Over the River

In loving memory of Anne Bigelow Wise, my grandmother.My childhood family road trips to Conroe were almost literally the songOver the river and through the wood, to Grandmother’s house we goLa la la la la la la la la la, la la la la la la laThe melody danced around in my head like a pinball - protected from its drain by expertly guided flippersAnd fueled by the restless energy that's to be expected of a precocious boy on a four-hour car rideWith my mind occupied in song, my eyes found their own means for passing the time on the roadPeering through the backseat window of the family station wagon, or later minivanThey searched desperately for the luscious green trees of the East Texas Piney WoodsBecause seeing those trees let me know that we'd soon be completing our trek from GeorgetownAnd, more importantly, that the game I'd spent the entire four hours anticipating was about to beginYou see, arriving at our destination was accompanied by a contest between my brother, sister, and meYear after year, trip after trip, we competed to see who would be the first to spot the Red Bridge -The entrance way to River Plantation which stands majestically over Stewart Creek, a San Jacinto arteryAs one might imagine, spotting it first bestowed invaluable bragging rights for quelling my sibling rivalriesBut our arrival marker wasn't just exigent for me to win the game, it was also symbolic of a deeper joySpotting the Red Bridge meant that Mimi’s warm embrace was right around the cornerThere was always something magical about staying at Mimi and Duke's housePart of the enchantment was the over-the-garage guest quarters they'd cleverly named the Owl's Nest -My grandparents drew perfectly endearing inspiration from their last name: WiseOwl clocks, owl paintings, owl coffee mugs, owl coasters - owl the decor you could ever wantAnd the crown jewel, of course, was the Owl's Nest, their worldly-wise apartment on the perch in the skyA wooden staircase behind the garage led up to a beautifully-crafted Owl's Nest ensign and the entranceFor a veritably imaginative kid, climbing those stairs was like climbing a treehouse ladder to paradiseAfter all, inside was the best-haunt-for-playing-Fort-with-my-rag-tag-gang-of-siblings-and-cousins-everUpon arrival in Conroe, securing permission to go up in the Owl's Nest unsupervised was the objectiveSensing our anticipation, Mimi would acquiesce after getting her fill of grandmotherly hugs and kissesShe'd say yes with a nod and a wink, her way of signaling that she was a co-conspirator in our adventureOnce dismissed, we darted outside and were swiftly met by the familiar, comforting aroma of pineconesUp the stairs and into the clouds we went, into our grandmother's perfectly executed vision for our funAs the oldest of us cousins started seeking independence, we grew Wise to the art of lobbying parentsWe politicked to have all of the cousins stay in the Owl’s Nest while all of the parents stayed in the houseIt should come as no surprise that Mimi, always our champion, was the closer in getting parents to agreeRiver Plantation, a sprawling golf community, also had much to offer kids as an untold green playgroundAnd, as such, riding with Mimi in the golf cart in search of emprise was a highlight of every trip to ConroeWe'd climb in with her around sunset, she'd turn the key and off we'd go twisting down the cart pathThe wind zipped our faces as we inhaled heaping helpings of freshly-cut grass in all its redolent newnessMimi'd stop periodically to plop one of us on her lap for a chance to steer - timing each turn just rightSo as to ensure we'd save the last of our light to feed the ducks, a bag of near-stale bread always in towAfter nightfall, we'd return, hop out of the golf cart famished, and dart into the kitchen already knowingMassive precut platters of peanut-butter-and-jelly and tuna-fish sandwiches awaited us in the refrigeratorThe same platters were patiently waiting to please the first time I took my bride to visit Mimi in ConroePortending her warmth to Jenn, Mimi called ahead during our drive to ask if we'd be hungry upon arrivalIt was just the two of us visiting but, in her excitement, she'd made enough sandwiches to feed an armyThat was Mimi - flanking the target of her affection with hospitality, storming presentiment with kindnessIn fact, Mimi's conviviality charmed her granddaughter-to-be upon first meeting my-love in GeorgetownBonding through the banality of washing dishes together, Mimi instantly accepted Jenn into the familyThis a shared experience, I imagine, for all her grandkid's partners - each also fully her grandkid forthwithComing full circle 'round the Red Bridge, Mimi took us on a golf cart ride during Jenn's first Conroe visitEven though Mimi was the only grandparent that I knew into adulthood, I was never left wantingTo be clear, I certainly pined for my other grandparents: Grandpa, Grandma, Duke - all dear to my heartBut while they were each profoundly missed, in some strange, miraculous way - nothing was missingAnd that, of course, was due to Mimi's larger-than-life presence - she was grandparents all by herselfSewing her affection over the void with the same care she gave to embroidering her cross-stitched owlsMimi's love for her grandchildren was woven like a silk tapestry - such gentle touch and devotion to craftShe worked with every fabric and knew the perfect pattern for every occasion - her yarn abundantAnd her reverence kept us covered and warm like the blankets she'd made each one of us for ChristmasInevitably, the over the river and through the wood trips to Conroe came to an endMimi moved to Georgetown and joined an outstanding retirement community - The Wesleyan at EstrellaIndeed, the-Wise-ole-owl-found-a-new-nest and ultimately, ample felicity in a newly-bestowed titleFrom her new perch, Mimi lived happily enjoying her new sovereign duty: great-grandmotherhoodAs she now joins my River Plantation memories in the past, I offer this time-capsuled-melody in tributeLa la la la la la la la la la, la la la la la la laMy grandmother's embracement of a life abounding in adventure, laughter, and kindness was contagiousThe art-of-unconditional-grandmotherly-love-perfected, Mimi always made us smileWritten August 2018 in Denver, Colorado