Monday Memories

Monday Memories began when I started the Motor Mouth Mom Blog, so it follows that looking through old albums and loose pictures, trends appear.  Today's memories are of brothers and sisters.  My only regret is that I don't have access to so many pictures that are at my mom's house, but perhaps for you dear lurker or follower, this isn't important.  Today however, I am sad to omit any of my parent's pictures.  I will remedy this at a future date, you can be sure of that.

The picture below was taken in 1929.  My mother-in-law was just a little girl and beside her, her little brother Hans Werner.  If you recall the pictures of my mother-in-law holding her little baby, my future husband, she was sitting just at the base of these steps.  Sadly for our family, my beloved's uncle died in the war when he was only about 17.  It would have been so wonderful to have gotten to know him.  Such a loss.

All together now, one, two, three. . . awwwwwwww

Look at my future love on his first day of School!  I just want to scoop both he and his sister up and love them. 

I don't know if it is still the custom in Germany today, but when Dick went to school, the parents would make these paper cones and fill them with goodies.  If I'm remembering correctly, it was sort of an appeasement to help with the transition from home to school.  Can you imagine if they did that today?  Oh son, here's your cell phone, and your gameboy (do they still make those?) and ....   I think in my husband's day and age, it was lovely treats of candy and probably fruit.   What a wonderful tradition.

And here are these crazy kids when they were teens!  Look at my sister-in-law, is that super impressive or what?  Love, love, love her base!  And for the record, I could never, ever do that maneuver!

Here's yours truly sitting in a stroller while my sister and brother look to be deep in conversation.  I wonder if they are discussing that duck that appears to be ready to come out and bite us?  Knowing my brother, he's probably teasing my sister that it was!  This picture was taken at Stanley Park, probably at Lost Lagoon.  Circa: 1948

This has to be my absolute favourite picture taken of my sister and myself.  My mom made the coats, the leggings, the hats and the muffs and the button covers!  Having done a wee bit, with the stress on wee bit, of sewing myself in the past, I take my hat off to my mom for doing this.  I believe, mom told me she made these outfits from a ladies coat.  Sure hope she didn't come looking for it mom!   I cannot imagine trying to work out how to lay out those pattern pieces.  My mom, the original recycler, and I am so proud of her.

The back of the photo says:  "This is a "Childhood Memory" potograph taken in Woodwards Wonderful Toyland XMAS 1949.  Photo by GWYNNE"

This rag-tag group includes a boy (in the back middle of the photo) who along with his parent(s), I believe rented this little "cottage" from my mom and dad.  It was taken on the site where  where the Orchard Park Shopping Centre, Kelowna now sits. http://www.orchardparkshopping.com/ If you look closely, you can see that my sister and my brother were holding:   a) kittens, b) puppys or, c) rabbits.  I can't tell what I'm holding but it is neither a), b), or c), dang! 

I think I must have been about 5 when this was taken because I remember right next door, the people owned a store.  When I went over there I told them it was my birthday and they gave me a treat of some kind, but even more memorable was the fact that their daughter played a trumpet and they said I could blow it!  I blew the blowing.  It didn't make a sound.  They said try again, but I was too shy to in case I failed again.  Funny the things you remember about failure and yet the successes you take for granted and forget.

Then one family travelled over from Germany and the other from Winnipeg.  Both settled in Vancouver. Ultimately this happy four-some met and married.  My brother married my beloved's sister first, then we followed them down the road to bliss in '67.

The four of us crossed the border into Bellingham (it was easier in the '60s, no passport, no staggeringly long line-ups) and visited a pub.  It seems impossible to even think we did that but we did.  Judging by the beard on my beloved, he may have still been in art school, which means only one thing, I was using my sister's ID!

Now this is a first for Monday Memories-it includes three little sisters-our dear daughters.  Modern times!

Cathy, April and Amy (in foreground) collecting leaves at General Currie School, 1979.  We went there to take pictures of the school which is a heritage school.  It was Autumn and there were gigantic crunchy leaves.  A photo-op if there ever was one.  I have such fond memories of that autumn day.

It was Richmond's 100 Anniversary and Dick was going to submit a pen and ink sketch for a competition.  Which he did, and one of his pictures was chosen and turned into a limited edition set of prints.  Dick encouraged Cathy to submit a picture too and the obvious choice for a little girl in grade 3 would be General Currie Elementary School.  Cathy was the youngest competitor and as such was honoured at General Currie's Centennial Picnic and Field Day, Good Times No. 49 of 100's of Good Times Celebrated.  We were invited to the picnic and Cathy's picture was framed with a commemorative plaque and hung in the school.  She was dressed in a little green jumper that looked very Little House on the Prairie, and her picture was taken with her picture and appeared in the local newspaper.  What an exciting day.  If that doesn't impressed you much, you must realize that Cathy is left handed.  A left hander and a pen and ink picture is not the easiest thing to do believe me. 

A little known Motor Mouth Fact:  When I was in Grade 1, and left handed, my teacher made me cry because she said my printing looked like "chicken scratch".  Duh, yah, your little left hand drags through the wet ink teacher!!"  No wonder my recollections of school aren't too great.  Thanks for the bad memories teacher.  But, I digress...

For years and years Cathy's work of art hung in the hall at the school.  One day before her son Cameron was born, we decided to go back and see if it was still hanging in the school somewhere.  It was, and they asked Cathy if she would like to have it back.  Of course, we jumped at the chance and now Cathy has it in her possesions. . .somewhere.

Each summer when the PNE came to town, the dad would drag the family into the "armed forces pavillion".  They always had a photo-op to commemmorate the visit.  This particular year...the snow mobile, with big sister Cathy at the wheel!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_National_Exhibition

The big wheel keeps on turning, Sisters with their children.  This picture was taken last August, before dear little Hudson and Colby were born, and our darling K was missing as well!  Sisters and a Brother and Sisters with brothers in the making! 

This posting wouldn't be complete without just one picture of our daughters with their two cousins, Riki and Andrea.  Because brother married sister of brother and brother of sister, well you know, the complicated story of our families, these girls consider themselves to be sisters, and we in turn consider them to be our daughters. We love them dearly.

This picture was taken earlier in the year at Amy's surprise baby shower.  Andrea is on the left and Riki is right beside her in the middle by April.  If this isn't a picture to love, nothing is.

The last picture.

This picture (for which they will all probably HATE me for posting-it was the only one I had girls), was taken on Saturday at our friend's annual BBQ. 

I'll take my chances with the sisters and posting this picture, 'cause they love me, their Motor.

Monday Memories are made of this.