Throwback Thursday - Pumpkin Pie or Squash Pie?

Having this pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving reminded me of past Thanksgivings at my grandmother's house. 

If you follow my blog at all, you've heard me talk of my Aunt Dot's friend Steph.  Well, Steph and her family used to come over on Thanksgiving afternoon for dessert. 

These are pictures from Thanksgiving 1966.


Ettie, Dot, Steph

These are the guys, in the living room, most likely watching football.  The women and kids were either in the kitchen or in the dining room. 

Steph's husband Ray, my Dad, and Ettie's husband Bob

The pumpkin pie that we had this Thanksgiving reminded me of a funny story about Steph and pumpkin pie.  Steph came from New Jersey where no one had ever heard of a squash pie.  Every year my grandmother would make either a squash pie, pumpkin pie or both.  Steph always asked which one it was before she ate it because she loved pumpkin pie but wouldn't touch squash pie.  One year my family decided to play a trick on Steph.  They told her she was having pumpkin pie and when she finished they asked her how it was.  "Delicious" she said.  They all had a great laugh when they told her she had just eaten squash pie!

This year, the day after Thanksgiving, my Aunt Ettie and cousin Lynda came for a visit.  We picked up my Aunt Dot and went to visit Steph.

Steph, Dot, Ettie

 We had a wonderful visit, talking alot about old times.  I brought up the pumpkin pie vs the squash pie and Steph told the story again.  We all had a good laugh! 

Good memories.

Throwback Thursday - Thanksgiving 1974

Thanksgiving Day 1974 at my grandmother's house.   Paul took this picture in two pictures and then put them together.  There was no "panorama app" in those days!  Left to right - my mother-in-law Priscilla, Kristen (she was 2.  Mark was about 3 1/2 months so he is probably somewhere in his infant seat), my grandmother, Dot, me, and my father-in-law Fred.

So many things in this picture that I remember.  My grandmother always wearing an apron on holidays.  The V-8 juice in the little glasses (my family doesn't like V-8 so I stopped serving it on Thanksgiving, but we always had it).  It's hard to see but I can tell there is marshmellow fruit salad that my mother-in-law made.  Dot also used to bring it to my house on holidays.  We haven't had it in a long time.  I should see if I have the recipe.  My aunt's picture that she painted above the piano.  It is in her room at the Atrium now.  The picture of Dot singing for the Bethany Hour on the piano.  She also has this in her room now.  The sheet music on the piano that my grandmother used to play (and she would also sing while she played).  I wish I could hear that again. 

One of the things that I am thankful for this season is old pictures.  Funny to think that even some of the pictures Paul and I took are now considered old pictures!

Izzy and Minnie

Here are the girls in their fluffy window beds!

Throwback Thursday - Higgins/Waite Wedding

Today my friend Leslee and I went to the Genealogy Room at the Springfield Museum.  I was poking around on one of their computers which showed Springfield newspaper articles.  I put in "Higgins" (my mother's maiden name) and this popped up.

I had never seen that before.

This is their wedding picture.

They look so young.  Well, they were.  She was almost 18 and he was almost 21. 

I remember my mother telling me that they were married in her mother's church in the church parlor.

Such a long time ago....

Mop Head

One of the waitresses where Paul works sent me this from her phone.  She called it "Mop Head".

Throwback Thursday - Sister Gibson



Christine A. Gibson (1879-1955)

Sister Gibson was the Founder of Zion Bible College in East Providence, RI, in 1924.  After high school, Dot went there for, I think, one year.  I never heard Dot talk much about Zion or Sister Gibson, but evidently she made a big impression on her.

When we brought Dot to the Atrium, it was a very difficult time, and something that she had no idea we were doing.  On the day of the move-in, she was very upset and friends of ours that go to our church were there visiting a relative.  They knew how upset Dot was and before leaving they went to her room and prayed with her.  I really believe that prayer was what caused Dot to think that the Atrium was a Christian organization.  She began to talk about Sister Gibson and how she built this place for people who needed a place to live.  Even now, a year and a half later, she still talks about her and what a wonderful thing she did to build this place, how she remembers it from when she was young.  I can see her thinking; it is kind of like a dorm!  I am so thankful that she thinks that, because I can tell it is a comfort to her.

This a picture of Dot (far left) at Zion, probably around 1941 or 1942. 

Change....

Last day at 32 Carroll St.

First Day at 150 Elmar Dr.

This was moving weekend for Mark and Janelle.  We were lucky to have good weather, lots of help, and a moving company (a guy and his son that we had used to move Dot).  Even so, moving is such a lot of work, in so many ways.  The worst is behind them though.  Now it's the unpacking and organizing.  Good thing they're young!