I have been outside gardening, where I do a lot of my profound thinking, and decided to write down why I oppose marriage between people of the same sex. On November 4, 2008 by a fairly small majority, the voters of the State of California voted for a constitutional amendment to ban such marriages. Then yesterday, visiting one of my daughters, she made a rather disparaging comment that she was sure I would have voted for the ban, and that she was quite perturbed that it passed. In addition I was forwarded a rather sad email from a young man who was terribly upset that his relationship would not be legalized.
Thinking about my daughter's comment, plus the body language that accompanied it, has occupied my thoughts a little since then. First I would like to remark that it is sad that younger people don't realize that age brings some wisdom with it. You are not just 'an old fool' stuck in your ways, but have had many, many years to see how the world works, how people behave. That is not to say that we are all wise, or all wise in all ways, but at least in most cases experience teaches lessons. Now we have the written word, and easily accessible information on the internet, so the wisdom of the elders counts for very little, whereas in days gone by they were well respected.
I therefore wish to state that I oppose gay marriage for the following reasons:
1. It is quite easy for children to become confused about their sexuality during early puberty. In my native country it was common for children in one-sex schools to have what we called 'crushes' or 'pashes' on older students of the same sex. This was not considered abnormal. I recall being madly in love with one girl about 4 years older, when I was about ten or eleven but it was a stage that passed. With the strong emphasis on homosexual relationships nowadays, I can envision many scenarios where a child could become seriously confused, not to mention guilty. In fact I personally know two men who realized in their 40's that they were not gay after all, and ended up happily married to women they met.
2. I do not think that legalizing what is unnatural is good for civilization. There are already a lot of very strange people in the United States, more so than in most civilized countries. Raising children (thankfully rare) in a gay household must be quite confusing for them, even if they are taught from an early age that it is normal. There must also be unkind comments to deal with from people they know.
3. If you are religious there is the religious argument. I do not belong to any church, but I am not an agnostic. Male and female is the normal and natural thing. It does seem that there are more gays on the planet now, but I have noticed that most of the people I know who are gay (how I hate how that word has been corrupted- I even have a cousin called Gaye - poor thing !) have either mothers who appear to be somewhat masculine in appearance or behavior or fathers who show signs of femininity.
4. The Courts will be flooded with divorce cases, so that cases with children who might need protection will have much delayed Court dates.
5. Churches will be forced to perform marriages their preachers/pastors might strongly object to.
6. A book that I read as a child made rather a strong impression on me. The author wrote that she had decided never to write anything that would corrupt others in any way. That would be rather limiting, but I thought then, and still think, that uplifting stories are terribly important. A vast number of novels published are not really worth the paper they are written on, being full of depravity.
7. It is my belief that a wise civilization safeguards it's children. This is not being done, as our little ones are bombarded with unfortunate examples of the immorality and immaturity of their elders.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
My Maternal Great Grandfather and Grandmother
My mother's grandfather, Samuel Barnard was born in 1832 in Antigua and died September 23, 1912 (my birth day) at the age of 80 in Castries, St. Lucia, then the British West Indies. He was a wealthy man of mixed race, including African. He married the strong willed and lighter complexioned Isabella de Beausire Parker on December 16 or 18, 1862. At that point he was 30 years old and Isabella was 20. The Governor of the island was among the illustrious guests at their wedding. Samuel began his career as a school teacher, his father (Samuel Sr.) having been sent to the island about 1840 by the Lady Mico Charity to start a school in Vieux Fort, when Samuel Jr. was a small child. Samuel later worked for a local company, Jones & Co??. , a shipping/import company, working his way up and eventually inheriting part of the company then taking over the rest and renaming it Barnard & Sons. He bought numerous properties, both commercial and residential and owned ships and yachts, and eventually, towards the end of his life, the first Jaguar auto dealership on the island. He was a justice of the peace and a member of the local legislature, and was well liked for both his honesty and outspokenness although he was inclined to be quite litigious. His nickname was Papie Sam, by which he was known throughout the island.
