In Nana's Own Words
In
1986 I gave our grandmother, Mary Chisholm, a blank journal titled "A
Grandmother's Memories". After she died my mother found it and gave it to
me. She'd filled it with her thoughts and memories. Here are some excerpts:
"We lived in a farmhouse with no running water or
electricity. We had a
woodstove for heat. In the winters we would wake up and find the walls
glistening with frost. Us kids used to play games like
hide and seek and Leo
over the Perch. We had Mass once a month and never missed it. There was one
priest for 4 parishes!"
"My family were farmers and miners. They were good living Christians blessed by God."
"When I was little I wanted to become a nurse but I had to go to work as a waitress to help support my large family."
"I went to school in a small one room red school house from grade 1 til grade 9. We kids knew more than the teachers-they weren't much older than us!"
"On Saturdays I liked to bake pies and homemade bread."
"When we were sick our mother used to rub goose grease on our chests!"
"The most important historical event I can remember was when Joe graduated from college and we had a hoe down that lasted all night!"
"We women had the kids and did the housework while the
men sat around and smoked and talked baloney!"
"Your grandfather and I met in 1928 at a barn dance in Guysborough. When I
first saw him I thought he looked like a hay seed. He was a weird looking
old crow, but I married him anyway! We used to go to the dances all the
time. Someone would play the harp and fiddle and the feathers would fly as a
good time was had by all."
"Dad had a big farm and lots of land. How I loved hay cutting time! The
meadows were so rich and clean smelling. Even today I can still smell them
when I dream.
"Your grandfather would want you to remember him giving you pennies and quarters and helping him the garden with the green beans, and how you never liked my oatmeal!"
"I hope that you'll always remember me as a good
grandmother because I tried to be but sometimes didn't make it. I guess when
you get old you think how you should have done some things differently and you
look back at the hard years and how you raised a big family. My mother and
father did the best they could for us and Idid the same for my family. We always
had enough to eat and never went hungry. Well my hand is getting tired and
shaky so I'll say goodbye. Love forever, Nana."