No Pictures of Some of the Past

This is the full picture that I have been using in the header for this blog for the holidays,  and it is of the living room of my grandparents, Dan and Maggie Pearce, sometime in the early 1900's - probably twenty or more years before I was born.  They still had the piano and victrola when I was a little kid and woud go down to stay with them from time to time - some of my very favorite memories. 

In this day and age and for many years gone by, there are many, many pictures taken at Christmas, other holidays and family gatherings.  (I will say that the Pearce family did take a lot of  pictures over the years and that is the reason for this blog!)  However, there is not a single picture anywhere of any Christmas when I was a child growing up from early childhood until the time I was married.  There are many memories but nothing to look at where our family is shown,  a tree can be seen, old gifts recalled - a complete lack of documentation.   I have quite a few pictures of Christmases with our kids although not nearly as many that are taken in this time of digital cameras  and unbelievable technology.  Taking wonderful pictures with a phone blows my mind.  I was born just before the big depression and my father was out of work for a long time.  My parents always struggled with the lack of funds so we were not showered with a lot of gifts as some of the young ones are in this day and age.  Regardless, I have lots of lovely memories of Christmas when I was growing up.  I just wish there were actual pictures to look at.   (Click to enlarge)

My Family Fifty-nine Years Ago

This would have been the winter of 50-51 when Ray and I were married just over a year and I was pregnant with Sherry who was born in June of 1951. We lived in an apartment owned by an Italian couple, Sam and Rena Marini. They lived on the main floor and had a spaghetti restaurant in the basement. What great food Rena cooked! The house was on the "old hard road" that ran right along the river. In the picture, you can see the seawall and the river right there. Ray and I are on the left, my sister, Joanne, has her hair in a bandana, then Nan and Charlie (our mom and dad) and brother Bud. My Aunt Nelle and her husband, Lambert, were back from California for a visit. I only saw Nelle maybe twice in my life.

Here is a picture of four of the Pearce siblings - Leah, Ed, Nan and Nelle. I will post two more pictures later on that shows all of the siblings and Maggie, my grandmother, at a dinner we had at Marini's. In that picture everyone is there with the exception of Dan, my grandfather, who was deceased, and my Aunt Del, Uncle Harry's wife, and I don't know why she was unable to make it. So long, long ago. (Click to enlarge)