Today I had a wonderful day walking down memory lane. If you have wondered where I have been lately, I have been helping an elderly couple. This is one of the things I was born for! I love to help the older generation and in doing so I get to glean memories of the past. This couple is very sharp and quick in mind, even better than me I hate to say!
They were born in the 1920s and go back-and-forth with each other about remembering where stores were or who owned what or remember so-and-so? I didn’t have much time with my grandparents and I always have longed for that connection that I can connect and learn from. I love to learn the old ways or just listen to the stories of the past. This is where much of my knowledge has come from.
Today though started with a very old book that was loaned to me by a friend because she knew that it would be something that I would love to look through. My life is usually very busy and active, working on projects, that studying and reading is not an option until winter sets in. I decided to take this book today to look through! Maybe it would jog their memories and give us some topics to chat over. What an amazing book! Now granted, there are some remedies in here I’m not quite so sure about, but on the other hand there are remedies in here that I will definitely be noting and trying! We talked about ones they might remember doing, but so far I haven’t gotten much details. I will work on that!
Today her mouth was sore and she hasn’t been eating very much food, only what is soft. I told her that she needed some bone broth and I would go get her some. This is an advantage of having canned bone broth at your fingertips. She wasn’t really sure if she would like it but she was willing to try it. I warmed it up for her and she said “boy this is very good!” I said, “good I’m glad that you like it. It is very full of nutrition and will help to coat your mouth and also make your lips nice and soft and not be so dry. In my research I ran acrossed how they would always have a pot Simmering on the back of the stove. This always had bones in it and then they would just keep adding water to it. It would make a delicious bone broth that was a welcome sight when they would come in hungry or cold..” Then her face lit up as I saw a spark trigger a memory. She talked about how her dad always had a pot on the stove and when they got home from school hungry, they got right into that pot! It was so good! I said “well I bet that is what that was”. Everytime I asked if she wanted more she smiled and said “yes, I think I do!” She drank a whole quart today and it made my heart happy to know something so simple could be so nutritious to her body and make her mind so happy and bring back memories that she had forgotten.
Then I started to hear about the many stories and people.... ones that, even though I am local, I’ve never even heard of. He was in retail and worked many jobs so he knows everyone! And mind you he was born in the 20’s so I may know the 4th or 5th generation, but he is talking about the 1st generation. He knows names and places upon names and places! He says “do you remember when they moved the houses from (where the new kinneys in potsdam is) over to the back hannawa rd?” 😳 Apparently Many of the houses just past the bagdad rd are relocated homes! I didnt know that! They talk about all the stores that no longer are there like fishmans, deckers, the sunshine shop...and the towns that were booming, leveled and have disappeared, like unionville. There was a covered wagon restaurant and he remembers when Jakes on the water was built!! Many, many moons ago. The hard times, the good times, the scary times, the funny times and even the present. Today they both agreed that our government is haywire abd that in many ways we have not progressed, but gone backwards.
One thing I learned was he hated gardening because they had a garden a “mile long” and they worked hard in it just to put food on the table. As a young boy he became a great hunter, because he had too, in order for his family to eat. As a kid he would walk miles through the woods to a neighboring farm and worked all day for 50 cents.
I have learned that he LOVES apples and I make sure he has them! Every afternoon I say “would you like an apple?” Just so I can see the joy on his face. He says “WOULD I”! He gets the biggest smile from ear to ear and lights up like a Christmas tree! The simplest things bring such great pleasure!
I have heard the history on canada, as that is where he was as a boy and they even were talking and wondering if canada still did public hangings. 😳. He said that as a kid they would go to watch. (Not his idea, but it was a common public outing.)
Wow what a day! I feel blessed to be able to help them and dote on them. They are also grateful, but I think that it is me that has the bigger blessing.
I will share more as I uncover the treasures of old, in the meantime go find yourself a treasure and give them some doting ❤️
