Memories (that are beginning to fade....)
Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 5:36 am
First of all, let me say that I'm not a writer. I forget proper grammar, punctuation marks and correct spelling at times....afterall, I am in the Autumn of my life now. With that said let me begin....
I am swarmed with memories of a beautiful town called Tyrone. I "almost" grew up here even if my physical address was in NY (not my fault my parents moved there after I was born, I wanted to stay in Tyrone FOREVER). My sister and I, with our mom, spent every summer in Tyrone at my grandparents home. PapPap, as our grandfather was called by my sister and me, was a school crossing guard for many years on the corner of Lincoln Ave., (if I can remember the location correctly), after his retirement from the Penna. Railroad. He loved his job and the elementary aged kids loved him. Some even came to his funeral in 1979. He took his job seriously and never missed a day of work for years, rain or snow. NanNan, our grandmother, was a good Christian woman whom I worshipped, she was so kind. She never raised her voice unless singing (a beautiful soprano) in the Church of the Brethern just a few blocks away, which we would walk to every Sunday morning. I can still hear the heels of my sister's and my new shoes clicking on the brick sidewalk as we went to church on Easter Sundays. Yes, we wore matching dresses and bonnets, even if we were 4 1/2 years apart in age. I can still see NanNan by the stove, wearing her well-worn apron, making her ham potpie for us...the best tasting stuff in the whole, wide world!
I remember a small grocery store on Columbia Ave. (Herberlings ???? or something like that...it's now called, Mac's). If she needed groceries, she'd call with her list and they would deliver them in cardboard boxes to her kitchen.
I remember the Jewel Tea Man who would bring those delicious crumb topping coffeecakes every now and then.
I remember a trip to a downtown bakery (Kunzels????, or something like that) for a dozen or two of their freshly made raisin-filled cookies. I still can't make them as good as they did!
I remember the big, red brick building on the hill, across from the A&P where Cloverine salve was made. I still have at least 20 of those salves in their original tins, I don't use up the salve, just take the lid off and smell it every now and then.
I remember Mike's Drugstore on Columbia Ave. and my sister and I going there for our fountain treats and sitting at the counter whenever we were given a dollar or two. I think PapPap would buy the Sunday paper there too. At least I think that's where he got it because he'd always appear with one and cigarette smoke on his breath (NanNan wouldn't let him smoke in the house...lol).
I remember a sweet little old lady named, Birdie Schirm who would come visit NanNan. She never married, always dressed in a black dress to her mid-calves with black knitted stockings and wore her hair in a bun and was very religious. My sister and me were afraid of her....we'd be polite, but were always glad when she continued on down the street.
I remember a small candy store that we passed on our way to church, I used to go there a lot until the guy that worked there creeped me out and I would never go back in there.
I remember NanNan feeding the hoboes that would get off the train behind their house. They had to eat outside on her side porch and we weren't allowed to go out while they were there, so my sister and I would spy on them when she wasn't looking. I never could understand why the caution, I guess I do now.
I remember the sounds of the trains at night as they would connect and release the cars getting ready to go about their jobs....I miss that sound.
I remember the papermill sounding that loud blast around lunchtime, ok, breaks over, back to work.... I also remember the smell, I loved it! I was told that when I could barely put a sentence together that made any sense, I would say, "I smell the pay per mule!"
I remember hearing the THS band playing at the Football Field during the Friday night games. Speaking of high school, when I went there for just a few months before moving to FL, it was in the OLD building (where my mom graduated from in the 40's).
I remember my first kiss, under the little bridge where excess street water used to drain off Columbia Ave. I think his name was Dan or something like that. Mom would have killed me if she knew because I was like 12 years old....lol.
I remember my best buddy Betty Canistracci (and her cute older brothers) and being at their house one time just as they butchered a turkey. He was flopping all over the place, minus his head, in a burlap sack and for a long time I wouldn't eat any kind of meat because of it.
I remember the Citizen's Fire Dept. carnival on the corner near my grandparent's house. I loved it and even after I became a mother, took my 2 little ones there if we were on vacation and visiting Tyrone at the time.
I remember watching the Fourth of July fireworks upstairs at my grandparent's. We would all go to the attic window for a bird's eye view.
I remember watching the "new road" behind their house being built for years. We all hated seeing the beautiful mountains being carved up for it. But you know what they say....it's progress...
I remember going to Gardiner's candy store on a regular basis. I loved those caramel-dipped marshmellows that you could only get in the wintertime. Now, I don't think you can get them at all.....so sad, they were the best! Teaberry ice cream, mmmmmmmmmm.....
I remember when the 100+ year old, huge, maple tree started to die in NanNan and PapPap's backyard. At her ancient feet lies many buried beloved pets (mostly colored Easter chicks that never had a chance...thank God they are banned from being sold now). I don't think the burials had anything at all to do with killing the tree, by the way, but not 100% sure...
I remember the Wolf Furniture Company and the red wagon I got one year at Christmas from them.
