I know many of you love the family part of my writing. I hear all the time how you love hearing stories about my family. My grandparents always seem to be the highlight in a lot of these. If it wasn’t for my family, I don’t think I would be the writer I am. I love sharing past memories and how good my childhood was.

It makes me sad both of my grandfathers are gone. Dwain Perry and Floyd Liddick were two outstanding men. I not only had a dad, Lee Perry, who loved me, taught me all kinds of things, and was someone I looked up to my whole life, but I also had two paps who did the same.

It is so important for girls and young women to grow up and know how a man should treat a woman. I had wonderful men in my life who would do anything for me and had high standards for my future husband as a young adult.

I lost one of my best friends — my grammy Margaret Perry — when I was in my mid-twenties. This was tough. We did so much together and had such a close relationship. Can I say that she had the best hugs!? She taught me to make eggs, play rummy, bought me fake nails, and would listen to Christmas music in the heat of summer with me. We were crazy together, and that list of things would be a mile long. Those are just some of the highlights.

My Gram Lois Liddick is the only grandparent I have left, but she is in an assisted living home. She suffers from dementia. I don’t get to see her as often as I like, but my momma and I went last Friday to see her. On the way there, my mom said most days she leaves feeling sad because my Gram just isn’t the same and doesn’t remember much. It breaks everyone’s heart to see.

My gram has done so much for so many people and is such a woman of God. She truly is one of the most genuine people I know. She did so much for her kids and grandkids, giving us many wonderful parties and prayers and making sure her family was together often.

She taught me how to can, showed me how much to trust in the Lord, and gave me my love for animals. She and Pap had a small farm, and she would let me bring all the kittens into the house and play with them all day. She was a saint!

As we walked into the home, she was sitting in the living room, snuggled in a blanket. I said, “Hi, Gram!” with a big smile on my face as I kneeled down by her wheelchair to talk to her. “Oh, hi!” she said back with a grin. Her eyes were glued to my sweatshirt as we moved her to two chairs sitting nearby so momma and I could sit with her.

“Harley? What’s that say on your shirt?” as she still was staring at my maroon Harley Davidson hoodie.

“Harley Davidson Gram,” I said.

“Oh. OK. Boy, that’s nice.” she replied.

We continued to visit, and every few minutes, she would look at my shirt and read it out loud or ask what it said. Mom would look over at me and grin because she was just infatuated with my hoodie! It was so cute.

I said, “Gram, it’s a motorcycle.”

Gram’s response was, “Oh honey, I know that. I wouldn’t expect anything less from my granddaughter who rides a motorcycle.” Mom and I were shocked she even remembered this!?

She then said, “All my granddaughters are sure something special.”

Just when you think they won’t know you or remember much, they surprise us.

Gram talked about my hoodie over and over again, and I told her I would go to the Harley shop and buy her one.

She said, “Well, I’m really tempted, but you save your money.”

How cool is it that the one thing she remembered is that I ride?

Oh, Lois Liddick, you fill my heart.

I know how hard it is to have someone struggle with Alzheimer’s and dementia. It’s gut-wrenching! But when little things like this happen, it makes us feel like they are still with us mentally. We left feeling so good about our visit and kept giggling about my Harley hoodie. Momma said I picked the right outfit for the day! I know what I am wearing next time I go back, and maybe I’ll have to ride the Harley there so she can see it through the big window. Boy, will she talk then!

I told Gram I write about her in the Webb and that she has a fan base who loves hearing how she is doing. I asked her if she had anything she wanted me to tell her fans when I write again. She said, “Well, just let me know what they say after this writing.” (God bless her heart.)

I said, “Gram, do you want me to tell them how much Jesus loves them?”

“That sounds perfect,” she said.

I don’t have a picture of Gram’s Bubble Bread prepared, so to replace it, here is a photo from our visit last week of my momma, Gram, and I. Three generations! I Wish Kenzy would have been with us for the fourth generation, but I love this photo.

Gram Liddick’s Bubble Bread
Ingredients:
1 (1/4 oz.) pkg. active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1 egg
1/2 tsp. salt
4 to 4 1/2 cups of flour, divided
6 Tbsp. butter, melted
Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the sugar, shortening, egg, salt, and 1 cup of flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

Punch the dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; shape into 1 ½ inch balls. Dip the balls into butter and arrange them evenly in a greased 9-inch fluted tube pan. Drizzle with remaining butter. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes. Bake at 350 for 30 -35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes before inverting onto a serving platter. Serve warm.