happy birthday mame

Today May 28th is the birthday of my grandmother, Helen Tucker Woods.

To me she was Mame and to other cousins Grammy and, of course, to her children she was mom.

If she was alive today, she would be 99 years old.

Here she is on her sixth birthday in 1917. She framed this for me on my sixth birthday.

She was one of the most amazing people I know and she has been a strong influence in shaping the person I am today. She has done so for all her own five children, 18 grandchildren, and all of the great-grandchildren that were fortunate enough to know her. I love her so much and have so many wonderful memories of her. I miss her a lot, but she lived such a good life that I know she is happy in heaven now with her loving Don and my wonderful mother Lynn. I am lucky enough to have a lot of things that belonged to her around my house so I am constantly reminded of all the wonderful times I spent at her house growing up. I thought I might take some of you down memory lane and for others who didn't know her, you will surely see just how cool she was by looking at some of her things.

The yellow love-seat (or as some may "Davenport") was always in her house. It used to be yellow with white polka dots for a long time, but somewhere along the line she got it recovered like this. It is still in pretty good shape and I feel privileged to be its keeper. The arms on both sides still go up and down, but for Mame's sake I promise never to let anybody sit on them. The coffee table was actually in my house growing up, but before that it was in my mom's house growing up so it has its own history as well. The green rug coincidentally is sort of a shout out to the green shag carpet that was in every room of her house.

I am not sure what country this box is from, but it is some kind of gourd that has been carved out. It always lived on her coffee table and all the kids loved playing with it and hiding things in it (as Jimmy does now). I always loved the lid and its one squared piece.

Most of these teacups were hers. All the granddaughters got to divide them up one time and I was lucky enough to get my very favorite (the flowed one with the gold inside). I have lots of wonderful memories of Mame turning on her fireplace on a "cold" day and making a tea party for us at the little kids table with all the dolls and stuffed animals.

These are a few of the stuffed animals that I have now:

Charlie (the big dog) and one of his puppies and Chink (a favorite of Pop's)

While these canisters have outlived their days of being useful, I have to keep them on display.

Everyone should be happy to know that I still keep cookies, snacks, and other treats in here.

I was once lucky enough to have my name drawn from a hat to win this coveted item above:

The Famous Peanut Butter and Jelly Sign

(But I did make prints of it for everyone to share the wealth).

I have some random pieces of jewelry that were Mame's and I have this jewelry box. I recently came across this necklace of animals that she wore quite often. While, I don't know if I am brave enough to sport it myself, I certainly have to keep it.

Maybe when I am 9o, I can pull it off.

I love you Mame! Happy Birthday!