why did she store these items under the bed?
AP: They didn't have a lot of space back then and you also didn't want anyone coming around eating up your cake! The cakes were tightly wrapped and stored in tin cans. I could hardly sleep from the aroma of those cakes coming from under the bed!
MA: What did you admire most about her?
AP: The unconditional love she showed me. She always treated me the same and did whatever she could for me. I always admired her spirit - she was a determined, strong-willed, and saved woman. She was a homemaker but was also business savvy. I can remember she bought several properties - even purchasing a farm when she was in her 70's. She would be on that farm catching chickens and plucking feathers. She made the best fried chicken you'd ever taste in your life!
MA: How do you think Granny CC helped shaped the family?
AP: She created some strong women with that same mindset. She passed those traits down to my mother, and my mother passed them down to me.
MA: What specifically do you think you gained from her?
AP: Mostly her determination and strong-will. I've raised 5 kids by myself after a divorce, been an entrepreneur, paid off my home, bought property on a resort, remodeling my home on my own several times. Just being good at whatever I put my mind to.
MA: I remember all those home renovations! They always turned out great!
AP: My mom was good like that too. I remember coming home from school one day to find that mama had knocked down walls in my bedroom to enlarge the living and removed a door to put a 12 foot picture window. Can you imagine coming home from school to find out your room is gone? (laughs)
MA: (laughs) That is pretty funny! Is there anything else you want to tell me about Granny CC?
AP: When I would visit her or she would visit us, she and I would always share a bed. She had a rocking chair in the room. One night she got up and asked if I saw someone sitting in the rocking chair. I told her no. She said it was her sister. It wasn't too long after that occurrence that she passed away. Maybe she saw something, I don't know. I hate that I didn't get to see her before she passed away (I was in the hospital). I loved my Granny CC, she was a remarkable woman. Even though she's gone, she will always stand tall in the minds of the family.
Stay tuned this month for stories on more influential women in my family! You can share your stories of influential women in your family by emailing me at madamancestry@gmail.com!
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