Oct 06 2008
Cousins - Past in Polaroids 9
One of the best places in the entire world while I was growing up was my grandmother’s house in Dearborn. She never remarried after my grandfather died in 1969, but that house held memories of Christmases and Easters, of sleepovers and birthday parties. It always smelled like cookies and tea.
It was she who taught me to polka (1-2-3, 1-2-3) and make pierogi. She taught me how to cut back roses for the winter. She taught me to crochet and got me hooked on this card game.
Mom and I lived with her while Dad was in the Marine Corps - and since Mom worked during the day, you better believe I was one grandma-spoiled child. I was her favorite (shhhhhhhh, don’t tell anyone) - she gave me a sanctuary when I was a teenager who could not get along with my parents and when she came out of the hospital after colon cancer surgery, I moved in with her - “repaying the favor” I called it to her face. “Making sure she wasn’t alone”, was what I told myself.
Gramma had five children and seventeen grandchildren. My Mom and My Uncle Glenn (not his real name, but I’m calling him that because he looked EXACTLY like this while I was growing up) were the two youngest and between them, they had five children.
Can you tell, looking at that picture up there, who belongs to whom? Snort.
My blond/blue-eyed Polish mother married a Lebanese man and got us three. My blond/blue-eyed Polish uncle married a Swedish girl. Look what that match produced. They used to blind us with their shiny heads and pale skin. We were 12, 10, 5, 7 and 8 on that day. (Clockwise from the top)
It reminds me of the time we celebrated Shortman’s 12th birthday. (Whoa, that was kind of a fast subject change, wasn’t it?)
We had this pick him and 4 friends up from school.
They were driven to Wendy’s for an after school snack. We gave the driver money and he accompanied the doofuses young men in, paid for their order, and then went back and waited for them to finish.
After they returned to the house, video games, cake & ice cream beckoned.
It was a great birthday party - nearly five years ago now - but probably the most memorable one that we ever gave him.
And the most hilarious thing that we heard?
When one boy was studying the family portrait that had been taken out at MomandDad’s house a few months earlier, he called out to Shortman:
Dude. You’re right. You don’t look anything like any of your cousins.
—- Mr. Hot and I looked at each other. This is what 12-year-old boys talk about? Somehow we didn’t see that coming at all. —-
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Maybe when you’re done with that horrific project you’re working on, and have lots of free time on your hands, you could do a How To Make Pierogis tutorial.
I would totally come over to help eat pierogis. And also mash your taters and what not.
Wow, you brought it all together in the end! I did not see that coming!
That’s a cute birthday party for a 12-year-old boy! (Don’t tell him I said “cute.”)
I love reading about the good old days, this past in polaroids series is like a weekly tv episode
Andy Baileys last blog post..A night off (with chicken!)
A limo? For his 12th birthday? You guys are great!
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Your cousins could be my cousins, totally. And your Grandma sounds rather familier, except we use the pasta machine and made ravioli and gound sausage, we used to go to the butcher shop together and buy intestines. It was awesome. She smelled like oregano.
Love the b-day party.
monstergirlees last blog post..Tiny Pink Buds
I have cousins in Dearborn. Are we related?
Karens last blog post..Project 365 Day 1
I know, just when I think I have boys all figured out, they amaze me again. Cool ride for his birthday. Many happy returns to Shortman.
melissas last blog post..Tough Choices
If you did THAT for his 12th birthday, what in gawd’s name did you do for his 16th to top that???
Love the Polaroid!
Hyphen Mamas last blog post..Wynnie McGinney McGoo
your grandma was awesome and how cool you got to have that.
the pictures are great. the difference is indeed very interesting.
Whoa - those blondes are way shiny! You’re all cute, though. : ) That is awesome that you got Shortman a limo on his birthday! I will keep that idea in my back pocket for my daughter. I think she would love that. : )
Shellys last blog post..Pssst…..
This is great info to know.