I'd sleep, too

Sat., September 21, 2002 - Left at 8:00 for Lincoln.  Went to Nancy's first and then they brought me to the apt.  We got Raymond and then we went to Valentino's for dinner.  Too much good food to choose from.  They then took me to my apt. and went their way.  Raymond was going back to Winside with Greta.  Greta did some shopping and saw her "kids".  I slept the rest of the day!
Sun., September 22, 2002 - Jean Hansen called.  Luayne was in Lincoln and she called just to visit.  I called Ray & Aileen -- yesterday was Aileen's birthday and their 55th wedding anniversary.  Nancy came at noon -- had cornbread for dinner.  Usual shower, etc.  She also did the laundry.
Mon., September 23, 2002 - Membership meeting tonight -- so no cards.  Had apple pie a la mode for lunch -- real good.

More being busy for Grandma.  It's a wonder we didn't wear her out completely once she moved down to Lincoln.  I can say with confidence that she didn't mind and told us if she wasn't up to our taking her hither and yon.

Added this photo because of the mention of Uncle Raymond and because I miss all these wonderful people.

Box social

November 6, 1931 - Mayme and Lloyd came after me this evening.  We went to the Hoskins pavilion to the carnival given by the High School.  Bernice and I decorated the interior of Lloyd's car with confetti.  Lloyd won two boxes of candy, which he gave to Mayme of course.  My but confetti is a nice thing to have down your back and in your clothes.  Mayme and I talked from 12:00 to 2:30 after she got in the bed.
November 7, 1931 - I went over to Alice's this morning and she washed and finger-waved my hair for me.  Washed and ironed my clothes, etc.  This evening we went to the masquerade dance at Hoskins.  We surely had a punk time.  There were only a few there that were masked.
November 8, 1931 - We slept real late this morning.  Mayme and I spent the entire afternoon trying to decide about our box socials.  I'm going to have mine December 17, and she's going to have hers December 18.  They took me back to Walkers' early and I was in bed at 8:30.

I had a notion of what a box social is/was and I looked it up to be sure.  Seems I was on the mark.  The article did say that they fell out of favor for a time, but seem to be having a resurgence.  I am all for a resurgence; something to get kids away from all the texting and other technology.

Mom called me yesterday to say Aunt Aileen died.  I do not know if she had siblings, but she was the last of Grandma and Grandpa's tier on the family tree, including spouses.  A bit of an odd feeling to think of that.  Of course, the only photo I have of her is one she almost missed being in.  But, there she is in the back in yellow.

I know the feeling

June 26, 2002:  Felt better today.  Went to Book Club in evening and then to Dolores' and played Cribbage.
June 27, 2002:  Myrtle called in a.m.  Baked a loaf of bread and a pan of sticky rolls.  Ray and Aileen here in p.m.  They came to eastern Nebraska for Jerilyn's wedding.  Tom here for supper -- chipped beef on toast.  He took care of the laundry and washed dishes while I showered.  We each won a game of Rummikub.
June 28, 2002:  Just a routine day.  Tried to sort through a box of "stuff."

Grandma was much better at getting her boxes of "stuff" sorted out than I am, I am pretty sure.  I find it daunting unless I can have every box possible in front of me and room to make piles of this and that and everything.  Otherwise, I end up with a befuddled brain and boxes of "rearranged stuff".  But, I persevere.

And speaking of persevering, I am happy to report that even given our late garden start this year, I spy amongst lots of blossoms, one zucchini almost ready to pick and three or four precocious cucumbers.  As Grandma might say, "Happy day!"

Couldn't resist posting a photo of the kind of garden I aspire to having.  Well, maybe not quite as big but at least as well-tended and organized.  I also aspire to have the intestinal fortitude to thin as needed for proper radish and carrot growth.

Brogrens

"June 11, 1995:  To church.
June 14, 1995:  Has been sunny since Sunday.  Went to WELCA.  Delmar J. painted the back steps in p.m.

Brogren reunion -- those from a distance:
Fritz & Evelyn S.
Roland, Roberta and Roleen S.
Ray & Aileen
Luayne & family
Neil and Ann B.
Haroldean and Gene
Darrell, Marva, DeAnn H.
Ronald and Dee M.

June 16, 1995:  Pinochle Club postponed -- Elsie J. had had eye surgery and didn't feel well."

The reunion list was a bit of a postponement, too, but better late than never. 

