If you have ever lost someone close to you, you know that sometimes it’s the strangest things that can have the power to bring you to tears. Yesterday I went to unload the dishwasher and I saw that my scrapper had fallen to the bottom and the heating coil had melted the handle.
I said UGH..but no big deal…it’s a cheap enough item to replace. The Amish community south of us sells these for about $1.50.
I showed it to Kelli and Hubby…they chuckled and Kelli said, “I don’t think even Grandma Kramer would keep that.” That simple statement about did me in.
See my mother in law was a great lady and thrifty too. For as long as my husband can remember, every morning for breakfast she fixed eggs for breakfast. She would always leave the flipper on the edge of the pan and the handle would always burn. In fact the handle was almost in the shape of a ‘C’…but did she throw it out…NO!! Never. She was also notorious for not using gifts that people gave her. Towels that we gave her for Christmas would sit on the shelf for years until the old ones wore out. This habit drove us all crazy as we never felt like she loved what we bought her as she left it on the shelf. One year she mentioned that she wanted a small flipper the perfect size to get bars out of the pan. I found what she was looking for at the store….I bought TWO. My husband took one of the brand new flippers out to the shop, took the torch and purposely burned the handle in a “C” shape. For Christmas we gave her one to use (the new one with the burned handle) and the other new one to keep for good. She laughed and laughed….she ended up using the one with the burned handle and the good stayed stored away.
Seeing that burned handle in the dishwasher just couldn’t help but bring a tear to my eye….Sometimes her frugal ways made us laugh. I sure love that she raised a frugal boy and that the boy married me. Funny thing is…I find myself putting the new good things on the shelf and using the old first….but I do draw the line at saving that scrapper!
I have never commented in all the time I have followed your blog…but I think that is a very sweet story!
Love your story. Sounds like things that come up while visiting with my folks. They are funny thoughts and stories, but the memories sometimes do bring a tear to my eye thinking of those special people who aren’t here anymore. Thanks for sharing!
Happy for you that Grandma Kramer brought a pleasant story into your thoughts today. I’m sure she has a smile on her face. Sandi
My grandma was the same way. My aunt/her daughter bought her many beautiful bath towel sets which she put away “for good”. After she passed away many were still on the shelf and when taken down literally disintegrated in one’s hands. There is frugal and there’s silly. My husband & I decided early on we would enjoy gifts we were given no matter how fragile or expensive even if they wore out or got broken that’s why they were given and nobody gets in trouble if they break a pretty either because they are more important than a thing. A sense of humor and a remembrance of a loved one is very important too.
My Granny was the same way. When she passed, my Aunt Polly tried to give the “gifts” back to those who had gifted them. I have a set of 1970’s style dish cloths that do not match a thing in my kitchen. But, I will treasure the floral pictures of June and November which represent the months of Granny and Grandpa’s birthdays. Granny used to can vegetable soup that she called “soup mix.” I spend all day Saturday trying to remember her recipe and canning 7 quarts. Next winter will tell whether I measure up.
What a nice story.Is it not great that we may be remembered someday by such a simple thing.. I hope I am
My gramma was the same. When she passed and my mom went to clean out her house, everything we had ever given her was still in the wrapper with the name of the person who gave it to her. She left a note in her will that theynwere to all go back to the giver. She had sheets in that cupboard but the ones on her bad had numerous patches on top of patches. I could never really understand that but I loved her anyway.
GREAT story!!
What a sweet story. I wonder what our decendants will remember about us?
Funny story! As far as the scraper goes my mom has always had a scraper with a broken handle. She has one right now that has a handle less than 2 inches long. She refuses to throw it away! We kids used to get frustrated by this stuff, now we just shrug it off.
I think it’s that Depression Era mentality. My grandparents had it, and passed it along to my farmer Dad in spades. He will wear a t-shirt until you can see through it, and even longer if there are not too many holes. , Then, he’ll switch to another one that he’s had in the drawer for years. My DH loves to tease him about it.