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Honored Contributor
Posts: 19,347
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: How Did Your Grandmother Spend Her Days At Our Age?

@LIndaMJ I laughed when you mentioned the "Front Room". I had just asked my sister this morning what the room my grandparents rarely used was called. Parlor was my guess and she said it was the front room. When they had guests, the men stayed in the living room and the ladies went to the front room.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 8,630
Registered: ‎12-12-2010

Re: How Did Your Grandmother Spend Her Days At Our Age?

I have no clue.  My maternal grandmother died when my mother was 3 so she never lived to be my age.  My paternal grandmother lived in OKC; I was raised in Houston, so I wan't close enough to her to know how she spent her days.

Time is just a drop in the bucket compared to eternity. It isn’t how long you live that matters; it is how well you are prepared to die. ~~Colonel Robert B. Thieme, Jr.
Honored Contributor
Posts: 43,246
Registered: ‎01-08-2011

Re: How Did Your Grandmother Spend Her Days At Our Age?

@J Town Girl That's an amazing story!!!Smiley Happy

Honored Contributor
Posts: 41,253
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: How Did Your Grandmother Spend Her Days At Our Age?

one grandmother was busy taking care of her husband and family all day, every day at my age, in a country far away. it was expected and she did a fantastic job......3 sons, 5 daughters and all of the children that came from those children. unfortunately, i did not get to spend a lot of time with her.

 

one grandmother did not even live to see my age unfortunately.

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"The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing." - Albert Einstein
Honored Contributor
Posts: 13,936
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: How Did Your Grandmother Spend Her Days At Our Age?

My grandmother lived in a log cabin in the woods with her retired cop husband, my grandfather.  Great memories visiting for the summers, she worked doing dishes with only a pitcher pump in the kitchen and heating water on the stove.  She cleaned and cooked the fish we caught.  There were many dinners of meat that I now realize must have been racoon, venison and squirrel that my grandfather shot, not necessarily in season.  She grew the garden of many different vegetables and canned them up in the fall.  She could cook anything and make it taste good. And then there was the nummy mineral water we drank, (really full of iron) she could make any negative into a positive. Wash day was a chore with a ringer washer and hanging clothes on the line.  I never heard her raise her voice to anyone.  What a saint. 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 43,246
Registered: ‎01-08-2011

Re: How Did Your Grandmother Spend Her Days At Our Age?


@Group 5 minus 1 wrote:

 My grandmother was beaten by my grandfather. I believe in her older years she had organic brain syndrome. He also beat my aunts and uncles. One of my uncles at age 6 had both legs broken by that grandfather. For some reason (we never learned why) my grandfather left the Catholic church and would not allow any of his kids or my grandmother to attend. Everyday my grandmother prayed to Mary that if he died first she would go back to the Catholic Church and she did. Those of you that are young do not know that these abuse cases were not taken care by the law. 

I am so sad by this I cannot write anymore.


@Group 5 minus 1 My goodness, I am certainly sorry for all of the unhappiness in your past.  So many things are hard to understand in this world, and there is never an excuse for abuse.

 

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 5,889
Registered: ‎03-11-2010

Re: How Did Your Grandmother Spend Her Days At Our Age?

One of my grandmothers died at 62. She never made it to my age, 73. By the time my other grandmother was my age, she already had some cardiac problems. Both widows, she and her sister moved to South Florida and enjoyed the perpetual summers. During July and August they came up north to visit and stay with relatives.

 

After coming to America at the age of 13, accompanied only by her 15 year old brother, my grandmother worked hard all her life and raised three sons who all graduated from college. She lived a good life in Florida for the last years of her life. She deserved it!

Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,545
Registered: ‎03-24-2018

Re: How Did Your Grandmother Spend Her Days At Our Age?

Sadly my grandparents died at young ages. When I was just a baby I lost a grandmother and a grandfather. Then in grade school lost my other grandmother and grandfather. Its been sad growing up without them!! Man SadMan FrustratedMan Mad

Honored Contributor
Posts: 15,522
Registered: ‎09-01-2010

Re: How Did Your Grandmother Spend Her Days At Our Age?

My farm grandma spent a lot of time in the kitchen around the wood fired cook stove; her skillets and baking pans seemed huge to me.  Two days a week Grandma sat in the kitchen and churned the cows milk into butter.   She had several different presses to make an impression in the butter, and she always let me choose.   

Remembering back 55 years ago, the farm was a busy place.  The trees in the orchard were bearing fruit, the huge one acre garden was looking good; the peas were already gone, and the row of lettuce was on its second growth already.   My grandparents were about to get very busy with the hay crop, as well as canning and freezing.   

There was nearly a 20 year age difference between my 2 sets of grandparents.   My maternal grandmother had a much lazier lifestyle, as my Papaw was still working on the railroad.  He left out on Sunday night, and got in on Friday evening.  They did not grow a garden, altho they would plant a few tomato plats in the flower bed near the back door.  My grandmother spent her days crocheting, and working on her Sunday School lessons.  Outside of cooking and washing dishes, I never saw my grandmother dust, sweep, or mop.   My mom and my aunt cleaned on Saturdays, and prepped for whatever was to be cooked for Sunday's family dinner.  

 

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Posts: 5,671
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: How Did Your Grandmother Spend Her Days At Our Age?

I remember those days.  I watched those programs with her.   I was born before TV. During the depression.. I will say we had respect and family time.  I use to listen to radio and  imagine programs like ROY ROGERS, THE SHADOW, INNER SANCTUM, that was scareY to a little kid.

I remember our first TV and we had it for years.  Everyone sat down after dinner and watched and laughed.

My Mother and Grandma worked during WW11 making uniforms. I

remember the AIR RAIDS IN San Francisco where I was raised and wearing DOG TAGS, THAT IS WHAT THEY WERE CALLED, like the soldiers wore, just in case we were ever bombed, they could identity ithe school children.  Today they would be horrified at that title. I still have mine.

I am older than my Grandmother or Mother when they passed.

Today, at 84, I have a desk top computer, chrome tablet, a Kindell, and a Smart phone.  I know how to use them, and taught myself, also with help from the electronics forum here.  Most of my friends, who are in their late seventies don,t, because afraid of it, so too bad. 

I have grown grandkids, who are too busy too visit and great grandkids the same. 

We respected the elderly in my day, they were not throw a way or too busy to take care of them.  I am very fortunate I am still strong and take care of myself and my home. 

It,s so different today.  Years. Ago people  looked out for one another and so much fun playing outside with friends.  Neighborhood noisy with  the sound of kids playing and laughter. A simpler time.