Grandma

 

The other day, I was in the store, and noticed a young child who was obviously with his grandma.

I thought to myself, "Grandma's sure have changed over the years!"

I remember my own Grandma.

She seemed OLD - even when she wasn't that old.

even looking at pictures of her now, I think she looks older than her years.

She wore her long gray hair in a braid and rolled up on to of her head.

Her dresses were long and frumpy - never any pants!

Grandma wore dark, heavy stockings and her

black shoes were never very stylish...but very practical.

Grandma died when she was 87 years old.  I was 12.

At the time of her death she was nearly blind and nearly deaf.

That is the way I remember her mostly - just sitting in her rocker,

being old....and knitting.

I remember her knitting miniature potholders for me to play house with.

She knit big pot holder, scarves, afghans for others.

She was a good cook and loved to have her family home for special meals,

but my memories of that are very vague.

It was always great fun to go to Grandma's house on the farm;

I cherish the things I have that were hers and will pass them down to my kids.

But back to the grandma I saw in the store. . . .

I can't imagine my Grandma wearing blue jeans or capri pants!

Sandals?  Tank top?  No way!!

Shorts?  That would be scandalous!

As far as I know, Grandma never wore makeup;

she never painted her fingernails, and certainly not her toe nails!

She didn't dye her hair or go to the beauty parlor, either.

I can't imagine my grandma down on the floor, chasing her grandchildren

like I have been known to do.

But I am sure she must have told some of the older grandchildren stories.

Grandma Dahlager was the only living grandparent that I had--

Sure, she wasn't like the grandmothers of today,

but she was a great grandma!

After I finished this, I remembered that today was the date of

grandma's birth.  She was born on March 29, 1872 in Valdal, Norway.

This picture of grandma was taken in the late 20's or early 30's, so she would have been in her 50's.  Even then, her hair is braided and rolled into a bun on top of her head.

Below:  Grandma is in her 80's in this picture,

taken a year or so before her death.

Robin

I was at Pam, Brian, & Drew's house for the weekend. 

On Saturday morning, we were sitting at the kitchen table
watching the robins in the tree.  

All of the sudden, one flew right into the window!

What a horrible thud we heard!  

I looked down on the ground and saw the poor bird laying there,

in an awful position with one wing stretched out;

I was sure the wing was broken!  

The bird's breathing was rapid,  its beak opening and shutting  quickly.   

Then he (or she) flexed his legs and got pretty quiet,
and we figured he was dead or nearly dead.    

We looked out again and again, hoping to see some improvement.   

All of the sudden the robin righted itself up, closing it's wing!  

But I was still pretty pessimistic.

The robin sat there in that position for quite awhile.  

That poor bird hit the window with a stong enough force
that left a little piece of him on the window.     

After yet another look out the window,

Pam  excitedly exclaimed that the bird had flown away!  

Wow!  

My Two Grandpas...

 This is my Grandpa Gunerius Melby.    He was in his 20's when this picture was taken.   

He died before my Mom & Dad were married.  

This is my Grandpa Dahlager (Mom's Dad) - Isn't he handsome?  

 He was about 20 years old on this picture. 

My Grandpa Melby immigrated to Minnesota from Norway in 1880.

Grandpa Dahlager was born in Iowa; his parents came from Norway in 1865.

Grandpa Melby was a strict disciplinarian;
When his children misbehaved,
He would take the child behind the woodshed,
and they would get a good "wallopping."

Grandpa Dahlager would punish his children
when they did something wrong;
but then he would take them in his arms
and comfort them as they cried following the punishment.

Grandpa Melby (& Grandma) loved music.
They, along with all of their children
sang in the church choir.
Some of their relatives were extremely gifted musically.

Grandpa Dahlager was probably not as "good" a musician.
But. . .
He would play the Jewish harp and sing songs to his children.

There was always a piano or organ in both households.

Both my Grandpas loved their families.
Both worked hard to provide for them.
They both lost children -
Grandpa Melby's first son died at the age of 3.
Grandpa Dahlager's daughter died at the age of 31.

It was important for both Grandpas to raise their family
in a Christian home.
Grandpa Melby's son became a minister.
Grandpa Dahlager's brother and brother-in-law were ministers,

I started out thinking I would compare the two
because they were so different,
But I couldn't come up with as many differences as I thought I would.
I supposes their main difference was their personality,
but it seems like they had a more in common than the marriage of my Mom & Dad.

Camera-Shy!

 Here is Dodie and me when the family went to Itasca...I am the one who doesn't want to look at the camera.  I was probably pouting, but I never heard that.

Another picture of Dodie and me at Itasca.   Looks like she is holding on to me for the camera, and I don't look too happy, either.    Probably because of the long car ride!   In those days, everyone crammed in the car:   Mom, Dad, Si, David, Kathy, Margaret, Dodie, Me, and Jim.  Now that's seven kids plus Mom & Dad!   Goodness!!!  I guess there were three in the front seat plus Jim, sitting on Mom's lap.   The rest of us kids somehow sat in the back seat - it was NOT a station wagon, and in there were no seat belt laws!  Oh, the good old days!!

