Just this past Monday I received a packet in the mail from my dad. It's a copy of his memoirs... his recollections of the past 84 years. It's not something that would mean anything to the average person, but for me it's history. I don't know if there's anything in there that I haven't already heard. (At least there was no forewarning of deep, dark, hidden family secrets.*) But, we could always get lucky!
My parents were born in 1925... the Roaring Twenties, when these chicks were hanging out being cool:
My parents lived through the depression and World War II... their formative years... and that certainly impacted the way we were later brought up. "Waste not, want not" was a way of life. (And perhaps planted the seeds of my hoarding, cat lady tendencies.) We learned not to buy anything on credit and to never spend more than we earned.
I'm sure that in reading my dad's memoirs, there will be insights into how he became the man he is today. A quiet man, until you get to know him. Somebody who enjoys a good joke. Somebody you can count on.
I have a feeling his story will be one of the best Christmas presents I've gotten in a long time... and one that Vlad and I will appreciate in the years to come.
Thanks for the history lesson, Dad!
*And not to worry... I'll let you know if there's any good "dirt" once I've read it!
42 comments:
how very cool...i think that the story of our lives is one fo the greatest gifts we can give our children. hope you enjoy it...and some lovely words about your dad. happy tt!
Neat! Reminded me of the family cookbook I have( thank you auntie dear! ) With all Grandma's recipes and what-not :) Glad you da could put all this to-gether for you. What a wonderful present!
You are so lucky. My parents passed away before I had a chance to pick their brains about their experiences growing up. I wish I had such a history. Cool, CL.
Hey CatLady! You are indeed lucky. I have to gather my family history through hushed conversations at soirées, and by unsealing court records. Indigo
Not having a Dad, this is has got to be the best Christmas present for you and Vlad. Enjoy reading it.
How very fascinating. I was just on the phone with my own father last night listening to some of his childhood stories. I am also a history buff and enjoy hearing personal accounts of times past.
I feel so bad for my kids who, when I leave, will only have my blog left for them to read.
I can see their faces as their all, like:
"WTF?!"
That's so cute! I love looking back at my Grandparents old pictures.
Maybe you'll find out that they bought some stock in Dr. Pepper?
Then you'll be rich! RICH!
Will you share?
hee hee
That sounds like a fantastic present, I hope I will be able to do the same one day for my son. If there are more photographs and memories you can always share them with us via Sepia Saturday.
What a precious treasure your father has given you. I'm sure you will treasure this history forever.
That is an awesome gift and I bet it will be highly entertaining and insightful. I have my grandfather's journals, something a lot of people kept back then. I wasn't allowed to read them until both my grandparents died which made me think there would be some great stuff in there, nope. Mostly weather reports and how he hated to fly on airplanes. There are daily references to people I know, as well as me, and of course his take on the politics of the day.
All interesting.
An excellent gift!
You are lucky, that is quite a gift indeed!
Hoarding? "Cat lady?" Does this mean I can blame my parents for these propensities, as well?
Excellent!
I, too, was brought up with the "waste not, want not" philosopy. I didn't get it as a kid, but now I understand.
What a marvelous gift from your father.
That's nice, CatLady! I love looking through old pictures and memoirs.
That is a very nice gift. You will enjoy reading through those memories, I'm sure. And what a happy coincidence receiving that just as theme thursday needed this post! :)
I'm new here. Hi.
I am so a cat lady WITH cats. I heart kitties.
following now.
What a very cool thing your dad has done.
Oh that is so exciting!!! I so wish that my dad would have done that...instead I wrote things down that he told me but it isn't the same. What a treasure you have!!!
Are they flappers?
Those flapper girls are fabulous, and the present from your father is something you and future generations can enjoy.
I am so thrilled to discover this group of bloggers doing the History thing. I love history. We are in the middle of a biggie right now. I grew up during and right after WWII and although I was a child it definitely helped shape my life view and attitudes. Get gift from your dad.
QMM
that is such a wonderful gift! Very very cool. I love that picture also. My mom was born in '26. I have a couple pix of my grandma dressed as a flapper. It's amazing.
How cool is that? I have to rely on the stories told to me by my parents and my aunt. My mother's family is all gone now and her history is pretty much lost.
I'm sure they'd be fascinating to all of us in fact as is the photos and what a nice take on the history theme. Great blog post.
