REMINISCING - August. /2023

Wellll!!-21 years ago today I received a phone call in Meadville,PA, that I had a new grand-daughter, Rachel Elizabeth. Wonderful news! Today I had lunch with her, and my 2 daughters at Via Maria in Holland, MI. Yummmy!!!

Last week one of my great-nieces ( and they are GREAT!) noted in FB that, she had put her son, Oliver, in cloth diapers for the first time..HMMmmmmm.......I thought to myself and said to her “that this was a huge change from when I/we had our babies”.

    First of all- we had to purchase flannel and we MADE our own diapers. Grandma 

Casemier would have to go to the hospital again.  It was.a great Saturday,   We didn’t know she would be going to the hospital that very afternoon.  We also didn't realize it was the going to be the last 10 days of her life….

     My Mother asked me to come in the bedroom and said  to me .”There  is an envelope in the dresser  drawer. Take it out, which i did-and handed it to her..I want you to use this to buy the flannel to make diapers 

I said "I will get it later, Mom" and she told me "NO! you get it now, so no one will be able to say anything." So I took it out of the dresser and bought flannel to make diapers.  (Later)

And So _ I made diapers...can't remember how many, but plenty of them. Our first baby was born, and of course — I used the diapers!!!. (Uncle Jer was in Germany) 

       OK-the baby had a dirty pants, changed Her  and rinsed the soiled ones out in the toilet..What a stinky job. Then we put them in the diaper pail , and when that was full we would throw them in the wash machine, which at the time our first one was born, was a wringer washer…I wonder how many of you know what that is.    

       Then we did a complete cold water rinse, in the wash machine, and then had to wash them in hot-hot  water and Ivory Soap!  Next— wring them out in the wringer to the first rinse, repeat and put them through the 2nd rinse. .... Then had to wring them out,again,the third rinse and  it was a sunny day, warm and a little windy...then they would dry faster.. Of course, when we took them down from the clothesline we had to fold them in the proper way , so they would be ready to use them -which was quite often; as you know how it is with babies. So all you young mother's- my great-nieces , or married to my great nephews.....don't you think you have it better now? We even hung the diapers out in the winter, (to make them fresher) but they would freeze sometimes, and then we had to get those frozen things off the line, and bring them in to dry in the basement. At least we got fresh air and exercise. I don;t think I had an automatic washer and dryer until the 4th child was born, and that was great! So when you're feeling tired and worn out, just think how tired and worn out we were some 60+ years ago.....

But, you know, I think that things were easier in other ways during those years.

Think on these things when changing your little baby----they are grown up so fast....

Way too fast!  Enjoy them!     Edna Casemier Venlet 

Hey- I love you all !!!

  

more reminiscing

Today I was sorting though some things in my sewing machine drawers, and this old,yellowed piece of paper came to my eyes- I picked it up carefully, and found it was a poem my Mom (Grandma Casemier) had cut out....she and I liked to save poems....and I guess this one ended up in the drawer instead of the scrapbook....so I will share itwith you...

TIME TO PLANT

"I plant my watermelons on Good Friday," she said,

"And my peas three days after the full moon.

Iwill have bucketsfullof peas by June,

And wagonloads of melons when July's sun is red.

There is a time to plant she said.

There is a time to plant good habits and ideals

In children's minds. Don't go beyond their spring

Or there will be no fruitful blossoming.

Watch for the hour when reason's first light steals,

and then plant high ideals.

(by Anne Campbell)

_________________________________

I think of my children , my grand-children and great-grand-children and hope they will always have high ideals planted in them by their Dad's and Mom's. I have seen some very good 'shoots' in them already. But they just grow up too fast!

Spring is here!!

Christmas 2009-

Christmas!! What a wonderful time of the year...to think Jesus Christ was willing to come down, to come as a babe, to be the Savior of all who would accept Him. I am so thankful that He is my Savior, and I belong to Him. As it says in the Heildelberg Catechism,, Q:"What is your only comfort in life and in death?"
A: " That I am not my own, but belong, in life and in death, to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ."
What a wonderful comfort that is, to know that He is "God with Us"; all the time, if only we would remember that during the 'bad times'.
The picture at the left is a wall hanging that my daughter Barb made for me, out of the ties of my husband. Notice the cross, and the dove at the top. Thank you, Barb! I have it hanging in my apartment. What a great memory for me.
Christmas can be a difficult time when you have lost a loved one, but then we must remember that our loved one is with Jesus and someday we will meet Jesus, and all those we have loved who have gone on before us.
But, Christmas is also a joyful time...when we remember the gift God has given to us, and then we can give gifts to those we love, and those who don't have much. There is much joy in giving....
I am thankful that God is in control of the world, of my life, my children's lives, and grandchildren & great-grands...
For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for good and not for evil; plans for a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11
Thank you Lord Jesus, for this great gift of salvation, and that you have a plan for all of us.

My Hubby-my love

Today was a good day- and tomorrow I will go golfing with my friend It has been years since I have golfed....too many. My dear Jerry wanted to go golfing again so much, but he was just to tired to golf. So it was rather bittersweet when I got my golf-clubs out...all dusty; but still looking pretty good considering it has been about 5 years that they have been standing in the garage. Jim and John helped me get them on my golf cart------that was very dusty too...wipe it off, and then get the clubs on. I could hardly remember how that went, because....Jerry and I always used a golf cart the last years we golfed. Then- where are my golf shoes- OH! what a mess they were... cobwebs, dust, etc. but took them in the house, cleaned them up and will use them tomorrow. They cleaned up really well....so now if I can clean up on the golf course, after many years of not playing....course I wasn't that good anyway, but we always had a good time.
It will help me get in shape for Colorado too-----good exercise! Jerry would be so pleased to know that I am doing this....'
Tomorrow someone comes to look at my condo- perhaps a buyer? Time will tell......I get a little impatient wanting it to sell, and yet it is still my home. My God will get it done when the time is right. So I trust in Him to take my impatientness away and just TRUST!
God is so GOOD! TO ME!!!

The picture is at Ottawa Beach, a couple nights before he lft for the army. 1953