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Thinking

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by

Margaret
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Every time this photo comes through my Facebook memories, I admire the clothing and the youth of my maternal grandparents, showing off their Easter garb in 1930. I’m fairly certain that Nana, a devout Catholic, was dragging grandpa off to church; there was no place he would rather be LESS! Then I wonder why, as a non-church goer, I tend to celebrate Easter. Some years I haven’t but with the small grandsons, I made cards and prepared some Easter treat bags–not all candy, but also a stuffed rabbit (Anders) and some Hot Wheels (Sharky and Obro) Ian won’t get any goodies this year except a card to mark his first Easter. At his age, he won’t notice.

Thursdays Anders has his gymnastics class, so I take care of Ian. Like most babies, he’s mercurial: one minute smiling happily, the next fussing for a bottle, not long after that, conking out on my shoulder. I find babies fascinating. I talk to them almost as I would an adult, telling them stories, asking them questions, making admiring comments about their beauty. Who knows how much they understand? When I get a cooing response back or smiles, I treat that as communication: I like you, I’m comfortable, I’m happy. We have conversations, perhaps a bit one-sided but lovely nonetheless.

With a sleeping Ian on me, I couldn’t chase Carol off the fuzzy bunting although I hissed at her (cat talk) and said her name in a threatening tone. Can you see how smug she is?

I still have a paltry number of blooming tulips, but that could change soon.

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This forecast is bound to activate some flowers, right? I’m certainly not complaining although I will need to hook up my hoses for watering and switch over to short sleeved shirts. Welcome, Spring!

After debating making frosted sugar cookies for my Easter Egg hunt, I took the easy way out and bought two different varieties of desserts, not that any of us need them. I also did a little house cleaning with the major tasks (lawn mowing again and vacuuming) happening this weekend.

Mari has no idea what’s in store for her Sunday with those little boys running around and making lots of noise. She’s not a holiday type at all. 🙂 On the other hand, I use every reason possible to celebrate and to spend the day with my family. ❤️

Comments

30 responses to “Thinking”

  1. Doug M Avatar
    Doug M

    Great photos! The newer ones are so vivid on my Samsung tablet I feel like I could reach thru and touch sweet Ian or Carol (haha) but my favorite is that awesome one of your grandparents–what a smart looking couple! Margaret, the toys and treats for Easter are perfect, you’re thinking about the kids. :^)

    Reply
    1. Margaret Avatar
      Margaret

      It sounds like that tablet has great clarity! I wish you could reach through and grab Carol off that chair. LOL I do love that photo of them; I don’t remember Nana very well since she died at 51 when I was about 4. My mom missed her so much and talked about her a lot.

      Reply
  2. Anne Bennett Avatar
    Anne Bennett

    You have found such treasured photos of your relatives. And such a cute/sweet photo of you and your grandson. What a doll.

    Reply
    1. Margaret Avatar
      Margaret

      I don’t have many of Nana, so I do treasure the ones I have. She never got to grow old whereas Grandpa did. My other grandmother died in her late 60s of ovarian cancer while that grandpa lived into his 80s. He is a very sweet baby although unpredictable like most of them!

      Reply
  3. Ed Avatar
    Ed

    Catholic churches get a lot of use this time of year. We did Holy Thursday yesterday, just got back from Good Friday service this evening and tomorrow will be the Vigil before of course Easter Sunday. If you don’t like going to church, it is a bad time to be Catholic.

    I like that picture of your grandparents. I only have a few pictures of my maternal grandparents at that age and none of my paternal. In most of my pictures they are my current age or older.

    Reply
    1. Margaret Avatar
      Margaret

      I grew up Episcopalian with some of the same traditions. We gave up something for Lent, did Ash Wednesday and Palm Sunday. I don’t think we did Holy Thursday though. I think Mom called it Maundy Thursday? I don’t know if my grandparents had cameras, but they probably only took photos on special occasions. The pictures I do have are very special. There are a few of my maternal grandfather when he was in dental school and I’m not sure who took those!

      Reply
  4. Linda Avatar
    Linda

    Lovely photos. Your grandparents were a handsome couple.

