~Tomato Creek Prims~
A simple life...Stush and I, the kids and the grands♥

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

~My Life~

This is a picture of my mother's mom, the one I was named after, she was born in 1900 and I think she was 16 here, at the bottom of the picture you can see the pansies that her parents raised and sold...mom always loved pansy's:) She passed away at the age of 46 of a cerebral hemorrhage. Gee, notice the long dress? She had red hair and blue eyes, she met an Irishman named Danial Tolen boy, I bet there were fireworks over that one!

Good Morning friends:)


It's Tuesday and time for the family history project:) BTW I love doing this...it makes you think if you know what I mean:) ~ If you want to join in you can, just go to Julie's Tattered Threads and Willing Hands and sign up with Mr Linky!

This week's project is a little hard for me because I never really knew either set of grandparents...something I've always regretted in my life. I never had that special feeling the grandchildren feel or have knowing that your mom and dad's parents thought you were the best ever! I'm sure this has effected me somehow but I just don't know how, so I'll answer the questions as best that I can, okay?


1. Was yours a religious family? Not when I was little but I was baptized Catholic. When Michele was born we baptized her Russian Orthodox... before that my dad had went back to the religion he was raised with and so did I. I would take my kids every Sunday they were all baptized and confirmed Russian Orthodox and my oldest son Nick was married in the church and still attends with his wife and Alex.

Were Sunday's spent together with family? My mom's mother died when my mom was in her 20's and her dad died when I was about 4 or 5, I only remember seeing him once and my mom looked just like him. I think there was bad feelings with my parents and him.


2. Did your family take vacations? Yes, we would go camping, my dad was an avid hunter and fisherman, we would go to the Allegheny River with other families and have such a good time, I would sleep in the brand new Chevy station wagon on air mattresses ( remember now this was in the 50's ) I think my parents slept in a tent or I slept with my mom and my dad and brother Mike slept in the tent:) You see my parents had what you might say two sets of kids...Dave and Judy were born before WWII and Mike and I were born after so there was four years where my dad was gone. My older brother and sister were either married or had jobs where they couldn't go with us. We went every summer and would stay for weeks!


3. Do you remember any special stories your grandparents told you? Did you sit on a lap when you heard these stories or did you hear them when you and your grandparent would walk hand-in-hand, taking a stroll? Do you tell any of these same stories to your children? Sadly no!


4. Did your grandparents live nearby? My dad's mom lived near but she didn't speak

English only Russian, I remember my dad trying to talk to her, trying to remember the words in Russian, he could understand her but he had gotten away from speaking it. She wasn't a grandmotherly type or maybe she wasn't allowed to be...it was rumored that she liked to tip the vodka bottle to much:) My dad was one of seven and poor, his dad died when he was 16, dad only got to go to the 8th grade then had to go to work in the mill here (where my husband lost his job) but back then it was booming. My dad was very smart and I think it bothered him that he couldn't have graduated and went on to be something more. So I don't think there was good feelings between his mother and him...it was the 50's and you just didn't talk about things like you do now.

Back then in Pennsylvania during the 30's, 40's and 50's you were separated, so to speak, by your heritage...dad was Russian...mom was English and back then you just didn't do that, so I think there was bad feelings on both sides about them being together...how sad and how stupid!!! But that's the way it was back then, I do know one thing they loved me very much, maybe they tried to make up for us not having any grandparents, I really don't know, I do know

...Christmas's was so much fun, dad loved Christmas and always shopped with mom, oh, how he loved to shop, I've never found a man like that.LOL I think he loved it because he had been so poor and didn't want us ever to feel that way.
Well, that's it, I could write so much more but we would be here all day... and I think this is why I really try to be the best Grammy in the world because I missed all of that and I want them to feel that special kind of love that can only come from grandparents:)


23 comments:

  1. This is a great post! It is great getting to know you a little bit better!

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  2. Oh I love these stories! I'm going to have to go sign up! Can't wait to read more, Dawn

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  3. Rondell, I loved this post. I wished the picture of your grandmother was clearer. I enjoyed hearing about her. I'll have to go to julie's and check it out. I have already sent a post out today or I would join in. :-)

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  4. Oh, thanks for sharing!!!...I loved reading your post!!..OH, when do I not?!?!?...Have a wonderful 4th!!!..hugs,Jen

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  5. Thank you for sharing so much of your family with us, Rondell. Such an interesting story!

