These Book of Me posts are inspired by weekly prompts provided by Julie at Angler's Rest.
Part 1 of this post is about my maternal grandparents, Gary and Esther (Wallace) Baker. This post will focus on my paternal grandparents, John and Mildred "Millie" (Kennison) Gamble.
Showing posts with label The Book of Me. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Book of Me. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
The Book of Me, Prompt 7 - Grandparents (Part 2)
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| John and Mildred (Kennison) Gamble |
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| John Gamble during World War II |
John Everett Gamble was born on 12 April 1918 in Cabot, Washington, Vermont to Edward John Gamble and Gertrude B Baylaw. He served in Northern France in 1945 during World War II.
My grandfather was a sweet man who loved his grandchildren very much. I can't recall a time when I would leave him without getting a kiss and him saying that I was a good girl. But despite his good nature, my grandfather was a drinking man.
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| John Gamble circa 1980s |
I have vivid memories of him sitting at his kitchen table with a beer and tobacco pipe. I can still recall the pipe in my mind. The bowl of the pipe was a light brown-more tan than anything-and had a rough texture. The stem was dark brown, smooth, and shiny. His chair was at the back-left of the table. Sometimes his friend and neighbor, Abner, would join him. Near the chair was his rolling desk where he kept his important documents. After his death, the desk was passed on to my father.
When he wasn’t sitting at the kitchen table, he would nap on the living room floor. He had a “bed” (a pillow and blanket) between his chair and the couch (where my grandmother-who always called my grandfather by his full name, “John Gamble”-was usually sitting). You could only see his legs and hear his snores.
My grandfather died at Copley Hospital in Morrisville, Lamoille, Vermont from complications caused from heart surgery on 31 December 1996.
Mildred "Millie" Eva Kennison was born on 29 July 1921 in Richford, Franklin, Vermont to Carlton "Carl" Edgar Kennison and Marie Eva Burnham/Bonneau. She married John Gamble on 20 December 1941 in Cabot, Vermont.
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| Millie (Kennison) Gamble standing in her kitchen |
My grandmother was a feisty woman and never took anyone's crap (for lack of a better term). She certainly was not afraid to speak her mind, and often worded things without much tact. She once told me that she could never die because Heaven wouldn't take her and Hell was too scared.
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| My grandmother & me Circa 1979/1980 |
My grandmother loved to tell stories (over and over and over again). Some of her favorite was about her and her sister, Myrtle, hanging out at the train tracks in St. Albans [Vermont] till 1:00 in the morning when they were teens, or hitch-hiking to Massachusetts to see my grandfather while he was stationed at Fort Devons. She also told me that my grandfather proposed marriage to her three times before she said yes. The first two times she was holding out for a proposal from another boy, which never came, so three times seemed to be the charm for my grandfather to win her over. I loved my grandmother's stories. I only wished I would have thought to record them while I had the chance.
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| Millie Kennison, Eva Burnham/Bonnea, and Myrtle Kennison |
During the last few years of her life, my grandmother suffered with dementia and toward the end, could not remember much of anything or anyone. She did start conversing with herself a few months before she died, and when asked who she was talking to, she would say "John Gamble" who predeceased her by over 12 years. She died in her sleep on 20 December 2009 at her home in North Hyde Park, Lamoille, Vermont.
For my entire life, my grandparents lived in the olive-green house on Main Street in North Hyde Park. They actually purchased the home when my father was quite young. He recalls moving from their drafty farmhouse in Bakersfield, Vermont where they had an outhouse and no indoor plumbing, to this house in North Hyde ark where they had a bathroom inside and would stay warm throughout the night. He and his brothers thought they had moved into the lap of luxury. In reality, the house was small and run-down (at least when I knew it). It was 2 stories high and had a small basement fl of cobwebs & spiders. The first floor was where the living room, kitchen, and my grandparent's bedroom was. The 2nd floor had 2 bedrooms, which I assume were my father's & uncles when they were young, but during my lifetime one was a guest room filled with my grandmother's treasures, and the 2nd was my uncle's, who never managed to leave his parent's home. Sadly, the house was torn down last year and all that remains is an empty spot where many of my childhood memories once stood.
