You know you are getting old when:

[2jakes]

^^^^
It’s only scary if you have done something that merits it.
My grandmother owned the “napalm stare”.
My sisters can testify to this.

My grandmother never gave me that look, perhaps because I loved her
& she did too.
I wanted to please her.
That made me happy.

 

[Fading Fast]

My Grandmother was a Connecticut Yankee from the old school and, while she had a heart of gold (and God bless her, she had a very hard life, but the heart stayed golden), she could give a look that would freeze fire. She had an intuitive - or maybe cognizant - understanding of its power, as she used it with proper judiciousness, but when it did come out - even directed away from me - it scared the bejeezus out of me (perhaps an inter-thread entry for our "Terms Which Have Disappeared" thread). Relevant to our discussion, I am sure Lizzie could equal my Grandmother's vaporizing stare.

N.B., 2Jakes, while I'd love to see my Grandmother again - she died in the '70s - I would trade that away for you to have one day with your Grandmother as I know, from all your post these years, how much she meant to you.

 

[2jakes]

My Grandmother was a Connecticut Yankee from the old school and, while she had a heart of gold (and God bless her, she had a very hard life, but the heart stayed golden), she could give a look that would freeze fire. She had an intuitive - or maybe cognizant - understanding of its power, as she used it with proper judiciousness, but when it did come out - even directed away from me - it scared the bejeezus out of me (perhaps an inter-thread entry for our "Terms Which Have Disappeared" thread). Relevant to our discussion, I am sure Lizzie could equal my Grandmother's vaporizing stare.

N.B., 2Jakes, while I'd love to see my Grandmother again - she died in the '70s - I would trade that away for you to have one day with your Grandmother as I know, from all your post these years, how much she meant to you.

Thank You, Fading Fast !

I was in Vietnam when I received news that my grandma had passed away.
Was not permitted to go home.

I did this painting of my grandma’s home where I grew up.
I painted this for my mom.
Mom passed away last Jan. so now I have it.

I don’t have photos of the house, so I painted from memories.
On the right side two windows is the bedroom where I was born.
The streets were not paved, just cobble stones.
Back then, doctors made house calls.

The entrance hallway.
On the left side was a “candle-stick telephone.
Was very shy & would sit on those steps & watch the kids
across the street play cowboys & indians.

The dog is 2jakes.
He was my best pal growing up.

And this is my grandma.

It’s a very old, faded tiny image of her.
That’s all I have now.
And if I have any decency, values or
love of life & folks,
I owe it to her.

Happy Easter Grandma,
I miss you!

 

[GHT]

And this is my grandma.

It’s a very old, faded tiny image of her.
That’s all I have.
Everything is gone.
And if I have any decency, values or
love of life & folks,
I owe it to her.

Happy Easter Grandma,
I miss you!

From an outsider looking in, it's a joy to see the way you treasure your grandmother's memory, there's also a sense that her passing makes you feel quite maudlin when reminiscing her. Be positive my friend, I can only guess at your grandmother's date of birth, but it's my guess that she witnessed incredible changes in her country and in the world. She, more then likely saw or was alive to read about:
The Panama Canal opening.
The U.S. entering WWI.
Prohibition.
Women receiving the right to vote.
Charles Lindbergh and the Spirit of St. Louis.
John Logie Baird's invention of television.
The stock market crash and the Great Depression that followed.
Prohibition being repealled.
WW2 and the atomic bomb is used on Japan.
The formation of the modern State of Israel.
The birth of the computer age.
Alaska and Hawaii become US States.
The Civil Rights Movement becoming prominent.
The assassination of John Fitzgerald Kennedy.
And here, long after she died, she is being remembered on the internet. I bet she would be amused by that. Internet? What's all that about?

And as you were in Vietnam at the time of her passing, she saw too, the wars of S.E.Asia.
When you say everything is gone, remember. The flame of love that she lit in her young grandson all those years ago, still burns as bright today as it ever did. She has left her legacy and values in her descendants, what a lady.

 

[2jakes]

^^^^
Stock Market Crash & the Great Depression

It was common for grandma & me to have an afternoon
treat of sweet bread from the local bakery.

She would make coffee & I would be treated to a glass of
Coco-malt milk.
Sitting in the front porch rocking chair, She would tell me
many wonderful stories of her youth.
Besides the radio, this was the best entertainment for me.

Once I asked her about the Great Depression.
I only knew of this from school & old movies.
I recall her saying that although it was lean times.
The community was in the same situation long before
the depression.
It was the “rich” folks who had more to lose that felt
it the most. Some may argue this, but I thought it made sense.

 

[tonyb]

^^^^^
There's no stigma in being poor when everyone you'll likely encounter is in similar straits.

 

[HudsonHawk]

I may have mentioned this before, but one of my ex fiancé's had a letter than her great grandmother wrote her when she (my ex) was a toddler and her GGmother was I'd guess 90 or so (this would have been early 60s). The letter talked about all the things she (GGmother) had witnessed in her lifetime, from Reconstruction, to the Industrial Revolution, to the first automobiles, to the Wright brothers first flight, to manned space flight. It was incredibly interesting and a cherished piece of family history.

