She grew peas, lilacs and African violets.

If I get peas in the shell now I have to eat some of them raw. We'd sit out on her front lawn in those webbed lawn chairs with a big bowl to put the shelled peas in. She would get upset with me for eating them raw. "They'll give you a tummy ache!"

I have lilacs in my front yard. They're not quite like hers. Hers seemed like gigantic trees. Mine are getting there. They started off as single sticks 13 years ago. Unfortunately, I have killed every African Violet I've ever had.

She used to make me take a nap everyday. I think it was so she could watch Days of Our Lives without interruption. We both hated the Watergate scandal because it interrupted our TV routine - no game shows or soaps.


V.