This Blog has nothing to do with the nice spring weather outside we are some time going to enjoy.
Some times my mind wonders. Many times I think of my wonderful grandpa and grandma. You see I only had one set of grandparents. Dad's parents both died before he was 12. His oldest brother married and kept the 9 children all together until they spread there wings--got married--went off to war--died of influenza or what ever. Uncle Hubert and Aunt Gertrude did a great job. We always had family reunions -visited a lot-and still the cousins get together at least once a year. The number has really gotten smaller, but 12 of us did get together again this past Sept. None of dad's family lived to be very old or married long. Uncle Ben 's did celebrate their 50th tho. They complained of sickness their whole life and dad used to say--always sick and never dead. Dad and mom celebrated their 35th in Feb. and dad past away Mar. 1 the next month.
Back to grandpa and grandma. Grandma lost her husband when she was about 35. She stayed alone until 1927. Then she married C Van Zee from Zeeland, Mi. Uncle Garrett actually got them together. He was in Holland ,Mi going to school to become a pastor and missionary. They came to Iowa Jan. 13-1928---Yep-the day we were born. They stepped off the train and the first thing they heard was that Anna had twins.
They lived in Orange City in the same home until after grandma died and grandpa went to the Pioneer Home. Lois and I cleaned house for grandma in June and she past away a few weeks latter. She gave us each an elephant book end that Uncle Garrett had sent home from Arabia. She also gave us each $20.00 and said that would probably be the last gift to us from her. The Sunday after she died, Leona, Lois and I sang "In the Time Of Roses " at her church in memory of her. Sher always liked rose, but was very allergic to lilacs. She and mom would call each other every day. Grandma would call us in the morning about 9 am and mom would call her about 4 pm. I still remember her telephone # - 210 J. We would call the operator and she would connect us.
Grandpa was an intelligent man. He had a large library on the second floor. He had an orchard in Mi. and really new how to prune fruit trees and grape vines. He loved to garden and always kept record of the sun length--longest and shortest day by putting a stake in the garden on various days. They would come to the farm every Sat. Grandpa would always tinker with something in dad's workshop while mom visited with grandma. Grandpa could fix anything with wire and nails He was a long , lanky man who did so much for grandma, like put on her shoe rubbers. He would kneel on one leg and that would stick out half way in the kitchen. At lunch time he would always have hot milk and rusk. Doesn't that sound great? What is so amazing though is that he came to Iowa on our birthday and he lift his earthly home on our birthday. He was 85-just one wonderful man. He had a favorite poem, and I only remember one line "Around the corner I have a friend." It was about a friend he was going to visit-put it off until it was to late. His friend past away. And I think about how that's true today. One thing I didn't like about him tho, was his mustache , especially in the winter when the ice cycles would hang from it.
