Thinking of Grandma

The other day as I was driving home, I was listening to

some Mozart, and I was reminded of my Grandma.

I don't know why Mozart reminded me of Grandma.

I don't even know if she liked Mozart's music.

I don't think we ever listened to Mozart at her place.

I think it was the tune that sounded more Scandinavian

that German (or was it Austrian) to me.

[And a beautiful sunset surely contributed.]

Funny how music triggers one's memory.

I don't remember grandma being active;

she was nearly blind and her hearing was impaired.

But in the car that day, I was imagining her bustling

about in her kitchen with her family.

I began thinking of my Mom and her siblings.

And Grandpa (who died before I was born).

Imagining what is was like in the "olden days" on the farm.

I had visions of her in Norway, 

tending cattle on the mountain.

The beautiful music reminded me of the beauty

of Geirangerfjord, which was near Grandma's birthplace.  

By the time I got home, the music had stopped

and my rambling mind returned to the present.

But it was a pretty good ride home.

MONS GJERDE

This is my great-uncle, Mons Gjerde. He was my

Grandma, Elsie Dahlager's brother.  

Grandma & Mons both immigrated from Norway.

Mons was married to Christine Dahlager

Grandma was married to Christine's brother, John Dahlager.

Mons was a Lutheran pastor, serving in Minnesota,

Wisconsin, Washington and South Dakota.

My grandpa John died unexpectedly in October, 1936

Three days after John's death, Mons died very suddenly.

How strange that these men, who had married each other's sibling

had died so close together.

I

Family Get-Togethers

This photo is of my Dahlager relatives on the occasion of

my great-grandmother's birthday -circa 1930

she is shown with her grandchildren and I suspect

some of these are her great-grandchildren.   What fun to

have these old pictures!  And I am so glad that the

Dahlager family were VERY good at taking pictures!

his photo was taken this past summer at a Melby Family reunion

when our relatives from Norway came to visit.  It was great fun!

Seems like we should have get-together more often, though.........

instead of waiting for funerals, or 80th birthday parties.

Seems like relatives and friends got together more oftenwhen I was young than they do now - 

and I think it's too bad that so many of us are too busy to take time for this.

When I was young, relatives visited on Sunday afternoon unannounced

....and Mom was always prepared!   

Sad to say, if someone pops to see me  tomorrow, 

I probably wouldn't have anything more than coffee

 and my house would not be "company ready"

Oh, how things have changed!