Monday, December 19, 2011
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Childhood memories
Time flies when you are busy. It is Christmas time again and memories of childhood always pop up. When we were little kids, we went to our grandparents homes for Christmas day. Our family always went to midnight Mass, so we children had to sleep in the evening, or Santa wouldn't come. Our parents usually had friends over for cocktails, and we were supposed to sleep. (I guess we did when we were really little). When we woke up to go to Mass, Santa had somehow slipped into the living room and left our presents. We could open one before Mass, and the rest when we got home (if we had been good). Blackmail worked even in the old days. Then it was off to bed so we wouldn't be cranky the next day.
The idea was to go to one set of grandparents one year, and the other set the next year.
When I was about 6 years old, a sister of my paternal grandmother told a few stories in the family. Well that stirred my parents up. My father could always forgive anyone anything. My mother could not. She held grudges until she died. I hope I take after my father. Anyway, we didn't go to my father's parents house anymore. My father would go, but my mother kept us kids home. God works in mysterious ways. When I was 8 years old I was in church for the funeral of a classmate's father. My paternal grandparents sat right behind me in church. My mother was sitting on the other side of the church. I heard a funny noise, and later learned it was called a death rattle. My grandmother had a stroke; the first one at her side was my mother. My grandmother died in my mothers' arms. After that, my mother and father were the ones who took care of my grandfather. The persons who had stirred up the family fued were not there for him. They wanted to put my grandfather in a nursing home. Nursing homes were not like they are now, or at least what we hope they are. My parents refused, and instead hired an around the clock nurse for him, a care giver. Quillie took care of grandpa for 3 years, 6 days on and 1 day off. When it became to much for her, they hired Willy to help her. Then it became to much for them as well and my mom and dad were there too. My grandfather died 10 years after my grandmother by 1 day, January 17, my grandmother died on January 18. By then I was a freshman in high school.
During this 10 year span, Christmas dinners were held at my parents' home. All were welcome from both sides of the family. Some years there were 30 people. No dishwasher!
More stories to come.
The idea was to go to one set of grandparents one year, and the other set the next year.
When I was about 6 years old, a sister of my paternal grandmother told a few stories in the family. Well that stirred my parents up. My father could always forgive anyone anything. My mother could not. She held grudges until she died. I hope I take after my father. Anyway, we didn't go to my father's parents house anymore. My father would go, but my mother kept us kids home. God works in mysterious ways. When I was 8 years old I was in church for the funeral of a classmate's father. My paternal grandparents sat right behind me in church. My mother was sitting on the other side of the church. I heard a funny noise, and later learned it was called a death rattle. My grandmother had a stroke; the first one at her side was my mother. My grandmother died in my mothers' arms. After that, my mother and father were the ones who took care of my grandfather. The persons who had stirred up the family fued were not there for him. They wanted to put my grandfather in a nursing home. Nursing homes were not like they are now, or at least what we hope they are. My parents refused, and instead hired an around the clock nurse for him, a care giver. Quillie took care of grandpa for 3 years, 6 days on and 1 day off. When it became to much for her, they hired Willy to help her. Then it became to much for them as well and my mom and dad were there too. My grandfather died 10 years after my grandmother by 1 day, January 17, my grandmother died on January 18. By then I was a freshman in high school.
During this 10 year span, Christmas dinners were held at my parents' home. All were welcome from both sides of the family. Some years there were 30 people. No dishwasher!
More stories to come.
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