His wife, Isabella, was renowned for her difficult nature, but she and Samuel had a long marriage and produced seven children, 6 boys and one daughter, Lillian. Samuel liked to tease the boys by quoting the nursery rhyme "What are little boys made of ?" He was an affectionate and generous man, buying Lillian jewelry from France, one of which was later given to his first granddaughter, Pamela. Even in England his reputation was known to be honest and trustworthy. Comments were made by the family regarding the unfortunate way he was treated by Isabella.
Isabella's parents, Catherine Ann (Beausire) and Thomas Collingwood Parker, had owned a house in Morne Fortune known as 'Retreat' during her childhood, but it burned down in one of the frequent fires that struck the island. The house was rebuilt by Isabella with money provided by Samuel.
The house where the children were raised was named Sans Souci (French for 'without care'). It was built on Barnard Hill (originally Barnardsville c. 1901). Later some of the grown children had homes on the same hill, which overlooked the harbor. There was a view of the pier which held the shipping office and at the very end was a large warehouse. Steamships (some owned by the family) came into the deep water harbor to refuel with coal, and a huge pile of this was available. The coal was unloaded by porters with baskets on their heads. The warehouse contained numerous imports - food, including butter in cans, and many items needed on the island. Samuel likely had business dealings with the West India and Pacific Steam and Navigation Company which was managed by Catherine Ann's uncle, Joseph Beausire, who resided in Liverpool. Isabella spent quite a bit of time in England, even as a child, since her uncles lived there. She, together with her mother and 2 sisters, Lydia and Agnes are to be found at Robert Beausire's house in Wallasey in 1851 when the census was conducted. They must have been in England for several years since two of her siblings died there. Her only brother Thomas Parker in 1849 age 7, and an older sister, Helen in 1852. Both are buried in the Beausire family plot in Wallasey, Cheshire.
Samuel died of influenza, complicated by dementia. The day before he became ill he was at work as usual at his car dealership. He loved to socialize about town and was often to be found chatting with other locals. His sons were extremely proud of their father. He was seriously ill about 4 years before his death and after that had to curtail his activities, but spent time on a plantation of lime trees in the garden of Sans Souci. If he had lived for another 3 months, he and Isabella would have been married for 50 years. He was a member of the Legislature and mentioned in Debrett. He would have been angry and appalled to know that his granddaughter, Naomi Isabel Barnard, was later turned away from Government House when she arrived in the mid1920's dressed in finery for a ball and escorted by a beau. Nibs was fair skinned with blue eyes, being 3/4ths white but was not allowed in due to her negro origins. She was devastated by this and it affected her behavior for the rest of her life. The Governor General at that time was Sir Frederick Seton Jones who held the post from 1924 through 1930.. The island must have become more racist as white people (British ?) moved there, since Samuel and Isabella's wedding was attended by all sorts of dignitaries, including the Governor-General at that time.
Photos of Isabella de Beausire Parker (born 1842 in St Lucia, died there August 9, 1936 age 94) show a handsome woman, dressed in long black dresses with white hair piled on her head. She was of Arawak, French, English and Alsation background.
The Beausires were from Alsace Lorraine, where they were a wealthy family involved in raising thoroughbred horses. Isabella's father was an auditor on the island and believed to be great friends with Isabella's oldest brother, Robert Beausire
Family rumour has it that Isabella's great grandmother, who was from Martinique, was a Creole and very lovely. She had an affair with Admiral Hyde Parker, 5th Baronet. Research has proven all other family rumours but one to be true, so this is probably correct. He was widowed, in the West Indies hunting pirates and reputedly fell madly in love with her, which union produced a son, who may have been named either William Parker or Thomas Collingwood Parker (Sr.) after Hyde Parker's good friend, Admiral Collingwood. His ship the Cato disappeared at sea a few years later but he bequeathed our ancestor various items from his estate that were not entailed, and quite a bit of money. Some of his family were furious when they found out, but his sister was friendly and wrote her various letters. That son then had a daughter, Elizabeth Parker, who had several children, including Thomas Collingwood Parker (Jr.)
