A Letter To Linda

Dear Linda,

It's been a long time since we've talked.  And, girl, you and I had some good talks, didn't we?  Just thought I'd drop a few lines to let you know what's going on with the kids.

They are growing like weeds!  Caitlin is as tall as me now.  Can you believe it?  And she has the most beautiful smile.  When she smiles, her eyes twinkle as if she has a secret and she knows you want to know what it is, but she ain't telling.  Everyone says she looks like me, but she definitely has your smile.

She plays basketball now.  Like you.  She tries out for the school team in several weeks.  And God help her competition 'cause she wants this really bad.  She's determined to make the team.  So say a little prayer for her.


And Ryan.  Blond and blue-eyed.  You'd hardly recognize him because he's grown so much since you last saw him.  Even though I have some blondies on my side of the family, I gotta think that his blond hair mainly comes from your Norwegian ancestors.  Don't you think?


He's not quite as tall as me yet, but he'll be there [and beyond] soon enough.  He's in that stage where boys are trying to be all grown up and not playing "little kid" games.  And it's funny 'cause when he's talking he tries to talk in a lower voice.  So cute.  He wouldn't appreciate me saying so.  But it's true.  He's been growing out his hair a little bit.  Not too much.  His dad is not real happy about it, but Caitlin and I think it looks good.  I figure, it's a shame to cut off all that blond hair.  [Especially since I'd do anything to have all that blond hair.  Naturally.  *snort*]


He's playing basketball for a competitive league, but he hurt his knee a couple of weeks ago.  Thankfully it was just a severely bruised knee.  Should be back for the playoffs.  So, say a little prayer for him, too.


Ry got his first pair of glasses a couple of weeks ago, and he and Caitlin both got contacts.  Now, we all have corrected vision.  Ry said he was surprised by all the stuff he'd been missing.  It took a little while, but they've gotten the hang of putting their contacts in every morning.  Although, Ry got such a positive response from the girls at school when he wore his glasses, that he likes wearing them to school.  [Rolling eyes heavenward.]


We'll be desperately missing you during the holidays this year.  As we always do.  They're just not the same without you.  But you're never far from our thoughts.  And with your beautiful photo on the mantle, it's almost like you're here.  Almost.


Oh, you'll like this.  The other day Caitlin said she was changing her favorite color from green to purple.  "Like Grandma," she said.  Of course, you know how teenage girls are.  By next week, she'll have probably changed her mind at least 3 times.  Oh well.  That's a girl's prerogative, right?


Speaking of colors, Caitlin has a pep rally today at school, and the theme is "Pink Out" for Breast Cancer Awareness.  Needless to say, everyone is wearing pink.  And she wanted me to decorate a t-shirt for her.  How could I resist?  It's hot pink, and on the front is a big glittery silver ribbon, and it reads, "Shouting out PINK for the cure."  And, of course, I added pink glitter to the letters.  On the back it reads, "I wear PINK for my Grandma" with the "my Grandma" in purple.  [Of course.]  And more pink glitter.  [Dang glitter.  It's in my hair, on my hands, on my face, and God only knows where else.  It's probably the reason my eyes are watering as I write.]  Anyway, I think you'd like it.  It's flashy.  Just the way ya' like it.  Caitlin loved it too, and she was really excited about wearing it this morning.


It doesn't seem like 11 years have gone by since we last saw you.  But don't ever think you're far from our thoughts.  Because you're always there.


In our thoughts.


In our hearts.


In everything we do, you're there, Linda.  And while I'd rather have you here physically [What can I say?  I'm greedy like that.], I'll take what I can get.


Well, I guess I'll close for now.  Just wanted to give you a "grandkids update."


Take care.  We miss you


Love,
Caroline


P.S.  Here's some pics of the shirt.  The silver and pink glitter turned to gold because of the lighting, but I think you can get an idea of what it looks like. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Linda, my mother-in-law, valiantly fought breast cancer, and I've written about her here previously.  At the top of my sidebar up above, is a button/link from the Breast Cancer Site.  With every click, a sponsor donates, and 100% of the donation goes to helping women afford mammograms.  And the only thing you have to do is click it.  That's it.  So, click it.

~C

Wordless Wednesday: The Richardson Bros.

Richardson Bros. of Iowa ~ Not Quite Black & White



Are These the Richardson Boys of Story Co., Iowa?
I found this photo postcard with my mother-in-law's photos of her Richardson family [her dad's family].  With the telltale signs of the age of this postcard indicating it was created between 1904 and 1918, I'm fairly certain that these are the Richardson brothers.  [AZO paper as indicated around the stamp area with 4 triangles pointing up in the corners are the telltale signs.]  In the 1910 census my mother-in-law's [Linda Jo's] father ~ Oliver Richardson ~ is just 5 months old on the day the census was taken, 23 May 1910 in Palestine, Story Co., Iowa.  His siblings are as follows:

• Thomas R., 12 yrs old
• Richard M., 10 yrs old
• Martin J., 6 yrs old
• Elmer J. 2 yrs old

These ages seem to be a little younger [but not by much] than the ages of the boys in the photo postcard.


