A July Visit To Grandma's House

Anna loved visiting Great Grandma Ward's house. Her eyes sparkled after the trip to the bathroom where she discovered her favorite color--pink towels, pink sink, sink tile, pink toilet, pink tub and pink flooring.

And yes, the chair Anna sits in for this picture has a bit of pink in it too.

Anna told grandma what a pretty house she had. I know my mom enjoyed watching our little princess and listening how much she had changed since the last visit.

Her little conversations are fun.

Grandma was an instant hit before our little princess noticed the aroma of cookies coming from the basement. Grandma made chocolate drop cookies, oatmeal raisin and chocolate chip and apple sauce, and yes the apple sauce had chocolate chips too.

And to put the cherry on the top of the day, my mom made us a fresh loaf of bread too.

Anna does not go to people quickly, but she recognized a soul mate in Great Grandma Ward. With a pink bathroom and an ability to work magic with chocolate, Great Grandma Ward was a hit with Anna.

Anna enjoyed grandma's hugs, and here you can see how pleased she was. I can tell because of the sheepish grin she has when she enjoys someone making a fuss over her.
Anna is my mom's first granddaughter.








And where would a day in Malad be without a trip to the Malad Drive-In. The boys and Lydia show off the T-shirts we found there, although the boys might be in college before they fit well.

The sign looks different than it did in 1955, but the food is still the same. The boys and Anna feasted on grilled cheese sandwiches and tater tots.

I did not notice until the end of the meal that I forgot to order Jack his lemonade. But his grin was twice as big as usual when I finally remembered, ordered it at the counter and placed it in front of him.

After all these years, the menu has not changed much. They still have the Glamour Burger, and their milk shakes are still the best in the area when it comes to anything you can find at a fast food place. Personally, I find all of there food better than anything I find anywhere else.

I only wish I had had the time to stop for a Fresh Lime on the way out of town, but we were trying to get home before early evening.

Without a doubt, the Malad Drive-In brings back memories. It is where my classmates and I "hung out" whenever there was time to cruise in our parents' cars, and it is where we stopped to talk and enjoy a summer afternoon with friends.

Every time I go to the Drive-In, I tell my children and grandchildren about the trips I made there with my Springer Spaniel to get me a shake and him a Frosty. I would let him lick at the cone before putting it in a little plate I had for him in the back of my Model A Ford pickup.

And I always show my children and grandchildren where I parked my car under the shade of the same large tree that is still there. It is where I always parked my car. If someone was there, I drove through town until the place was free.

It was a great day in Malad. On the way out of town, Lydia had me stop for one more picture of her and Anna in front of the stone honoring Governor John V. Evans, a local politician who was an incredible governor. He never forgot about his roots, and he always made a point to talk to people from Malad.

It will always upset me that the town voted for Steve Symms instead of John V. in his final election when he ran for the U.S. Senate. As much as John V. did for the town of Malad, he deserved much more than that. But that is ho things go sometimes in small towns.



Here is one more picture of us at grandma's with me hugging my grandsons. It is great that all three still enjoy hugs. That will change too soon.