    Reply
    1. Margaret Avatar
      Margaret

      Thanks! I wish I remembered Nana. She thought the world of me, according to my mom.

      Reply
  5. Susan Avatar
    Susan

    Your grandparents are attractive people. The photo shows them to be poised, polished and proud. Lovely people. That is a beautiful and treasure of a photo.
    Easter Sunday many years ago meant going to church and dressing for the Easter service. I remember wearing a new dress, hat and gloves. My mother was a shopper and loved fashion, so my sister and I were all very prim and proper.
    Your family Easter gathering sounds like fun. The boys will love all the special treats.
    Ian looks very content sleeping in your arms.
    Carol likes fleece/sherpa and she looks pretty cozy and reluctant to move.
    Once the weather is consistently warmer, I suspect your tulips will blossom like they did last year.
    It is very cold at night in MA and days are still not consistently warm.

    Reply
    1. Margaret Avatar
      Margaret

      I wish the photo were in better condition, but I don’t know how to fix it. I always had a new Easter dress and hat and my daughters got Easter dresses too. It might still be a tradition in some families. I hope the hunt goes well; we’ll have great weather for it! Like Mari, Carol “owns” every chair and surface in that house. 🙂

      Reply
  6. Maureen Avatar
    Maureen

    Your garden looks so tidy with tulips ready to bloom. Mine is still covered in leaves which I’ve been warned not to remove before it warms up, lest I kill all the bees and bugs overwintering there. It’s hard to wait! It’s sad you lost your grandma so young. Your boys are getting wonderful times with you!

    Reply
    1. Margaret Avatar
      Margaret

      The back flower bed might actually give me the most tulips; they’re the peony style ones that I thought I didn’t like. Then I discovered that I did! I didn’t know that about the leaves. Hopefully my yard work didn’t disturb too much. Nana had rheumatic fever as a child, and it damaged her heart. If she could have only lived a few years longer, they could have fixed it, but they weren’t doing open heart surgeries then. Grandpa took her to the best specialists in Seattle; they told him that she didn’t have much time. He didn’t tell anyone, including Nana about her prognosis. My mother hated him for that because she didn’t spend as much time with her mother as she would have if she’d known she was dying.

      Reply
  7. AC Avatar
    AC

    We were warmer than you today. Ther is still some snow out front, but there are also little tulip shoots where it has melted.

    I should also say that although I am now a non-believer, I still have some residual feeling about Easter.

    Reply
    1. Margaret Avatar
      Margaret

      What?? We were at nearly 60 degrees. Your snow will soon melt completely away at those temperatures. I feel the same as you do about Easter; it’s tied up in memories of childhood, church events, Easter baskets, etc.

      Reply
  8. Jay Avatar
    Jay

    I am sure I went to church for some Easters, Presbyterian for those I can remember. But I do remember coloring eggs, and hunting for chocolate eggs in the house. My husband was the Easter bunny for our kids, in or out depended on the weather. He even did some hiding for kids he cared for, hiding them around their yards before they would wake up.
    Both Ian and Carol look content, and self-centered. Looking out for themselves is a baby’s job and a cat’s idea of how things should be.
    I’m excited for the weather this weekend and getting some yard work done.

    Reply
    1. Margaret Avatar
      Margaret

      I’ll do most of my yard work tomorrow before my Easter egg hunt on Sunday. I’d forgotten about the dyeing of the Easter eggs and all the other traditions that we did. My late husband loved to organize Easter egg hunts for our friends’ kids and then our own. Babies and cats do have that self-centeredness in common!

      Reply
  9. Siobhan Avatar
    Siobhan

    I love the pictures on this post Margaret . The elegance of your Grandparents
    The gorgeous photo of you and Ian
    And Carol – great name and what a fantastic cat she is . Smug is the right word
    As a child of devoutly Catholic parents , all my memories of big holidays feature a lot of time in church . My relationship with God is not a happy one – Motherless at 8 , living alone with a father who was acutely unwell with early onset Alzheimer’s ( which people attributed to grief ) , removed from his care in my teens and then widowed early at 58 , I find it impossible to believe in any higher powers benevolence- so no church for me this Easter
    Enjoy your Easter and I hope Mari finds a safe place to hide
    Siobhan

