My Amana Rocker
I have scoliosis.
I was in junior high and had just returned from a Girl Scout canoe trip with a bad sunburn when Mom noticed that my back didn’t look right (besides the fact that it was bright red). “What’s wrong with your back?” she asked with urgency in her voice. Doctor appointments followed. My case wasn’t severe enough to warrant a back brace, thank goodness, but I was instructed to practice a variety of stretching exercises.
Needless to say, backaches happen. Often.
During a summer visit to my Grandmother Abbie (Webber Smith Brender) in Iowa City, I suffered a really bad backache while sleeping on her couch. I couldn’t get comfortable and I couldn’t sleep. I finally got up and sat in her rocking chair. I felt so much better! For the remainder of my stay, I would get into that rocker whenever my bed disagreed with my back.
With Abbie 1977 at Amana Colonies
Abbie’s rocker was made in the Amana Colonies in Amana, Iowa. I took my husband to see the sights in Iowa in 1977 and we visited the Amana Colonies with Grandma Abbie. I told him how her rocker had eased my back pain years before and one Christmas he surprised me with my own Amana rocking chair. I’d insert a heart here if I knew how.
Addendum: November 12, 2012
I found a picture of Grandma Abbie sitting in her Amana rocking chair. This was taken when she lived in an assisted living apartment. 
Abbie and Kathy
My Grandma Abbie died February 18, 1999. At the time, a couple of my Strange-Webber cousins were publishing a family newsletter. The edition after Abbie’s death was to highlight memories of her. I wrote the following for the newsletter, but in my typical procrastinator style, I didn’t get it in on time. So I’ll use it here as a way to introduce Abbie Elizabeth Webber Smith Brender. (Sorry if the beginning sounds a little familiar. I wrote the 1st blog entry and this memory years apart!)
Memories of Grandma Abbie
As a child, I didn’t dream of growing up to be a teacher, a nurse, or a movie star. I wanted to be a Grandmother. You see, I had two wonderful grandmothers with soft arms for hugging, work for us to do together, time for playing, and infinite love.
I spent many weekends at the Hedrick Y. Dad, of course, was busy working at the Cycle Ranch during the day. Grandma and Grandpa were busy working, too, but it was easy to spend most of my time hanging out where the food was! And that was Grandma’s and Grandpa’s gas station/grocery store/cafe. In this wonderful place, I could help pump gas, serve customers, wash dishes, listen to the “town talk”, and eat the daily special. On Saturday mornings, I had a reserved seat for
Saturday morning cartoons at the Hedrick Y
viewing Mighty Mouse and other favorite TV shows. My seat was on a shelf by the loaves of bread – up close, out of the way, and inconspicuous. During the busy breakfast and lunch times, Grandma was busy cooking and serving hot coffee and a good meal. She did this while keeping up lively conversations with her friends (customers), always creating a friendly place for neighbors and travelers to eat a meal or take a break.