My parents were much the same era, Depression, marriage, WWII, both with dentures, as food nutrients were non existent..my mother died, worrying there wasn't enough- even though there was, because of the frugal life she was forced to live for 40 years.. How much is enough? No way to live, or die..
Brian: My grandmother was a great storyteller as well. I have a videotape of her telling some of her classics.
Subby: The cookbook sounds great!
Dufus: We are, indeed, very fortunate.
Indigo: Isn't it great that you can now request copies of your FBI files? Wait... you don't have the FBI there. Guess you'll have to wait for those court records after all.
Peachy: We're really looking forward to reading it together.
Armed with Vitriol: It's so fascinating to think about where our families have been. It's amazing we all came through it alive!
Moooooog: Your blog is definitely going to make your kids say, WTF! Lucky for me, Vlad's old enough to appreciate my warped sense of humor.
BS & BC: Old pictures are great!
Quirky: I should be so lucky! If it turns out to be true, I'll be happy to share with you... because you're my Quirky Quombie friend and all.
Alan: Now I'm going to have to check out Sepia Saturday.
Me-Me: It's definitely treasure!
Jen: Seems the weather was much more important back then!
Stephanie: Indeed!
Wings: Yep!
JeffScape: There's a lot I can "blame" on my parents growing up in the depression!
I wonder what my dad would title his memoirs? Maybe "if I'd only worn a condom?" lol
That is very cool Cat Lady. I wish my grandparents had written their memoirs instead of me having to make it up :).
Janice: Don't you just hate it when you discover that the things our parents drilled into us as kids turn out to be really smart ideas? (And we said we'd never be like them...)
Reffie: A great gift!
Betsy: It astounds me how often the Theme Thursday topics mesh with something going on in my life.
Martini or Diaper Genie?: Welcome to the CatLady's house! You are SO getting any cats that come my way... send me your address!
Laoch: Very cool, indeed.
gayle: At least you still have stories he told you to remember.
Kris: Flappers... so cool!
e: Makes me wish I lived back then... but only so I could be a flapper. I love my modern conveniences too much!
Queenmothermamaw: Welcome, your highness! My first outing as a child was to go to my grandparent's house to watch the coronation of the Queen on their television... I think they had the only one in town.
rxBambi: That's awesome that you have a picture of your grandma as a flapper! (Mine was too busy down on the farm to get to do that stuff.)
Gladys: Part of why I do my blog is to write down my stories. Vlad already appreciates them.
...mmm...: He said he included photos, too, so I hope there will be some good ones to share.
buffalodick: I know what you mean. (My ex was frugal like that.) My parents are still cautious, but they've traveled extensively around the world and lived full lives... probably because they didn't waste money on stuff they didn't need. (I've wasted my fair share since the ex left!)
Otin: Just think of all those siblings you could have written about if he HADN'T worn a condom!
frigginloon: What's sad is when people THINK you're making it up, but it's all actually true! I'd love to read your memoirs.
I tried to leave a comment the other day when I was here, but it doesn't seem to have loaded.
Anyway, I left you a shout out and a drinkie recipe that you might like. It was on my post from Friday.
Enjoy!
I think that's wonderful.
I'm going to encourage my mother to write a memoir.
I enjoy reading about the past with my parents.Its amazing what they did back then.I still have my parents wedding pic from 1959.Also pics of them when they were teens.I have a very old trunk at my fathers that has my first baby clothes in it.Its very exciting to look back.
hope you enjoy reading.
~~~~~~MERRY CHRISTMAS~~~~~
Oh My Favorite Goddess: Why, thank you! Can't wait to try the Flaming Dr Pepper! But what's this... the recipe doesn't list DP as an ingredient... how can that be? I'll just have to try it!
Unknown Mami: A most wonderful gift. Hope your mom writes hers!
Donna: I have my grandparents' wedding photo... my grandpa looks quite dapper! Happy holidays back at you!
What an amazing gift! We just lost my 100 year old grandmother and I ache at the fact that so many memories and history are gone now, never to be recovered.
We keep asking my father in law to start recording his memoirs for us. I feel like the greatest gift you can pass on to your kids is their history.
Enjoy them!
Amy Kate: Hugs to you and yours on the loss of your grandmother. My grandmother was 96 when she died. She was a wonderful storyteller and I'm fortunate to have a videotape of her telling some of her classics. It brings her right back to life!
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