My Opal Refrigerator

What's the chore that you just hate to do?

You know, the one you put off way too long.

For me,

it's cleaning out the refrigerator.

What, you say?

That's not such a bad job?

Well, obviously you don't have me and my Grandma's genes.

I have a name for the way my refrigerator looks right now.

It always gets to this point.

I call it my Opal fridge.

Named after my beloved Grandma.

My Grandma was a wonderful cook.

She always had plenty of whatever might possibly

be needed to whip something up at a moment's notice.

She also had an uncanny knack for fitting about ten times

more food in her refrigerator than should

humanly be possible.

You never knew what you'd find in there. 

But she knew where everything was.

And if you couldn't possibly find another inch to make something fit,

just hand it over to Opal.

She could almost do with her refrigerator

what Jesus did with the fish and loaves of bread.

Man, I miss my precious Grandma.

So much, it hurts sometimes.

I think I'm getting melancholy.

Who knew writing about my refrigerator would stir up so many memories.

I spent a few weeks nearly every summer with her...

in the country -

The Magical Place.

That also meant not having much in the way of city girl drinks 

while I was there.

(Except when my Aunt Myrtle saved the day and bought me

ice-cold Dr. Peppers.)

Grandma's fridge was always fully stocked with a big open jar

of fresh cow's milk, with about an inch of cream on top.

Her tap water had a lot of fluoride in it, so it looked a little murky.

There was usually some good ol' ice tea to found by dinner time though,

thank goodness.

And I know you know what kind of tea it was, don't you.

Had enough sugar in it to thicken my blood.

Just like her oatmeal.

Mmm...deliciousness.

OK  
so back to my original thought - 
my refrigerator.

I'll eventually get sick of it being a mess

and trying to find things that I know are in there somewhere.

Might even find a few chartreuse or aqua-marine colored

pieces of cheese,

Well... it's TRUE.

I'm not gonna hide the ugly truth. 

Then I'll go to town on it.

And it will look so very pretty...and clean and shiny.

And fresh-smelling,

And EMPTY!

Then I'll miss Grandma even more!

So I think it can wait for another few days.

Love always to Opal Sharon Gaither Stewart-

the refrigerator queen. 

And my hero.

xox