Grandma Hartley & her trays

There are things in life that just remind you of your favorite people. One of my favorite people, my Grandma Dorothy--she was beautiful inside and out. She never said a negative thing about anyone or anything, she truly lived the "if you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say anything at all" motto.

I feel her close when I see our breathtaking pink skies. I know she's watching over when I hear "Float On" by Modest Mouse. And I cherish my calls with Papa Richard when we reminisce about her & all the wonderful things she did for us.

So the other day when I walked into IKEA and saw some turquoise TV/bed trays, it was as if she was right there beside me. Memory after memory poured in.

You see, she had two tan TV/bed trays. She stored them on the floor of her hall closet, by the front door of their house, on the right side of the closet. On Saturday mornings when my brother and I, or my cousin Stephanie and I, would have sleepovers she would fix us Micky Mouse pancakes & we would sit in front of her TV eating our breakfast on these little trays. We typically didn't get to eat in front of the TV, nor in the living room so these Saturday mornings were special. She sit there in her rocking chair with one of her famous aprons still on and rock back and forth, back and forth as she just took it all in.

I couldn't pick up those TV/bed trays quick enough. & they instantly became a weekend staple in the South house. As I sat the trays up for the first time, I told Kaden and Logan about their Grandma Hartley and a sense of calm instantly came over me. She once again, was right there with us.