I remember a lot of snow in those days when I was a kid. There was a hill next to the church in our little town of 500 people, and they didn't have a plow, no one salted streets or sidewalks back then (yeah. I'm that old). We kids would take our sleds and we had a toboggan, and we'd have a blast sliding down that street!
On one Christmas Eve (I think), we were caught in a snow storm. I think it was in 1965 or something. Anyway we were coming back from visiting relatives in Aurora, and we couldn't make it home. I don't know where we wound up, but a family warmly allowed us to stay. Funny how my selective memory only remembers having gone into this house. Probably I was half-awake. I remember a grandfather clock. I remember it specifically because I thought that we walked into it. This may have been my creative imagination at work at such a tender age.
Later, after I married, my Christmases became super busy. There was a Christmas Eve with his family, mine, and then the next morning, we had our Christmas and then drove to Rockford to his grandmothers--a tiny house that somehow fit about 50-60 relatives--they had two hams, two turkeys, and lost of food. Gak! I was sick of all that celebrating and squeezing into the small attic at the tables they set up. It was so tight that once you got seated, you couldn't leave until all the ones in front of the door got up and left.
Eventually those days died out. One gathering of the family is now the norm. This year we couldn't go because of Dennis' back. Oh well. There's always next year.
But I do have lots of memories and pictures. I may have to pull those out and just reminisce.
I want to end this by saying THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS COME TO MY BLOG THIS YEAR!! Merry Christmas and I hope to see you in the New Year (2013!)
What wonderful memories! I love that a family welcomed you in when you got stranded. Things like that just don't happen anymore. A very Merry Christmas to you too!
ReplyDeleteI pray Dennis' back improves quickly. There is no pain like back pain - if only we could give it to our enemies to give them humility and character. (As in suffering builds character -- it only makes me one!)
ReplyDeleteThank you for writing Lakota to me and for being the first to wish me a Happy Christmas. I sometimes get to feeling as if I am playing to an empty house!
May the memories you make this year be only happy ones! Roland
My children are now making their own Holiday traditions, and I'm flowing with the new. Its kind of exciting.
ReplyDeleteHave a Merry Christmas Lorelie.
......dhole
~Heather, it's wierd that my memory is so spotty on such things. But yeah. Times were different back then.
ReplyDelete~Roland I should visit you more often. I've been terribly busy--still am. But promise to come by and leave you a nice message now and then.
~Donna, You've got the same first name as my mother had. And as far as traditions, sometimes we do have to make new ones. Have a great holiday season, and hope to see you again in 2013!
Nice post, Lorelei! Sweetman's back is out as well. He's been in bed all day. I wonder if him and Dennis have been planning this.
ReplyDeleteHmmm...
Hugs and chocolate,
Shelly
Merry Christmas, Lorelei, and best wishes for 2013!
ReplyDelete~Shelly, sorry to hear that. Dennis' back is okay now. But it was bad. He did the heat/ice thing, ending with ice and lots of rest. Hope Sweetman's back gets better soon.
ReplyDelete~Hey Emma, thanks!
Lovely memories. I'd like to walk into a grandfather clock myself! Hope you had a wonderful Christmas and have a fantastic new year!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Christine. You too!!
ReplyDeleteI remember how big the sled hill seemed to be when I was a kid... and how small it seemed to be after I'd grown up.
ReplyDeleteOh, wow. I didn't even think of that, William. You're right!
ReplyDelete