Uncle Virge once kept a baby skunk in a grain barrel for me. He didn't want a skunk in his grain barrel but I wanted a shrunk for a pet so he let me bring water to the skunk every day and try to tame it.
He was the most colorful relative I have ever known, outspoken, often brash but had the kindest heart and absolutely 100% integrity. I adored him. Thankfully, he knew I adored him.
Today was his funeral. I cried and laughed and rejoiced. Uncle Virge died true and faithful.
He lost both his boys--he only had two children--and his wife and now they are all together. Here are his daughter-in-laws and the grandkids.
While we were at the cemetery I took a picture of our stillborn baby's headstone. He was only a five month baby but as any mother knows that is a baby, just as much as any baby is. I thought I would never recover of the grief over this baby. Of course time deadens the pain of any hurt but not the memory.
This is my "bestest" cousin of all times. We sold her our family home. She painted it and changed every speck of it. I am astonished. It is absolutely beautiful. It looks like a decorator lives there.
This is where I grew up. I slept in both of the upstairs bedrooms you can see windows for, and one on the other side of the house too. In the summer I slept on the front porch.
Right here.
The other end of the front porch Mom enclosed to make her walk-in closet--before she did that, I slept there too.
This is the breeze-way. As teenagers we slept on top of the roof and the boys found us one year and used our own garden hose to soak us.
This is in one end of the living room.
This used to be one end of the porch before Mother started closing it in. Holly has decorated this room well.
This is another room Mom made. She enclosed the back porch--that no one used--and made it into a sun-room. The best place for spend a cold winter day. It would get hot in there, even on overcast days.
This is Holly's new kitchen island.
This is the kitchen I burned up when I was a teenager. Have I told you that story?
The flames went from the stove, to the ceiling, across the ceiling and down the other side, almost to the top of the table. Of course it looks better now. The metal cabinets are the original ones, Holly just painted them.
Holly re-did the dressing room and installed a claw tub.
This is a "rubbing" that Holly made of our great-great grandmother, Lillian Abigail Gauchet's headstone.
And even though I took 72 pictures of Holly's house and lots of pictures at the cemetery I will close with this headstone rubbing.
We came from good people, people who worked hard, sacrificed for their beliefs and religion. They served their families and friends all the days of their lives. We live in far more luxury than they had but they were happy. Hard work makes for happy families. I guess I will go clean the kitchen now because it needs it. I hope to be happy.
13 comments:
Lynne~ I am so sorry for your loss. Your Uncle Virge sounds wonderful! I love the story of the skunk :D Your pictures, as always, are terrific. I liked the virtual tour of the house, it's really pretty! I hope you can be happy too. {{HUGS}}
beautiful place, I am sorry to hear of the loss of your uncle and of the son that you lost...
HUGs
beautiful place and sweet memories to linger over at a time of grief. God bless and comfort you.
It seems that many souvenirs bring back with your uncle's funeral. Bad, those we never forget, and good, those we want to keep in our memory.
Doesn't your family home seem smaller than when you lived in?
Because that was my impression when I turned back a long time after my childhood in my gran-father's house. In my memory, it was huge.
Your story touches me, fortunately your family links can help you to find peace.
This was a lovely post, I'm glad your uncle will be reunited with his family, even though it may be sad for those still here, at least for a while.
The end of an era! It must be very bittersweet.
You are such an example to me. I realize we're not related related, but I just love you. I love to read your blog, it's so comforting.
I'm so sorry about your uncle and your baby, wow, I don't know what I would do if I ever lost a child.
I hope you don't mind my eavesdropping in on your life, you're like a celebrity or something.
Lynne you are truly one who we all can learn a thing or two about living, laughing and loving!
I am as always delighted in your spirit!
What an awesome house, and how awesome it is that you can go back to it and have memories there!
Lynne, what a lovely post in a time of your grief. It's wonderful that you can "rejoice" in times of parting. That takes a great deal of faith.
Thanks for sharing the house!! It's beautiful inside and out!! I totally love the rubbing of the gravestone! What a wonderful idea to hang on the wall!! We need to remember those who have gone before us.
Wishing you happiness!!
This was a lovely post. And your family home is so beautiful - I love the thought of sleeping on the porch on a hot summer night....
your old house looks so amazing. they did a great job. though it will never compare to the old house that i knew, though only briefly, with grandpa on the front porch and all of us eating a cake that he demanded! :)
much love to you, miss you lots
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What a wonderful tribute. I really think you are so full of so many memories and have so many connections that you are bursting with wisdom and insights that you can use to help people. I am glad your Uncle is able to be back with his family, I would find it so hard to live without my spouse and children.
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