| My Grandparents Existence by Darcey Anne Farrow An intelligent woman who in her younger years was so very vibrant She knew just what she wanted and just how to get it My grandma Edith. She married very young to my grandpa Joseph whom she loved so dearly Together they had six children five sons; Richard, Robert, Joseph, Paul and Michael and one daughter; the oldest, my mama Joan Two more children were conceived yet, they never saw the light of day. They lived through good times and bad happy times and sad They lived through daughter Joanie getting stuck on the garage roof the dog that was sprayed by a skunk music born after 1949, oh such junk! So believed my grandma. They lived through sons Paul and Robert building a moonshine still in their bedroom Son Richard coming in after two a.m. when he was only sixteen They lived through Sunday dinners and holidays with family luscious lasagna and fresh baked bread homemade waffles and pancakes and all good things that dieters dread. As the children grew up four sons joined the armed forces One son went off to college to become a teacher The daughter became a secretary and finally a wife. My uncle Robert was sent home on an honorable discharge he was not well enough to be of use His illness was a complete mystery to even the best physicians. My uncle Joseph came home another honorable discharge He had served our country well His tour of duty was over He did his country proud. A knock on the front door came one afternoon My grandma was home alone A military man in full respective dress was standing there holding an american flag A call was made to my grandpa "You had better come home quick, the news I have to tell you will make you oh so sick." A pine box was shipped to their abode The remnants of a body just barely there was sent on for burial as grandma insisted everyone be delightfully dressed in the brightest colors for we were going to be celebrating my uncle Paul's wonderful years not a cold hard death My grandpa cried for the 1st time in his life as he said, "My children should not die before I do." My uncle Mike decided to make the Marines his life's work He has been all over the world and back again He retired after some 30 years with one stripe short of a one star general. All of the children were married with children of their own Except for the son whose grave reminder rests out on the front lawn. In the house that I remember going up the wall by the stairs were military pictures of all the military sons in full respective dress As the years went by my grandparents moved from New York to Florida those pictures went with them wherever they resided. My uncle Robert seemed to have gotten better when all of the sudden some twenty years from his discharge doctors found that he had cancer raging thru his body and there was nothing left to do. A knock on our front door came one early evening Mom and I were home together as my uncle Richard, my mother's brother said he had come for a visit which is something rarely ever done We realized something was terribly wrong My uncle Robert had lost his battle with cancer His body was coming home. The high Catholic mass was lovely The priest blessed my uncle and wished him well as he traveled on his ending journey In the fields where poppies grow he was laid to rest near the others in our family who went on before him The honorable discharge gave him a 21 gun salute which was more than I could stand. Photographs were taken to be sent on to my grandparents who were not able enough to travel My grandpa cried for the 2nd time in his life as again he said, "My children should not die before I do." My grandma has always been the bond that held our family together something we all dearly love about her her strength in times of crisis My grandpa has always been the wise old softie for as long as I can remember I have told them on many occasions how much I love them and wished we lived much closer to each other. My grandma became ill some two years ago and all the medication on Earth never completely solved all of her problems This past week she was hospitalized with kidney failure and dizziness Then the doctors came to tell her they had done all they could for her and then they sent her home to die. Three sons, a daughter and four sisters flew to be by my grandma's side They held her, kissed her and told her they loved her Then they let her rest as they comforted my grandpa. My mama she phoned to tell me that my grandma went from bad to worse and with me in New York I would not be there to say my goodbyes So with a heavy heart I hung up the phone. I called my mama the following day I could hear my mama's sobbing tears as she told me that my grandma left this world for that of HEAVEN and I did not know what to say or do my heart feels like it is breaking in two. My grandpa lost his dear, sweet love from a marriage that lasted 65 wonderful, glorious years thru all the joys and all the tears My grandpa cried for the 3rd time in his life as he screamed and shouted, "LORD, why did you not take me instead of my wife!" My mama helped to dress my grandma in her finest clothes My grandma is to be entombed in a mausoleum in a cemetery near her house When it is time for my grandpa to join her He will be entombed directly by her side. On cool, crisp Autumn evenings I will remember my grandma as she was For now she is in the HEAVENS and she is swingin' on a star. C. 9/24/03 In dedication to Mrs. Edith Louise Albano who was so many things to so very many people. 1922 - 2003 Grandma, I will miss you and think of you often. Forever in my heart, your granddaughter Darcey Anne. |
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| My Most Favorite Gift; My Sewing Machine For the people that do not know me, I have always been a loner. To some that may sound bad or even sad. To some it may be much more then they want to handle. Some people need to feel part of a crowd, part of any crowd to feel like a whole person. That is not the case with me. I prefer being the odd woman out, in fact it suits me just fine. I have never known any other life, nor would I want to. Being unique definetly has its challenges. While I was in grade school, I tried being what I now consider a clone of the masses, but found it was too difficult. I realized rather quickly that other children did not readily accept other children who marched to the beat of a different drum. As I got older, I found out it is much better to be yourself than to try and be something you are not. My grams knew I was different, but to her that did not matter. She was the best grams a person could wish for. My grams and I are like old souls. We both thought that I was born too late as I often associate with times gone by then times of my own. The best surprise of my entire life came when I was 12 years old. I had been down to visit my grams and happened upon her singer sewing machine. It was old and worn, but to me it was a beautiful antique. I told my grams that I had recently started learning how to sew in school. She told me that was a great thing. She also told me that should she decide to get a new sewing machine, she would send me her old one. After I went home from my visit, I didn't think much about what she said until one afternoon when I came home and found a large box on my backporch. It was addressed to me and it was from Sears. I opened it up and found a new sewing machine. I was very excited and could not believe it. I called my grams to thank her for the wonderful gift and I asked her why she didn't give me her old machine. She told me that she could not bear to part with sewing machine. Now after 26 years of using the same sewing machine, I can understand that, but at that time I did not. Every time I use my sewing machine, I think of my grams and the most useful gift I have ever received. I have made countless items of clothing, crafts, blankets and even 33 heart shaped pillows for my best friend's 33rd birthday. These items could have been store bought, but instead were made with love by me all thanks to my grams and her most special gift. It is something I will treasure forever. |
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