Isabella was partially educated in England, She was raised Catholic but later joined the Anglican Church, perhaps due to Samuel's aversion to Catholicism or because her brothers were Anglican. There was a Catholic school in St. Lucia at one point and she most likely attended there during her early years.
Isabella was not well liked by her grandchildren or daughters in law, being described by one of them as "a dreadful woman, ignorant and bad tempered.". If she saw the grandchildren eating her grapes she would come storming out to chase them away. She had a cherry tree cut down after she saw her granddaughter, Joan, eating the fruit ! Sans Souci was a lovely house, with a long balcony, kept shady and cool with twining vines and flowering bougainvillea. The house was painted white and there were tall statues of graceful females displayed here and there on the stairs. Isabella died of cardiac arrest at the age of 94, in 1926.
In his Will Samuel requested that their children not sell the real property he had accumulated, in particular Sans Souci, but that request was ignored, although the family company continued for many years after his death. Sans Souci burned down in another large fire after Isabella's death in 1936 and Barnard Hill is now home to a small museum ?
(c) Elizabeth Donnell November 15, 2015
His wife, Isabella, was renowned for her difficult nature, but she and Samuel had a long marriage and produced seven children, 6 boys and one daughter, Lillian. Samuel liked to tease the boys by quoting the nursery rhyme "What are little boys made of ?" He was an affectionate and generous man, buying Lillian jewelry from France, one of which was later given to his first granddaughter, Pamela. Even in England his reputation was known to be honest and trustworthy. Comments were made by the family regarding the unfortunate way he was treated by Isabella.
Isabella's parents, Catherine Ann (Beausire) and Thomas Collingwood Parker, had owned a house in Morne Fortune known as 'Retreat' during her childhood, but it burned down in one of the frequent fires that struck the island. The house was rebuilt by Isabella with money provided by Samuel.
The house where the children were raised was named Sans Souci (French for 'without care'). It was built on Barnard Hill (originally Barnardsville c. 1901). Later some of the grown children had homes on the same hill, which overlooked the harbor. There was a view of the pier which held the shipping office and at the very end was a large warehouse. Steamships (some owned by the family) came into the deep water harbor to refuel with coal, and a huge pile of this was available. The coal was unloaded by porters with baskets on their heads. The warehouse contained numerous imports - food, including butter in cans, and many items needed on the island. Samuel likely had business dealings with the West India and Pacific Steam and Navigation Company which was managed by Catherine Ann's uncle, Joseph Beausire, who resided in Liverpool. Isabella spent quite a bit of time in England, even as a child, since her uncles lived there. She, together with her mother and 2 sisters, Lydia and Agnes are to be found at Robert Beausire's house in Wallasey in 1851 when the census was conducted. They must have been in England for several years since two of her siblings died there. Her only brother Thomas Parker in 1849 age 7, and an older sister, Helen in 1852. Both are buried in the Beausire family plot in Wallasey, Cheshire.
Samuel died of influenza, complicated by dementia. The day before he became ill he was at work as usual at his car dealership. He loved to socialize about town and was often to be found chatting with other locals. His sons were extremely proud of their father. He was seriously ill about 4 years before his death and after that had to curtail his activities, but spent time on a plantation of lime trees in the garden of Sans Souci. If he had lived for another 3 months, he and Isabella would have been married for 50 years. He was a member of the Legislature and mentioned in Debrett. He would have been angry and appalled to know that his granddaughter, Naomi Isabel Barnard, was later turned away from Government House when she arrived in the mid1920's dressed in finery for a ball and escorted by a beau. Nibs was fair skinned with blue eyes, being 3/4ths white but was not allowed in due to her negro origins. She was devastated by this and it affected her behavior for the rest of her life. The Governor General at that time was Sir Frederick Seton Jones who held the post from 1924 through 1930.. The island must have become more racist as white people (British ?) moved there, since Samuel and Isabella's wedding was attended by all sorts of dignitaries, including the Governor-General at that time.
