Nostalgia - the Memories

Just watching the CBS Sunday Morning show reminded me of a few things from my past. The segment was about nostalgia. What else to talk about at the end of the year?

It reminded me of my grandma. This lady was born in 1898, married a man 16 years older than her and had seven daughters. My mother was the youngest and the two girls born before her died shortly after birth. I was fortunate. My grandmother lived to be 90 and she shared many stories of her life with me.

Grandparents can be walking history books. I used to enjoy listening to her stories and asking her questions about the past.

My grandfather, who died when I was three, in 1958 worked in the coal mines. Mining is big in Pennsylvania but I often wondered how he did it. He did not have all the safety precautions and devices they do today. I know way back when they actually took canaries into the mines. If that canary died, you were out of there fast due to gases that would eventually take your life. I still have the old tin bucket he had taken his meals in with him and a small gas lantern he had worn on his hat. I can't remember if they actually had helmets back then. I doubt it.

My grandmother also shared the stories of the deaths of her two babies. They each died one or two days after birth. They were /called blue babies due to heart defectst. This was in the early thirties and common. The babies would slowly turn blue and die. Today this condition can be fixed a lot of times. Even detected before birth.

Grandma told me how she held the crying baby through the night and rocked her. Finally, the baby had fallen asleep and by morning had passed away. Her story brought tears to my eyes and I hadn't even had any babies myself. I just felt hurt for my grandmother. She was a great woman yet she outlived five of her daughters. What strengths she had inside. My favorite story was how she killed a rattlesnake with a stone. She hunted and farmed. She could bake and sew anything. She often spoke about my grandfather but not very kindly. I figured there had to be something good about him. After all, they had seven daughters.

My mother had died at the young age of 48 in 1984. I then became very close to my aunt, her sister, who was old enough to be my grandmother herself. Everyone called her Toot and I still to this day have no idea where that nickname came from. Her real name was Della and she was married to my Uncle George who always had the funniest stories to tell. They were both so dear to me and their families always included me in everything.

One of my favorite was about a car Uncle George had that only carried three people. They lived on the top of Cresson mountain, not far from where I live now. About a half an hour from here is the Penn State Altoona Campus which back in his day was an amusement park and swimming area in the thirties.

A bunch of friends and he had decided to spend the day at the park. The only problem was he had the only vehicle. So he made several trips back and forth to get every one there and then at the end of the day he did the same to take everyone home. I just found that so funny but can you imagine how long that would have taken. I wonder how fast his car actually moved.

I miss all of these people but when I think of any of them a story always pops in mind. So glad I took the time to stop and listen. I don't think we tend to do that anymore. Life is such a fast pace.

I often wonder today, if any of these people could come back what they would think. I'm sure it would be very overwhelming. It almost is for us at times.

Happy New Year to all my friends of AC!