Wednesday, September 18, 2019
Sunday, August 11, 2019
Thursday, July 11, 2019
Russells Diner, West Hatfield, MA
The same day that we took a ride to Brattleboro and saw the changes to the "House on Mill Village Road", which the previous blog post talks about, we saw another change.
In many of my posts, I talk about Greenfield, MA. My grandfather's family was from there and he used to visit his brother David a lot, who still lived there. Sometimes my grandmother and aunt Dot went with me and my grandfather, sometimes it was just me, and sometimes it was me and my cousin Lynda when she visited in the summer. Uncle David had a son, Donald, who was two years younger than me. In the summer we would go to the Greenfield Pool together.
I knew all of the towns between where we lived in West Springfield to Greenfield. I also knew all of the motels. Don't forget, in the 1950's and '60's, Rt 5 was the main route north. No I-91 then! My grandfather used to quiz me on the towns we would go through.
Sometimes he would let my cousin and I ride in his old trailer hitched to the car. I'm sure my grandmother didn't know about it. We got stopped by a policeman who told my grandfather that he could not let us ride in that trailer. We were so upset by this. I do remember that he let us ride in it again, but told us to lie on the bottom of the trailer bed when we drove through the place where we got stopped. I'm not sure how many times we rode in that trailer but it made an impression on me.
Anyhow, some of the times we went to Greenfield, we would stop at this little diner in West Whately and have a hamburger at the counter. That made an impression on me too, probably because we never went out to eat! No fast food places at that time!
The diner is still there. It looks the same but has changed names many times. I remember it as being Russells, but lately it has been called Double D's Diner.
For years, when we would drive by, I would say to Paul that we should stop and have lunch but it was always late in the day and the diner was closed.
Today, when we drove by, the big sign by the road no longer had the Double D's sign. I made Paul turn around and go back so that I could take a picture. Who knows how long it would still be there, torn down to build a bank or a McDonald's!
As I was in the parking lot taking pictures, a lady came out the front door. I asked her if the diner was closed and she said yes. When I asked her how long it had been closed she said since last week. She was very friendly and talkative and she told me she has been the landlord for the last 13 years, and the people who rented it left to do food trucks. She didn't remember it being called Russells, but she told me that the 101 year old lady who lives next door to the diner is the mother of the man who built the diner in September 1953. It has obviously had several owners over the years, but believe it or not it still looks the same.
I told her how I used to stop to eat here with my grandfather and had always planned on stopping in, but never did. She ended up inviting me in to see the place.
My grandfather and I used to sit at the counter and it is very much how I remember it. She said that she has kept it original to what it was when she bought it.
I was so thrilled to have been able to go in there. She said she has some plans for what she would like to do it the place. She wants to keep it a little diner, but who knows. At least I have pictures now.
In many of my posts, I talk about Greenfield, MA. My grandfather's family was from there and he used to visit his brother David a lot, who still lived there. Sometimes my grandmother and aunt Dot went with me and my grandfather, sometimes it was just me, and sometimes it was me and my cousin Lynda when she visited in the summer. Uncle David had a son, Donald, who was two years younger than me. In the summer we would go to the Greenfield Pool together.
I knew all of the towns between where we lived in West Springfield to Greenfield. I also knew all of the motels. Don't forget, in the 1950's and '60's, Rt 5 was the main route north. No I-91 then! My grandfather used to quiz me on the towns we would go through.
Sometimes he would let my cousin and I ride in his old trailer hitched to the car. I'm sure my grandmother didn't know about it. We got stopped by a policeman who told my grandfather that he could not let us ride in that trailer. We were so upset by this. I do remember that he let us ride in it again, but told us to lie on the bottom of the trailer bed when we drove through the place where we got stopped. I'm not sure how many times we rode in that trailer but it made an impression on me.
Anyhow, some of the times we went to Greenfield, we would stop at this little diner in West Whately and have a hamburger at the counter. That made an impression on me too, probably because we never went out to eat! No fast food places at that time!
The diner is still there. It looks the same but has changed names many times. I remember it as being Russells, but lately it has been called Double D's Diner.
For years, when we would drive by, I would say to Paul that we should stop and have lunch but it was always late in the day and the diner was closed.
Today, when we drove by, the big sign by the road no longer had the Double D's sign. I made Paul turn around and go back so that I could take a picture. Who knows how long it would still be there, torn down to build a bank or a McDonald's!