Photos of Isabella de Beausire Parker (born 1842 in St Lucia, died there August 9, 1936 age 94) show a handsome woman, dressed in long black dresses with white hair piled on her head. She was of Arawak, French, English and Alsation background.
The Beausires were from Alsace Lorraine, where they were a wealthy family involved in raising thoroughbred horses. Isabella's father was an auditor on the island and believed to be great friends with Isabella's oldest brother, Robert Beausire
Family rumour has it that Isabella's great grandmother, who was from Martinique, was a Creole and very lovely. She had an affair with Admiral Hyde Parker, 5th Baronet. Research has proven all other family rumours but one to be true, so this is probably correct. He was widowed, in the West Indies hunting pirates and reputedly fell madly in love with her, which union produced a son, who may have been named either William Parker or Thomas Collingwood Parker (Sr.) after Hyde Parker's good friend, Admiral Collingwood. His ship the Cato disappeared at sea a few years later but he bequeathed our ancestor various items from his estate that were not entailed, and quite a bit of money. Some of his family were furious when they found out, but his sister was friendly and wrote her various letters. That son then had a daughter, Elizabeth Parker, who had several children, including Thomas Collingwood Parker (Jr.)
Isabella was partially educated in England, She was raised Catholic but later joined the Anglican Church, perhaps due to Samuel's aversion to Catholicism or because her brothers were Anglican. There was a Catholic school in St. Lucia at one point and she most likely attended there during her early years.
Isabella was not well liked by her grandchildren or daughters in law, being described by one of them as "a dreadful woman, ignorant and bad tempered.". If she saw the grandchildren eating her grapes she would come storming out to chase them away. She had a cherry tree cut down after she saw her granddaughter, Joan, eating the fruit ! Sans Souci was a lovely house, with a long balcony, kept shady and cool with twining vines and flowering bougainvillea. The house was painted white and there were tall statues of graceful females displayed here and there on the stairs. Isabella died of cardiac arrest at the age of 94, in 1926.
In his Will Samuel requested that their children not sell the real property he had accumulated, in particular Sans Souci, but that request was ignored, although the family company continued for many years after his death. Sans Souci burned down in another large fire after Isabella's death in 1936 and Barnard Hill is now home to a small museum ?
(c) Elizabeth Donnell November 15, 2015
Sunday, November 2, 2008
My Maternal Grandmother
My maternal grandmother, Florence Winifred nee Hendy, ("Winifred") was born on October 20, 1882 in Brighton, England. She was very lovely with long hair. My older brother and I didn't meet her until we were about 9 and 7 years old respectively, when she and my grandfather, George Ernest Beausire Barnard, came to visit and a year or so later to live near us in Worthing, England. Prior to that they had been living in St. Lucia in the West Indies. Even in her later years Winifred had long hair below her waist. When she was younger it was long enough to sit on and she always kept it in braids, wound about her head. By the time I met her she had grey hair, but when she was a child it was blond, darkening to a light brown as she grew older. She had blue eyes and was about 5' 2 " tall.
She was a very happy woman, it seemed to me. Often laughing, somewhat plump, sedentary , gentle natured. Her father, William Hendy, born May 6, 1840 was a book publisher, who died a month after she was born on November 24, 1882, and her mother, Katherine Amelia (nee Holmes) born December 17, 1841, died on October 16, 1888, shortly after Winifred's 6th birthday. They both died of tuberculosis. At the time of her mother's death, Winifred's oldest sister, Helen, was 22 and Mildred, the next in age, was 18, and they cared for her after their mother's death and for the two boys, William, 17, and Charles, age 14, although the boys were away at boarding school. As sisters often can be they were quite strict with Winifred so that she never quite forgave them and they were never close, even as adults. Perhaps they resented having to act as parents to a small girl, particularly at an age when they would have been dating. Mildred never married but Helen did at the age of 28 when Winifred was 12 years old. Another possibility could have been jealousy since Winifred was the beauty of the family. At the age of 19 she was still living in Brighton, and working as a typist but shortly after that she got a job with the War Office in London, as a secretary. At some point she went to live with a grandmother and her slightly older cousin, Hilda.
