" Retro Weekend "

Wow it's time for yet again, another "Retro Weekend "

I can feel your excitement.

I apologize if this seems to be getting a little "old",

no pun intended. Well really there was a pun intended.

Just remember, no one forced you to come here and it's my blog. So, I can do whatever I want!

Yes I am sure that one day there will be a new amendment added to the constitution that will include

"The freedom for all to blog as they wish".

Today I am going way back in the "Way back machine". 

When my mother passed away this past December, I was fortunate enough to inherit most of the old family photos.

Upon going through these photos, I discovered that there were many that I had never seen. Now I know mom wasn't trying to keep them a secret, but I just can't figure out why I hadn't seen so many of these photos.

One of life's mysteries I suppose. Or maybe mom figured they would be a nice surprise someday.

Whatever the case may be lets get on with it shall we?

The first photo is of my Great-Grandmother, Earlie May.Yes that's right, Earlie May. 

She was born in.......

You guessed it, Early May. Now some folks in the family Say that the spelling of Grams name was questionable. My cousin, Roxanne is the genealogy expert in the family and says that she has seen it spelled both ways.

So being that this is my blog and I can do whatever I want with it, I will spell it the way I remember it being spelled.

And that was Earlie May.

You couldn't possibly tell where I might get some of my, how do I say it......

ATTITUDE, from can you?

This photo was taken in 1939. I don't know how old Great-Grandma Earlie was at the time. I can't ask mom anymore, but I am blessed to have a wonderfully beautiful cousin, who is into genealogy.

So Roxanne, I know you are reading this. I don't know when Great-Grandma Van was born. Make a note of that please for your old senile cousin!

I was fortunate when I was a very young girl to be able to stay with Great-Grandma every other summer or so for a while. She lived on a beautiful lake in Angola, Indiana. My beautiful cousin and I used to have so much fun there exploring the lake and the woods. Roxanne still lives on that lake. 

Lucky woman!

The next photo is of my Great-Grandma's daughter. My Grandmother Laverne. In this photo which was taken in May of 1943 she is with her brother Bill.

I had never met him. From what I remember he was a pilot in the war. I believe he was killed during battle. At least this is what I remember being told.

Roxanne will correct me if I am wrong!

Grandma Laverne was "THE BEST GRANDMA IN THE WORLD!!!" Oh I know you are saying that your grandma was but really mine was. Really. I'm not joking.

I was so close to my grandma Laverne that I could talk to her about anything up until the day she died. I could tell her things that I wouldn't dare tell my mother and grandma would always, always be understanding and helpful.

She was a lot of fun to be around. And one of her favorite things to do was go ballroom dancing.

She is where I got my love of ballroom dancing from.

I would often spend the night with her as a young girl.We would always go out to a movie and dinner or to the arboretum. 

Grandma Laverne always had many fancy clothes, shoes, stoles and jewelry. She went ballroom dancing quite often. She would always let me dress up in her fancy clothes and accessories with never a word of complaint.

I just know that she would have loved "Dancing With The Stars". When I was younger and we all still lived in Chicago, she would always call me on the phone to tell me when PBS would be showing the Ballroom Championships.

We would stay on the phone and comment to each other about the different couples. So now when I watch "Dancing With The Stars" I can't help but have a private imaginary conversation with gram about the different couples.

Oh how she would love that. And me too.

O.K. so on to the final photo. The date on it was 1955. Just a few years before I graced you all with my presence! It is my mom before the prom. 

Alright I thought it was her senior prom but again I am not too sure. But I do remember her telling me of the bad, bad sunburn she acquired when she fell asleep on the beach trying to get a tan for prom!

 

The white prom dress did stand out a bit against mom's skin. And I don't know about you but I love the sandals!

Notice if you will that she is sticking her tongue out.

And, again.......

ATTITUDE!

Alrighty then, now we all know where Di get's it from.

And I bet you all thought that I was the bad girl in the the family.

See you learn something new everyday!

If you have managed to make it thus far through the "Way Back Machine" with me, 

I would like to thank you.

So, Thank You and Gods blessings.