Random Family Things

Yesterday afternoon was spent sorting through 90+ years of photographs with my mother to find some great pics of Nana for the photo board. Those who know me well understand what a chore this was in some ways. I won't say anything else on that particular subject for now.

WOW! The memories we'd forgotten. Photos of Nana without a child are so few in numbers it astounded me. I believe we found a picture of every single grandchild, great-grandchild and at least one great-great-grandchild to put on the board. I love that my mother let me choose more than she did. The ones I picked were not only with one of her children or the grands but with one of her many faces. Every kid knows the faces: surprise, shock, anger, delight. I wonder how many of my cousins will have the same reaction to seeing them all again?

I also loved that my mother let me talk into displaying a picture of all my grandparents together in about 1951 with my parents as toddlers, my aunt as a baby and several of my uncles. One of my very favorite stories from my grandmothers (they both told it numerous times) was how my paternal grandmother went to stay with Nana after the birth of son#3, to help around the house as was the custom then. She was all of 18, Nana would have been 28 or so then. The reason I love this story so much is that not only is it a prime example of the friendship they shared for most of their lives but also because when J was born, Nana came to stay to help around our house. She was 79 and 11/12th when J was born! She came again to stay when R was born 2 years later. She folded mountains of laundry that visit, I remember.

Because of the holiday weekend and an appearant busier than usual time for the funeral home, her services aren't until the 28th (wake the 27th). Most of our house is packed up so I have no real distraction from the impending stress of so much family at once. 50 or more of us in one room may well do me in.

End of an Era

Early this morning, my grandmother passed away just a few months shy of her 96th birthday. She was the last of my grandparents, having outlived my grandfather by nearly 19 years and my other grandparents for close to 22. I do not remember thinking of my father as an orphan when his parents passed but that is one of the first things I thought of this morning when my mother called with the news. She and her 5 brothers are now orphans, despite being adults and grandparents in their own rights, they are parentless.

As a grandchild, I am now grandparent-less. Does that make one a grand-orphan? I grew up knowing I was the center of the universe, as I believe most grandchildren with awesome grandparents do. I was the middle of the crowd, number 9 of 18, first daughter of the only daughter. My birth was so important, my grandparents pulled up roots and moved to be near my parents, staying for nearly 13 years. 7 of those years, they lived right next door to us, well, as close to next door as you get in the country: 1/3 mile. We lived back a long drive, they lived at the end near the road. Every morning, they would peek out the dining room window to watch my younger sister and I get on the bus to school and every afternoon, at least one of them greeted us with a wave or cookies. Nana baked every week without fail, no matter how hot it was outside. She made killer donuts, ketchup from scratch that used to be poured into an old Heinz bottle to fool us grandkids into using it and was among the craftiest, resourceful people I have ever known. She was patient, kind and quick-witted to the end.

Nana used to tell me how as young parents, her children were never left with a sitter. Where she and Grandpa went, they went as well and knew to behave themselves. She delighted in telling how all her boys could sew a shirt if they had to, they could all cook and clean just as well as my mother. I do not know if my cousins carry with them the same stories or to what extent she helped shape the people they have become, but I know she taught me more than I could say.

Rest in peace, Nana, Estella Mae Veon Grubb-August 18, 1912-May 22, 2008. You will be missed.



ETA this picture from sometime in either 1971 or very early Jan '72. A wee me with Nana and Poppy, taken in the little house. I assume that this was taken before my sister's birth as I do not see any evidence of her in this picture...framed picture behind Nana's shoulder is me. I still have the Playskool peg desk on the left, along with most of the peg toys I remember playing with. My mother still has the yellow rose vase in the window.