Some People Called Her Bon Bon

When Grandma B and Marlee drove into the Marleewood parking lot they saw Grandma Lu's car parked there. Marlee said, "Oh good, Grandma Lu is here. She's been gone for awhile, I need a hug." Grandma B chuckled and said, "You know what, I do too. It will be good to see her."
They walked inside, but they didn't see Grandma Lu. "Where is she?" Marlee asked.

Grandma B smiled and said, "I have a feeling she is in the Quiet Room. She had a long trip and may just need a place where she can think and be quiet for awhile. Let's just go out in the kitchen and I'll make a pot of coffee. You know I made a peach crisp I brought along. Let's pop it in the oven. It will make the kitchen smell so good. You know Grandma Lu; she loves a snack. She will be glad to see you too."

In a little while Grandma Lu came out to the kitchen grinning. "Oh, I smell something heavenly. What did you bake, B? Well, hi there, Miss Marlee. I need a hug, do you have an extra one for me today?"

Of course, Marlee gave Grandma Lu a big hug. "Were you in the Quiet Room, Grandma Lu? How did you get in there?"
Grandma Lu said, "Yes, I sure was. I needed a place to think about things where there was no television or noise for awhile."

Marlee said, "Well, how did you get in there? The doors to Marleewood were locked."
Grandma Lu said, "Oh, I guess you didn't know, Marlee. When we designed the Quiet Room we had five key cards made. They just slip in a little box on the door and it opens up. When you you leave, you put the cards back in the box so someone else can use the room. It works really well. Today I put the card back in the box and used the door that goes into the Sitting Room to get into Marleewood.

Grandma B dished up some warm peach crisp and poured some coffee for the grownups and Marlee asked for some sweet tea.
Because Marlee was very curious she asked Grandma Lu what she was thinking about while she was in there.

Grandma Lu said, "Well when I was just a little girl my Aunt and Uncle had a little baby girl just a few months after I was born. They named her Bonnie Jean. You have even seen pictures of her, Marlee. I told about her in some of the stories. Remember she got stuck in the Lost and Found closet. Oh that was so funny."

"One of the names people call her is Bon Bon." Marlee laughed and said, "Some people call my Grandma B 'Bon Bon' too!"

 Grandma Lu chuckled and winked at Marlee and said, "Well, Bonnie Jean and I lived in different places pretty far apart for those days. We didn't get to see each other very often. I lived in the country and she lived in the city. My daddy had cows to milk and my mama baked things for the grocery store. She made lots of cakes, cinnamon rolls, and dozens of cookies to sell. She had her picture in the newspaper once when I was a little girl. Would you like to see it? I have it on my phone." Marlee nodded her head and Grandma B came around the table and looked at the picture.

Grandma B said, "Oh, she had a KitchenAid mixer!' I didn't know they made them when you were a little girl."
Grandma Lu laughed and said, "I know, but they started making those mixers in 1919. Can you even believe it?"

"My mom started having a lot of pain in her shoulder from kneading so much bread dough, so she had to buy this big mixer even though it cost a lot of money. She used the money that she made baking for the store and people to send my sister, Rosie, to nursing school."

Marlee said, "But what did Bon Bon have to do with your mama's baking stuff?"
"Oh my goodness that is quite the story, Miss Marlee. There is so much to tell. Do you want to hear about when I was a little girl on the farm?"
They both answered, "Yes I do!"