Grandma's Kitchen - 52 Weeks

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Grandma's kitchen was small by today's standards, and old, even by 1960s standards. I have many warm memories of "helping" Grandma cook in her kitchen. While unpacking one of the many boxes from my grandparents' house that had been sitting in the Family Home for several decades, I ran across this set of measuring spoons. I immediately recognized it because I used to love to measure out ingredients with these spoons. It now has its own place on our counter at the cabin.

One conversation I remember having with her, while sitting on the countertop one day, was asking how or where people went to the bathroom back in the olden days. Since Grandma grew up out in the country as a little girl, they had an outhouse. I was fascinated by that thought. Not so much anymore today though...ewww.

Amy Coffin's series, 52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy & History is a series of blogging prompts that "invite genealogists and others to record memories and insights about their own lives for future descendants."

© 2011, copyright Michelle Goodrum

Adventure in my Grandparent's Bathroom - 52 Weeks

Former home Dick & Margie Roos taken June 1994 by J. Richard Roos.
Cheney, Washington. It's pretty much as I remember it was when I last was there in 1977.

This is part 2 of a 3 part series about my grandparent's home. Yesterday I wrote about their very cool basement. Today, I'll tell you  about a little adventure in their bathroom when I was about five.

One summer day after using Grandma and Grandpa's only bathroom, I found myself locked in. I'm really not sure how that happened but I couldn't open the door to get out. So I called out to the family through the window that was over the steps leading to the back door. Everyone was on the patio which was just beyond the steps and a conference convened at the bathroom window.

Old House Parts

After demonstrating that the vintage lock was jammed and not allow me to turn the glass door nob and open the bathroom door, the search for some rescue supplies began. I'm not sure if someone tried unlocking the door from the other side with a skeleton key, which were in abundance in Grandma and Grandpa's home. I've always wondered about that...but I have to assume they tried this and failed.

So, I waited in the bathroom and visited with whoever was hanging with me at the window. I probably stuck my head down the laundry shute and asked if I could escape that way. I always wanted to do that but was strictly forbidden...

Eventually Grandpa returned with a very long dowel or something that would reach the length of the bathroom. He always had stuff like that around. He had carved the end to fit over the jammed latch and made it a game for me to guide the dowel securely over the latch and help him turn it to unlock the door. Wouldn't you know it worked! I was free!

I was told later that the entire ordeal was made out to be a game so that I wouldn't panic. Dad and Grandpa were really good that way and it worked.

Amy Coffin's series, 52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy & History is a series of blogging prompts that "invite genealogists and others to record memories and insights about their own lives for future descendants."

© 2011, copyright Michelle Goodrum

My Grandparents had the Coolest House - 52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy & History

Richard & Margie Roos home circa 1930.

My grandparents had the coolest house. At least it was cool from the perspective of a little kid. Over the next three days I'll tell you three things about the house, and our adventures there, that made it so great.

First, there was the basement. It was never properly graded and so there was a slope to the floor. Dad's bedroom was down there and since there was a slight slope, if you got out of bed on one side, it was a bit of a drop to the floor! This was where I slept most of the time when we visited. I always made sure to get out of bed on the uphill side until I was older and taller. I loved this room because all of the cabinets and drawers were built into the wall and there were lots of them. They were full of old things like toy soldiers and marbles. Some of those very items have appeared from boxes this past year in our adventure of cleaning out Mom and Dad's house, where I grew up, and have brought back many fond memories.

In addition to Dad's room, there was a dark room for film developing (remember, I'm the 3rd generation of avid amateur photographers). There was a freezer and washing machine too. I don't remember if there was a drier but I do remember there being clothes lines that Grandma used to hang clothes to be dried in the winter.

There also was a door that led out the back of the house to the garage. I remember everyone using that door in the winter instead of the back door to the main floor of the house. That's probably because it was only a few steps from the garage to the basement door and then you were out of the snow and ice.

Finally, there was the back half of the basement that was Grandpa's workshop and storage. Since the floor sloped, the adults had to stoop a little when they got back to this corner. I remember the storage area being kind of dark and creepy. Come to think of it, all of these super old boxes of photos and other papers that I have inherited were probably stored there!

More tomorrow...

Adventure in my Grandparents' Bathroom

Amy Coffin's series, 52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy & History is a series of blogging prompts that "invite genealogists and others to record memories and insights about their own lives for future descendants."

© 2011, copyright Michelle Goodrum