You can go "home" again.....
Proving that you can relive memories and "go home" again, King Snookums and I have arrived back home safe and sound from our trip to Western PA.
While the cause that took us there was very sad...burying my sister in a beautiful graveside ceremony, the weekend was also filled with lots of laughter, love, memories of good times when we were younger, and the like.
The trip started off with an awesome dinner in Jeannette, at a place that I was taken to several times by various members of the family when I was young. Mmmm...Italian at DeNunzios. A great dinner was enjoyed by all..including King "I done with this spaghetti..I throw it on the floor plate and all". Then off to the hotel for a quiet night's rest whilst my eldest brother and sis in law and youngest Aunt and Uncle hung at their house talking the night away. I, of course, took the King, and Prince Eldest Grandchild back to the hotel to ensure a good nights rest.
The next morning dawned with a trip to Jeannette. The princeski, the King and I had to make a quick Caramel stop at the Candy Store of my youth (mmm..wilsons), then it was off to antique in downtown Jeannette in the old GC Murphy store and the old Gillespies. The only "buyer" was Prince "Ginya"...who came across a Shrum Milkcrate, complete with interior bars for separating the milkbottles. A steal at the price he picked it up for. The "GC Murphy" also had a ton of Shrum Milk bottles....later version, almost a complete phone number for $10 apiece. We all have them, so we left the bottles in situ.
Then a quick trip back to the hotel before heading off to the graveside service. Father Joe did a fabulous job graveside, my sister would have been pleased...and I know she is pleased to be interred with all of the folks she was so keen to learn more about through Geneaology. I bet you anything that when she arrived at the pearly gates, she was armed with her list of questions (including where Pond was buried in Isle of Wight VA)..and that her questions were immediately answered!
After the cemetary, I took the Prince and the King past the old Shrum Dairy Farm as neither the eldest nor the youngest had seen the dairy. Because the road is soooooooo heavily (and speedily) traveled, we pulled into "Aunt Pete's Driveway" and were immediately met by the homeowners. I hopped out of the car, explained that we "weren't staying" and that I was just showing them the area where their Grandmother was born and where their family owned the dairy, and was met with "Get outta the car....we are so happy you are here...let's take a tour of teh house..tell me what you know about the house...we are so excited you stopped by...oh my....thank you for pulling in...." and on and on. The Prince thoroughly enjoyed listening to me impart the limited information that I had...as well as taking the tour of the house that his Grandmother knew so well. It gave him a real sense of family history...and the moment in time was priceless. FYI, if you are ever in the neighborhood...stop the car, get out and visit with them. They are restoring the house to its original farmhouse glory, and truly are welcoming and loving to the Shrum family members! They feel that they are truly caretakers for our legacy....
Then it was off to a wonderful wake at Aunt W's house..replete with awesome (and wayyyy too much food) as well as a visit with Aunts, uncles and a cousin I hadn't seen in years.
Sadly, all good trips must come to an end and this one was no different. Off in the car the King and I went yesterday morning, making but one stop on the way home at B and Steeeeeeeeeee**'s house to allow King "Get Me OUTTAA THIS DAMN CAR" to run around.
I tell you, the history that I saw this weekend, the history that I imparted on the Prince, the pictures, the dairy, the cemetary....the visiting...I felt..welll.....home.
While the cause that took us there was very sad...burying my sister in a beautiful graveside ceremony, the weekend was also filled with lots of laughter, love, memories of good times when we were younger, and the like.
The trip started off with an awesome dinner in Jeannette, at a place that I was taken to several times by various members of the family when I was young. Mmmm...Italian at DeNunzios. A great dinner was enjoyed by all..including King "I done with this spaghetti..I throw it on the floor plate and all". Then off to the hotel for a quiet night's rest whilst my eldest brother and sis in law and youngest Aunt and Uncle hung at their house talking the night away. I, of course, took the King, and Prince Eldest Grandchild back to the hotel to ensure a good nights rest.
The next morning dawned with a trip to Jeannette. The princeski, the King and I had to make a quick Caramel stop at the Candy Store of my youth (mmm..wilsons), then it was off to antique in downtown Jeannette in the old GC Murphy store and the old Gillespies. The only "buyer" was Prince "Ginya"...who came across a Shrum Milkcrate, complete with interior bars for separating the milkbottles. A steal at the price he picked it up for. The "GC Murphy" also had a ton of Shrum Milk bottles....later version, almost a complete phone number for $10 apiece. We all have them, so we left the bottles in situ.
Then a quick trip back to the hotel before heading off to the graveside service. Father Joe did a fabulous job graveside, my sister would have been pleased...and I know she is pleased to be interred with all of the folks she was so keen to learn more about through Geneaology. I bet you anything that when she arrived at the pearly gates, she was armed with her list of questions (including where Pond was buried in Isle of Wight VA)..and that her questions were immediately answered!
After the cemetary, I took the Prince and the King past the old Shrum Dairy Farm as neither the eldest nor the youngest had seen the dairy. Because the road is soooooooo heavily (and speedily) traveled, we pulled into "Aunt Pete's Driveway" and were immediately met by the homeowners. I hopped out of the car, explained that we "weren't staying" and that I was just showing them the area where their Grandmother was born and where their family owned the dairy, and was met with "Get outta the car....we are so happy you are here...let's take a tour of teh house..tell me what you know about the house...we are so excited you stopped by...oh my....thank you for pulling in...." and on and on. The Prince thoroughly enjoyed listening to me impart the limited information that I had...as well as taking the tour of the house that his Grandmother knew so well. It gave him a real sense of family history...and the moment in time was priceless. FYI, if you are ever in the neighborhood...stop the car, get out and visit with them. They are restoring the house to its original farmhouse glory, and truly are welcoming and loving to the Shrum family members! They feel that they are truly caretakers for our legacy....
Then it was off to a wonderful wake at Aunt W's house..replete with awesome (and wayyyy too much food) as well as a visit with Aunts, uncles and a cousin I hadn't seen in years.
Sadly, all good trips must come to an end and this one was no different. Off in the car the King and I went yesterday morning, making but one stop on the way home at B and Steeeeeeeeeee**'s house to allow King "Get Me OUTTAA THIS DAMN CAR" to run around.
I tell you, the history that I saw this weekend, the history that I imparted on the Prince, the pictures, the dairy, the cemetary....the visiting...I felt..welll.....home.
Comments