Happy Birthday...My Funny Valentine!

96 years ago today my Gramma, Iola Ruby, was born in Barton City, Michigan to Lawrence and Ona Bushey. She grew up in the Spruce area and was educated at the Norwegian School, as were her children. Gramma walked a mile and half each way to school. For real.

At 17, she married my Grampa, Myrto Vam and they made their home in Spruce, Michigan, having first, my father when she was 19 and later my auntie.

In 1940 Grampa passed away from a brain tumor. Gramma eventually married my Grampa George and moved to Detroit where she worked for Vita Boy Potato Chips. Legend has it that one of her jobs was to clear the fryers of the rats that had fallen in overnight.

After a time, they moved back to Ossineke where they had a dairy farm. These days on the farm are some of my earliest memories. I loved that farm. Gramma raised chickens, and as children, we were scared of them. However, it did not stop us from eating those large roasters that Gramma baked with mashed potatoes and gravy. Always fresh chicken, eggs, butter, and milk were in these yummy meals. When we spent the night, after morning chores, Grampa would come in for the breakfast Gramma would have waiting. As a special treat, we would enjoy coffee with him. The smell of percolating coffee will always be "the farm" for me. Gramma would give us large cups that were half coffee and half Half n Half! It was soooo good and we felt grown up and important drinking it with him. Large fresh farm eggs and toast with Gramma's homemade bread made the best breakfast ever!

The farm was the place to be in the summer when it was 'haying season'. Grampa would patiently let my cousin, Joni and I ride on the hay wagon and watch the guys clear off the field. We then would troop in for a midday meal made ready by Gramma as if we had worked our rears off, too! We climbed a huge old willow tree and fished in the ditch. A favorite game was played with the electric fence. What you would do was pick a weed and touch it to the fence and see who could endure the shock the longest. My brother usually won!

My Gramma was a cook at a private country club and when I was 16, got a job at the same place. We enjoyed many giggles working together. Gramma always treated me to the best breakfasts on my break! Also I remember Joni and I going skiing and stopping at Gramma's afterward, where she would have hot chocolate and toast waiting for us! Perfect warm up, and we slept like babies afterwards!

Gramma loved to crochet and has made beautiful afghans and the such for us. Every Christmas She makes sure that I get a plateful of her delicious Berlinacrancers that are my favorite cookies. Gramma enjoys good health to this day and I am sure it is a result of all of the physical farm work and organic food it provided. I recently got a 3 page, handwritten letter from her with all the latest news. What a gal!

So today, on Gramma's birthday, and Valentine's Day I just want to say, "Happy Birthday" and thanks for the memories. I love you Iola Ruby Bushey Vam Kitter! xoxo

P.S. Also I want to say Happy Birthday to my precious, darling Lola Simone Tigerlilly of the Junglebeat Cattery who turns 5 today and her buddy Mickey who Dane rescued 6 years ago and shares (approx.) the same birthday. Hugs and kisses to our furballs! xoxo