She met her husband, George , born October 12, 1869, through Hilda. Hilda married George's brother, Arthur Alison Barnard on August 2, 1900 but the marriage lasted only long enough to produce one daughter, Pamela, born on May 20, 1907. Winifred's marriage to George on June 7, 1905 however, was long and happy, with seven children. Soon after their marriage they sailed to St. Lucia, where George owned coconut and banana plantations. Winifred never learned to keep house or cook, since George had multiple servants on his plantation and when they were in England others were either brought with them to houses they rented or hired locally. There were also nurses and governesses for the children, including a wonderful black nurse called "Da". Winifred did not breast feed any of her babies.
George was 13 years older than Winifred and as a young man was rather quick tempered and aggressive, but by the time he was in his late 70's he had mellowed. He had a lot of problems with cataract and was almost blind, wearing an eye patch over one eye. The cataract started to develop quite early (in his late 40's) and at one point he sailed to Canada for treatment. He liked to have his nails very long which I considered effeminate but of which he was quite proud, and I would nag at him to let me cut them. He would eventually relent, allowing me to cut all but the little fingernail on each hand !
My mother has dreadful stories of him horsewhipping the four oldest children, including her, but by the time the 3 youngest boys were born he had changed. She has scars on her back from the whips and even when she was grown she avoided much in the way of conversation with him. She and her next born sibling, Hugh, were the ones who received the most punishment. My mother was very strong willed, disobedient and difficult but Hugh was a sensitive child and suffered most from the harsh treatment. Winifred was not without blame in the matter though, since she would report the children's misdemeanors to their father and request that he punish them. During one of their visits to England, while the family was living in a rented house someone reported suspected child abuse to the local authorities and there was an investigation, but nothing was proved.
After their retirement to Worthing in 1950, George and Winifred resided in a guest house run by an older couple and their daughter, Gwen. There were other guests in the house and meals were provided. Both George and Winfred developed diabetes and heart problems during this time, probably from the rather poor diet, since they were fed a lot of starch and sweet desserts. One dessert that Gwen loved to make was called "lardy cake", which she would share with us too. You can just imagine the ingredients !!! They both gained too much weight. Occasionally my grandmother would take my mother, brother and I out to afternoon tea at the local tea shops where we would order hot tea and hot buttered toast (usually slightly burned since there were no toasters). A little pot of jam would accompany the toast and then the waitress would bring round a plate with a variety of small pastries and cakes and we were allowed to choose one each. Never more ! This used to bother me, since eating out was a particular treat and I didn't think it was very fair. I never said anything though since English children are (or were in those days) raised to be very polite !! I believe now that my grandfather although quite wealthy, was very careful with money and kept my grandmother on a tight rein.
My grandfather died at the age of 82 on May 12, 1952 of heart problems. He was in a private nursing home after he became ill and the nurses commented on the marvelous physique he had for his age. Large death duties (taxes) had to be paid from his estate, and my grandmother died at the age of 72 on May 5, 1954 - almost two years after his death, and just long enough after that more death duties were payable. The taxes almost wiped out my grandparents carefully conserved money, leaving almost nothing but the plantations in the Caribbean which had previously been turned into a limited company, divided between the seven children.
After my grandfather died I recall my grandmother trying not to laugh at things she found funny, since she felt it was not suitable for a new widow. I remember her in gales of laughter, saying to my mother, "Oh, Lesley, don't." It probably did her a great deal of good to laugh. She had a very good sense of smell and one day when she was at our house for a visit she kept complaining that she smelled apple (which she hated). My mother assured her that there was no apple in the room, but later realized there was a small piece in the canary's birdcage.
