Life...The Vivere

A Personal VINTAGE commentary... 
March 14, 2012 

  "YAHOO groups

Cyber friends...

life's joy!" 

This week, two of my Yahoo art groups have inspired me to embark on a quick retrospective of my early childhood... VINTAGE looks with personal VINTAGE photos: 4X4 FRIDAY and INSPIRATION AVENUE! I thank them both for the inspiration to take a quick walk down memory lane. This is for them, for me...and for anyone else who would like a glimpse...   

This is me at the age of 6...

 and here I am with my Mom and Dad. I was an only child... 

The heart of my life was my Nana...my maternal grandmother with whom I shared a room for as long as I lived at home...actually, until I married and moved out to make a home for an US rather than a ME. Nana taught me how to love...she was my confidant, my protector and my best friend. She planted seeds of goodness, encouragement and confidence in my heart and soul...as well as a strong faith in our Creator. She taught me to value truth and family... 

Every Sunday, Nana and I, dressed in our Sunday best, would walk many long city blocks to get to her mother's... my great grandmother's... home. We crossed lots of very noisy, busy streets with cars, taxis and buses whizzing by... many needlessly honking their horns! But Nana always had a tight hold on my hand so I was safe.  On the way, we passed some of my favorite places...the store where I got my bubble gum and chocolate soda, St. Margaret Mary's church that was cool, dark and peaceful inside and the church playground across the street from our apartment building. That's where the big boys played basketball and Nana took me to ride my tricycle. It always seemed like FOREVER 'til we got to Grandma Klewan's building. As soon as we entered the lobby, we could hear the laughter, the singing and the piano playing...and we could smell all the good things  cooking. Grandma Klewan's apartment was right off the lobby. The door was always open because there was  a big crowd there on Sundays... aunts, uncles, cousins, family friends...

Grandma Klewan was very old, but her wrinkled face boasted very bright, blue eyes. She always took my face in her hands and kissed me and talked to me...but I could only understand her smile and her kiss- she didn't speak English. I was her first great grandchild.

Then, there was Uncle Al, Nana's brother. He always saved his cigar rings for me...I loved the smell of his cigars and was proud to wear the cigar rings on my finger...he made me feel special!

I was the only child at Grandma Klewan's Sunday get-togethers for a long time but I loved being there... the singing, dancing, great food and all the love that this family shared with one another... they were good years and made for stellar memories!!   

Thanks for stopping by once again and sharing some of my happy childhood days...VINTAGE, for sure!!

Until the next,

xox,

abbyj