My Memories of My Grandmother WANDA ESPLIN SNOW By Michelle North
After we moved to St. George we spent a lot of time in the summer with her and Grandpa while mom worked at "the store." During those summer months she taught me many things. While I was in Primary she taught me to embroider and crochet. I still love to crochet today and each time I wrap the yarn around my fingers I see her hands and knuckles crippled with arthritis showing me how to get the tension just right. Through the years she made each of the great-grandchildren beautiful blankets.
Marcia and I also helped her clean her house and she was a wonderful teacher in showing us the right way to clean a room. We cleaned from top to bottom. We dusted all of the baseboards, and then the furniture, vacuumed, and arranged everything just so, and boy could we make a bathroom sparkle. She was meticulous in both her home and her appearance. My favorite part of those summer days was having Grandpa come home for lunch. She always knew what time he would be home and she would fix a nice lunch for him. He was on a special diet for his heart and she was always very careful to have something healthy for him to eat. Its funny but I remember cold fruit cocktail and bananas in cute little dishes. She always made the simplest things feel special. Grandpa would eat and then take a twenty minute nap. It was amazing he always woke-up and was ready to go again. The best part was he never left without kissing her good-bye. They were a wonderful couple.
Many times in the summer she would take us "to town," but not until she was ready. She never went to town until she had bathed, put on clean clothes and make-up, did her hair and had everything just perfect. She would be shocked at the way people go shopping these days. I have thought of her many times as I've been in a hurry to run to the store and I think I should stop and change my clothes first. She felt the same way about church, weddings, funerals, and other special occasions. She was definitely meticulous in her appearance. She had a funny little picture taped to the glass door in her kitchen cupboard that I liked with a heavy woman and a thin woman with the words "To waste or to waist." Another fun thing that I loved was when an order came from ZCMI in Salt Lake and she would have a whole box of dresses to choose from. It was exciting to watch her try them on and help her pick the ones that were best.
I love the rodeo because of Grandma and Grandpa Snow and the memories I have of the old store and watching the parade and going to the rodeo together. I loved going to the Rotarians & Kiwanis's mother-daughter parties. I learned about trousseau teas and so many special things from Grandma.
Grandma was a wonderful gardener. She loved flowers, especially roses. The backyard was full of beautiful rose bushes that she tended with care. She would pick them early in the morning and put them in a silver pitcher. Then she would take them in and arrange them. Her yard was full of flowers, forsythia, ivy, trumpet vine, and was very inviting. I think that is why I am always drawn to beautiful flowers and yards wherever I go. Sitting on the den porch and feeling like I was hidden from the world and sitting to read a book was one of my favorite things. One thing she didn't like was snails and she would give us old honey cans and pay us to catch snails and then we would throw them out onto the highway.
As you know their house was on the boulevard, which when we were growing up was also the main highway and so sometimes the traffic could be pretty thick. Grandma had her own way of meeting that challenge that always intrigued me. She pulled into the driveway.: and parked in the old detached
garage behind the house, which meant she had to back out. This took great courage and skill. We would watch the cars and tell her when it was OK to go, then she would open her door and look out, then going as fast as she could before more cars could come she would speed out onto the highway. We always got such a kick out of her driving. I think as she got older her driving got faster not slower. I had a favorite house on the west side of town just off of Bluff Street. It had a big round driveway in front, so I would always ask her to drive by and let me look. I think it is gone now, but taking drives with Grandma is still one of my favorite memories.
As we got older one of the things I realized was how lucky we were to have such supportive Grandparents. They came to everything we were involved in for school and church. Grandpa used to have to go to Salt Lake often for doctor's appointments and I used to love to tag along. I realize now this was before the days of convenience stores like 7-11 or Maverick, so Grandma packed a box with goodies in it for the trip. It was interesting to see what fun things were in the box. When we got to Salt Lake we always stayed at "Covey's Little America." It was the perfect place and so much fun. Many times we would meet Dex and Deniece and go shopping at ZCMI or Auerbachs until we were exhausted. They even let me and Marcia go to California with them one trip. Traveling with them was always and adventure.
When Grandpa Snow died we were all heart broken, especially Grandma. It was very hard for her when he was not around. He was her purpose in life in many ways. She lived to love and take care of him and did a beautiful job, and he did the same for her. I remember at nights when she was having a hard time going to sleep he would use the electric massager and rub her back and feet. There wasn't anything they wouldn't do for each other.
One of my biggest disappointments was when it came time to be married, Grandma and Grandpa Snow could not be there with me. Grandpa had passed away and Grandma Snow was very sick and could not come to my wedding. I missed her very much, but later as she got well I had the chance to go to the temple with her. She taught me how to carefully fold my temple clothes. It has been 27 years since I got married, but I still think of her every time I fold my clothes and I am careful to make sure every crease is perfect. I even had a lady stop and ask me one day how I got my veil so perfect and I smiled and thought of Grandma Snow.
My kids were still small when Grandma Snow died, but she was always very sweet to them. I remember her writing to me while I lived in Salt Lake. She would share what was going on with her and the family and then she would always admonish me to love every minute with my small babies, enjoy each new day and the things we were involved in. I know there were times when she was very lonely without Grandpa. She would finish with the thought that it won't be long before they have all grown-up and gone and the house would be empty. Now I understand the tender feelings of her heart and those special words to me all those years ago. As my children are leaving home to begin their own lives I find myself echoing the same refrain, "Enjoy each day and each sweet moment with these precious little ones, the days pass quickly and soon they will be grown and gone." She was always so wise and I loved her dearly.
My Grandma Snow will always hold a very special place in my heart and I thank her for all the things she so lovingly taught me. I have been blessed to have such wonderful grandparents and hope I will have the same relationship with my own grandchildren., I look forward to a glorious reunion with them.