HAPPY NEW YEAR!
It's officially here now! And would you believe, I almost slept right through it too!
I fell asleep in the olde recliner around 8 p.m. tonight and when I woke up, it was exactly midnight, the ball was falling, music playing "Auld Lang Syne" and got a Happy New Year wish from Mandy and Bill, who were seated on the couch watching the New Year in from the Times Square site!
Boy, we sure are partying fools, aren't we?
Earlier today, I received an e-mail from a gentleman, introducing himself to me as being originally from this village where I live. He gave his name but the first name was unfamilar although I knew of a couple families from here with the same surname as his. He was just checking to make sure the e-mail he had belonged to me -and that I am the one who writes the blog he has been reading.
Yep, I wrote back to him right away, told him he had the correct address etc., and invited him to correspond more.
Well, lo and behold, when I went to check my e-mail right after midnight, there was a return e-mail from him! And trust me when I tell you, getting his note really made my day!
As it turns out, he was born and lived in the house about four doors down from me. His family left here in 1938 though but I had grown up knowing about his family as my Mom, aunts, uncles and grandparents had frequently mentioned them in conversations over the years.
How great it was to read his note as he told me a few things he remembers from the old hometown here. Especially when he wrote about how he remembers my Mom in her white nurse's uniform, my Grandpa, working in his gardens and other folks -many of them long gone relatives of mine -that he remembers so well too.
One of my interests is family tree research and along with that, I also love to learn more about this village, the other little towns around my hometown and especially about the people who once called this home too. So getting this e-mai tonight from Arnie Erickson in Cedar Rapids, Iowa is something I am taking as an omen of good things to come in the year 2009!
In his note, Arnie told me he likes to read my blog and the things I write about "home" -remembering people, events, and especially the foods I mention from time to time too!
Hearing from someone who remembers many of the same people, places and things that I do -well, to me, that is like getting a gift straight from heaven!
It also gives me a little more incentive to keep blogging too -on those days when I think to myself, 'Why am I doing this anyway? Who reads this drivel and knows what the heck I'm talking about? Probably no one!" So to hear from a real live person who DOES remember the people, places and things about which I speak from time to time, well that is just super fantastic to me!
"Tak sa micka! Arnie!" Because my Swedish isn't all that hot -definitely not very good at spelling but I think I got that sentence right.
For those of you who don't have a clue what that says it's simply "Thank you so much, Arnie!" If I could write "You made my day" in Swedish, I would do that too!
Here's hoping everyone of my readers has a safe, healthy, warm and loving New Year -filled with the excitement life brings us every day! Even when we think it may be dull and mundane -boring -it really isn't if we look in the right corners, turn down a few new avenues along the way.
Nothing better, is there?
I fell asleep in the olde recliner around 8 p.m. tonight and when I woke up, it was exactly midnight, the ball was falling, music playing "Auld Lang Syne" and got a Happy New Year wish from Mandy and Bill, who were seated on the couch watching the New Year in from the Times Square site!
Boy, we sure are partying fools, aren't we?
Earlier today, I received an e-mail from a gentleman, introducing himself to me as being originally from this village where I live. He gave his name but the first name was unfamilar although I knew of a couple families from here with the same surname as his. He was just checking to make sure the e-mail he had belonged to me -and that I am the one who writes the blog he has been reading.
Yep, I wrote back to him right away, told him he had the correct address etc., and invited him to correspond more.
Well, lo and behold, when I went to check my e-mail right after midnight, there was a return e-mail from him! And trust me when I tell you, getting his note really made my day!
As it turns out, he was born and lived in the house about four doors down from me. His family left here in 1938 though but I had grown up knowing about his family as my Mom, aunts, uncles and grandparents had frequently mentioned them in conversations over the years.
How great it was to read his note as he told me a few things he remembers from the old hometown here. Especially when he wrote about how he remembers my Mom in her white nurse's uniform, my Grandpa, working in his gardens and other folks -many of them long gone relatives of mine -that he remembers so well too.
