Remembering Grama Lundgren

Grama Lundgren was the sweetest grama in the whole world. She left me the most precious gift I could ever get. Letters and writings about her grandchildren and her thoughts on world events. I love them, they are in her handwriting. They are like little messages from the past, but remind me how some things just don't change. She made a scrapbook for me when I was little and it is very ragged, but I keep it safe and bring it out sometimes so I can visit with Grama just for a little while. Here are some of her writings. "We were to dinner on Father's Day 1956 at June and Gerald's. Marty, Tommy and Paula put on a show. It beat all the television shows we ever could see. Marty takes dancing lessons so she of course was the star." Another entry, "Paula's sixth birthday was a lovely day. I had just gotten home from the hospital. The RS President and her counselors were visiting me when in came two of the most lovely little girls. Paula had a pretty green silk formal on. She had a necklace, a ribbon with a big card-board six hanging on it. Jolyn was dressed up too. They both had their pretty blue Easter Jackets, They looked so sweet and I was so proud of them." One more entry " Feb 10, 1956.. One of those wonderful (quiet) days when the three little Indian Bagley's were here. If you have gotten into a rut and the house seems a morgue, just have these little kiddies over and you come to life at once. Marty and I made valentines. It's fun to live the old days over again. After Tommie had had his rough and tumble till we forgot about his nap, he settled down to the TV Paula had a lot of phoning to catch up on, so for about an hour, she sat by the phone pretending she was phoning. She chatted and chatted. If any one tried to disturb her, she gave them a look that meant "Don't bother me now, can't you see I'm busy" One night the whole family came in with hats of many lands. Jiggs wore a scotch hat, Marty and Tommy had Mexican hats, June had Jigg's straw hat, but Paula would have none of such foolishness. She was prim in her best bonnet. What a life and what would we old foggys do if we didn't have these livewires around. Mr. Bageley (she really spelled it like that) was counting on Paula's fingers how many days till their vacation time came. He counted her thumb in. She said, "my thumb ain't a day". One night Paula decided she wanted a new bed. She got her pillow and blanket and made a bed on the floor. That didn't suit her so she made her bed in a long drawer below the closet in the hall. There she fell to sleep. During the night she stirred and her Daddy thinking she was awake, got up..there she was still asleep with her legs hanging over the drawer. What a fine picture it was. Gerald put her in her bed. Next morning she was mad as could be because someone had moved her out of her drawer bed. At one point Grama writes " June can see herself growing up if she wants to". That's enough for now, but reading this reassures me that life doesn't change that much..We still feel the same way about our families, our kids, sisters and brothers and our grandchildren that grama Lundgren did. It is that part of life I like to think about. To know those wonderful people before us, loved us just like we love ours. In the very beginning of the scrapbook Grama write's words to live by: "You can't describe love; you can't define it. Only it goes with you all your life. I think that love is more like a light that you carry. At first childish happiness keeps it lighted and after that romance. Then motherhood lights it and then duty, and maybe after that sorrow. You wouldn't think that sorrow could be a light would you dear? But it can. And then after that service lights it. Yes, I think that is what love is to a woman. A lantern in her hand." She wrote this quote down when I was very little. It is from the book "A lantern in her hand". Funny that years later that book would become one of my favorites..it's where I got the name Abby from.