Stories from the Stringam Family Ranches of Southern Alberta

From the 50s and 60s to today . . .



Saturday, March 17, 2018

Another Glimpse

Grandma and Grandpa Stringam (circa 1930)

Grandma Stringam was born in Teasdale, Utah July 31, 1885. She passed away in Lethbridge, Alberta May 13, 1981 at the age of 95.
 The things she witnessed during her life’s span are amazing.
Mind-boggling.
She is my hero.
Following are a couple of recollections from Grandma’s journals:
The first explains her life-long dread of snakes. Though, like the rest of us (*cough* me!) she probably didn’t need much encouragement . . .
Two-year old Grandma and her older brothers and sisters were on their way to their Grandma and Grandpa William’s house. Something that involved, in their rural area, a hike across the fields.
Ahead of them, something slithered in the grass.
A Snake!
Her siblings grabbed her by the arms and helped her jump over it.
But she got a good glimpse. Her first of such a creature.
Yeah. That did it. Something so long, cold and slithery must be treated with care.
Or downright suspicion. She decided then and there that, whenever she came into contact with such a creature, she would remain aloof.
And very far away.
The second recollection was of her father, my Great-Grandpa Williams.
And her sister, Maude.
Grandma remembered her father very well, though he died when she was seven of ‘dropsy of the heart’. She remembered his height, brown eyes and dark hair. His long face and Roman nose. She recalled how strict he was, but kind. And that when he told his children to do something, they were to do it.
Or else.
At this time, Grandma—just a bit older than her first recollection (see above)—had slapped her sister Maude in the mouth for swearing.
I don’t know about you, but sometimes, I’d like to slap a few people, too.
Ahem . . .
Grandma receive a spanking (hiding, tanning, blistering, etc.) for her actions.
Meted out by her disapproving father.
Yeah. There’s another memory that would stay with you for a very long time.
Even after the sting had disappeared . . .


14 comments:

  1. Your grandma sounds like a fun, feisty woman!

    ReplyDelete
  2. My mom's sister also died as a young child of "dropsy of the heart". I wonder what it would be called now. I had one spanking from my father my whole life...one was all it took!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I was just reading about it, Rena. It's Edema due to congestive heart failure. Yikes.

      Delete
  3. Family history is so interesting, isn't it. You are lucky to have your Grandmother's journals. I had an aunt who told me verbally and in letters things about my Grandparents and she also kept things which were passed on to me as she didn't have any children of her own and I was her God-daughter and doing the family history, so she knew they were in safe hands.

    Joan (Devon)

    ReplyDelete
  4. And now all I can think of is, what punishment, if any, was give to Maude by her parents regarding the swearing? Or was the slap from her sister deemed enough? Oooo, I always want to know The Rest Of The Story!

    I do hope you will bring us more of your Grandma Stringham's writings. There are no diaries, letters, journals or anything that I know of from my ancestors' days. You are so lucky and those journals are in the right hands.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love exploring through those journals! And now I want to know what happened to Maude as well . . .

      Delete
  5. Not sure my comment yesterday took so am commenting again - I love these family posts of yours. My mother in law has congestive heart failure - and now they have medicines for it. But I also know someone (who worked on my floor at work) who died relatively young from it-and I can remember what that leg edema did to her. Anyway let me join the chorus of "more stories!"

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm so pleased! There's nothing I enjoy more! Sad about your co-worker.

      Delete
  6. I love that you are able to get recollections of your family's history. It's always so interesting.

    ReplyDelete

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