Memoir Mondays--Week 1

Here is a new journey I wish to embark upon. I would like to be able to have a way to share some of my childhood memories with my children....and grandchildren, should there be any (in the future!). I know I always enjoy hearing stories from my folks (and my grandparents, when they were still alive) of what life was like in their childhood years.

An online friend has started a weekly meme, in which to share some of the memories from childhood. I like this concept, so will do my best to attempt to work on this consistently. (Thanks, April, for the wonderful idea and opportunity!!)

So, on with the first week's "assignment"!

Are there any family heirlooms in your possession? Tell about them and how you came to acquire them.

I actually have several heirloom items; most are packed away. Some I have already handed on to the children, particularly my teens. Soon they will be out on their own, in their own homes, so I wanted some of the items put away for safe keeping, for when they get to that point.

Some of the items I have (pieces of furniture, in particular) came from my first husband's mother, specifically for me to give to my oldest two, to pass on the heritage of my children's biological father's family. At this point, I won't include those in this post. Perhaps later, I will blog about those items.

 

While this chair may not be an antique, it is still a valued item to me. It was my grandfather's. It was one of the few items of his that I inherited when he passed away. My memory of this chair is linked to the very last time I saw him alive.

My two older children (who were 6 and 4 at the time) and I took a train trip, from Montana to St. Paul, MN, where my dad met us. We spent awhile with my aunt and cousin in Wisconsin, then drove to Kansas City. Spent Easter weekend with my folks, my brothers and their families, in Branson, then drove to Texas with my younger brother. We got on another train, and took it to Florida, to visit my grandfather. My dad met us there, and took us to the beach, and Kennedy Space Center.

The kids loved seeing Great Grandpa, and he loved seeing them. They'd climb up onto his lap, while he sat in this chair, and he'd tell them stories.

Now when I sit in that chair, I feel like I am a little girl again, sitting on my grandfather's lap, with his arms around me....Yes, I miss him terribly, even though he has been gone nearly 12 years now. He was one of my most favorite people on earth!

These items were also my grandfather's. He received them from my uncle, who had served in the Korean War. He got these when he was in Japan.

When I was in first grade, we studied Japan. So, ever since then, I have wanted to visit Japan. I still like Asian things, which is one of the reasons I was pleased to get these items, and why I treasure them.

Between the ages of 5 and 10, what was your favorite activity?

I think my most favorite activity was playing with my younger brother. I think we pretty much did everything together! We played with stuffed animals, little plastic animals, Matchbox Cars. We played with our pets...and those were many!! We rode our bikes together. I think we have always been so close, because we are only just over a year apart in age. We were kind of like twins, only my mom had to experience two pregnancies, not just one! ;-)

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Please stay tuned for more episodes of Memoir Mondays!!

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