My Grandmother Vennie Watson Wicker

Today is my Grandmother Vennie's birthday. This is one of those times that my two blogs overlap. My family blog tells about her early life, but this one will tell what she meant to me and what I learned from her.

My earliest memories are of her reading me stories---not a warm and fuzzy memory. I didn't really appreciate her reading to me at the time. She didn't have much education and read poorly. I can remember taking the book out of her hands and demanding that my mother read it. On the plus side, I learned to read very early because I couldn't bare to hear her struggle. I think this memory is what motivated me to become a reading teacher. I can remember my mother asking me why I wanted to get my master's in reading. I told her, I hope to teach teen and adult literacy some day, and I have.

My next memory is of her at a treadle sewing machine. She made almost all of my and my sister's clothes. I'll never forget her taking me to Southtown Famous-Barr on Kingshighway to pick out the fabric for my Christmas dress pictured below. I LOVED that the fabric changed colors--it was like magic. But, she also let me choose the buttons (rhinestone) and belt (silver leather). I'm not sure I would have the patience to let my granddaughter pick out such gaudy fabric that I would then have to work on. But, she did teach me how to sew---my own mother did NOT have the patience for that. My own daughters, while not seamstresses, do own and use sewing machines.

Because she lived next door and my father worked nights, I spent a great deal of time there---I was too noisy to keep home. She taught me how to entertain myself. I learned the Memory game which we called "Concentration" (with playing cards), I learned how to count and sort money (from the coins they saved), I learned how to play Solitaire which I still play almost daily on the computer (http://worldofsolitaire.com/) If you look at the statistics for "Double Klondike Turn Three", you should see my name in the top 25. (I play while watching TV at night)
Pictured above are Wes and Vennie Wicker with my mother Louise when Mom lived on Winona. My grandparents were still living in Arkansas. They moved to St. Louis soon after this to help my mother. I learned that a mother and her daughter form a wonderful team. She sewed and babysat to help my mother out. My mother cooked and babysat to help me out. Well, I mostly just play with the grandkids (and babysit) to help my daughters out. But, still, we're a team.

Click here for my sister's memories.