As I was in the parking lot taking pictures, a lady came out the front door. I asked her if the diner was closed and she said yes. When I asked her how long it had been closed she said since last week. She was very friendly and talkative and she told me she has been the landlord for the last 13 years, and the people who rented it left to do food trucks. She didn't remember it being called Russells, but she told me that the 101 year old lady who lives next door to the diner is the mother of the man who built the diner in September 1953. It has obviously had several owners over the years, but believe it or not it still looks the same.
I told her how I used to stop to eat here with my grandfather and had always planned on stopping in, but never did. She ended up inviting me in to see the place.
My grandfather and I used to sit at the counter and it is very much how I remember it. She said that she has kept it original to what it was when she bought it.
I was so thrilled to have been able to go in there. She said she has some plans for what she would like to do it the place. She wants to keep it a little diner, but who knows. At least I have pictures now.
Monday, July 8, 2019
The House on Mill Village Road in Deerfield
Today Paul and I took a ride to Brattleboro, VT. On our way we drove down Mill Village Rd in Deerfield, MA. We do this a lot. A long time ago I told Paul about a house on that street (it was about the only house at that time) that my grandfather and I had looked at when I was a kid. We actually got out of the car and talked to the owners. He wanted to buy it with his brother, Uncle David. To read about it click here.
Paul put it into his GPS and labeled it "Deb's Deerfield Dream House". Over the years we have driven by it many times. It has looked out of place with so many big houses and duplexes that have been built up around it. I knew eventually it would be somehow replaced.
In 2014 we noticed some changes happening to and around the house. There were big trucks on the property, and it looked like there was some type of business there, not a residential house anymore.
Well, today when we drove by I couldn't believe how different the house looked! The big trees in the front of the house had all been taken down.
Most of the little shed type things in the back yard are gone.
I guess it's better than the whole house being taken down and a new house built in its place....but not much!
Paul put it into his GPS and labeled it "Deb's Deerfield Dream House". Over the years we have driven by it many times. It has looked out of place with so many big houses and duplexes that have been built up around it. I knew eventually it would be somehow replaced.
In 2014 we noticed some changes happening to and around the house. There were big trucks on the property, and it looked like there was some type of business there, not a residential house anymore.
Well, today when we drove by I couldn't believe how different the house looked! The big trees in the front of the house had all been taken down.
Most of the little shed type things in the back yard are gone.
I guess it's better than the whole house being taken down and a new house built in its place....but not much!
Friday, July 5, 2019
Thursday, June 27, 2019
Throwback Thursday - Pepe Taco
Paul started going to this restaurant, which was then called “Pepe Taco”, on Boston Road when it first opened in 1968. His Aunt Nancy was visiting and found out that there was a Mexican restaurant near them. She said she was surprised that they had one in this area, and that Mexican food was all the rage in California. They decided to try it. Paul went there a lot while he was in college at AIC and I went there with him quite a bit in the early years of our marriage. I would only eat one thing there though; I can’t really remember what it was. It was probably tacos. Paul said he always got the special, which was a tamale pie (a bowl of chili with a tamale in it) and 2 tacos.
According to MassLive dated May 7, 2018, Casa de Nana (The name of the restaurant when it closed) means "Grandma's House in tribute to its founders - and traces its roots back to 1968 when Pepe Taco opened as Springfield's first Mexican Restaurant. The name changed to Nana's Kitchen in 1970 and to Casa De Nana in 1984. It closed in 2018 and the building is still empty and for sale.
Sunday, June 9, 2019
Movie made from the Annual Paul and Marley Zoo Pictures
Paul couldn't resist making a movie from the Annual Paul and Marley Zoo Pictures with music.
If viewing from a phone, turning the phone sideways will give you a larger picture.
18th Annual Paul and Marley Zoo Picture
It all started back in 2002 when I took a picture of Paul and Marley walking at the Forest Park Zoo. My mother-in-law, Priscilla, loved the picture and a tradition was begun. Each year I have taken a new "zoo picture."
Today was Marley's high school graduation at the Coliseum (Big E), so we thought it fitting that we should take the annual Paul and Marley picture here. ❤️
2006
2005
2004
Today was Marley's high school graduation at the Coliseum (Big E), so we thought it fitting that we should take the annual Paul and Marley picture here. ❤️
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
.jpg)
2009
2008
2013
2012
2011
2010
.jpg)
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)