Tomorrow Grandma Millen turns 90, so my family (really the whole clan) is gathering in Lake Havasu, AZ to throw her a party. Family and friends, even some childhood friends will be coming to remember good times and make some new ones.
It got me to thinking: Imagine all the changes in the last 90 years here and around the world that have taken place since 1916. The world, even the States, was still mostly horsedrawn. Any aircraft, anywhere, would draw a crowd. Movies were still novel, and sound was the next wave, though not really looked for yet. Highways, not just streets, were brick, and there were just the barest rudiments of a transcontinental highway. Outside of the cities, the world was still largely lit only by fire. A funnel was still a "tin horn", and most people had witnessed the death of a person they knew well. America was just about to enter the mess "over there" and idealistic Coolidge and most of the Americans couldn't really believe it.
My grandmother was the daughter of a housepainter/plasterer who drank and smoked and was called Brown becausehe chose not to be available to his home state's constabulary should they leave PA in pursuit. He died of blacklung in the early 60's, lamented by few.
She married a meatpacker named Joe Millen in 1937, I still hunt with the 20 guage Winchester Model 12 that was one of their wedding presents, a shotgun Grandma used on pheasants, grouse, rabbits, and even pigeons during strikes when they would water the soup a little more and set an extra plate or two for any strikebreakers that repented and didn't cross. They were prosperous enough to retire early and enjoy many good times in AZ until Joe died in December of 1990, leaving her bereaved, but well-provided for.
Since then she has lived in Havasu during the winter, and Minnesota in the summer, driving herself between the two until last year, when she stopped driving long distances, "For my Daughters' sake." She still drives to get her groceries herself, and looks dimly upon those that are able to, but don't. Summers are now spent in lovely Saint Louis, with her daughter and son-in-law. She spends most of that time rooting the baseball games she never misses, and doing complicated word finds and number puzzles.
Grandma is as sharp as the crack of a whip, and will beat you at any card game but bridge, which she sniffs at as a game for "gossips and harridans."
My Grandma Millen is an amazing creature to know, ain't I a lucky guy? I just wanted to brag.:lgwave:
Tomorrow Grandma Millen turns 90, so my family (really the whole clan) is gathering in Lake Havasu, AZ to throw her a party. Family and friends, even some childhood friends will be coming to remember good times and make some new ones.
It got me to thinking: Imagine all the changes in the last 90 years here and around the world that have taken place since 1916. The world, even the States, was still mostly horsedrawn. Any aircraft, anywhere, would draw a crowd. Movies were still novel, and sound was the next wave, though not really looked for yet. Highways, not just streets, were brick, and there were just the barest rudiments of a transcontinental highway. Outside of the cities, the world was still largely lit only by fire. A funnel was still a "tin horn", and most people had witnessed the death of a person they knew well. America was just about to enter the mess "over there" and idealistic Coolidge and most of the Americans couldn't really believe it.
My grandmother was the daughter of a housepainter/plasterer who drank and smoked and was called Brown becausehe chose not to be available to his home state's constabulary should they leave PA in pursuit. He died of blacklung in the early 60's, lamented by few.
She married a meatpacker named Joe Millen in 1937, I still hunt with the 20 guage Winchester Model 12 that was one of their wedding presents, a shotgun Grandma used on pheasants, grouse, rabbits, and even pigeons during strikes when they would water the soup a little more and set an extra plate or two for any strikebreakers that repented and didn't cross. They were prosperous enough to retire early and enjoy many good times in AZ until Joe died in December of 1990, leaving her bereaved, but well-provided for.
Since then she has lived in Havasu during the winter, and Minnesota in the summer, driving herself between the two until last year, when she stopped driving long distances, "For my Daughters' sake." She still drives to get her groceries herself, and looks dimly upon those that are able to, but don't. Summers are now spent in lovely Saint Louis, with her daughter and son-in-law. She spends most of that time rooting the baseball games she never misses, and doing complicated word finds and number puzzles.
Grandma is as sharp as the crack of a whip, and will beat you at any card game but bridge, which she sniffs at as a game for "gossips and harridans."
My Grandma Millen is an amazing creature to know, ain't I a lucky guy? I just wanted to brag.:lgwave:
Share this post
Link to post
Share on other sites