Yes, so many memories, these are just a few. How I wish I could just turn back time and re-live them all again. I wouldn't do anything different, just spend more time enjoying and living the moment....
I am swarmed with memories of a beautiful town called Tyrone. I "almost" grew up here even if my physical address was in NY (not my fault my parents moved there after I was born, I wanted to stay in Tyrone FOREVER). My sister and I, with our mom, spent every summer in Tyrone at my grandparents home. PapPap, as our grandfather was called by my sister and me, was a school crossing guard for many years on the corner of Lincoln Ave., (if I can remember the location correctly), after his retirement from the Penna. Railroad. He loved his job and the elementary aged kids loved him. Some even came to his funeral in 1979. He took his job seriously and never missed a day of work for years, rain or snow. NanNan, our grandmother, was a good Christian woman whom I worshipped, she was so kind. She never raised her voice unless singing (a beautiful soprano) in the Church of the Brethern just a few blocks away, which we would walk to every Sunday morning. I can still hear the heels of my sister's and my new shoes clicking on the brick sidewalk as we went to church on Easter Sundays. Yes, we wore matching dresses and bonnets, even if we were 4 1/2 years apart in age. I can still see NanNan by the stove, wearing her well-worn apron, making her ham potpie for us...the best tasting stuff in the whole, wide world!
I remember a small grocery store on Columbia Ave. (Herberlings ???? or something like that...it's now called, Mac's). If she needed groceries, she'd call with her list and they would deliver them in cardboard boxes to her kitchen.
I remember the Jewel Tea Man who would bring those delicious crumb topping coffeecakes every now and then.
I remember a trip to a downtown bakery (Kunzels????, or something like that) for a dozen or two of their freshly made raisin-filled cookies. I still can't make them as good as they did!
I remember the big, red brick building on the hill, across from the A&P where Cloverine salve was made. I still have at least 20 of those salves in their original tins, I don't use up the salve, just take the lid off and smell it every now and then.
I remember Mike's Drugstore on Columbia Ave. and my sister and I going there for our fountain treats and sitting at the counter whenever we were given a dollar or two. I think PapPap would buy the Sunday paper there too. At least I think that's where he got it because he'd always appear with one and cigarette smoke on his breath (NanNan wouldn't let him smoke in the house...lol).
I remember a sweet little old lady named, Birdie Schirm who would come visit NanNan. She never married, always dressed in a black dress to her mid-calves with black knitted stockings and wore her hair in a bun and was very religious. My sister and me were afraid of her....we'd be polite, but were always glad when she continued on down the street.
I remember a small candy store that we passed on our way to church, I used to go there a lot until the guy that worked there creeped me out and I would never go back in there.
I remember NanNan feeding the hoboes that would get off the train behind their house. They had to eat outside on her side porch and we weren't allowed to go out while they were there, so my sister and I would spy on them when she wasn't looking. I never could understand why the caution, I guess I do now.
I remember the sounds of the trains at night as they would connect and release the cars getting ready to go about their jobs....I miss that sound.
I remember the papermill sounding that loud blast around lunchtime, ok, breaks over, back to work.... I also remember the smell, I loved it! I was told that when I could barely put a sentence together that made any sense, I would say, "I smell the pay per mule!"
I remember hearing the THS band playing at the Football Field during the Friday night games. Speaking of high school, when I went there for just a few months before moving to FL, it was in the OLD building (where my mom graduated from in the 40's).
I remember my first kiss, under the little bridge where excess street water used to drain off Columbia Ave. I think his name was Dan or something like that. Mom would have killed me if she knew because I was like 12 years old....lol.
I remember my best buddy Betty Canistracci (and her cute older brothers) and being at their house one time just as they butchered a turkey. He was flopping all over the place, minus his head, in a burlap sack and for a long time I wouldn't eat any kind of meat because of it.
I remember the Citizen's Fire Dept. carnival on the corner near my grandparent's house. I loved it and even after I became a mother, took my 2 little ones there if we were on vacation and visiting Tyrone at the time.
I remember watching the Fourth of July fireworks upstairs at my grandparent's. We would all go to the attic window for a bird's eye view.
I remember watching the "new road" behind their house being built for years. We all hated seeing the beautiful mountains being carved up for it. But you know what they say....it's progress...
I remember going to Gardiner's candy store on a regular basis. I loved those caramel-dipped marshmellows that you could only get in the wintertime. Now, I don't think you can get them at all.....so sad, they were the best! Teaberry ice cream, mmmmmmmmmm.....
I remember when the 100+ year old, huge, maple tree started to die in NanNan and PapPap's backyard. At her ancient feet lies many buried beloved pets (mostly colored Easter chicks that never had a chance...thank God they are banned from being sold now). I don't think the burials had anything at all to do with killing the tree, by the way, but not 100% sure...
I remember the Wolf Furniture Company and the red wagon I got one year at Christmas from them.
Yes, so many memories, these are just a few. How I wish I could just turn back time and re-live them all again. I wouldn't do anything different, just spend more time enjoying and living the moment....