Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Miss you more than ever
Georgia-On this your birthday I miss you more now than the day you went to heaven. I love and miss you everyday dear lady. Take Care of Mom and Dad. Till we see you again, love always, Jeni
HAPPY BIRTHDAY GREAT GRANDMA (Contributed by Sophia Von Feldt)
My great grandma was a wonderful person. She had her own funny sense of humor. Whenever I would suck my thumb as a little girl, she would always say, "Does that thumb taste good?". She also helped keep me in line. After saying goodbye at the end of our visits she would warn me, "You better be good or else I'll spank ya." I will never forget how she put a smile on my face. :)
-Sophie Von Feldt
-Sophie Von Feldt
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM (Contributed by Anna Catherine Dreiling)
Today is Mom's birthday. I remembered her in my prayers at Mass this morning. Her Catholic faith was always important to her. She was always active in various church groups and our Catholic school functions. She had one nun who was an especially good friend, Sister Theodosia. She was a teacher in our grade school at one time. They remained friends until Sisters death many years later. Now they are together with the Lord for all eternity.
Love you, Mom.
Anna C
Love you, Mom.
Anna C
HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDMA (Contributed by Rick Von Feldt)
September 21, 2010
Dear Grandma. Somewhere in heaven, you are sitting around celebrating today. I am sure you are humble about your birthday - as you were humble about much of your life. You probably didn't tell the angels around you, but of course, they knew. And when they woke you on this special day, you grinned, enjoying a day void of pain, worry and being full of wisdom and light.
We are celebrating your birthday. Each of us are doing it in different ways.
For me, I have thought about you off and on as I spend my day doing work in New York. Of all my grandparents, you would have been the one who would have felt as comfortable walking around with me here as you would have been in Kansas. That was your way. Open to exploring the world. Open to new things. You didn't judge too much while you were here on earth. Unless of course, someone had a misplaced ear ring, or facial hair or something that perhaps the nuns might not have liked in your school.
Today, I did New York things. My breakfast was at a typical bagel shop with a cream cheese of lox and spread. I would have asked you if you wanted to try. You would have said, "Why not!"
I worked in the day today, working on ideas about the future. I rushed off to a dinner at an Italian restaurant, and then on to a show on Broadway. If had asked, you would have been here in a second, tracking along, doing whatever sounded interesting.
It is midnight. I am on third street - having a late night glass of wine, checking email.
It would have been great to have been able to show you Facebook. With your typing skills, and thoughts of connecting up, I think you would have liked it. And you would have been willing to sign up and make a go of it.
If you were sitting with me tonight, you would be just as content to sip on a margarita and just watch the traffic and people go by. And even thought it was midnight, you would have been as stimulated as I am watching life go by.
This year, I did something to think about you. I started to make pickles. They are not the greatest. And I have not used the canning method. But I am making a go of it. I worked with Megan recently to make some pickles back in Kansas. I am there tomorrow, and look forward to see how they turned out. When I think of canning and pickles - I think of you. I was fascinated since I can remember, thinking about going down into your cellar off your porch and seeing the rows of lined up jars. Unfortunately, I never really paid that much attention to your periods of canning. I wish it was something I would have learned more about from you.
You have been on our minds over the last year. For some, it was difficult to even mention your name without shedding a tear. Your kids miss you very much. Marty Sue misses you very much. We still can't drive by Midland Hospice Care and talk about your days there, without a lump in the throats. It will take time, because while for you, it was your earth departure day, for us, it was the last day for a long time that we had a chance to hang out with you.
We know you are here.
We hope to continue to receive your guidance - either through a religious way - or simply through inspiration by following how you lived life.
We want to wish you a happy birthday!
Love,
Rick
Dear Grandma. Somewhere in heaven, you are sitting around celebrating today. I am sure you are humble about your birthday - as you were humble about much of your life. You probably didn't tell the angels around you, but of course, they knew. And when they woke you on this special day, you grinned, enjoying a day void of pain, worry and being full of wisdom and light.
We are celebrating your birthday. Each of us are doing it in different ways.
For me, I have thought about you off and on as I spend my day doing work in New York. Of all my grandparents, you would have been the one who would have felt as comfortable walking around with me here as you would have been in Kansas. That was your way. Open to exploring the world. Open to new things. You didn't judge too much while you were here on earth. Unless of course, someone had a misplaced ear ring, or facial hair or something that perhaps the nuns might not have liked in your school.
Today, I did New York things. My breakfast was at a typical bagel shop with a cream cheese of lox and spread. I would have asked you if you wanted to try. You would have said, "Why not!"
I worked in the day today, working on ideas about the future. I rushed off to a dinner at an Italian restaurant, and then on to a show on Broadway. If had asked, you would have been here in a second, tracking along, doing whatever sounded interesting.
It is midnight. I am on third street - having a late night glass of wine, checking email.
It would have been great to have been able to show you Facebook. With your typing skills, and thoughts of connecting up, I think you would have liked it. And you would have been willing to sign up and make a go of it.
If you were sitting with me tonight, you would be just as content to sip on a margarita and just watch the traffic and people go by. And even thought it was midnight, you would have been as stimulated as I am watching life go by.