    Reply
    1. Margaret Avatar
      Margaret

      Thank you, Siobhan. I wish I were expert at restoring photos, but it’s still a good one. Ian is a snuggler; I wish he liked to sleep in his crib rather than on people though. Not ideal for my daughter! The foster mom to the batch of kittens that Carol came from named them all after Marvel heroes, so Carol is actually Captain Marvel. Her brother Steve (daughter doesn’t own him) is Captain America. I’m so sorry for your rough and stressful childhood, then losing your husband so young. I was 56 and can relate to that part of your journey. Mari has lots of hiding places in my house! Unfortunately, she also likes to be where I am and where the human food is which can create some issues.

      Reply
  10. Michael Avatar
    Michael

    As I think I have told you before, I grew up Episcopalian too. The town where I am from was about 2/3 Catholic, so I am pretty familiar with Catholicism. We did a lot of the things that Catholics do, so as a kid, I just assumed that all Christian sects did the same thing. When I moved away, I was sure proved incorrect in that assessment. The whole Baptist dunking people in the river thing was something I had never even heard of! That photo of your grandparents is a great one. They look so young! Enjoy your Easter weekend with your family. I hope the weather cooperates.

    Reply
    1. Margaret Avatar
      Margaret

      I know what you mean. I was shocked when I attended a different church with a friend and we just sat there! I was used to stand, sit, kneel! They were in their early twenties in this photo so very young indeed. The weather tomorrow is supposed to be 71, so it’ll be perfect for an Easter Egg Hunt.

      Reply
  11. Robin Avatar
    Robin

    Margaret, I love the photo of your grandparents! Great outfits! Ian looks adorable as always. Carol is hilarious! Very smug looking ‘cause she knows darn well you can’t do anything. We are finally receiving some spring like weather here. Crocuses are blooming, the pussy willows are out…..there is hope! Your cookies look yummy, the boys will enjoy them. Have a wonderful weekend.❤️

    Reply
    1. Margaret Avatar
      Margaret

      Nana’s head covering makes me think she’s heading for church with a reluctant Grandpa in tow. Carol has a real attitude; she’s a quirky cat. Or perhaps they ALL are? I’m happy that you’re seeing some spring; it’s uplifting when plants start to grow. I’ll have a variety of cookies out although I may get stuck eating too many of them myself.

      Reply
  12. Steve Avatar
    Steve

    I was just out watering my plants too. We’re having a pretty dry spring.

    I’ve heard that adults SHOULD talk to little kids (even babies, I suppose) like they’re adults. It helps them develop not only their language capabilities but their curious little minds!

    Reply
    1. Margaret Avatar
      Margaret

      I put some soil and grass seed in a hole against my fence; I’ve been afraid for years that someone would break an ankle. That’s mainly what I’m watering so far although according to the forecast, I may need to water some plants too. Babies love me and I love them; my approach to them may be working!

      Reply
  13. JT Twissel Avatar
    JT Twissel

    Sounds like the gang is planning to keep you hopping on Easter – enjoy! Your grandmother was quite a beauty – you actually look a bit like her!

    Reply
    1. Margaret Avatar
      Margaret

      It will be a (hopefully) happy chaos around here. 71 degrees predicted, perfect for hunting treats. It’s not much fun when we have to transfer the Easter eggs inside. (in our sometimes rainy spring weather) Nana was quite beautiful, as was my mom. I’m just average in attractiveness.

      Reply
  14. Betty Renfroe Avatar
    Betty Renfroe

    Happy Easter.

    You’ll have a great day with those boys. Hope it doesn’t rain on your egg hunt.

    Reply
    1. Margaret Avatar
      Margaret

      Happy Easter to you too! It’s supposed to be nice tomorrow. And warm! ☀️

      Reply
  15. Tonya Avatar
    Tonya

    That picture of your grandparents is awesome! She definitely has the 1920s vibe—almost a flapper! And what a mischievous smile! I like her!

    And I’m in love with smug Carol! 😂

    Reply
    1. Margaret Avatar
      Margaret

      My mom absolutely revered her which is why I wish I had memories of her. I’m hoping I live long enough for my grandsons to remember me. Cats specialize in smugness!

      Reply

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