Baby its cold outside

It had recently become a weekly tradition for my father, my sisters and I to drive up to my grandparents house and help them rack the leaves. Everyday the leaves rained from the trees covering the browning grass. The racking seemed endless and had become too much for my aging grandparents.

When we finally reached my grandparent's house we were greeted by the smells of beets and cinnamon. Although it might have been an odd combination, it was the result of hours of cooking over the wrought iron stove centered in a tiny kitchen. To me this was the smells of home. My sisters and I raced to the crumbling cement stairs located at the back door. I stretched as far as I could reach and rang the door bell. The faded blue door opened slowly and I immediately saw the warm smile on her wrinkled face. She said, " What are you doing here? Come, Come in its cold outside. You must be freezing." Shortly after I was being embraced by her arms in a loving hug. My grandfather was sitting at the kitchen table reading the sports section of the newspaper. He tipped the corner down and uttered, " Hello Ashley, Catherine... Bridget." I darted toward him and leaped into his arms asking, "Whatcha reading Pop." I pulled the paper from his hands and pretended to read the text.

As my dad and Pop were working hard outside racking, the rest of us were inside making paper dolls. Forming intricate lace patterns from our well planned cuts. When the stack of dolls piled up and the scraps of paper scattered on the floor like snow, we decided to go play in the leaves.

Before we were able to bolt out the door, we were stopped by the voice of my grandmother. Said in a stern voice, "Freeze! you have to put on your jackets." Instead of going out the door we gathered our jackets and scarves. She knelt down in front of me and looped the hand knit scarf around my neck. With a smile on her face, she said,"Hold on to your cuffs." I gripped my long-sleeved cat patterned shirt with great force and slide my arm into the jacket sleeve that my grandma was holding open. The look in my grandma's eyes as she helped me get ready to go outside truly showed how much she loved me.

Although this is a very simple trick that doesn't seem like it would be earth shattering, it has impacted my life. This piece of advice was given to me by a loving relative that makes it a valuable piece of information. Now with the the weather getting colder, I find that I am following this everyday and I am doing it unintentionally.