This is an old post, copied and pasted from my old blog that has been deleted. I found my deleted blog by going to "Wayback Machine". So the one aunt I mentioned who was alive when I wrote it is, of course, not living now.
My mom saved things. Not useful things with monetary value, but "keepsake" things that reminded her of pleasant times. Letters by the score; an old candy bar wrapper and a chewing gum wrapper given to her by some beau; even some guy's cigarette that had been drowned in horseplay as a bunch of youths were cutting up and having fun (the tobacco long since disappeared, leaving only the paper with a burnt edge, but it's in an envelope with writing on it that tells the whole story). Mother passed away early this year, and I've rather enjoyed looking at things she saved.
One of my favorite things out of Mother's store of keepsakes is her autograph book. I think she may have gotten it for Christmas in 1931, since the earliest dated entry is from late December, 1931. Some of the names are only familiar to me because I heard Mother speak of these folks fondly as old friends, through the years. Some would eventually be her inlaws, like this one:
That's my Aunt Gladys (one of my few aunts still living), my dad's sister. All my mom's siblings had an entry. Here's one from Uncle Carl, who passed away last year:
But here's my favorite, and if it weren't for the familiar, left-handed scrawl, I wouldn't know it was the man my mom ended up marrying in December of 1932... my daddy. For some reason, he only signed his initials:
It's history! Maybe only my history, but it's precious to me. And some cousins at Sunday's reunion asked me to scan some pages for them. Which is the reason I am sharing them with you.
I am so enjoying this walk through your mom's life with you, Donna. Thanks for giving us a peek into the woman she was. When my mom moved into her apartment here, at our house, I found it curious what she kept (to bring here) and what she didn't. My one brother took a lot of her stuff and it bothers me that I have no idea what happened to it all... our family's heritage. That brother was gay and had no children and died 4 years ago. All the things he took are lost forever, I suppose. I try not to think about it. ~Andrea xoxo
ReplyDeleteThe older I get, the more things I lose; I mean things I used to do that I can no longer do, and things that got lost along the way (for instance, the pictures I lost when a computer crashed). I'm getting used to it now, and don't get too upset. Losing things is another part of the circle of life. I will, however, be eternally grateful that my mother was a story-teller of her past and saved written things that have become precious to me.
DeleteThose are wonderful notes from the days when people knew how to write and express themselves. I miss those times!
ReplyDeleteI didn't know your mom only recently passed away. My condolences.
ReplyDeleteAutograph books are something you don't see much anymore. I wish my ancestors had done such things and preserved them for me to find and read. What a treasure!
This is an old post I simply copied and pasted. She's been gone for years new.
DeleteThank goodness for the Wayback Machine. Priceless. Her brother's tickled me and your Dad's was so sweet. Sad to think a lot of communication these days is in text or email. Hard to save.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great post. Things like that are golden. I am glad you have it and it brings you joy.
ReplyDeleteAfter my mom died, I found her diary. I lost my dad at shortly before age 10 due to an industrial accident. The diary recorded her struggle to raise two preteen girls all by herself. It was very interesting and also tragic.
ReplyDeleteI have some of my Grandfather’s letters. His handwriting was beautiful.
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