Memorable Monday

Okay, here is my first stab at Memorable Monday!

Sawdust.

Most people think it is a big mess. I think it smells grand. Freshly cut wood: nothing better!

In fact, I love the smell because it reminds me of my grandpa. He was a carpenter. I learned to count because of him. His house was number seven on his street and my dad always made us count when visiting and # 7 was it! Seven has always been my favorite number.

Later, he and my grandmother moved to Oakley, Utah, a small town between Kamsas and Peoa (Yeah, my family's smallish immature silly minds had a lot of fun with that name).

They bought an old LDS church house and made it their home. My grandpa turned the cultural hall into his workshop and there were more nooks and crannies to discover every time we went to visit (only while he was talking to the parents, of course. You know the old saying, 'when the cats away....')

It was a two story building and all the Primary rooms were upstairs, which were turned into guest bedrooms. For us kids, it just meant more room to run. (Poor Grandma. I think we drove her nuts because she could hear every stomp we made up there)

The church house was right across from a rodeo field. We had so much fun watching the events through the windows. The sound was so loud you could hear every word and, best of all, there was no dirt. (don't ask. I really was a strange child!)

But, alas, Grandma died and two years later Grandpa had a stroke and our fun adventures of discovery without getting caught came to an end, but not before one last summer. We had to clean out all the wood. It took forever. My family came from Sandy every weekend and my Aunt's family came from Pleasant Grove. We worked hard that summer (some of us. The boys managed to find holes and secret rooms to hide out in. I wish I was as efficient! But I did manage to avoid my fair share of work!)

I love Oakley, Utah and the fun I had in that old church house. I miss my grandparents and wish I could have even more memories of them than I do. And whenever I smell sawdust or even take a visit to Home Depot, it reminds me of a simpler time and a sweet man who smelled just like freshly cut wood.