Growing up...

My little brother, two younger sisters and I were extremely lucky to have been blessed with the worlds best grandparents on both sides of the family. Both sets were hardworking, owned their own businesses, deeply religious people and were very good to their grandchildren. Yes, we were very lucky.

But this post is about my maternal grandmother, Inez Phillips. Not only was she all the things that I mentioned above, she was also very talented and creative. She was a "beautician" (that's what they were called in the '60's) and owned her own shop. She loved to paint, cake decorate, cook, sew, garden, and she loved music. She owned and could play the organ, piano and guitar. We use to love when she would go in the "big" living room and play music for us kids. She was very versatile when it came to music and could play just about any genre of song, but was especially good at hymns.

The funny thing was though, is that we never wanted to hear her play all those songs. We kids would ALWAYS beg her for one very special song. We loved to hear her play it and she never failed to make us happy.

My grandmother passed away this very week in 1989 from cancer. We know that she has gone on to a much better place and though our lives will never be the same, we kids would all, for just one moment in time, give anything to be able to yell, "Play the barrel song for us, grandmomma!" And this is what she would play just for us.....




You got it...The Beer Barrel Polka! We absolutely loved that song. And man could she play it.

"So grandmomma, though you have been gone for 18 years, your love, your goodness and your music lives on in our hearts. We miss you so much!"

Inez Lounette Phillips