Family heirlooms

You may recall that Tom's paternal grandmother passed away a couple months back, in early May. While in CT this past weekend for a celebration of her life and the family service for her, we went to her house. There were a bunch of us there, and it was a really happy, reminiscent few hours. As those identified as the ones who love to cook, another granddaughter-in-law and I were given free rein to go through Grandma's kitchen and take what we wanted. I had a ball looking through her old recipe file- she'd noted the date(s) on which she'd made each, who she cooked them for and any adjustments she made or would suggest making. She also wrote her review: Great/Delicious/Good/Awful, and I thought it was both hilarious and charming that she returned Awfuls to the box. I brought home a few of these old, smudged, handwritten gems. Like all those I have from my grandmother and aunties, I will treasure these and add them to our family recipe repository. Looking through her cabinets, I felt like I'd been dropped into an Etsy housewares shop. It was awesome. 12 perfect condition old coupes now grace our china cabinet, this lovely dish for candy or trifle too. And you know those enormous Pyrex measuring cup/bowls with a spout? I can't remember the last time I saw one for purchase, and so I wrapped hers up eagerly. Fantastic! Utensils, pans, more Pyrex....this trove was my inspiration for cleaning out my drawers this morning.

We also brought a ton of old pictures, mostly black and white, some still in really great shape. Tom's going to scan them all and make CDs for everyone. I love pictures from the 40s and 50s; they look almost other-worldly in some ways. There is a glamour about them- the clothes, the coifs...even when humble, they maintain an elegance I often think is missing today.

And the boys were gifted with Tom's grandfather's old tool box, the red metal kind with three drawers and then a top compartment with the latching lid. It is heavy and well-made and was chock full of tools, and they just could.not.believe. that they got to keep everything. Oliver said that he, Jack and Tom could share it but "not Mommy because she is not a builder." I sort of loved that Tom's immediate response was, "Oliver are you saying that because Mommy is a woman? Because you know women can be builders!" O finally agreed to share the tools with me but I'm not sure he took in the lesson about women and the building profession. Heh!