I wonder if anyone has counted all of the Brogren descendants.  There has to be a ton of them.

A day late, but that's okay with me

"June 8, 1995:  Rainy and cloudy all day.
June 9, 1995:  Ray & Aileen here in p.m.  Went back to Norfolk for supper and to a motel.  Verna (Louie's) B. on Thursday had a stroke -- was taken to Omaha.
June 10, 1995:  Tom, Bill, Nancy and Mitch came about 11:00.  Went to Legion Hall at noon for Brogren reunion.  Haroldean and son Gene stopped here about 10:00.  Haroldean hadn't been here for years and wanted to see if it had changed much.  Had a good turnout.  The Lincoln folks went back in evening."

Someone correct me if I am wrong, but isn't this the reunion where Mitch got all muddy and embarrassed?  I believe it was.  Of all the ones for me to miss, right?

I wanted to add this photo and clipping that relate more to yesterday's post than today's, since I couldn't pass on the Hagar cartoon yesterday.  Plus, today we have a mention of Uncle Ray, so the photo is appropriate in that way.  Happy, happy all around.

Wedding

"May 28, 1994:  Howard, Dorothy Jo, I, Greta and Lester to Valparaiso  for Jayson's wedding.  Lester drove the Lincoln.  Nancy came to Winside after the dance.
May 29, 1994:  In p.m. Greta and Nancy and I put flowers out at the cemetery.  Then they planted my flowers.
May 30, 1994:  We ate at the Legion Hall.  Nancy did odd jobs for me."

I remember Jayson and Lora's wedding very well.  Mitch was three and was supposed to be a ring bearer with Dane and Kyleah was the flower girl.  It was touch-and-go as to whether Mitch would walk down the aisle like he was supposed to.  I think one of the bridesmaids grabbed him and cheered him up and on.  He did great and looked adorable in his tux.  For the photos he had this non-tooth smile/grin going for every single photo.  It was a hoot.  Of course, I don't have a photo ready to use.  And after working outside most of the afternoon and now realizing I am an old, out-of-shape woman, I am not going to go look for a photo now.  Darn back is killing me.

Instead, here is a photo of Uncle Ray and Aunt Aileen and Grandma Anna and some Brogrens at a wedding.  Close enough.

Uncle Ray visiting

"August 31, 1992:  Soon to be a week with no rain -- fairly cool at night.
September 4, 1992:  Pinochle Club here.
Spetember 5, 1992:  Ray came this morning.  Visited all day -- went to Norfolk in evening so he could get an early start in a.m. to get Aileen at Neligh and then on to Winner.

Boy, I sure do dislike it when work gets in the way of my most important job of updating this blog.  I mean, really!!

I know we are currently here in 2012 well over a week with no rain.  And no rain in sight, unfortunately.  It is somewhat cool at night, so that helps a bit, I suppose.

Here's a photo of a reasonably pleased Uncle Ray and a very thrilled Grandma on some other visit of some kind of which there is no mention of on the back of the photo.  So there you have it.

Pretend this one was on Sunday

Internet problems due to the stormy weather, so I didn't have a post on Sunday.  Will do two today.

"May 24, 1991:  Ray came.  Nancy came in evening.
May 25, 1991:  Ray went to get Aileen who had stayed with her sister.  In p.m. we all went out to Brad and Melodi J.'s to see our old home.  Attended Alumni Banquet.
May 26, 1991:  Nancy set out the flowers for me.  Ray and Aileen went back home."

I was able to quickly solve the mystery as to why Nancy came without Dane -- the Alumni Banquet.  Not that he couldn't have charmed everyone there, but you just don't take a kid to that particular event.  And darn it, but I thought I had a photo of Grandma and Uncle Ray at the banquet one year, but instead it is from a family reunion.  Regardless, I think it's a good one to post anyway.  Just squint your eyes a little bit and pretend they are at the auditorium.

At first I thought Grandma was talking about flowers for the flower beds, but now I am not sure if she meant flowers at the cemetery.  In any event, Nancy was a good do-bee and got the work done.

The apricot tree

"October 17, 1990:  Busy Bees at Irene's.  Windy, rain turning to snow in night.  The second part of the apricot tree west of the house blew down.
October 19, 1990:  Ray and Aileen here in p.m.  They came for a reunion of Aileen's cousins at Neligh."

