My husband's sister, Lucy, asked me to write a short piece about Maw Maw's apron for her to read at a ladies meeting. Here is what I came up with. For those of you who didn't know, Maw Maw lived with Ronnie and me the last few years of her life. How sad that you lose you husband, children, sisters.... that your closest kin is your grandchildren. She was a character and my only regret is that I didn't record her stories while she was alive.... she could tell a good story.
Maw Maw’s Apron
Maw Maw wore sack dresses and aprons with
pockets. A sack dress was worn more than
one day but each morning she put on a clean apron. That apron was a tool used to get her work
done just like Paw Paw’s carpenter tools helped him. Made from scrape material, its purpose was
more than just a cover to keep her dress clean.
When her marriage was young it held clothes pins
for easy access, eggs from the hen house, tomatoes from the garden and
blackberries. Tucked in its pockets was a
handkerchief to wipe noses, the house key when she walked to visit family or
friends, her sweet gum toothbrush, a small tin of snuff, and the obituaries
clipped from the newspaper to show Paw Paw when he got home from work.
When she was older her apron pockets held treats
for the grandbabies, the pass Sunday church bulletin and a pencil so she could
do her puzzle books.
Her aprons played many roles. They were a basket to carry things, a pot
holder for hot pans, a mask to hide tears from children, and a monster to
chickens in the garden.
Most important they were a symbol of a hard
working woman who loved her family.
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