Monday, January 13, 2014
The Book of Me, Prompt 7 - Grandparents (Part 1)
These Book of Me posts are inspired by weekly prompts provided by Julie at Angler's Rest.
My earliest memory is of my grandmother getting a wooden puzzle out of a closet for me. That's actually the only memory I have of her. She died when I was 3 of a brain tumor that was caused from lung cancer. Her name was Esther (Wallace) Baker, and she was the daughter of Hezekiah Truman Wallace and Gladys Baker.
Four short years after my grandmother's death, her husband, my grandfather, died of prostate cancer. His name was Gary Baker and he was the son of George Baker and Elizabeth Beard.
Both of my grandparents were from Lamoille County, Vermont. They purchased a home together in Pinewood Estates in Morrisville, just off the Needle Eye Road. It was a single story, white ranch. I remember a half wall as you came in the living room door. There was also a basement door in the kitchen, near the kitchen door. I remember my grandfather coming home from work one day in his coveralls (he worked for Bourne's Oil company), walking through the kitchen door and proceeding into the basement. It's funny the things you can remember.
I remember my grandfather gave me a pink bike with a banana seat for my 7th birthday. It was my first 2-wheeler bike, and I had it for several years. I loved that bike, mostly because it was the last gift he ever bought for me. My father sent it to the scrapyard when he sold my childhood home. It broke my heart.
I was very close to my grandparents from what I am told, and I was the apple of their eyes. My grandfather used to carry a siily photo of me in the tub when I was around 2 or 3. My hair was spiked with shampoo, and he would proudly show the photo off saying, "this is my Poopsie." I wish they would have lived longer. I would have loved to have gotten to know them better and be able to write out a long post about them.
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Four short years after my grandmother's death, her husband, my grandfather, died of prostate cancer. His name was Gary Baker and he was the son of George Baker and Elizabeth Beard.
Both of my grandparents were from Lamoille County, Vermont. They purchased a home together in Pinewood Estates in Morrisville, just off the Needle Eye Road. It was a single story, white ranch. I remember a half wall as you came in the living room door. There was also a basement door in the kitchen, near the kitchen door. I remember my grandfather coming home from work one day in his coveralls (he worked for Bourne's Oil company), walking through the kitchen door and proceeding into the basement. It's funny the things you can remember.
I remember my grandfather gave me a pink bike with a banana seat for my 7th birthday. It was my first 2-wheeler bike, and I had it for several years. I loved that bike, mostly because it was the last gift he ever bought for me. My father sent it to the scrapyard when he sold my childhood home. It broke my heart.
I was very close to my grandparents from what I am told, and I was the apple of their eyes. My grandfather used to carry a siily photo of me in the tub when I was around 2 or 3. My hair was spiked with shampoo, and he would proudly show the photo off saying, "this is my Poopsie." I wish they would have lived longer. I would have loved to have gotten to know them better and be able to write out a long post about them.
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Monday, January 6, 2014
The Book of Me, Prompt 5 - Diaries and Journals
These Book of Me posts are inspired by weekly prompts provided by Julie at Angler's Rest.
This prompt asks that I talk about my journals and diaries, or any that I have inherited. This will be a short and easy post since there are none. Sure, I have kept diaries in the past, mostly when I was a teenager, but they never lasted, and I always ended up disposing of them after a while.
I do keep a journal where I keep my bucket list. I started it in January 2011 and have periodically added to it. Here is my list:
This prompt asks that I talk about my journals and diaries, or any that I have inherited. This will be a short and easy post since there are none. Sure, I have kept diaries in the past, mostly when I was a teenager, but they never lasted, and I always ended up disposing of them after a while.
