mother and son

Papa’s World – Looking back – my grandparents!

/ Tom / Leave a comment

Growing up,

my grandmother lived with us,

and my grandmother’s name was Nora.

Her husband was named David,

and my middle name is David.

She was very old to me at the time –

I remember sitting on her lap on the front porch –

We watched a neighbor boy walking to school –

He was two years older than me –

I asked her when I would go to school?

Doing the math –

I must have been four years old!

Both my parents worked –

so she raised me along with my sister –

who was fifteen years older.

I had a bed in my parent’s room –

and she had a side bedroom.

My older brother,

ten years older than me,

had the front bedroom.

Eventually – she went to live with my aunt Alice.

At that time my younger brother came along –

and we were too much for her to handle.

We were like water and oil –

cat and dog!

He would look at me –

and let out a high-pitched scream –

and then I was in trouble.

My childhood after she left-

was spent looking up to my older brother –

he was my idol –

and at 18 he went off to college –

I moved into his bedroom at the front of the house –

overlooking the main street.

The early morning sun came through the windows –

and woke me up.

Funny – later in life I still wake up before dawn.

I would fall asleep listening to the cars –

and trucks going past on the main street-

and behind the house were the railroad tracks –

I would listen for the train –

blowing its whistle –

and then the “CLICK-CLICK” from the wheels as it came along the tracks.

But – those early years came with me-

being really close to Grandma.

She would cook huge pots of bean soup –

and we would eat them for days!

In her early years –

she was Pa. Dutch –

she and her mother traveled with the logging people-

She would cook the meals –

breakfast – lunch and dinner.

That was in the late 1800s – I believe she was born in 1885!

I do not know much about that period of her life –

Just that her maiden name was Schick (SP) –

and she had a sister –

who we called Aunt Emma –

and a brother we called Uncle Frank.

There may have been more but I do not remember.

They – like my father –

were what we called “DOWN HOMERS”-

Downstate Pa.-

In the Brookview and Corsica area.

My early life was shaped by Grandma –

I regret that she came –

and went so fast in my life.

She was 64 or so when I was born –

And she and grandpa David-

had a large family –

ELEVEN BROTHERS AND SISTERS!

My mother –

was second from the youngest and Allen was the youngest.

My Aunt Alice was third from the youngest –

who she went and lived with.

Grandpa died before I was born

and I have always thought –

that my middle name came from him!

He was a tall man – of Irish descent – 6’3″ I was told.

A generous man –

during the great depression –

He would take flour and meat to the neighbors to help them out!

They had a large farm back then.

All those kids – three girls and eight boys worked the farm with Grandpa.

Grandma at that time was done with the cooking for the loggers and ran the household!

He died from a Heart Attack while stringing up a hog to butcher!

The line of the family all had heart problems –

me included –

and my older brother.

Mary – my mother – Aunt Kate – she was tall like her father – not sure? Grandma ( Nora) –

Grandpa David – Clark – Aunt Alice – Uncle Allen.

Back row to the left – Uncle Roy – a veteran of WWI –

The boy’s names –

Jim – Sid – Elmer -Everett-

I am not sure about the rest-

as they were gone when I was young.

And I had never seen them this young!

Uncle Roy always came to the house dressed in a suit –

vest and tie and a wide-brimmed hat in his hands,

He was the oldest and survived WWI!

He had a wife named Hazel –

and I believe still lived somewhere Down Home!

Most of the others –

made their way to WNY –

and the Wellsview area –

except Mom – Alice and Allen who lived near Eldred.

Aunt Kate and Uncle Clint also remained DOWN HOMERS –

and had a large farm.

My earliest memory of her is a HUGE BLACK BULL with horns in a barn stall!

Scared the crap out of me!

There were many cousins –

but I was like a second family that came along –

everyone was ten to twenty-five or more years older than I was.

I want to thank Jody Peterson –

my cousin’s son who posted this picture to FaceBook!

I had never seen it!

He is the grandson of my Aunt Alice.

I believe I take more after my mother’s side of the family – they all were broad chests –

curly hair –

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my site: livinglifedoingitmyway.blog

Papa’s World – When little – riding my bike – Eldred, Pa.

/ Tom / Leave a comment

Here is the birds-eye view of the town I grew up in – Little Eldred, Pa. in the enchanted mountains –

Of NWPA – along the Alleghany River.

In the far distance is the border of NYS and NWPA!

When early in my life –

I learned to ride my Red Flyer – from the Western Auto – on these streets.

Before that – I would roller skate to the Slavin’s garage/furniture store!

Here is that garage today – turned into one of the finest small-town WWII museums you will find!

Back in my early days – the bays of the garage – on the second bay in front of the brick wall –

sat a coke machine.

Jack – who worked there – sometimes bought me a glass of Coke pop from that machine!

My parents would never let me skate beyond this garage – and I would race back and forth –

from my North Main Street home – all the way up to the Eldred sawmill –

which made Louisville Slugger Baseball bats!

This above was the Frisbee Insurance office – Don owned it and would send me a birthday card

every year as it was his birthday also.

In the back was the Penn Electric office where a parking area for their trucks to fix electric lines.