 

[Fading Fast]

^^^ this "one of my ex fiance's..." begs the question, how many ex fiances do you have? And her grandmother's letter found fantastic.

 

[Inkstainedwretch]

My grandmother had a picture of Baron von Richthofen (the Red Baron) on her wall. He was the enemy, but a damned good-looking enemy.

 

[HudsonHawk]

^^^ this "one of my ex fiance's..." begs the question, how many ex fiances do you have? And her grandmother's letter found fantastic.

More than my mother thinks is proper. I think four. That's another thread.

 

[Zombie_61]

I may have mentioned this before, but one of my ex fiancé's had a letter than her great grandmother wrote her when she (my ex) was a toddler and her GGmother was I'd guess 90 or so (this would have been early 60s). The letter talked about all the things she (GGmother) had witnessed in her lifetime, from Reconstruction, to the Industrial Revolution, to the first automobiles, to the Wright brothers first flight, to manned space flight. It was incredibly interesting and a cherished piece of family history.

Several years ago one of my sisters-in-law visited her relatives on her father's side of the family who still lived in the "family" house (on "family" land that had been a plantation at one time) that had been handed down through the generations somewhere in "the south" (I don't recall specifically where). While she was there she obtained a copy of her great-grandmother's will which, among the expected things, included specific instructions for the disposition of, and care for, one of the female slaves who worked in the house. It's one thing to read about slavery in history books, but to read an actual document in which one human being is legally determining the fate of another human being in such a way, as if she weren't much more than a favorite pet...well, it was interesting and disturbing at the same time.

 

[2jakes]

I mentioned earlier, about a painting I made of my grandma’s house
where I grew up.

Earlier this year, my mom passed away.
Yesterday afternoon was a pleasant day & decided to take care of her
things that she left behind.
This Instamatic Kodak that she used has taken many memories.
Not worth much, but obviously, it’s priceless for me.

I also found in my mom’s shoe box, old letters
& this old snapshot of my grandma’s house.
Although it’s just a small area.
There’s the rocking chair in the background.

I had forgotten that there existed a photo of my grandma’s house.
Most likely, I had blocked it out of my memory.

I was a shy kid.
The picture does not show how embarrassed I felt,
especially with the kids across the street gawking.

No kid wore a complete cowboy outfit in the neighborhood.
All I really wanted was a cap pistol & holster like the kids
across the street.

I was not a spoil brat & I didn’t complain.
I didn’t want to hurt their feelings, so I put it on.

I’m lucky.
It could have been a pink bunny suit
like Ralphie’s.

 

[Trenchfriend]

You know you're getting old when all the people walking down the street in their quilted performance-nylon adventure jackets make you feel like your town is being invaded by Michelin Men.

But next time, we will see this on all fashion-victims, I guess:
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=pelzkragen &qs=n&form=QBIR&pq=pelzkragen &sc=8-11&sp=-1&sk=

 

[2jakes]

You know you’re getting old when:

You text long messages as if writing a letter to a friend.
You realize that everyone uses very brief text messages
& it has become the standard for birthdays to holiday greetings.

You remember when theaters would show several movies, cartoons & serials.
You could stay all day if you wanted to see them again.
You didn’t have to borrow from the bank to buy refreshments at the candy counter.

There was no TV remotes & only 2-3 channels at the most.
Vertical & horizontal difficulties was common when viewing television.
Programing would end at midnight with the playing of the National Anthem.
No reruns or rewind control in case you missed something.

You remember when there were no malls. All the stores were located downtown.

When you know or recognize all the movie stars of the past.
But not today’s current crop.
And when movies didn’t depend on excessive profanity or nudity to tell
the story.

 

[Inkstainedwretch]

You know you're middle-aged when you watch the news stories about foreign wars and the buck sergeants and captains look like kids. You know you're old when the master sergeants and colonels look like kids.

 

[Fading Fast]

...When you know or recognize all the movie stars of the past.
But not today’s current crop.
And when movies didn’t depend on excessive profanity or nudity to tell
the story.

And when movies didn't seem to have CGI effect everywhere / and seventy-five production companies - with cute sounding names - weren't listed in the opening credits.

 

[Trenchfriend]

When you're 31 and your right ankle tells you, that's something wrong and He don't likes stress.

 

[2jakes]

^^^^^

Wearing “Ace” bandages on your ankles, knees, arms & head
when playing tennis and thoughts of Lon Chaney Jr.
come to mind.

 

[Stearmen]

You know you're middle-aged when you watch the news stories about foreign wars and the buck sergeants and captains look like kids. You know you're old when the master sergeants and colonels look like kids.

Or, you find out that most of the Four Star Generals and Admirals are the same age or younger then you! To paraphrase Steve McQueen, "what the heck happened?"

 

[Stearmen]

You know your getting old when, you think of a great thing to post in the observation bar, and by the time you get logged in, you have forgotten what it was. All you remember is, it was going to be a great post!