Marty went to the mountains with a friend in hopes of some good fall color photography and won't be back until Sunday afternoon. As Friday night is usually our night for take-out, Nick and I ordered our respective pizzas at that national chain that stuffs crusts, so we can eat off those for a couple of days.
Today, Nick and a friend wanted to go see a movie that was a good 15 - 20 minute drive from home. Sometimes it is really hilarious to see what teenagers involve themselves in. My son is a bit of a geek in some ways, and he and this friend are both "Bronies". As in guys who like My Little Pony cartoons. There's a whole 'cult' following of teenagers, both boys & girls alike. As we sat in the parking lot awaiting his friend's arrival, sure enough, it was mostly teenagers, and many brought their MLP plushies with them to the movie. I suppose when I was a teen, my own mom was shaking her head in bewilderment every time I decided to wear bell-bottom pants, love beads, chokers & rolled my curly hair onto soup cans to straighten it - every generation has its uniqueness.
While I was biding my time to pick him up from the movie, I came home and continued working on some stuff I'd pulled out last night that I'd brought home from my Dad's from my Mom's memorabilia.
I spent quite a bit of time on these old postcards. I was able to find some, or similar, online. My Mom's dad had been in the Merchant Marines during WWII and would send or bring her postcards from his travels. Some, as with the cherub with bells were mailed to my grandfather by his cousin when he young, in the early 1900s. The very colorful scenic is a Japanese card and done in oil paint. There are still more at my dad's which I will eventually bring home too; all to be eventually split amongst the siblings and I will probably scan all of them.
These are tintypes. The larger is in what is called a union case (nothing to do with the 'Union' of the Civil War) and is made of a type of thermoplastic. The lady in the picture is my great-grandmother Minnie (real name) at age 18 in 1892. I love the decorative impressions made in the velvet of each one. The smaller one is a wooden case and is believed to be ca. 1861-1865 as the oval inner frame depicts the stars & stripes flag along with a drum and the phrase "The Union Now & Forever". I do not know who the lady in the photo is, but my earliest ancestors in the United States on that side of the family arrived ca. 1850 whereas the others of my mom's lines didn't arrive until 40 years or so later, so would have to be either from the Sander or Machenheimer lines (these are real ancestral names).
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| Edward Voltmer 1859-1918 |
This man is my great-grandfather, Edward Voltmer. He died at the relatively young age of 59 after developing blood poisoning from a scratch. My understanding is that in an attempt to save his life he also lost the affected arm, but that proved futile in the end.
I will continue working on this for another hour or two, and then see if I can get Circle of Light's rows sewn together to be able to post some fabric OUT for a change on tomorrow's Stash Report Sunday!
In the morning I'll be headed home again, and I'll get to stay for a full month! My last trip home was only a two week stay after having been here for over five weeks. This trip, I've been here about three weeks again.
During that last trip home, Nick began his Sophomore year at the local high school and Marty completed his first 90 days on the new job. This trip home will include being able to celebrate Nick's 16th birthday on Oct. 8th.
Much of what my Dad considers "clutter" - my Mom's decorative items and kitchen things he has no use for and wants gone - has been packed up and I'll be taking home with me though I don't know where I'll store them, maybe I'll leave some of it here in the closet, some has been distributed to my sister, some has gone to others. For me, it's a bit heart-breaking because all too rapidly, the home that was a product of my Mom's tastes is turning into something quite different essentially erasing her presence. My Dad would be happy with four bare walls and only a piece or two of furniture - at least that's how it comes across much of the time. I don't like dealing with his desire to get rid of everything, I think it's rash and try to persuade him to wait as he isn't including some of the other siblings - he has his reasons, but I'll be the one who has to deal with the fallout from his actions when he's gone, and with that in mind, much of what has been packed, though going home with me, is my keeping in mind that there are things others may want "from his estate". I really really dislike this - and my husband jokingly says I'm becoming a hoarder - he doesn't get it, but I know my family and am expecting the worst down the road.
And on that note, I'm going to go finish up those few packing details I've been dragging my feet on. Once home, at least for a month, maybe I'll get in a few more blog posts as I make every attempt to feel "normal" again in a short time.
I cherish prayers for safe travels and no automotive problems.