This has all become connected to the furniture store and is part of the WWII museum-

and on the side toward the town – a full-size Army Tank from WWII – bursts through the wall.

Many tour buses make this a must-stop – bringing our little town on the map!

I spent my entire youth here- until I was thirty years old before moving on.

Riding my bike daily to the ballpark – thinking back now – I wonder what happened to that bike?

It was and still is a small – Mayberry type town –

You know everyone and they know you!

Up Barden Brook just outside town – is where the entire family I grew up with is buried.

Just past the first tombstones on the right – my father mother and younger brother now rest.

Along with my mother’s sister and her family.

On the left side is my older brother – his wife – my sister – her husband and two of their children.

Their third child and my niece still live in their house –

and my great niece –

her son now is in the service

and she lives in the house I grew up in.

My other great niece-

and her family lives in Portville.

My two sons still live in the area and nearby.

I also have aunts – uncles, and cousins who are buried here,

and a sister I never knew –

who died at birth five years before me-

is somewhere at the top of the cemetery buried.

It was never talked about

and I found out through my brother before he passed away.

I was raised a couple houses before that tall pine tree at the top of the picture and after H.S. –

I rented an apartment in the tall brick building next to the post office where the flag flies –

above the Western Auto for five years.

This is the main street of Eldred, Pa. where I roamed as a child.

SMALL TOWN USA – I skated and rode a bike here in my early youth.

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PAPA’S WORLD – LIVINGLIFEDOINGITMYWAY.BLOG – WHEN LITTLE – RIDING MY BIKE – ELDRED, PA.

Papa’s World – Pictures from the past – family and friends!

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Back on our patio in Brambleton, Va., and before first grandson Bode –

Sherry and I with all five granddaughters –

Fourth of July – all red-white and blue –

PICTURE FROM THE PAST!

My mother – Mary – passed at almost 98 years old – here she was in her 90s before she passed.

Always caring – always gentle and so many people loved her.

Someday I wish I can achieve what she did in having so many people care for her.

Gone but never forgotten –

PICTURE FROM THE PAST!

Back in WNY – we raised our children and had so many good times with our dear friends –

Elaine and Steve – playing organized volleyball –

cards and games – cookouts –

and GOLF!

Still to this day, we are in touch!

PICTURE FROM THE PAST!

When we were first married and lived way out in the country on the East Windfall Road-

The driveway was 1/10th of a mile long –

Nearest neighbor at the end of driveway and one as far across the field-

For 5 1/2 years we lived here – winters – had to have the driveway plowed so often –

Took two days to mow the lawn and driveway with a ride mower.

Wonderful memories of our early years together.

PICTURES FROM THE PAST!

Maddy – who soon will turn 24 –

On her first day of school being hugged by her sister Ella –

Love them then and love them today!

PICTURE FROM THE PAST!

LOL – LOL – humor – laughs and it is true! LOL

My family – not pictured my younger brother who passed away earlier –

Roger – ten years older -Donna – fifteen years older-

and my dear mother – Mary –

They are now gone but remain in my memory and heart.

PICTURE FROM THE PAST!

Sherry – June of 1982 – on our honeymoon in the Dominican Republic –

So many stories of the week we spent there at the all inclusive resort!

First time for either of us out of the country other than Canada.

We had so much fun and so many memories to share –

PICTURE FROM THE PAST!

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PAPA’S WORLD – PICTURE FROM THE PAST!!!

Pictures – Good times and Memories!

/ Tom / Leave a comment

My family, I grew up with – now gone but always near – Roger – Donna and my mom – Mary-

My mom was almost 98 when she passed away.

Roger was ten years older than me and Donna was fifteen years older.

Roger and his wife Shala when they lived in The Villages in Florida.

Maddy – Ella and Sarah – at my 60th birthday celebration on Lake Anna in Va.

Maddy and Ella singing at my birthday!

Papa at his 60th birthday party at Lake Anna.

THE WHITE HOUSE ON THE HILL – we rented for my 60th. birthday party on Lake Anna.

Fon memory – PICTURES – GOOD TIMES and MEMORIES!

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PAPA’S WORLD – PICTURES – GOOD TIMES and MEMORIES!

Papa’s World – Mother and Son – Tammy and Bode!

/ Tom / Leave a comment

When he was born almost 9 years ago – he became the first boy – grandson – with five granddaughters!

And of course, he was everyone’s attention!

Mother and Son – Tammy and Bode – the smiles say it all!

Being the only boy and with two sisters – Cassidy protects him – taking his hand in the water –

and honestly – if I am not in the same room – when they talk – I do not know for sure which is which!

In fact, we all say they should have been twins!

The little guy is growing up – playing soccer – and loves to ice skate – going to Capitals hockey games with his father!

My little buddy – I hate for them to grow up – including the granddaughters – you lose that closeness –

but you gain all the experiences of sports – dances – homecomings – proms – and graduations and college.

We shall cherish for now every moment we have with him at this age!

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MOTHER AND SON – TAMMY AND BODE ( BEAR ) PAPA’S WORLD – livinglifedoingitmyway.blog