Their Memories

Welcome to my Memory Lane posting, mostly done Mondays, though obviously not this time ;-)   Feel free to join in if you've a mind to, or just enjoy the ones I share.

There are many memories I have, great memories, of my time at my grandfather's house in Cedar Rapids, IA.  I had 16 cousins that regularly got together in his cape cod style home built in the '40s.  There was a school nearby to roam about the grounds, woods to explore, several LARGE hills for sledding... so many memories made!!!  Recently, on our family email newsletter, my father's generation did some reminiscing of their time spent with each other at my great-grandfather's house.  I thought I would share them with you today.  I enjoyed them so much!!!

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Of course I had to share the story of the one time we were walking back to Grandma's and we stopped to look in that really old shed  on Otis Rd. that used to be some sort of store or something at one time.  I looked in the window and screamed and ran as fast as I could away from there.  Everyone came after me and asked me what was wrong.  I told them I saw a man with a mustache wearing a Southern style pink suit with a black ribbon tie, flat against the wall, as if trying not to be seen.  (I can still see that figure)  It really scared me and it must have scared everyone else because I don't think anyone went back to look.  I don't think I ever looked in that shed again.  Now, after 40 or 50 years I believe I saw a billboard for a cigarette advertisement or maybe a "Gone With the Wind" billboard (he did resemble Clark Gable)  That's why it looked like he was flat against the wall trying not to be seen.  Anyway, I don't know if any of you remember that day or not, but it stayed with me for a long, long time.  As scary as it was that day, it still remains one of my favorite memories of time spent at Grandma's. 

Does anyone remember playing softball [we cousins were winning] when all of the sudden we couldn't get on first base safely?!t seems Aunt Ann and Uncle Ed and Uncle Cap were playing with two balls and one was always at first base...not fair but lots of fun. Also remember the time playing cards in Grandmas dining room with Aunt Ann and Cap or Ed. Joann you and i were partners and they were cheating on us...we would never do that and here these adults were cheating...Mom and Aunt Marie told us. Mom went on the stairway and filmed them cheating. there were lots of people watching but we were so engrossed in the game we never knew till someone told us. Jo, I remember you saying "how can they beat us so quick?" 

It's been so much fun reminiscing with everyone.  I also remember the time when the window on the front porch got broken.  I think Mom and Cap were throwing a frisbee or something.  They were laughing about it.   I remember thinking that if it was one of us kids that broke the window they wouldn't have been laughing. 

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