I don't recall the apricot tree west of the house being a big producer, but I do vaguely remember the one north of the house.  Seems it was barely outside the back door.  Experts say the sense of smell is the most tied to nostalgia and I do associate the smell of apricots with going out that door.  I also vaguely remember being quite upset that the tree had to be cut down.  I am sure there was a very good reason, it was probably dead or dying.  I also remember canned apricots.  Sometimes I had to go to the basement to get canned goods.  It was not my favorite place to go when I was young.  It had a dirt floor and was rather dark and closed in and I didn't like the spiderwebs.  Oh, and there was an opening in the wall on one side as you went down the stairs.  I imagined all kinds of horrible things living in there and waiting to get me.  But none ever did and when I got older, the basement wasn't scary anymore.

I need to grab the other family history book to get the low down on Uncle Ray.  I remember him only as a great uncle and not as a young man.  The only thing I can report with certainty is that when he died (in his 90's), the only medication he was taking was an aspirin a day and he was buried in his wedding suit.  He is the only person in the family tree that I can figure Mitch gets his tall, lanky physique from.  If that is the case, I certainly hope he gets Uncle Ray's good health genes.

The photo is of me.  Someone who never has been and never will be tall and lanky.

The Centennial

July 20 - 22, 1990:  Centennial.  Nancy came Thursday night.  Tom and Merilyn came Thursday night and stayed with Ted L.'s at Norfolk.  Ray and Aileen here Friday and Saturday -- stayed at Norfolk motel.  Bill, Jenny, Jayme came for Saturday and Sunday, spent the night at Helen's.  Dale's just in Winside on Saturday.

Hmmm.  I am not sure what to think about this one.  I happen to know that Rick and I also made it up for the centennial.  Either Grandma forgot to note that or . . . we didn't make it up to say hello.  I suppose either is equally possible, but I would like to think she forgot us.  I am sure we would have at the very least said hello during or after the alumni banquet.  But it was a huge affair up at the school gym, not in the auditorium downtown like usual.  So, dunno.  My 10 year class reunion got somewhat gobbled up by the centennial celebration, but that's fine.  Tom once told me that reunions after the 20th are more fun than the 10th.  At ten years, you and your classmates are still a bit busy trying to impress with what you drive or where you work or where you live.  However, by 20 years and beyond nobody really cares anymore.

I should have gone on a bit more about family 4th of July picnics in my earlier post.  They are always great fun with lots of fireworks and food and visiting and kids running around.  My favorite foods from our gatherings would be fresh raspberries (from Aunt Myrtle), new potatoes (from anybody) and cream pie (again, I don't care who makes it).  The first picnics I can remember were at Uncle Elmer and Aunt Myrtle's place, then they moved to Leonard and Dorothy Jo's and then to Ramon and Linda's.  It's always a good time, but I certainly miss those of our hosts and hostesses that aren't with us anymore.  Oh, and can't forget Ramon's dog who liked to run at the fireworks instead of away from them.  Such a kick in the pants!

The photo is probably from a previous Old Settler's.  I believe Grandpa grew a beard to enter a contest.  Look how dark his tan is -- I remember those days.

Little Old Lady Tour

"May 31 to  June 6, 1990:  Quilted crazy patch quilt #2.  Rose helped me Tuesday p.m.
June 2, 1990:  Ray and Aileen stopped in p.m. for a short time.  They took Mom's sewing machine to Luayne's.  They had attended Synodical Convention in Lincoln from Wed. to Sat."

I believe it is Rose T. that Grandma is talking about.  I hadn't thought about the Old Lady Tour in quite awhile.  I think it was Mom's idea more than Grandma's, but there was a time when I went visiting little old ladies in town.  It was good for me to be more social, I guess, and nice for the ladies to have a new visitor.  I only remember visits with Rose T.  Maybe others were planned but never came to fruition.

Rose was a good friend of Grandma's and a very nice lady.  I remember being a bit shy and unsure about my visits but I liked going to see her.  I remember her house being somewhat dark and full of "old people stuff" -- stuff I would appreciate more now than I did then.  I am sure she had some nice antiques and maybe some handmade items.  But I mainly recall her being friendly and fun and that we probably had cookies.

I have a scanned photo of one of Grandma's quilts that I planned to post today, but it is on another computer that I can't access right now.  So, I put up a photo of my paternal great-great grandmother, Phoebe Wiseman.  There is quite a story to tell about her that I will save for another day.  She surely deserved a little old lady tour visit, but I bet based on the time that she lived, she probably would not have had the time.