Here Comes the Mailman!
This time of the year, I do get excited about the mail delivery. Not every day, but several times a week, there comes the annual news of distant family members.
Aunt Dorothy in Gaylord is 93 and still in her own home. Of her eight children, seven are thriving and keeping close tabs on her. Her eighth child, Dewight, died at a very young age when he was gored by a bull. It was the first funeral I attended of a young person. Dorothy was married to my Dad’s brother, Leonard. Leonard worked as a medic in World War II. What was his medical skill? He had none, but he could speak fluid German and help those that did have medical expertise to exchange dialog for medical attention to be given.
Aunt Janet lives in Brownton and is 83, living in her own home. Janet is my Dad’s youngest sibling. Her husband had a small grocery store in New Auburn with an egg pickup service to farmers. Marvin was a severe diabetic and has been gone for 35 years. Not having had any children of her own, she does numerous things to help her nephew who has never married, whose father was Janet’s twin.
Aunt Lorraine at the age of 83 lives in Arizona with her youngest child. Lorraine was married to my Dad’s brother, Maynard, who has been gone for nine years. Lorraine is a kindred sole, as she enjoys fabrics and quilts as much as I do.
My grandparents and their nine children. Those yearly Christmas parties meant many items to be thought of for the gift exchange. Oh, for the simplistic fun with a house overflowing with humanity, aka: family
I do enjoy these gals and spend more time visiting with them now that I am retired and can give freely of my time to listen to them share their lives and their memories. What they all love to recount is when the entire family would get together for a Christmas gathering. The gatherings would take turns each year as to who’s farmhouse would host it. It was a potluck evening lunch after everyone had their dairy herds milked and bedded down. The men would sit and visit and the rest of us would shake dice. The gifts of those who were fortunate to shake a winner may very will have been a package of Jello or tuna. Even the kids were thrilled to have won a grocery item Every family member had a drawn name of another for a gift exchange. Men and women alike participated. Many handmade items were exchanged with little or no investment of money. There were links of homemade sausages as well as jars of jam. Very little financial investment, but an entire night of family fun. Lunch would be the last item of the night and everyone headed for their homes. Ironically, the distance from one family to another was not that great.
I do have to add that when my Mom was in a health care facility, my sister and I hosted Mom’s family, and for entertainment, we decided to shake dice. Elvera and I had hit sales for some time prior to, to find gifts for the lucky dice winners. Let me tell you that many young people were highly disappointed in what their winnings were. I think we should have stuck with Jello and tuna and let the sad faces really pucker up.
As you all know, with me . . . it’s all about the memories.