In the last month I have been cleaning out the apartment that my Grandmother has lived in for 34 years. Due to a decline in her health we had to put her into a local nursing home, but amazingly till then she was living on her own. Our family has always known what an incredible woman my Grandmother is, but I have come to admire her even more.

In cleaning out the apartment I was in awe of the things I found. When I say cleaning I mean it in the sense of going through, and sorting belongings. Because even though she has not cleaned her own house in 4 years, it was never "dirty". The woman who has been cleaning it has done so with her direct supervision, and watchful eye. Before I go into what was found I feel should give you a brief history so you can understand where Regina came from, and is about.

Born in Edelfingen Germany April 5, 1909 as the eldest of 3 children. She met and married Henry from Unteralterthiem Germany in June 1931. Henry and Regina's first son was born June 1932, with the second born in May 1933. In April 1938 they fled Germany, and brought their family to America where their third son was born. Though they were lucky to get out of Germany other members of our family were not. Neither Henry nor Regina would ever return to their homeland.

As a young woman of 18 Regina's parents sent her to a school that taught how to be a housewife, and mother. At this school the girls learned cooking, cleaning, sewing, how to entertain guests, and all other aspects of how to keep a home. Now, I know to many this is something that is completely foreign, and maybe even amusing to others. However, this was serious business. Keeping a proper home for your family was the only job my Grandmother ever had, and there are many who could learn from how well she did her job for all these years.

Going room by room there were treasures I found that till then were unknown to most of the rest of the family. These are things that maybe completely without monetary value, but the sentimental value is immeasurable. Here are a few I wanted to share.

• A tux and top hat - Last worn June 1931 when Henry and Regina married. Each year since then it would be dry cleaned and stored back into the closet. See picture below for top hat, in original box I might add. Yes, it is the kind that pops up and down. See also the picture of the wedding.

• Letters written to Regina from her family while away at school. All tied neatly together with a ribbon.

• The cards and letters from well wishers on the event of their 50th wedding anniversary.

• The sympathy cards for Grandmother when Granddaddy passed away after 51 years of marriage.

• The pictures of family long since passed. See image below for some of the examples.

• Last thing I wanted to show was the picture of the book from the school my Grandmother went to all those years ago. It is still in immaculate shape, as are the pictures she has of herself, and classmates. The title of the book is in German, but it translates into: 'A Book for the Jewish Wife'.

Regina has never driven a car, worn pants or said a curse word. Some may think she lived a boring life for the things she did not do. But here is a woman who devoted her whole life to her family, treasured and saved every moment carefully. We should all be so happy, and content.

Thanks for reading

In upcoming Daily Disturbance posts from me:

* Missing!

* Freedom

* Ahhh, College...

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Wow! It is nice that you have those kinds of mementos to cherish.
I lost nearly everything of that sort of mine when my storage shed was broken into several years ago.

Yes, I am fortunate that she was so meticulous in keeping things. There is so much more that I found it is amazing the condition things are in. Family history is a very cool thing!

Quote: Originally Posted by Foe Regina has never driven a car, worn pants or said a curse word. Some may think she lived a boring life for the things she did not do. But here is a woman who devoted her whole life to her family, treasured and saved every moment carefully. We should all be so happy, and content.

My great Grandmother was the same! She live around the same time period as regina (my great grandmother was born in 1911...she pretty much seen it all) I think she was from italy, and my great grandfather was from(some where in europe...).


Nice write!

Thank you Nerdz! Glad you like it.

Thanks for the glimpse of the past.Its always so interesting to learn the values and ways people lived in our recent past.I wish I could have saved some of the treasures like you have from my grandparents ,but I was to young.

Sweet post Foe. Grandmother is awesome.

Nice post Foe. 96 and a great great grandmother to boot. That's an achievement in itself. I know I don't have to tell you to hold on to that stuff. It will be great to show your grand kids when they're old enough.

Thank you Hojo!

Funny, I was just talking to someone today about some of the things my grandparents owned that I found so amazing. A bakelite phonograph, a hand painted mandolin, a collection of the original two dollar bill, a set of encyclopedia's with only 13 volumes. I never realized how many cool things my Grandfather on my Dad's side had collected over the years until I took a walk through the Bisbee, AZ museum and read his name on card after card after card, "Donated by Arthur Balise". It made me damn proud I bare both his names.

I've got a little bell jar I keep next to my bed, inside is a solid gold Hamilton pocket watch he got from his father when he was 14. It still runs perfectly. I wouldn't give it up for the world, not because it's cool and worth a great deal...which it is. But because when I was just a child he'd open it up so I could watch all the gears move in their delicate little dance and he'd say, "Someday this watch will be yours." And his smile would light up my world.

Thanks for sharing Foe, I enjoyed that.

Quote: Originally Posted by AntiM I've got a little bell jar I keep next to my bed, inside is a solid gold Hamilton pocket watch he got from his father when he was 14. It still runs perfectly. I wouldn't give it up for the world, not because it's cool and worth a great deal...which it is. But because when I was just a child he'd open it up so I could watch all the gears move in their delicate little dance and he'd say, "Someday this watch will be yours." And his smile would light up my world. Thanks for sharing Foe, I enjoyed that.

First, AntiM you're very welcome! Thank you for reading.

Second, my Grandfather did the same thing with his pocket watch! He would gather the grandchildren around him after dinner, pull the watch from his pocket and show it to us. He would open it to reveal the picture on the opposite side, and have the biggest smile. When we would huddle in close he had a great belly laugh that you could not help but laugh with him.

My Dad has one that he wore only on special occasions, and my uncle has the everyday watch. And like you they both still work, and look as they always did.