Winifred often commented that she was forever 'waiting' for others or some event to occur, and felt that this was a punishment for past life sins ! She loved to do crosswords from the Sunday Times newspaper, and was very good at them. She was terribly affected by the heat in the Caribbean and was miserable living there. Educated women in those days were expected to wear long dresses and sleeves regardless of the weather, so I am not surprised. My mother recalls her forever complaining about the heat, sitting fanning herself and sending the children away to be cared for by servants. The plantations were also quite isolated and my grandmother loved to shop. Fortunately there were occasional visits to England, by sea, which helped in that regard.
She was very much loved by her children, and especially by my mother.
(c) Elizabeth Donnell March 10, 2010
She was a very happy woman, it seemed to me. Often laughing, somewhat plump, sedentary , gentle natured. Her father, William Hendy, born May 6, 1840 was a book publisher, who died a month after she was born on November 24, 1882, and her mother, Katherine Amelia (nee Holmes) born December 17, 1841, died on October 16, 1888, shortly after Winifred's 6th birthday. They both died of tuberculosis. At the time of her mother's death, Winifred's oldest sister, Helen, was 22 and Mildred, the next in age, was 18, and they cared for her after their mother's death and for the two boys, William, 17, and Charles, age 14, although the boys were away at boarding school. As sisters often can be they were quite strict with Winifred so that she never quite forgave them and they were never close, even as adults. Perhaps they resented having to act as parents to a small girl, particularly at an age when they would have been dating. Mildred never married but Helen did at the age of 28 when Winifred was 12 years old. Another possibility could have been jealousy since Winifred was the beauty of the family. At the age of 19 she was still living in Brighton, and working as a typist but shortly after that she got a job with the War Office in London, as a secretary. At some point she went to live with a grandmother and her slightly older cousin, Hilda.
She met her husband, George , born October 12, 1869, through Hilda. Hilda married George's brother, Arthur Alison Barnard on August 2, 1900 but the marriage lasted only long enough to produce one daughter, Pamela, born on May 20, 1907. Winifred's marriage to George on June 7, 1905 however, was long and happy, with seven children. Soon after their marriage they sailed to St. Lucia, where George owned coconut and banana plantations. Winifred never learned to keep house or cook, since George had multiple servants on his plantation and when they were in England others were either brought with them to houses they rented or hired locally. There were also nurses and governesses for the children, including a wonderful black nurse called "Da". Winifred did not breast feed any of her babies.
George was 13 years older than Winifred and as a young man was rather quick tempered and aggressive, but by the time he was in his late 70's he had mellowed. He had a lot of problems with cataract and was almost blind, wearing an eye patch over one eye. The cataract started to develop quite early (in his late 40's) and at one point he sailed to Canada for treatment. He liked to have his nails very long which I considered effeminate but of which he was quite proud, and I would nag at him to let me cut them. He would eventually relent, allowing me to cut all but the little fingernail on each hand !
My mother has dreadful stories of him horsewhipping the four oldest children, including her, but by the time the 3 youngest boys were born he had changed. She has scars on her back from the whips and even when she was grown she avoided much in the way of conversation with him. She and her next born sibling, Hugh, were the ones who received the most punishment. My mother was very strong willed, disobedient and difficult but Hugh was a sensitive child and suffered most from the harsh treatment. Winifred was not without blame in the matter though, since she would report the children's misdemeanors to their father and request that he punish them. During one of their visits to England, while the family was living in a rented house someone reported suspected child abuse to the local authorities and there was an investigation, but nothing was proved.