This year, I did something to think about you. I started to make pickles. They are not the greatest. And I have not used the canning method. But I am making a go of it. I worked with Megan recently to make some pickles back in Kansas. I am there tomorrow, and look forward to see how they turned out. When I think of canning and pickles - I think of you. I was fascinated since I can remember, thinking about going down into your cellar off your porch and seeing the rows of lined up jars. Unfortunately, I never really paid that much attention to your periods of canning. I wish it was something I would have learned more about from you.
You have been on our minds over the last year. For some, it was difficult to even mention your name without shedding a tear. Your kids miss you very much. Marty Sue misses you very much. We still can't drive by Midland Hospice Care and talk about your days there, without a lump in the throats. It will take time, because while for you, it was your earth departure day, for us, it was the last day for a long time that we had a chance to hang out with you.
We know you are here.
We hope to continue to receive your guidance - either through a religious way - or simply through inspiration by following how you lived life.
We want to wish you a happy birthday!
Love,
Rick
Sunday, March 7, 2010
GEORGIA and SCRABBLE
SCRABBLE and GRANDMA (Contributed by Greg Dreiling)
One of my favorite things about Grandma was her love for the game of Scrabble. I remember as a youngster, always wanting to get into the game. They were pretty serious about it and I think it really must have been a bother to have the little kids wanting to join in.
I remember one of my last visits to Grandma's farm included a game of Scrabble with my mom and Grandma. I don't recall whether I won the game, but the high point for me was at the beginning. I was first up and laid out all seven letters right away to spell "MIRACLE".
Yes it was and so was Grandma.
One of my favorite things about Grandma was her love for the game of Scrabble. I remember as a youngster, always wanting to get into the game. They were pretty serious about it and I think it really must have been a bother to have the little kids wanting to join in.
I remember one of my last visits to Grandma's farm included a game of Scrabble with my mom and Grandma. I don't recall whether I won the game, but the high point for me was at the beginning. I was first up and laid out all seven letters right away to spell "MIRACLE".
Yes it was and so was Grandma.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
GEORGIA and her MUSICAL FAMILY
(Contributed by Sue Von Feldt about her mother Georgia, March 6, 2010)
"Sue, where did the music talent in your family come from?"
I always thought mom had a nice singing voice and she used to sing in church along with everyone else and she knew the songs. I think she probably used to sing when she was in the Catholic High Boarding School. In fact I remember her telling us a story of how one day they were all there and the nun was not there yet, so they decided to play a joke on her and they hid. Sister finally came in and waited a bit and could not figure it out and left. When she left they all got back in their chairs and so when she came back she asked them where they were and they said we have been here sitting here in our chairs! I guess she did not think it was that funny and so she said well I guess you will be sitting in those chairs after school also and so they had their singing class after school.
She would sing around home, and also liked listening to music. Her dad had a music shop at some point in Holyrood along with his photography. I think that was when he also carried jewelry too. (I think he was quite the entrepreneur). In addition he also played in a band and I don't know if you remember or not, but when we painted that middle bedroom at mom's house several years ago (we did her room and the middle bedroom), anyhow we hung up the picture of him and the band members (I am thinking maybe I took that picture and have it in the storage room somewhere.) Her mom did not play any instrument but she sure liked to dance and I guess she would go along with him when the band played and she would dance.
My dad, although I barely remember this, he used to have a banjo and used to play. I really don't remember him playing that much but I remember where it was kept at home and I think one of us kids (surely not me) broke the skin on it. Dad also loved listening to music and he and mom had a phonograph with the old thick records and later the big albums. Even after I left home, they bought that new stero that sat in the living room (the one that was still there in the living room when we stopped by there after mom's funeral), and they bought several LP albums. Mom really liked to listen to organ pipe music and dad liked listening to Kate Smith and they both really liked Guy Lumbardo, but dad especially liked him. And they both loved to watch Lawrence Welk. Before we even had tv, we would go over to Edna and Earl's and the adults would watch Lawrence Welk, Bishop Sheen and the Ed Sullivan show, while us kids played but some of the time we would sit down and watch some of the shows also.
(Coming soon – a very special story about Georgia and Guy Lombardo).
Dad's mother played the organ and I really don't remember her playing it but Ann and Dorothy do. I remember Joe and I playing on it and we would try and make sounds like an airplane taking off! I don't think we were allowed to play on it much, and I think it may have even been after she died that we got to play on it as no one else knew how to play it. Eventually the folks decided it was taking up too much space in the living room and moved it out to the other side of the outhouse building. It sat out there and rotted away.( The roof leaked and it got full of dust, etc.) What a shame huh? I don’t know just how good she was at playing it. But for that period of time that had to have been a pretty nice piece of furniture to have and I would love to know the story behind it of when and how they got it and when and how she learned to play. I think she lived with her grandparents for some time back in Pennsylvania so I wonder if she learned it there or what. Gosh, I sure wish somebody would have journaled back then.