I do keep a journal where I keep my bucket list. I started it in January 2011 and have periodically added to it. Here is my list:
- Go to Ireland
- Visit the Amish country
- Go to Niagara Falls
- Bring daddy to a NASCAR race
- Go horseback riding along the ocean shoreline
- See Grease on Broadway
- Travel Route 66
- Buy a sports car
- Stay at the Mount Washington Hotel
- Swim with dolphins
- Go dog sledding
- Do the 3-day Breast Cancer walk
- Go para sailing
- Elope to Las Vegas
- Longest Yard Sale
- Freedom Trail in Boston
- Read the Bible
- See the Pacific Ocean
- Dance in the rain
- Visit Arlington National Cemetery and see the Changing of the Guard
Visit Disney World- Completed in June 2011- Learn sign language
- Volunteer in a third world country
- Finish my Associate's Degree
- Get a hairless cat
- Write a children's genealogy book
- Visit London
- Take a boat ride in Venice, Italy
- Grant a wish for a Make a Wish child
- Become a Fresh Air host family
- Stay in the Ice Hotel in Quebec City
- Go on an African Safari
- Drink margaritas on a Caribbean beach
- Attend a Native American Pow Wow
- Learn to Hula dance
- Go to the Daytona 500
- Go in a hot air balloon
- Bring Sierra to a NYC to work in a soup kitchen
- Marry and grow old with the love of my life
- Visit Ellis Island
- Do a penguin plunge
- Learn to drive a Harley
- Ride a camel on a Moroccan beach
- Run a 5K
Visit Salem, Mass- Completed in spring 2011- See Cinderella's Castle at Christmastime
- See Macy's parade live
- Visit Jerusalem
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| Checking off one of my bucket list items in Disney World 2011 |
Sunday, January 5, 2014
The Book of Me, Prompt 5 - Your Childhood Home
These Book of Me posts are inspired by weekly prompts provided by Julie at Angler's Rest.
This prompt asks to describe my childhood home.
My parents moved into the home I grew up in when mom was still pregnant with me. Perhaps the first neighbors they met were the Royers who lived directly across from us, and live there still. They had a 3 year old daughter, Bethany, who would become my very first friend and someone I would remain in contact with for am entire life.
The house was situated in a small development on a dirt road on Cricket Hill in Hyde Park, Vermont. Growing up, our little development of 9 houses on a dead-end street was only known as a part of Cricket Hill; however, when I was a teenager, the town named the road Gingras Road. Our house was the first house in the development. A row of mailboxes bordered out front yard. Our single story ranch home was grey with black shutters, and later on was painted blue with mauve shutters (I never cared for the mauve as mom called it. I still say they were pink and made our house look like a dollhouse).
When I was young, we had orange-brown shag carpet throughout the house (thank you 70's). The kitchen appliances were mustard yellow, and the cabinets were a dark wood. When I was older, my parents bought new carpet throughout the house, bought white appliances, and painted the cabinets white. My father built a large, wrap-around deck off from our kitchen, and a smaller deck off from our living room. There were three bedrooms (mine, my brother's, and my parents), 1-1/2 baths, and a large basement. My bedroom was pink for a long time, and later it was lavender and yellow (or was it yellow and then lavender)? When I was a teenage, my grandmother (dad's mom) moved in with us. She got my bedroom and dad built me a room in the basement. It wasn't anything great, but it provided me easy access to come and go through the exterior door just outside my new bedroom (not that I actually had permission to leave).
I first moved out of my childhood home when my parents were first separated. Mom and me moved into an apartment in Hyde Park, then we moved into an apartment in Stowe with Brian, and finally into a house in East Hardwick. I moved back in with my father just before my 2nd semester of my senior year. I moved back in with mom again after graduation and never lived in that house again. Dad sold the house about a decade ago. I have driven by the house periodically. It is now a pretty shade of green and they tore down my father's wrap-around deck (so sad).
This prompt asks to describe my childhood home.
