What’s at the top of your “best Christmas gift” list?
If I were to make a list of my favorites, it would include such things as the new doll I got right before we left New York for Arizona back in 1958; the beautiful portrait of Brian and Robin in 1983; the gold earrings Roland hid on the bottom layer of a 2 pound box of See’s candy; my kitchen table Brian and Carrie got me the year they lived with me; the Kitchen Aid mixer that Robin had delivered to my door; my Tivo from Brian and Carrie (also the year they lived with me); my iPod (not a Christmas gift, but still a favorite.)
But the best gift I ever received had no monetary value. It was the memoir Mom wrote: “As I Remember”. What a treasure it is. Reading her memories of growing up on a farm during the depression makes me long for a more simple, less materialistic life, and it makes me value my heritage. I only wish she hadn’t ended with their marriage. I’d love to read her writings on raising five kids in snowy New York state (remember her talking about bundling us all one by one into snow suits?) and Dad building the house (when I was young, I had an image in my mind of Dad hammering nails into the frame while Mom stood watching from the front yard with Dick and Dale standing beside her and Daryl in a baby seat sitting on the ground), the kid’s antics on Grandma and Grandpa’s farm, and our never to be forgotten trip out west in the little school bus.
Please, Mom, forget about grammar and punctuation perfection, and put down the rest of your memories so we’ll always have them to enjoy. Maybe we should make you a blog!
I second that. This is our family history that will be lost if not written down.
I do have it up to the birth (or a little more) of Dale. How can I crochet, embroider, do minutes, play cards,work(?)in the library, and study genealogy and still have time to remember and write about”the good old days”? I am so busy!
I third it! So glad to hear you are still working on it.
Ditto! Mom, maybe you can start recording your thoughts and one of us (me?) could type it up as a draft??
BTW, on the original topic, my best Christmas present was probably the 12-string guitar I got in about 1969. I still have, though the neck is warping and I never play it any more. Still, it provided many, many hours of enjoyment over many years.
Dianna, I don’t speak as well as I write. When I get this baby of Jocelyn’s clothed, and my embroidery finished, I promise to work on my life story. The problem is that the closer I get to the present time, the harder it is to remember. And, yes, I know what that is called!
I was looking at “As I Remember” just a few weeks ago and was thinking it would be really great if it was added to. I’m glad Donna put up this post.
I can’t think of a “best” Christmas present. It might have been my Vac-U-Form but I’m not sure. I’ve had a few good ones. I also really loved the time we had a visit from Santa while we were away and he brought Daryl and I some toy cars, trucks, and a service station. On the same list would be the Cotton Candy machine but I don’t remember exactly when we got that.
I would like a copy of “as i remember” too…
Aunt donna, are you writing things down for your kids and grandkids? I’ve started a book, I may also print out my blog and put that together.
I am writing things down for my kids and grandkids. I work on it 2-4 times a month. The title? “azdonna.com/blog”
Don, do you remember that your cotton candy machine was lost for years under Danny’s bed?
Do you remember that the cotton candy machine was MY PRESENT that disappeared and I never knew where it went?
I do remember the service station and cars, Don. That WAS a good preseent; we had lots of fun driving up and down the ramps and “servicing” cars.
I wonder why Danny would have taken it from Daryl’s room and put it under his bed?
Who’s danny?
“Danny” is Dan Croy. He was my best friend starting when I was about 6 years old. His family lived down the street from us and I spent a lot of time there. He and I graduated high school together and both went to DeVry. Then he got a job with Boeing in Seattle and I got a job with Hughes in LA. Later Boeing bought Hughes so now we both work for the same company. I haven’t seen him in quite a few years but we do exchange email once in a while.
Isn’t he my god father?
I believe he is and Sylvia Croy is your God Mother. We didn’t do anything official for that but I do recall we asked them before you were born.
🙂