I cannot believe the stupidity of some people!

[Sandy G]

If you can, & she's able, get her to tell you what things were like back then...Mine really died in '86 when she fell & broke her hip, & never really came out of the anastetic...She was in the nursing home from then on, & her mind was active for awhile...Lotsa times, they can remember 75, 80 yrs ago clear as a bell, but 5 minutes ago never happened...

[Kingfisher]

Originally Posted by Sandy G

If you can, & she's able, get her to tell you what things were like back then...Mine really died in '86 when she fell & broke her hip, & never really came out of the anastetic...She was in the nursing home from then on, & her mind was active for awhile...Lotsa times, they can remember 75, 80 yrs ago clear as a bell, but 5 minutes ago never happened...

Been there, done that. Even better would be to get her to write lots of stuff down so that when she's gone, there is a written document for future generations of family members. My dad's dad came to the US as a 10-year-old refugee from E. Europe (in 1913!). When he was alive, my paternal grandma made him write down details of his trip to America in the bottom of a ship that arrived in Baltimore, MD. Gramps grew up to become the first radio engineer in this area. He was into radio and tubes when it was still called "wireless". His tube stock, technical manuals, Sams Photofacts, and even his radio operator's study guide from 1924, are still in the family.

[Findm-Keepm]

Originally Posted by Kingfisher

Been there, done that. Even better would be to get her to write lots of stuff down so that when she's gone, there is a written document for future generations of family members. My dad's dad came to the US as a 10-year-old refugee from E. Europe (in 1913!). When he was alive, my paternal grandma made him write down details of his trip to America in the bottom of a ship that arrived in Baltimore, MD. Gramps grew up to become the first radio engineer in this area. He was into radio and tubes when it was still called "wireless". His tube stock, technical manuals, Sams Photofacts, and even his radio operator's study guide from 1924, are still in the family.

Amen! Some of the stories show the true courage of the folks that actually "led the good life" - my Grandfather was a young German immigrant, a businessman, a farmer, and lived in 4 different states during his lifetime. I would absolutely give anything to have had time to get to know him. He was dead 10 years before I was born, and was he was born 100 years before my baby sister. Yes, he fathered his last child in his 70's!

We have a WWII vet at church that's a Silver Star hero, decorated by the US and the Belgians. His humble stories are probably the best I've ever listened to - and I don't mind to hear some of them twice. He tells of a yearlong saga in getting to carry a rifle - seems he didn't get to carry one after basic, then was made a bazooka man, and finally got his first rifle - off a dead German soldier!


Cheers,