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Togetherness is……
I didn’t see my grandparents as a couple. They lived by the “no-pda” rule and by the time I was old enough to be aware of them as a married couple and not just my grandparents, my grandmother was sickly. So these pictures took me by surprise. The one where they are sitting on the couch looking at each other; her little smile, her hand reaching into his lap to grasp his reeks of familiarity and love. The group photo is what sent me over the edge though. His hands wrapped around her in a hug, her hands holding his and settling them in just under her breasts took my…
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The house out back.
This is the carriage house that was in the back of my grandparents. From the time I can remember until the time the house was sold, it was rented as two apartments – one first floor, one second. I do remember checking out both floors in between renters and being captivated by the layouts of both – especially the second. I happen to know that the first floor housed my parents, my brother, and I before we moved out to 217 in Raynham. The living room is where my Mom found their dog with my head in his mouth as I was crawling across the floor. The story goes that…
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A different view.
How sweet are these pictures? I see a loving grandmother cuddling with her adoring grandson. This is a pose that I have assumed with all five of my grandchildren and now with my great-grandson. I can relate to her contentment. At the time of these photos, Craig lived in the carriage house on the property of my grandparents, so I know that it was very easy for them to have moments like this together. Unfortunately, by the time I arrived some seven years later, my grandmother was going through some heavy health issues and was not the same person as in these photos. I did not see Beemaw smile often,…
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Are there any particular sayings that you remember your grandparents saying?
Did you spend a lot of time with your grandparents? Today we are asking you to reflect on them and then share – was there something you remember them saying repeatedly? I did not have a ton of interactions with 3 of my grandparents. My maternal grandad died either just before or after I was born, can’t remember that story. My maternal grandmother died when I was in my late teens and lived so far away that we really had no relationship. My paternal grandmother was a pampered, sickly woman and really did nothing but sit quietly, waiting to be catered to by the family. So, the relationship there was…
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What is your most vivid memory of your maternal grandmother?
Some of us grew up knowing our grandparents, and some of us did not. Some have vivid memories of them, some have none. Some good, some bad. This week we are asking about our maternal grandmothers. Ellen and Pam tell us what their most vivid memory of her is. Here is a picture of Ellen, Pam and our maternal grandmother – Granny. My most vivid memory of my Granny? I have many, but one that is as clear as the day it happened was this: I was in her house in Upper Darby, PA. I loved that house, every nook, and cranny, and all it represented to me – namely…
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When a vacation ends, are you happy to go home or sad it is ending?
People are usually heading out on vacations with huge smiles on their faces and a pep in their step. But what about coming home? Are you looking forward to home? Or sad to leave? I am actually writing this blog post on the plane on the way home from a two-week vacation in Florida and I can say that I am feeling somewhat bittersweet. I am sad to leave my grandkids – always seems too short when I have to say goodbye to them. I am excited to get back to my camper on the weekends, I miss that little home that I can call my own. I am going…
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Have you ever spent the night in a train sleeper car?
Trains.Some of us use them to commute to work.Some for travel.Our question this week is – have you ever stayed in a train sleeper car? Yes. Yes I have. When I was little and residing in Massachusetts, my mom’s family lived just outside of Philadelphia. Because my mom did not have her license, if we wanted to go visit without my Dad, we would take the train. My Dad would always buy us a little private room and we would travel at night. I can remember one trip in particular. I had to use the toilet which was just next to the door and with perfect timing, the conductor came…
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Who do you remember as the best storyteller in your family?
Storytelling. A way of sharing and interpreting experiences. We all tell stories in one way or another, here at Leaving A Life Legacy – we do it weekly. Today we would like to know, did/do you have a favorite family storyteller? As a kid, I can remember my grandfather, who we lovingly called Pop Pop telling stories all the time. And if we were staying there overnight, we would all gather in the living room and while we played with dolls on the floor, Pop Pop would read out loud whatever book it was that they were in the middle of. The sound of his voice was very calming and…
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Where did you eat at your grandparents house?
Memories of our grandparents houses. Did we spend a lot of time there? Or did we visit once in a while? Our question today is about the ritual of eating and where it happened in those houses. Click below to find out what Pam and Ellen have to say and Please leave us a comment if you feel so inclined – where and what did you eat at Grandmas? I could probably count on one hand the times I remember eating at my maternal grandparents’ house, although I know it happened more than that. So, for the purposes of this question, I am going to use memories from my paternal…
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Can you remember stories about your grandparents?
Grandparents. If we were lucky, we had great relationships with all four of them. Some of us even had more than four. Some of us don’t remember much about them at all or didn’t have great relationships with them. I bet we all have some sort of memory though – care to share yours? Comment below or come on over to the Facebook page and leave us a comment there. And to find out what Ellen and Pam’s memories are, click their names below. My parents had me pretty late in life. My Mom was 37 and Dad would turn 44 the day after I was born. Consequently, all four…