June Gran'ma Gertie

Howdy Ya’ll!

I reckon since June is such a big weddin’ month, I’ll tell ya’ll how me and Gran’pa wound up hitched. It was way back in 19...19..., oh, it’s been so long now I plum fergot! I was a sassy little strap of a gal the first time I laid eyes on him. I thought he was the purtiest thing since May flowers! He had eyes that looked like chocolate and a true city-boy attitude. I took to him like a new pig to slop. He didn’t fancy me too much, though. I don’t know whether he was scared of my daddy or just didn’t know what to think about this bossy lil’ ol’ gal! I tried everything but outright chasin’ him! He’d come by my house real slow in his buggy, but soon as I’d walk out, he’d take off like he’d seen a ghost. Shortly after that, I lost track of him. Don’t remember how, but I did.
The next time I seen him, I’d done got grown and had an attitude of my own. He kept lookin’ at me like he wasn’t sure where he knowed me from. When it finally hit him, he got this strange look on his face and said “My Lord, but you growed up!”. I told him that’s what happens when time goes by.
Two years later, I was the proud owner of one sure fire city boy! I think I let him chase me ‘till I caught him. He was beginnin’ to scare me though. He moved so slow there fer a while that I just knew I was goin’ to have to get mama’s rollin’pin and WHOP him over the head with it just to get him to pay attention to me! But I got him, ya’ll. I sometimes may not know what I’m gonna do with him, but he’s mine. He’s been around so long now, I prob’ly couldn’t run him off with a stick. I reckon I’ll keep him. I don’t think nobody could put up with either of us now that we done got so old and set in our ways.
After that, it was all the same stuff that goes on today with new couples. We worked hard, had our babies, and done all the things couple do. Probably some stuff that young’uns today wouldn’t even think of!
Now I ain’t gonna tell you that trainin’ a city boy is a easy job. You’d be surprised how little that city boy of mine knew. I’m talkin’ about easy stuff , too. Like how much wood to load in the stove and how much fat lighterd to use. He ‘bout burnt the house down ‘till I showed him.
Or how much seed to buy come plantin’ time. I sent him to the feed and seed store one day with a list of all the things I wanted. I wanted all the usual, butterbeans, field peas, corn, okra, and such. When he got back, he was more embarrassed than I’d ever seen anybody. I asked him what the problem was. He told me that when he got to the store, he saw something was missin’ from the list. When he asked the store owner about it, the poor feller just about died laughin’ at Gran’pa. My city boy husband had asked for potater seeds!
I reckon what I’m gettin’ at is aimed at all the new June brides and grooms. It don’t matter none if you’re all country, or pure out city slicker. Just make shore that the one you’ve chosen to spend your life with is gonna be there to make you laugh sometimes. Sometimes laughter will be all you’ve got. When the times get hard, and they will, the only thing that’ll help you young’uns make it is laughter. It’s free, it’s easy to give or to take, and the last time I checked, they ain’t got no taxes on it yet!!

‘Till Next Time,

Gran’ma Gertie