Monthly Archives: November 2010

O Give Thanks 2010

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Welcome to this year’s edition of my post-Thanksgiving thoughts. To many, the words of the title are the familiar beginning of a common table prayer spoken after meals. Growing up in our house, it was said after every meal taken together. It’s getting late and according to the clock, Thanksgiving Day 2010, is history and I’d like to end my day with a word of reflection, the last hour having been spent on the phone with my brother, Steve, not unusual for us. This post is a combination of last year’s edition and this current day. It was a good day, and like so many, contained ups and downs. Being me, I’m thankful for the good things first and will deal with the “down” things tomorrow as need be, thankfully nothing major. There are three more days before the next weekly routine returns and there’s lots to accomplish in those three days so I’m thankful for the time. I’ve yet to view eight hours of video lectures so I can be tested by Sunday night.
Thanksgiving started Wednesday evening, a soup supper with a friend and her daughter prior to attending an ecumenical service here in town. It was different, but okay and I made a valuable contact for the research paper in progress. We saw our first real snow – wet and heavy. I came home to study a bit and catch up on some much needed sleep.
I spent the day with family and friends, ate great traditional food with a bit of chocolate thrown in for the occasion! I spoke with my daughters, always the highlight of any day and with my favorite Auntie Arlene, a familiar name to readers. I also had a delightful conversation with a young woman who’s become a wife and mother since we last saw one another – a real positive in my day; in fact, we became Facebook friends already. What did we ever do without technology – another thing for which I’m thankful. Dinner was enhanced with the presence of my study partner, a friend for many years, but one who has become a consistent and important person in my life. I mention her often, but now y’all have a visual of the team that gets it done!
Jules and me on Thanksgiving '10

The A-Team 🙂

Email brought greetings from expected and unexpected sources, always a pleasure and I’m thankful for the technology that allows us to stay in touch across the miles. I made the drive home in blustery winds that attempted to push me around, but my trusty old truck held her own, another blessing, and I arrived safely to dogs that didn’t even want to put a nose out the door. Brrrr, said I, always fairly cold to begin with as I hurried those animals out and back in so I could stay away from an open door.
This is it, end of day for me. I’ll pick up one of the books I’m reading and snuggle in till sleep overtakes. Since Thanksgiving is an American holiday, not celebrated in France, I don’t have a traditional French phrase with which to end. It’s been a good day and to those who know me I say tu connais la musique, you know the deal – I’m giving thanks to my Heavenly Father for continued health and the blessings of those near and dear to my heart. I’m a thankful woman turning in for the night.

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Happy Birthday Hattie!!

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Now there’s a name you don’t hear too much anymore, Hattie, in this case short for Henrietta, my Grandma Buelow who, if she was still with us, would be 121 years old today. She passed away at age 85 and played an important role here at Her Father’s Homestead. She came as a young bride in 1907 when she married my grandfather, Henry Buelow. That’s right Henrietta Jantz married Henry Buelow, as you can see in their wedding invitation;
wedding invitation, Grandma and Grandpa Buelow

Hattie's wedding invitation

and that’s where I first saw her referred to as Hattie. She came to the Homestead and built a life here, raised ten children, seven boys and three girls, all born in this wonderful old house I call home. She lived here until she passed away, cared for in her later years by her son, my Uncle Elmer and his wife, my favorite Auntie Arlene, well known to readers of this blog.
We saw Grandma often, as on any given Sunday we’d drive to what my Dad called The Farm, the place he grew up along with his brothers and sisters, the children of Her Father’s Homestead and the place we visited with those aunts, uncles and cousins, because this was where Grandma lived. So many memories… A white-haired Grandma, saying grace in German and smiling; I remember her smile just like you see in the picture in the barnyard with my Grandpa, who passed away long before I was born.
Grandma and Grandpa Buelow

Hattie's happy

That photo is a bit unusual for its time in that it shows what’s today called a public display of affection – Grandpa has his arm around her, she’s snuggled into him and is holding his hand and she’s smiling. In the background of that photo, you see her brother-in-law, the gentleman with the hat and also her son, my Uncle Elmer, twin of Alfred, who’s birthdays would be tomorrow, both passed on. So many memories… The last photo, again a smiling Grandma, in front of what I believe may be the lilac tree at the corner of the house where I live. So many memories… Grandma's smile
I said a long time ago that this old Homestead of mine would tell a story, herstory, I called it. And that it has, the story of Her Father’s Homestead told through my eyes with gratitude for the women who came before me – the great grandmother I didn’t know, Grandma Buelow, Auntie Arlene and now me. Happy birthday, Hattie! So many memories…

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