Growing up

“One more time”

17 Comments

Naturewoman invited us to share pics from our childhood, so I’m posting this one that I scanned a while back for another post that I never got around to putting together. I’m the goofy-looking kid in the hat, my mom and grandma are there with me. The pic was taken outside the church I grew up attending; maybe it’s Easter Sunday and I think the year was 1976, so I was six years old.

My mom in this picture looks exactly the way I remember her; tall and shapely and pretty. She passed away five years later with that nice figure. My grandma died while I was in college. She was always a robust woman – made of good German stock – but with age she became thin and frail.

We used to go on vacations with my mother’s family to Maine and we spent all the holidays at my grandparent’s in North Jersey, but I don’t remember much of that. I do remember as a teenager going to visit and sometimes spending a weekend with my grandparents. My grandma and I drank tea together and played cards. I always wanted her to teach me how to crochet and play canasta, but we never got to that. I grew up and she got old and then she was gone. I do think of her whenever I fix myself a cup of tea or sing *Happy Birthday* to someone. We always had to sing *Happy Birthday* twice when grandma was there, because just as the song was finishing grandma would say, “one more time” and we sang it again. Silly! My brother Kevin reminds me of this now, because his voice is the one saying, “one more time” in a perfect imitation of grandma’s voice.

17 thoughts on ““One more time””

  1. Laura, you are making me want to hurry to work on this scanner I have… This was so nice to see and your story is sweet. Your Mom was lovely, indeed. When I visited my grandmother, we had saltine crackers topped with dietetic strawberry jam. If you ever feel old, remember that I was 21 in 1976!

  3. What a beautiful photo Laura! You’re a real cutie! Thank you for sharing your beautiful memories of your family, too. Those special times with grandparents seemed to go way too fast. It’s nice your brother reminds you to sing Happy Birthday “one more time!”

  4. Very sad to lose your mother so young, but I am glad you have some warm family memories. Old photographs are such a treasure.

  5. That’s a sweet memory of your grandma and I’ll bet she loves that your brother chimes in for her! Your Mom was a pretty gal. I think you resemble her quite a bit.

  6. I lost my only grandma when I was barely four, so I have fleeting memories of her. I’m making up for it by making memories with my own grandkids. I think I’m getting more than I’m giving, though. This is the best time of life.

  7. Awww, Great picture of you with you hat you were such a cute young lady!

    Thanks for sharing your memories of your mother and sorry to hear about your loss!

  8. Gosh, Laura – this is a sweet poignant post.
    I’d say, rather than goofy-looking, you look happy and confident. It makes me sad to think of the loss that pretty little girl had to endure. I’m sure your mom is smiling at how well you’ve done and your grandma is coaxing “one more time” at family birthdays. I’m the one in our family who insists we sing it again – once I actually coaxed 4 rounds out of the gathering. Some were singing harmony and it was just too beautiful to let it fade.

  9. So much emotion comes up when I read this post. You lost your mom when you were so young. She looks like she was such a lovely woman. Your memory of your grandma is very sweet. When I read that you were born in 1970, it reminds me that Roger’s oldest daughter was born the same year. It’s so interesting how the internet makes us ageless. Laura, you and I are Jersey girls from different decades!

  10. Great picture, Laura! My grandmother was going to teach me canasta, too. And how to knit. But time, distance and eventually the infirmities of age thwarted those plans. I eventually taught myself to knit, although I still don’t know how to play canasta.

    Thanks for sharing your special memories with us. And I just love the sleeves on your dress!

  11. I love hearing others memories of their parents and grandparents. Good or bad, they helped form us into what we are today.
    My grandma taught me how to crochet and bake and cook and make homemade noodles (she was 100% German, after all..Let’s hear it for spaetzle!) She died when I was fresh out of high school. My mom has taught me more than I can list here, and since she is still on this earth, I’m sure there will be many more lessons.

  13. Mary: I’d bet those crackers and jam were delicious! My grandma also used to make donuts from pilsbury biscuits deep-fried then rolled in sugar – heaven! I’ve tried making them, but they’re not as good now.

    Jimmy: Would love to see a pic of you as a kid!

    Naturewoman: Thanks for the invitation.

    Ruth: Sad for a while, but now it’s just part of who I am. Many of my friends are losing their parents now in our 30’s.

    Lynne: People who knew my mom say that. And everyone tells my niece that she is the picture of me (poor thing!)

    macromoments: Hi! Grandkids must be a joy – all the fun and little responsibility! I wonder what they’ll remember about you when they’re grown?

    Monarch: I still say goofy rather than cute.

    Cathy: It made me smile to know that there’s someone else with that tradition! Your family must really treasure you to go for 4 rounds!

    Robin: Being able to talk and share this way one very enjoyable thing about the internet.

    Bunnygirl: If you ever learn canasta, maybe you can teach me. My mother made a lot of my clothes – I wonder if she made this dress, too.

    Susan: Ruth just did a post on spaetzle the other day! We didn’t eat a lot of German food as kids, until my mom died and my dad was in charge of the cooking. He made sauerbraten and the best sauerkraut!

    Somebunny: Yes, find a nice old one – preferably goofy!

  15. Great picture! Better memories!

    Canasta is a fun game! My husband’s grandmother — the one we named Ruth after — loved it and the whole family played it with her. We still play it with Greg’s parents whenever we can.

    Found a website dedicated to Canasta with the rules — our varient wasn’t one on his list so I wrote it up and he included it on the site! Canasta fame and glory!

  17. wow i missed quite a few blogs. I just posted some scanned pics myself. The nastalgia for a different reason but quite a coincidence. I love the old shots. She is striking

Comments are closed.