After their retirement to Worthing in 1950, George and Winifred resided in a guest house run by an older couple and their daughter, Gwen. There were other guests in the house and meals were provided. Both George and Winfred developed diabetes and heart problems during this time, probably from the rather poor diet, since they were fed a lot of starch and sweet desserts. One dessert that Gwen loved to make was called "lardy cake", which she would share with us too. You can just imagine the ingredients !!! They both gained too much weight. Occasionally my grandmother would take my mother, brother and I out to afternoon tea at the local tea shops where we would order hot tea and hot buttered toast (usually slightly burned since there were no toasters). A little pot of jam would accompany the toast and then the waitress would bring round a plate with a variety of small pastries and cakes and we were allowed to choose one each. Never more ! This used to bother me, since eating out was a particular treat and I didn't think it was very fair. I never said anything though since English children are (or were in those days) raised to be very polite !! I believe now that my grandfather although quite wealthy, was very careful with money and kept my grandmother on a tight rein.
My grandfather died at the age of 82 on May 12, 1952 of heart problems. He was in a private nursing home after he became ill and the nurses commented on the marvelous physique he had for his age. Large death duties (taxes) had to be paid from his estate, and my grandmother died at the age of 72 on May 5, 1954 - almost two years after his death, and just long enough after that more death duties were payable. The taxes almost wiped out my grandparents carefully conserved money, leaving almost nothing but the plantations in the Caribbean which had previously been turned into a limited company, divided between the seven children.
After my grandfather died I recall my grandmother trying not to laugh at things she found funny, since she felt it was not suitable for a new widow. I remember her in gales of laughter, saying to my mother, "Oh, Lesley, don't." It probably did her a great deal of good to laugh. She had a very good sense of smell and one day when she was at our house for a visit she kept complaining that she smelled apple (which she hated). My mother assured her that there was no apple in the room, but later realized there was a small piece in the canary's birdcage.
Winifred often commented that she was forever 'waiting' for others or some event to occur, and felt that this was a punishment for past life sins ! She loved to do crosswords from the Sunday Times newspaper, and was very good at them. She was terribly affected by the heat in the Caribbean and was miserable living there. Educated women in those days were expected to wear long dresses and sleeves regardless of the weather, so I am not surprised. My mother recalls her forever complaining about the heat, sitting fanning herself and sending the children away to be cared for by servants. The plantations were also quite isolated and my grandmother loved to shop. Fortunately there were occasional visits to England, by sea, which helped in that regard.
She was very much loved by her children, and especially by my mother.
(c) Elizabeth Donnell March 10, 2010
Saturday, November 1, 2008
The Economy,
I just came back from a trip to the local Sears store. I hope they are not going to close. Since this is a small community they are never particularly busy and it seemed that everything in the store was on sale. The aisles appeared to be wider and lots of closeouts down the middle of the main aisles. I even got some toys for a dollar each, which will help at Christmas time with my 13 grandchildren to buy for. Of course some of them are older and no longer interested in toys but there are still seven little ones.
It is quite amusing to have grandchildren of various ages, as mine range from a few weeks old to age 21. Each of them is different (of course) and it is so interesting to see their personalities develop. At Christmas time I often wish there weren't quite so many of them though !! Especially with the economy the way it is.
I have been quite busy lately and haven't been able to go on my usual neighborhood walks, but I have noticed that there are 3 buildings foreclosed on within a hundred yards of my house on just two streets. One of my friends is a real estate broker working for one of the big mortgage lenders and she is handling about 25 foreclosures a week. She says that it is pretty amazing to see some of the young people with small children in these million dollar homes, with all kinds of expensive furniture and appliances.
It is quite amusing to have grandchildren of various ages, as mine range from a few weeks old to age 21. Each of them is different (of course) and it is so interesting to see their personalities develop. At Christmas time I often wish there weren't quite so many of them though !! Especially with the economy the way it is.
I have been quite busy lately and haven't been able to go on my usual neighborhood walks, but I have noticed that there are 3 buildings foreclosed on within a hundred yards of my house on just two streets. One of my friends is a real estate broker working for one of the big mortgage lenders and she is handling about 25 foreclosures a week. She says that it is pretty amazing to see some of the young people with small children in these million dollar homes, with all kinds of expensive furniture and appliances.
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