My Most Cherished Memory Pt.3

                                                              Everyday is a brand new day,
                                                               everyday is a journey.

Wherever He may guide me,
    No want shall turn me back;
  My Shepherd is beside me,
    And nothing can I lack.
  His wisdom ever waketh,
    His sight is never dim,--
  He knows the way He taketh,
    And I will walk with Him.
A. L. WARING.

The photo above is courtesy of my friend Cindy Alvarado from a trip back to her homeland of Ecuador.

Sunday was a very important day. We would have meat for dinner, because usually grandpa would kill a chicken, a rabbit or go down to the cellar to pull out a slab of beef or pork from the previous years harvest of the cow or pig. Of course, grandma and I would go to Church. Grandpa didn't go, something about the priest having a child with his housekeeper. I didn't quite understand it then, but I do now. Grandpa called him a hypocrite. In the evening we would watch a "special" on television usually a movie of sorts. Bedtime usually occurred after 9 p.m., no one could stay up past that.

Did I want to come back home? Absolutely not! I loved my time spent with them and I loved the farm. I loved everything about it. I was exposed to things that I have never seen before. When you cracked an egg open it was orange or red inside! The eggs here in the U.S. were just plain yellow. Everything tasted better to me, except the milk. I just couldn't drink it straight from the cow. It was warm and sweet. I fed the horses right out of my hand. My grandpa would go to the barn and carry on a pitchfork a huge stack of hay right over his head! The barn was away from the farm and stables in case of fire. They caught on fire quite frequently.

Did I want to go back home? Absolutely not! I loved everything about the trip, the farm and definitely loved village life. To this day, I love homesteading, watching old movies from the war time era back in England like Grantchester or Miss Marple series. I want to garden, to can goods and I want to live in the Country. When I came back to the States, I remember my drive from the airport with my parents. I kept speaking in Polish, unable to form words in the English language. I kept stuttering as if I have never spoken English before. I couldn't remember the words. It took me awhile to get back into the same routine I held before the trip. The memories never faded.

School started and life slowly went back to normal. Winter came and so did February. My grandpa passed away at the age of 62. We did not hear of his passing for over a week, because it was a Communist country and any calls made had to be requested and ordered. The day that he actually died, we were laughing and goofing around. We had no idea of what was happening back in Poland. When our mom received the news, she felt so bad for spending that day he died in laughter. Like it was a shameful thing to do. Now that I am older, I don't feel that guilt, because we should be rejoicing at the passing of our loved ones. They are with Jesus. Praise the Lord for that! When I pass away, I want everyone to sing and dance in celebration!

Even though I was still a child, I made a vow back then upon hearing of my grandpa's passing. I told everyone that if I ever had a son, I would name him Joseph after my grandpa. That's exactly what I did on November 12, 1984 when I gave birth to my first child, Joseph Michael the 2nd. So you see, so many good things came from that memory, from that experience. That's why to me, this will always be my most cherished memory of all.

To be continued tomorrow.

Have a blessed day everyone.