Memories

The story below is from Carlene Havel's Blog on October 31, 2012. When I read it I was transported back to my childhood and all the wonderful, interesting, and sometimes, sad stories passed down from my parents and grandparents.  Carlene’s reminiscence made me smile, so I wanted to share it with my readers and followers. I hope it takes you on a nice trip down memory lane too.

Telling Stories

My grandparents were common folk. Yet their ordinary lives made for some wonderfully entertaining stories. My great-grandfather claimed the automobile put him out of business. What business was that? He would laugh, slap his knee, and reply, "I was a horse thief." Stories of Model A Fords, switchboard telephones, and chopping cotton put life into bygone days. Watching Grandpa roll his own cigarette, sharpen his razor on a leather "strop", milk the cow, and slop (feed) the hogs are precious memories. But the best times were after dinner, nestled in someone's lap, hearing a story that began, "Now back in '32 I tell you times was hard..." No doubt living through the Great Depression was tough, but hearing it retold was sheer delight.

Carlene Havel is the author of " A Hero's Homecoming"