The next paragraph of the interview of Grandpa really stirs up my memories of my grandparents. (Remember that this interview was conducted in 1994. Grandpa and Grandma have been gone 13 years now).
Adrian is still very close to his children. He has twice weekly if not daily contact with all three. Adrian and Edna also have six grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren and love to show you their pictures! They are looking forward to Thanksgiving when they will have 34 members of their family over for dinner. “Nobody can cook like Edna,” Adrian proclaims. (I know I gained three pounds eating her baked goods during the interviews!)
One of the most special parts of living in Michigan (until I moved away in 1990) was that my grandparents always visited. They didn’t wait for their children and grandchildren to come visit them, they got in their car (Grandpa driving as Grandma did not drive) and came to see us. When I lived at home with my parents, they visited there. And when I got married and had my own apartment and then house, they visited me, too.
During the summer and fall they always brought vegetables grown in their garden and a jar of Grandma’s ratatouille. In the winter they brought Grandma’s cookies or fruit bread.
Here is Grandma’s recipe for Pumpkin Bread, which I am sharing through the old recipe card I wrote myself. Bake 1 hour or 50 means an hour or 50 minutes, but don’t get mad at my lack of clarity if you mess it up ;).
Just because they visited us often, doesn’t mean we didn’t go see them. At one point they moved very close to where my husband and I lived, and I liked to stop by their house. I never left without something special clutched in my hands–zucchini, zucchini bread, an old newspaper article.
My own kids admiring their great-grandparents’ flowers
My grandparents doted on their family, and we felt the same way about them.
Grandma holding her first grandchild (that’s me)
I hope you’ll stay tuned for Part XII or “The Final Episode” of Grandpa’s story . . . .
Here are the first parts of the story:
Click this link for Part I
Click this link for Part II
Click this link for Part III
Click this link for Part IV
Click this link for Part V
Click this link for Part VI
Click this link for Part VII
Click this link for Part VIII
Click this link for Part IX
Click this link for Part X
The Family Kalamazoo 
How very fortunate you were to continue your relationship with your grandparents as an adult…really incredibly fortunate. The recipe looks wonderful. I might give it a try! But the art is lovely – your children at their great-grandparents’ house and the flowers. Magical.
loved the picture of you with your grandma – I was also the oldest grandchild.
Yes, I feel blessed. And I think being the oldest grandchild was a blessing in itself. They had the most impact on my life while they were still quite young.
I’m loving this story. Can’t wait for the next chapter!! The story and photos are great!
Thanks! The next chapter will be the last from this interview, although there are lots of stories left in my family!
I really love the photo of your grandma holding you – so special.
I can still feel sitting on her lap while we sang “She’ll Be Coming Around the Mountain” and while she told me stories.
My one set of Grandparents lived about 4 hours away when I was a child (not the ones I write about in my blog). This post reminds me of how excited I’d get when they’d come to visit with my grandfather be at the wheel of their gold Rambler.
I’m glad the post sparked a great memory for you, Sheryl! That’s so nice to hear. I am imagining them pulling up in their gold Rambler!
Wonderful story and memories. I’ve got some catch-up reading to do! 🙂
Linda, thank you so much! Haha, yes, the total of posts for Grandpa’s story will be 12. Last one coming up this week!
Wonderful… I’m always a little envious of folks who grew up with lots of grandparents. Although I’m terribly grateful for the one grandfather who lived with us after nana died… indeed I am.
Am loving this series of stories and photos… many thanks 🙂
Visits are the glue that keeps the family together. I think it’s really cool that your Grandparents got into the car and came to visit you. My Grandparents on both sides were the opposite. They hosted a generous spread each weekend. We’d go to my maternal Grandparents for lunch and then paternal Grandparents for dessert. The only times they came to visit my Mom and Dad would be for a big event like an anniversary or communion.
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