Memories By Way of Mom

As anyone that reads my blog knows, I go to moms a few times each week for an hour or so each time.  Mom still is very sharp in her mind, again as I've said before.  She doesn't forget many things.  She can recall the years she dated dad, when they got engaged, details of his siblings that most of us can't recall of our own.  A couple of things she has talked about that I don't want to forget are:
The year was 1945 when they got engaged.  Mom said dad didn't want to give her a ring for either her birthday or Christmas.  So he bought her a really nice dresser set for her birthday on Dec 9th.  Then on Christmas he bought her a cedar chest.  Then he asked her to marry him between her birthday and Christmas.  He didn't make much money at this time, only $50.00 a week.  The money he made while in the Army he sent home to his mom.  She saved it for him and gave it to him when he returned.  He used this money to pay for these things.

My dad has managed money well all his life.  He truly took care of mom and treated her like "his baby"....
Dad was quiet and not as "out going" as mom.  He was very kind, talked to others, and what he had to say you wanted to listen to.  One thing that makes us laugh to this day is this:
Mom, Dad, Kent and I went to Gatlinburg about three years ago, maybe a year before he died.  For this to be humorous to you, you would have to know that dad was very clean, always used a napkin, never ate "with his fingers" in the pie.  Well, we decided to go to the Dixie Stampede.  You got it, dad had to eat with his fingers.  I was "along" to keep Kent company, play Rook with them, and help out with mom & dad.  Eating in the semi-dark was not easy for dad.  He couldn't see 100% at this point, so the dark made it all the harder.  Each dish that came, he was a little "taken aback" to sup from the rim of the bowl, pick up a slice of meat with his fingers....used his napkin a LOT.

I was not next to dad, so I couldn't help much.  Plus, the music made it hard to hear (or talk).  So, I sort of looked over mom from time to time.  Well, after the meal, I saw dad reaching to the edge of the table looking for a "wipe".  I saw him reach over to speak to mom, then I saw mom reach out to pick him up a wipe.  Well, she got one and handed it to dad.  Of course he wasn't too careful ripping off the paper from what he thought was a wipie.  Suddenly (I am laughing now, seeing this), sugar projected out of the white package....he quickly said to mom "Becky, what did you give me?".....well, the way he said this just cracked mom and me up.  Just too funny, as she had NO idea it was sugar.
Dad was about 88 at this time.