Grandma’s Stories

Nov 18th “The Best of Best GIFTS is Music”

It just seems to me,  that everyone does LOVE Music!

While we were living in Fort Lauderdale Florida… there was a Restaurant that also had a Nite Club named “Toppers”…  which was having a management change .

Since we were in the restaurant business … with two others restaurants… friends of ours were inquiring of us… to find out if we would also, like to join them with this Restaurant that was located along the North Federal Highway?

My husband LEE,  and his brother AL, were invited to a meeting regarding this new business to see… if they had the time to take on a new challenge … and most importantly the connections  that you need to make this entertaining business a real hit … with the top entertainers that would bring in the business that this type of business really needed!

Sometimes when you least expect something new and exciting, it  just happens to call on you… to give it a good try  and to flourish… and low and behold… you have omething terrific to work with… that you never ever gave a thought to doing before… but then…in LIFE… that is just what happens … when you least expect something terrific knocking at your door!  

So… on one special occasion, my husband LEE, Sr. did take our young son LEE, Jr. with him … to see and hear all of the things that were going on in the mew restaurant business … they were  together at  “Toppers”  during the day time … while some of the musicians were  working with different instruments… that they would be using…  for the evening entertainment in the evenings…and one of those men, ask my husband… if his son would be interested in learning to play music?

That was… “Just the right question to ask”… as we were always interested in good music and would like for our children to learn to play music, as it is also… so good for the overall learning of all of the child’s learning at school.

So… for just being in the right place and at that right time in our lives… this man ask if he could bring a small organ over to our home… for our “Little LEE”… to see, if he could teach him how to play the organ and see if he had  any interests in learning to read and play music?

So… the above photo… is a photo of our Little LEE when the  above organ was delivered to our home.

Since this happened at just the right age and  correct time in my son’s LIFE… because he was then able to take lessons and  learn to read the music  at an early age… it did  also help in all of his school work through out  all the years he was in school.

At this early age of learning to play  and read music…Lee was also able  at a later date … to join and platy  in  the School Marching Band… and then… later on…Lee was able to take Orgon Lessons from the Instructor  for those that would learn to PLAY the ORGAN in Church!

So I am a firm believer … that all children should learn to play music at the very earliest of age… as it helps with  the developing of all of their learning  at school and  in so very many more things in LIFE!

Nov 17th “I Certainly Do Feel Like a Dunce”

When you are going to High School and that School requires that you wear a uniform… and then… one day there is a Bus strike… what do you do?

When you have a “Bus Strike” … you have a big problem for a whole lot of people… all those that depend on that “Bus” being at that corner… every day and at that… right time of day.

Back in that day of  of the early 1950’s … there were more people depending  solely on that “Bus” being their only transportation to  work and to school and back to their homes… and to the downtown stores and any and all entertainment.

That “BUS” being at that designated corner everyday and at all those assigned hours to pick up and deliver all theses’ hundreds of people each and every day… to their correct designations.

So… I am in High School and the radio announces that there is a “BUS” strike… “What in the world … do I do?

“I just had, to have my MOM take a picture of me on… my bike!”

Just had to add that “Dunce cap”  to my head… as this was going to be some kind of a real challenge  for me… since I live so far from Rosati-Kain High School on Lindell Boulevard.

From the vicinity of Carter and Linton Avenue… and then travel  going  South along Vandeventer … Southwest till… I run into Lindell Boulevard.

So… wearing a skirt on a boy’s bike  and then having to balance my school books and lunch in a separate container of some kind… that is if I took the time to prepare something.

Thinking back to those days … riding a bike to school several days in a row… there must have been some curious people just waiting to see… if I could make it to school each and everyday and on this bike… with a load of stuff that…  and just waiting to see if I would loose something and then…  maybe  have to make a stop or two on the way… to stop and pick up stuff that fell off the bike… as there would be one day a week… that I would  need my GYM clothes to change into…  and then there was always something different going on… to  be in need of…

Just always had to be prepared  for that, one unknown thing …I would need at school… and on that particular day… at school 

But I was for sure … so glad when that “Bus Strike” was over.

More so than any of the other students…. mainly, because I lived so far from the School and then,  all of the different kinds of stuff that,  I did have to remember for that particular day… that I would need.

But one of the most important things on the going to school on my bike each and every day was… that I did not have those  last few minutes to study something  special that… I really needed to remember for a particular class… as I was used to getting very good grades !

Nov 16th “Getting Just a Little Better .. Each DAY”

Are you missing something?

When I was a little girl, and that’s been a long time ago, it seemed to me that “TIME” just stood still.

I can remember sitting on benches with some of my little friends, and we were talking about – “How long do we have to wait for supper?”

We also were saying, “The clock just is not moving – how do ‘we’ get the clock to move faster?”

It was as if we did something or just maybe… could even try to do something special to get  “that “TIME”  of the day to move faster and just keep  moving  faster, and  then we could really have something to do?

When you are little, and I’m guessing this goes for all little “SMART  and Little TIKES” – that’s the class of “SMARTIES” that we thought we were in – and we had to get the world to move… just a wee bit  faster?

So now, I’m putting my foot  down on the “BRAKES” of time – we do  need to slow down “TIME” – it’s  just going too fast – I cannot keep up with what I need to get done  in just  one (24) hour day!

I find myself complaining about things that are not getting done, especially…  since I am either just too slow… and  or this day is just going too fast!

There is so much that I have – that is … that I want to read, and if I take the time to just sit and read – the day is shot – all gone?

And, I have a whole list of stuff, which just has to wait for another day – hopefully a much longer day  and or a  much  faster me?

In reading … something that may just seem to be that which … I really need to read – something to  inspire me to stop all of this  complaining about … that which, I cannot change and think more about the blessings…  that I have received, and ask blessings on everybody and everything…  that is requiring just a little  more time…  than what I can give… at that time!

In other words…  just learn to realize,  that as one gets older, one must also learn to slow down.

Today, we are on a very fast  journey, which is turning into a “rat race” – and this “body” being used today…  has already used up the best of its energy a long… long, time ago.

So, I am doing a better job, because I am “blessing” everyone around…  as I go, and I’m  finding…  that by “blessing” everyone that I meet each day… on my daily rounds – I feel like I have more energy and strength to get more done each lovely day  – more so…  than in the past.

I just “LOVE” blessing everyone as I go –

You know that…  “what you say is what you get back” –

…  and getting all those “BLESSINGS” is the best part of this day’s  journey!”