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  6. hello rondell, thank you for sharing your "history" with us, i enjoyed reading about it.
    sonya

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  7. How interesting, Rondell! I never knew my grandparents either. They had died long before I was born. My family immigrated over here in 1950 and I was born after that, so I didn't even know any aunts and uncles. But we had a huge "family" of Polish friends over here, as well as our own family! Think that's why me and my six brothers were always so close. Thanks for your memories and for raising a few of mine! ~~Annie

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  8. I can understand your feeling about Grands, I didn't know my Dad's parents they died when I was too young to remember them. My Granddaddy, on Mom's side died,when I was 6, but I have fond memories of him. My Mom's mother was mean and didn't care for us. I always wondered what it would feel like to have a loving Granny.

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  9. Things WERE different then. We forget how much more open things are now (maybe TOO open, where's the 'happy medium'? LOL). Very interesting post! I hope I get to be a grandmother someday, too.

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  10. great storys Rondell, my dads parents died when I was young but I do remember going to their house and she had a jar filled with lemon gumdrops and we would take handfuls of these and just sit and eat them..my grandpa would chase me around the yard and trap me till I gave him a kiss..they had a tire swing in their garage and we would swing from it..my moms parents..her dad died before any of us (6) were born..and her mother never treated us like grandkids or even like humans for that matter..she didn't like my dad..so we were all crapped on..she died in 1981 when I was just graduating from high school..don't have alot of good memories of her...have a wonderful week and thanks for sharing..:)

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  11. Very interesting, thanks for sharing! I too never knew any of my grandparents and like you, I do miss that bond. I'm sure it effects us somehow?

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  12. Thanks for sharing a piece of you heart & life.

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  13. It was fun to read about you and your family, Rondell. Doing family history really does make you think, and it is very addicting. I wish my ancestors would have kept better journals--we have some things, but it would be so wonderful to see who I'm like:) !! thanks for such a nice post. Julie

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  14. Thanks for participating! It's wonderful to read about someone's history. What a wonderful treasure we'll have!

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  15. I sure enjoyed learning a little bit more about you. My grandparents all died before I was six years old so I never really knew any of them.

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  16. Gotta love those old photos. Your grandma died just too young. It's great to read about your family, Rondell. I hope you are having a great week, so far.

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  17. I'm enjoying these posts on your life, Rondell! You sure are rewriting history with your granddaughters because they'll have great memories of their grammy!

    Have a great evening!
    Tammy

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  18. hey Rondell sign in to my forum I think I already approved you! Email me if you still can't get in..--Dawn

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  19. This is a really cool Idea! I need to really get to doing this!!
    Hugs, Lisa

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  20. I enjoyed reading about your family and Look forward to reading more.

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  21. Oh Rondell!
    I love this post. So beautiful and thank you so much for sharing with us. Our parents have such wonderful stories to share. Their lives were good but they were very hard for them. I could sit and listen to Daddy and Moma tell stories forever. Daddy is a really good storyteller. We have a lot of family history and Moma made each one of us kids family books with all of our history in them. Then we are able to share with our kids and grandkids. Thanks for stopping by this morning. Glad you loved the decorations. I am picking up a top hat and bowtie for the cactus at lunch today. I will post the pic when I am done. Have a good one. "Country Hugs", Sherry

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  22. Hey girl I emailed you this morning .Subject -Forum! Let me know if you got it..Dawn

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  23. Wow! You're right about those questions that really make you think. I enjoyed reading your answers and getting a glimpse into your family history. Each of us has a story that is so unique. Thanks so much for sharing yours!
    Hugs to you~ Birgit

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Love to read each and everyone of your comments...thanks for taking the time to stop by for a visit... your always welcome♥
Rondell