One of my interests is family tree research and along with that, I also love to learn more about this village, the other little towns around my hometown and especially about the people who once called this home too. So getting this e-mai tonight from Arnie Erickson in Cedar Rapids, Iowa is something I am taking as an omen of good things to come in the year 2009!
In his note, Arnie told me he likes to read my blog and the things I write about "home" -remembering people, events, and especially the foods I mention from time to time too!
Hearing from someone who remembers many of the same people, places and things that I do -well, to me, that is like getting a gift straight from heaven!
It also gives me a little more incentive to keep blogging too -on those days when I think to myself, 'Why am I doing this anyway? Who reads this drivel and knows what the heck I'm talking about? Probably no one!" So to hear from a real live person who DOES remember the people, places and things about which I speak from time to time, well that is just super fantastic to me!
"Tak sa micka! Arnie!" Because my Swedish isn't all that hot -definitely not very good at spelling but I think I got that sentence right.
For those of you who don't have a clue what that says it's simply "Thank you so much, Arnie!" If I could write "You made my day" in Swedish, I would do that too!
Here's hoping everyone of my readers has a safe, healthy, warm and loving New Year -filled with the excitement life brings us every day! Even when we think it may be dull and mundane -boring -it really isn't if we look in the right corners, turn down a few new avenues along the way.
Nothing better, is there?
16 comments:
Happy New Year, Jeni! It does indeed sound like a gift from heaven. Maybe he can add to your archive of stories. :-)
Peace! Hope! & Joy!
Lee
Happy New Year Jeni!
Happy New Year to you and yours!
Hugs, Sonny ♥
That is neat that he found your blog. It does make it worthwhile. I too wonder why I am blogging, surely there is something better I could be doing. I watched a program this morning about Unsung Canadian Heroes, regular people who do wonderful things and it made me wonder if I am wasting my life in front of this computer. Only got about another 20 years God willing what to do with it is the question I constantly belabour myself with.
We managed to stay awake long enough, but only barely.
Happy 2009!
Sounds to me like your new year is starting off just perfectly with fond remembrances of years and people past. And how great that you woke up right at midnight, too!
Best wishes for the happiest of years in 2009 with lots more drivel about your hometown, your family, your thoughts and hopes and dreams and all the stuff that makes you YOU!
Happy New Year and best wishes for it to be the best one yet.
What a wonderful and pleasant surprise...it's amazing the people we meet in the blog world....6 degrees of seperation.....I truly hope that this was a good omen for you for the year ahead...and yes please keep on blogging I love to learn more about your town and traditions.....
Cheers my friend
Interesting coincidence! I was standing in my front yard and saw a car stop across the street. I looked and recognized him as the man who sold us this house. HIs father built it, so it still holds a lot of sentimental value for him. We spoke for a long time --he didn't want to come in. And then hubby went into the garage and found a piece of wood from an old foot locker that had his Dad's name stenciled on it when he was in the US Navy during WWII. Then we remembered that we had stumbled upon a baseball bat --a little kid's one that appeared to be very old. Sure enough, we brought it out and he remembered it --he'd been about 5 when he received it! So we gave it to him and he was VERY happy to be driving away with a trove of memories.
Jeni - how very wonderful that you met someone with whom you have a lot in common. I am really happy for you. I enjoy doing genealogy also - so we have something else in common. I cried when Penn State lost its game. How sad!
Happy New Year dear one!
The Lord bless and prosper you and the family.
Debo Blue
It's great to get a connection with someone who used to live in the neighborhood.
Every once in a while a young man who used to live in our house comes by and we let him come in again to see it for old time's sake.
Morgan Mandel
http://morganmandel.blogspot.com
http://www.morganmandel.com
Receiving validation from this man is proof positive that what you write here is certainly not drivel! I have no connection to the people and places you write about, but I enjoy it anyway. I'm looking forward to more of your writing in 2009.
Happy New Year to you!
Ok sweetie...where are you...it's is almost the 5th January...and no post yet...wassup?
That's very cool! I'm glad Arnie gave you the reinforcement to keep on blogging. What would we do without you?! I think there's alot of us out here who like to hear your stories of hometown and family even though we've never been there.
Happy 2009 my friend!
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