You Can't Go Home Again?

All of these reunions, along with rummaging through my grandmother's recipes, have left me feeling quite nostalgic.

When I was a child I spent most of my summers (well, at least a few weeks) in Muskogee, Oklahoma. That's where Grandma and Vic lived. Vic was my grandfather. I guess he thought he was too hip to be called grandpa, grandfather, or anything old sounding. So, he was Vic.

I loved the time I spent in Oklahoma. I was Grandma and Vic's first grandchild, and their only grandchild for over ten years. This means I was spoiled. I was not a brat about it, but spoiled is about the best word I can come up with to describe my experience of the many wonderful things I got to have, do, and see when I visited my grandparents.

They had a swimming pool built in their yard when I was very young. It was for me. All year long the pool sat empty except for the occasional swim by Vic after golfing, or maybe the kid who cut the grass would get to take a dip. When I stayed in Oklahoma I wanted to swim from the moment I woke up to the moment I went to sleep.

One year my grandfather took me to visit a friend of his, "M.C.". MC had a farm and I spent the night there. His daughters showed me all around and took me horseback riding. I loved seeing the animals and the gardens/crops. I had such a wonderful time in a home so very different from what I was used to. Shortly after, Vic had MC bring over some bunnies for me. I can't remember how many there were. I'd say at least 1/2 dozen. They released them in the backyard, which was fenced in. I saved carrots and radishes from my dinner salads to feed them. I couldn't believe I had my very own bunnies. Of course, they eventually tunnelled out of the yard one by one until they were all gone. I think the final rabbits left after I did.

Vic also took me to meet many other interesting people. He was very involved in Native American culture and had been Superintendent of Indian Schools for the entire U.S. We always visited the 5 Civilized Tribes Museum and Honor Heights Park (famed for the annual Azalea Festival). He took me arrowhead hunting. At the time I didn't know, but he planted some from his collection for me to find. I thought that was so much fun. Once he took me to see the Goodyear Blimp which had landed in a nearby field.

My great-grandmother was living until I was about 12 years old, so we'd visit her too. At first in her home, then in a nursing home. One time my father visited her in the nursing home and played his guitar for her. She really got a kick out of that. One time she asked whether we'd had any trouble with the Indians on our way to see her. She lived in Oklahoma her whole life.

Mostly things were country. My grandparents lived in a fairly new suburb, but just across the street was farmland. I could always smell the honeysuckles in the air. Imagine my surprise when I looked up good old Muskogee on Google today and found this crazy tourist trap!

So, I cannot go "home" again. Not only is Muskogee not how it used to be, but home is the people. I miss Great-grandmother, Grandma and Vic.