The Great Gatsby
I also looked up their hats, and found that the eldest in the photo, who I think is Thomas, is wearing a newsboy cap [also known as a Gatsby].  Their father, John R. Richardson, came to America from Norway in 1867.  Their mother, Belle T. Weeks, was born in Iowa, but her parents were born in Norway.  I featured them in another Wordless Wednesday post [one that was truly wordless].  I mention this because in Norway, this cap would've been called a "sixpence." [...just a little trivia]  It's worn in this picture kind of "pouffed" up and you can see the points in the crown, indicating this was an 8-panel newsboy hat.  The 3 middle boys in the photo, who I think are Richard, Martin, and Elmer, are wearing what looks like to me low-crown bowler hats.  Both types of hats were worn in the early 20th century. 


The Barn Rocks
I absolutely adore this photo postcard, but I also wish someone had identified these boys for me.  Although, I'm fairly certain they are the Richardson brothers.  Of course, their father, John R. Richardson, had brothers of his own who immigrated with him to Story Co., Iowa and had children of their own.  So, anything's possible.  I love the buggy, the barn, the horse, and those boys.  Whoever they are, they look like a handful, and that, I do know, is "black and white."

Note: This is a submission for the Festival of Postcards Carnival hosted by Evelyn Yvonne Theriault on her blog,   A Canadian Family.  The theme is anything to do with the word "white."

Wordless Wednesday: John & Belle

Wedding Day

Family Trees and Norwegian Kringla from Iowa

Why Not Norwegian Kringla?
"Honey, can you make some Kringla cookies like my mom and my Grandma used to make?" my husband asked me at Christmas a couple of years ago.  "Sure," I said as I mentally calculated just where I could "fit" that in...You see, I love to bake at Christmas.  I bake tons of cookies [and I really do mean tons].  I also make candy...just like my mom and my Gran used to do.  From our family secret peanut brittle to pralines and beyond...Not to mention pies and whatever else I pick out from my holiday cookbooks that looks pretty [and maybe a little challenging ;) ].  So, why not Norwegian Kringla? ["Why not," indeed!]

Apprenticeship, Anyone?
Do you know what Kringla is...Have you ever tasted it?  It's a very light cookie in the shape of a pretzel - not quite as sweet as sugar cookies, but in the same ballpark.  Anyway, I thought, "How hard could it be?"  [You'd think by now I would've learned to not ask that question.]  HA!  It's extremely hard to make Kringla.  For starters, the dough is runny [and it's supposed to be].  That's all fine and dandy, but then it can be kind of troublesome when trying to roll it in the shape of a snake [a small garden one...you know, the kind you made in kindergarten with clay].  I was a "little" fustrated at this point, as I was trying to do 10 things at once and even though I'd made the dough as cold as possible so that it would be stiff, I had no luck with it, and I had to admit failure at this particular point.  I really hate to lose, but this recipe of Grandma Richardson's had me beat.  I had to tell my hubby, there would be no Kringla for Christmas, and that I was going to have to go to Iowa and apprentice with his Norwegian descendant kinfolk.  He just looked at me and said, "Yeah, right."

Hackett's of Iowa
Yes, my husband was born in Iowa [but he got to Texas as soon as he could].  He's been here since he was in 5th grade, and he's assimilated nicely.  However, all his kinfolk settled in Iowa and were farmers [hard to believe, huh?].  Above I have some of my husband's mothers in his family [his mom will be in a separate post with my mom next.]  In the top middle is Grandma Richardson, a.ka. Neva Virene (Hackett) Richardson.  She and her family are in the next picture to the right.  Her father on the left was Raymond Clifford Hackett and her mother was Neva Jane Long on the right.  Grandma Richardson is in the middle with her two sisters Ila and Myrna.  The picture directly below is a very "motherly" picture...Great-Grandma Long sitting down with her three daughters behind her.  The next picture to the left is Grandma Richardson with her children and husband [my hubby's mom is on the far right].

Where the Kringla Secret Lies...
In the top left is a wedding picture of John R. Richardson and Belle T. Weeks, Grandma Richardson's in-laws, and this is the Norwegian connection [and where the Kringla recipe secret probably comes from].  It's kind of nice to put a face to the family that has stumped me with a cookie recipe [of all things]!  Be that as it may, I love this picture...it's so cool [for those of us who like old photographs].  When I began to research the Richardson family, I never in a million years would've thought that it had already been researched.  This line of my husband's has been traced back to the mid-1500's in Norway and Scotland.  A few brave Scottish souls sailed the frigid waters to Norway.  This is so cool and I am not jealous that it's traced back that far.  Nope, not at all.  [Well maybe just a little.  O.K., a lot].  The bright side is that I married into it, and it's mine now...[ha!]

One Good-Looking Grandma
The bottom left is my husband's Grandma Pointer, Myrtle Elaine Haley in both of the pictures.  Her family descends from Irish immigrants, Patrick Haley and Bridget Foley who settled in Vermont.  In the older picture from the 1970's I think she is one good-lookin' grandma!

Happy Mother's Day Great-Grandma Long, Great-Grandma Richardson, Grandma Richardson, and Grandma Pointer!

Caroline