"old-time aprons" like those Grandma used to wear

Writing prompt: Write about the "old-time aprons" like those Grandma used to wear.

Like everyone else, I had two grandmothers, and was named after one of them. Unfortunately, the one I was named after passed away long before I was born. In fact, my father, her son, was only 16 years of age when his mother passed away, at home, from what they called apoplexy. I must admit that it was rather unsettling when Dad took me to a private cemetery out in the hills near Monty Creek, BC and I saw her grave for the first time. It simply had her first and last names, followed by her date of death. It is strange to see your own name on a headstone.

My other grandmother, Mom’s mom, I did know for awhile. I turned 7 just 2 months before she passed away, in her home, of a heart attack. I don’t remember much about Granny, but I do have some fuzzy memories… She was a somewhat heavy set woman who wore her hair in a bun. She also wore dark colored house dresses all the time, below the knee of course, and heavy stockings, very light brown color it seems to me, that I remember being all saggy around her ankles, just above her brown, solidly made, sensible lace-up shoes with what was likely about a 1 inch heal. I don’t remember if Granny wore an apron or not.

In my mind I can still walk through Granny’s house, from room to room, and see some of the furniture, though that could be because Aunt Mabel continued to live in the house for years after Granny was gone. In fact, Aunt Mabel lived in that little house at the one end of Main Street in Smithers until she moved to Terrace not many years before she died of cancer. Aunt Mabel worked in the Government building and when it was closed she was transferred to the one in Terrace. There are many wonderful things I remember about Aunt Mabel, like her great sense of humor and how she always made people laugh, or helping her roll her cigarettes with Number 7 tobacco and really long papers in a special machine, then cutting them to size with a razor blade, and of course how she played with the curls of her naturally curly hair. I am proud to say that I am much like Aunt Mabel was. I don’t remember Aunt Mabel wearing an apron either.

My Dad said one time that I was just like my Aunt Mabel and that, like her, I would spend the rest of my life living alone with a house full of cats. Well, Dad was wrong. I only have one cat! And a dog, 2 chinchillas, a rabbit, 2 budgie birds, 2 Betta fish, and outside a flock of chickens and some wild pigeons living all together in one little shed. My beloved Dad passed away 10 days after my 43^rd birthday, just one in about a year and a half of deaths that “hurt” to “rocked my world”. And none of them wore aprons either to my knowledge.

I don’t remember Mom being much of an apron wearer either, but I just might ask her when she returns from the trip she’s on. I, however, have been known to occasionally wear an apron. I rather like them in fact, especially the kind with the bib on top. Aprons give you pockets that can come in handy while protecting clothes from dirt and/or damage. I have a hands-free, cordless phone that I like to put into a pocket while wearing the headset and talking on it, so often wear an apron for this reason. One time I had a friend over for dinner and was dressed in nice clothes that I wanted to protect while cooking, so I wore an apron… he seemed to get a kick out of that, or maybe thought it was sexy, lol. Maybe one day I’ll get the opportunity or reason to wear the apron again, but with less clothing under it… sigh.

Alice / Imma