Cousin Frances

Frances - this picture is likely from the 1950's, when she would have been in her 40's!

I didn't meet her until she was in her 80's--

I don't believe she ever considered herself to be "old"

--or maybe she just didn't accept it.

She lived in New York City,

always hoping for that "big break,"

For 12 years she was a Radio City Rockette,

She claimed she never made a mis-step in the routines.

Frances traveled with the Rockettes to Paris to compete in the Expo there.

They won first place!

Show business was in her blood --

Her older sister Vivien was in vaudeville

and an accomplished pianist.

Frances loved to dance and was also

a singer and pianist.

To say that there was rivalry between the sisters

may be an understatement; I do not know too many details.

Frances said that her sister was the "beautiful one"

But they were both very pretty:

Frances was blond and Vivien was a red head.

Both very talented!

Frances appeared in two movies:

"That Kind of Woman" (starring Sophia Loren)

and "The Edge of the City"

She also appeared on the "Milton Berle" Show.

She rubbed elbows with a few celebrities,

including Katherine Hepburn and Greta Garbo.

As she got older, she continued performing in one-woman shows.

Her mother, a costume designer in New York,  made her costumes.

Frances would research and create the choreography.

Frances never married, and was extremely close to her mother.

After  her mother died (at nearly 100 years old),

Frances said she didn't know how she was going to go on.

Frances visited relatives in Minnesota in the 1990's.

She was still tall and thin, with long 'blond' hair.

She didn't wear glasses (at least not around us).

But in reality, she didn't look as young as she hoped she did.

She seemed to be a lonely woman,

who enjoyed watching her just-met relatives.

She remarked that she couldn't get over how happy we all were,

and that we got along so good!

In 2004, we received word that Frances had died.

She was 92 years old and alone.

Frances' mother (Ann) was my dad's oldest sister

Here is Frances with my Mom circa 1996

Mom was born in 1908 - Frances was born in 1912

{Frances is on the left}

Mom

Mom - age 3

Mom - age 93

My Mom passed away on Nov. 14, 2010

Today, she would have been 103 years old.

So today, I am posting these pictures in memory of Mom.

My Grandfather Clock

My Dad put together a grandfather clock in 1970.  It was almost always in the same corner of the living room when Mom & Dad had it.   


Now I have the clock.   I have had it in the same spot as where Mom & Dad put it, but I am one who likes to rearrange furniture fairly often, and this sometimes includes the grandfather clock.   


I have had the clock in the dining room (two different spots) and in different spots in the living room, but this clock has a mind of its own.   It absolutely refuses to keep going in anyplace except in the living room corner where Mom & Dad had it the most.   Last week I tried (again) to put it in the dining room....dumb idea.    It started running, but after a few minutes, it decided to quit.  I adjusted the little things underneath to make it level; it tick-tocked for about 15 minutes and quit.   I have been adjusting, setting the time and starting it up again all week with no success. . .it seems to  tease me, going for a little while, and then suddenly, right in the middle of the swing of the pendulum,  it quits.  I tell you again, this clock has a mind of its own!  You would think I would learn!!!   Today, I moved it back to its favorite corner in the living room and it practically started running on its own!!   An hour later, the pendulum is still swinging.  

Sammie

She was born in 1903.

Her name was Selma Caroline, but friends and family  lovingly called her Sammie.

Her best friend was Esther Berlie.

Together, they attended Oak Grove High School and Seminary in Fargo.

After High School, she taught Lutheran parochial schools

in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and North Dakota.

While in North Dakota, she met Clarence.

Not long before Sammie & Clarence were to be married,

she noticed a lump in her side.

The doctor told her it was a floating kidney,

nothing to worry about.

Sammie & Clarence were married in 1930.

They had two beautiful daughters:

Grace and Lois.

When Lois was just a baby, Sammie became very ill.

She underwent surgery for what was believed to be appendicities.

During surgery, it was discovered that her "floating kidney"

was cancer.

There was nothing they could do for her.

Sammie's faith in God never faltered - not even during this horrible illness.

She worried about  her husband--

How would he cope?  How would he be able to take care of such small girls?

Little by little her strength was drained,

Fever had caused her to lose a lot of her hair.
First, her sister came to help with the babies.
Then her mother came - death was near.

Although her body was weak, Sammie's faith was strong.
With her family beside her, she uttered the words:
"Jesus Only"
Those were her last words before her death on
October 30, 1934.
She was 31 years old.
Grace was 3 years old, Lois was almost 18 months old.

Sammie was my mom's sister.
Although she died long before I was born,
I was always fascinated by what was told to me about her.
I wish I could have known her.