Ann played trumpet and was pretty good. I talked my friend Louise into letting me borrow her drum and I thought I was going to teach myself to play the drum, but I did not have a clue as I never learned to read music, but I had fun trying to play the drum and Louise taught me a couple basic things. I never had a good singing voice, and once Sister Denise asked me to sing a little quieter and that really destroyed my confidence and I would not sing after that. I stopped going up in the choir and started sitting with mom and dad at church. She came and got me and made me go up to the choir; well you have heard of the story (my dad used to say this a lot), you can lead a horse to water but you cannot make him drink. At that point I still refused to sing at all and so when the report cards came out, she gave me an F in music. (There were many incidents like that where Sr. Denise and I clashed and reasons why I ended up disliking that nun so much.)
For a long time my secret dream was to magically overnight obtain a beautiful voice, or I wanted to become a singer in my next life; mostly I just wanted to have an average voice so I could join in on fun singing together with other having fun. That will never happen in this life, maybe the next. I always wanted to learn to play guitar or piano and have thought about trying it in retirement but I don't know that I could or would I spend enough time practicing to even play as well as a 5th grader! So I just listen to music and only try singing along if I know for sure no one else is around, except the dog and at least he does not howl. Good dog!
That is the music history in my family as much as I know it!!
"Sue, where did the music talent in your family come from?"
I always thought mom had a nice singing voice and she used to sing in church along with everyone else and she knew the songs. I think she probably used to sing when she was in the Catholic High Boarding School. In fact I remember her telling us a story of how one day they were all there and the nun was not there yet, so they decided to play a joke on her and they hid. Sister finally came in and waited a bit and could not figure it out and left. When she left they all got back in their chairs and so when she came back she asked them where they were and they said we have been here sitting here in our chairs! I guess she did not think it was that funny and so she said well I guess you will be sitting in those chairs after school also and so they had their singing class after school.
She would sing around home, and also liked listening to music. Her dad had a music shop at some point in Holyrood along with his photography. I think that was when he also carried jewelry too. (I think he was quite the entrepreneur). In addition he also played in a band and I don't know if you remember or not, but when we painted that middle bedroom at mom's house several years ago (we did her room and the middle bedroom), anyhow we hung up the picture of him and the band members (I am thinking maybe I took that picture and have it in the storage room somewhere.) Her mom did not play any instrument but she sure liked to dance and I guess she would go along with him when the band played and she would dance.
My dad, although I barely remember this, he used to have a banjo and used to play. I really don't remember him playing that much but I remember where it was kept at home and I think one of us kids (surely not me) broke the skin on it. Dad also loved listening to music and he and mom had a phonograph with the old thick records and later the big albums. Even after I left home, they bought that new stero that sat in the living room (the one that was still there in the living room when we stopped by there after mom's funeral), and they bought several LP albums. Mom really liked to listen to organ pipe music and dad liked listening to Kate Smith and they both really liked Guy Lumbardo, but dad especially liked him. And they both loved to watch Lawrence Welk. Before we even had tv, we would go over to Edna and Earl's and the adults would watch Lawrence Welk, Bishop Sheen and the Ed Sullivan show, while us kids played but some of the time we would sit down and watch some of the shows also.
(Coming soon – a very special story about Georgia and Guy Lombardo).
Dad's mother played the organ and I really don't remember her playing it but Ann and Dorothy do. I remember Joe and I playing on it and we would try and make sounds like an airplane taking off! I don't think we were allowed to play on it much, and I think it may have even been after she died that we got to play on it as no one else knew how to play it. Eventually the folks decided it was taking up too much space in the living room and moved it out to the other side of the outhouse building. It sat out there and rotted away.( The roof leaked and it got full of dust, etc.) What a shame huh? I don’t know just how good she was at playing it. But for that period of time that had to have been a pretty nice piece of furniture to have and I would love to know the story behind it of when and how they got it and when and how she learned to play. I think she lived with her grandparents for some time back in Pennsylvania so I wonder if she learned it there or what. Gosh, I sure wish somebody would have journaled back then.
Ann played trumpet and was pretty good. I talked my friend Louise into letting me borrow her drum and I thought I was going to teach myself to play the drum, but I did not have a clue as I never learned to read music, but I had fun trying to play the drum and Louise taught me a couple basic things. I never had a good singing voice, and once Sister Denise asked me to sing a little quieter and that really destroyed my confidence and I would not sing after that. I stopped going up in the choir and started sitting with mom and dad at church. She came and got me and made me go up to the choir; well you have heard of the story (my dad used to say this a lot), you can lead a horse to water but you cannot make him drink. At that point I still refused to sing at all and so when the report cards came out, she gave me an F in music. (There were many incidents like that where Sr. Denise and I clashed and reasons why I ended up disliking that nun so much.)
For a long time my secret dream was to magically overnight obtain a beautiful voice, or I wanted to become a singer in my next life; mostly I just wanted to have an average voice so I could join in on fun singing together with other having fun. That will never happen in this life, maybe the next. I always wanted to learn to play guitar or piano and have thought about trying it in retirement but I don't know that I could or would I spend enough time practicing to even play as well as a 5th grader! So I just listen to music and only try singing along if I know for sure no one else is around, except the dog and at least he does not howl. Good dog!
That is the music history in my family as much as I know it!!
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