The 2nd best gift of all!

Read previous post for the best gift of all!

Now, the 2nd best gift was this one.....

 

As we were preparing to open presents

 

My Sister announced her 'project' this year.

She made each family a memory book.  The book is for the 'kids' of places that their parents frequented when they were kids.  It is basically 'our' (mine, my sister, and my brother) memories.  Since I don't have children she gave a book to me.

 You all know how much I love pictures, and my family.  I have to say I was more than touched by this gift.  She took my nieces to Logansport where I was born, and took pictures of them holding signs in front of houses that my parents lived in when I was born, and when my brother was born.  She took pictures of every house we lived in, including the house my Shug and I just sold.  She also took pictures of the places we loved to visit.  Riverside park, the hot dog stand, the custard stand...to name a few.

 I didn't notice until yesterday that this picture (below)was taken in front of my cousin Vickie's house.  This house, was her parent's house, which we visited quite often.  Vickie and her husband bought it and moved in after her parents passed.  The live there now.

 There were lots of pictures of family....all of us.

 There were several more pages to the book than I am showing you, but you get the idea.

I will say I got a bit choked up when I got to this page....the house I grew up in.  Oh...the  memories that come flooding back from a picture of a house.

Then I got to this page

 and the tears started rolling.  The other house I grew up in.  Seems like we came to this house every weekend.  It's where my Aunt and Uncle AND Grandpa lived when I was growing up.  I must have this picture framed.  And I must find an older picture...of my Grandpa...sitting on this same porch. He was the only Grandparent that I got to know.  My Grandparents all passed when I was less than five years old, except for my Mom's Dad.

 When I come by this house, which I do every time I visit Logansport, I see my Grandpa sitting on this porch, or standing by the wall smoking a cigarette.  I see it like it was yesterday.  My how the time flies.    I surely do miss the days of my Aunts and Uncles all getting together here, while my cousins and I played.  It's why my cousins and I are friends...still.  They were my friends growing up.
I see my Aunt looking out that window to the right.  That's where the kitchen is.  That's where the cards were played. That's the room the laughter came from....

 There's my Grandpa and Grandma.  Bottom left.  And that bar, Polsinelli's, to the right, that's where he worked.  For years, after he retired.  When I turned 21, I went there for a little birthday party.  When I walked in he said, "See this sign..."  It was a sign that said R U 21...Run.  My Mom said, "Dad, she is 21 now."  And he served me my first legal drink. 

Yup....the memories.... they be good peeps. 

Cindy Bee

PS.  Apparently my nieces didn't have as much fun doing this as the pictures look!  I heard all about it from Theresa and Vickie after Christmas. Oh my.