I’ve written quite a bit about my Kalamazoo grandmother, (Lucille) Edna Mulder Zuidweg. I’ve posted her high school graduation information, about her time at Western Normal School (now Western Michigan University), about her marriage to my grandfather, Adrian Zuidweg.
In my big organization-and-shred project I found something that I love. Grandma wrote me a letter when I was a grad student. She and I had had a phone conversation about how she wanted me to never give up creative writing because she had done so and regretted it. Grandma and I had a love of writing in common.
So she found a newspaper clipping and sent it to me in this letter. Note that we have “cleaning out the desk” in common, too haha.
I sure did love her stories. And Grandpa’s stories, too. I am positive that their storytelling is what inspired me to write poetry and stories.
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Yes, I said FREE!!!! Deadline Sunday, June 9, 2019
I have exciting news for anybody with old photos like mine that you would like to see colorized. To celebrate her blog’s second anniversary, Val at Colouring the Past is offering a FREE photo colorization with a very minimal “catch” (I can’t even really call it a catch). Go check out her post where she tells about it.
Click here.
Be sure to get over there right now so that you don’t miss the deadline!
You might have seen some of the gorgeous work she’s done for me. Here’s a sample:
The Family Kalamazoo 
That’s such a wonderful letter and news clipping! As Art Linkletter used to say, kids say the darndest things!
When I was still a kid I read his book. It had a yellow cover, and I read it sitting in a lawn chair in front of my other grandmother’s garage (a place that reminded me of a haunted house). Did you ever read that book? SO funny.
I must have, but I don’t have as clear a memory of doing so as you do. I do remember watching him with kids on television though.
At the time I thought the book was just hilarious.
Kids ARE hilarious! and out of their minds….
Lol! You are a grandma so you would know!
Out of your mind stories are the best!
Hah, aren’t they though?!!!
I love this one, Luanne. Your grandmother must have been such a wonderful inspiration to you…and you to her!
Please tell me one of your out of your mind stories. We are all waiting today.
Thanks, Sheila! She was a pretty wonderful grandmother! And both she and my grandfather were fabulous storytellers. He had the oral storytelling style down so well, so that along with his great memory and love of family and local history had obvious benefits for me. My grandmother was an all around creative storyteller, equally good at “memoir” and “fiction.”
Such a sweet post Luanne…Grandma’s are the best! You found a treasure ‘cleaning out that desk’
Think of that circle. It’s kind of like one of those stories that goes, “It was a dark and stormy night and the girl was reading from a book that began it was a dark and stormy night . . . .” Hahaha. Thank you, Sharon!
🙂
That’s a lovely letter and I love the clipping with your request to her!
And thanks for the link, appreciated.
You’re welcome, Val. What a lovely and generous offer you have for people!!!!
Thank you! I think it was sweet that she kept the clipping all those years!
All eight slots are filled now and I’ve updated the post. Thanks again, Luanne. x
Eight happy people!!!!
Hopefully!
A precious letter. My Dad only wrote me one which he neither finished nor posted. He gave it to me on my return from holiday. I carried it in my wallet for years, until the wallet was stolen.
What a mean thing to do–steal your wallet and not return the letter to you! I’m so sorry you lost that letter, Derrick. I bet you have it nearly memorized.
I do 🙂
I love this story, Luanne. Your grandmother must have been so proud of you to have written to the local paper!
What a great opportunity for regular bloggers! I hope Val does a blog show of the eight results. That would be fun to see.
I’m glad you found that precious letter. You are lucky to have had family members who encouraged you to write. That makes me think of Mendelssohn, whose family encouraged him to write music. He was one happy composer.
Love this story!
Thank you! Me too haha!
What a wonderful inspiration for your writing – and that clipping is a treasure!
Right?! I agree! Thanks, Eilene.