My parents moved into the home I grew up in when mom was still pregnant with me. Perhaps the first neighbors they met were the Royers who lived directly across from us, and live there still. They had a 3 year old daughter, Bethany, who would become my very first friend and someone I would remain in contact with for am entire life.
The house was situated in a small development on a dirt road on Cricket Hill in Hyde Park, Vermont. Growing up, our little development of 9 houses on a dead-end street was only known as a part of Cricket Hill; however, when I was a teenager, the town named the road Gingras Road. Our house was the first house in the development. A row of mailboxes bordered out front yard. Our single story ranch home was grey with black shutters, and later on was painted blue with mauve shutters (I never cared for the mauve as mom called it. I still say they were pink and made our house look like a dollhouse).
When I was young, we had orange-brown shag carpet throughout the house (thank you 70's). The kitchen appliances were mustard yellow, and the cabinets were a dark wood. When I was older, my parents bought new carpet throughout the house, bought white appliances, and painted the cabinets white. My father built a large, wrap-around deck off from our kitchen, and a smaller deck off from our living room. There were three bedrooms (mine, my brother's, and my parents), 1-1/2 baths, and a large basement. My bedroom was pink for a long time, and later it was lavender and yellow (or was it yellow and then lavender)? When I was a teenage, my grandmother (dad's mom) moved in with us. She got my bedroom and dad built me a room in the basement. It wasn't anything great, but it provided me easy access to come and go through the exterior door just outside my new bedroom (not that I actually had permission to leave).
I first moved out of my childhood home when my parents were first separated. Mom and me moved into an apartment in Hyde Park, then we moved into an apartment in Stowe with Brian, and finally into a house in East Hardwick. I moved back in with my father just before my 2nd semester of my senior year. I moved back in with mom again after graduation and never lived in that house again. Dad sold the house about a decade ago. I have driven by the house periodically. It is now a pretty shade of green and they tore down my father's wrap-around deck (so sad).
Friday, January 3, 2014
The Book of Me, Prompt 4 - Favorite Seasons
These Book of Me posts are inspired by weekly prompts provided by Julie at Angler's Rest.
The beach (Taken at Hampton Beach, New Hampshire)
Camping (Anthony making a campfire breakfast at Kenolie Village Campground in Newfane, Vermont)
Fairs (Anthony and I at the Champlain Valley Fair in Essex, Vermont)
4th of July celebrations (4th of July celebration on the state house green in Montpelier, Vermont)
Cremees - specifically of the maple variety (My daughter enjoying a yummy maple cremee at Morse Farm Sugarworks in Montpelier, Vermont)
Time with family (Taken at our family reunion)
And time with friends (Taken with my good friend, Rhonda, at the Ben & Jerry's factory in Waterbury, Vermont)
My favorite season is, hands down, summer. I live for the sun & heat, and quite frankly, I could do without living in Vermont once winter comes around. In fact, we plan to move to Florida one day. Anthony's parents, sister, and nephew lives near Orlando, so we will likely end up somewhere in that area, as well. But for now, I will deal with the harsh winters (which is hard on days like today when the high temperature was -9 fahrenheit (-28 with the wind chill). Brrrrr
I take comfort in knowing that June will be back again, and with it, the beginning of summertime and all that summer entails:
The beach (Taken at Hampton Beach, New Hampshire)
Camping (Anthony making a campfire breakfast at Kenolie Village Campground in Newfane, Vermont)
Fairs (Anthony and I at the Champlain Valley Fair in Essex, Vermont)
4th of July celebrations (4th of July celebration on the state house green in Montpelier, Vermont)
Cremees - specifically of the maple variety (My daughter enjoying a yummy maple cremee at Morse Farm Sugarworks in Montpelier, Vermont)
Time with family (Taken at our family reunion)
And time with friends (Taken with my good friend, Rhonda, at the Ben & Jerry's factory in Waterbury, Vermont)
Thursday, January 2, 2014
The Book of Me Prompt 3 - Your Physical Self
These Book of Me posts are inspired by weekly prompts provided by Julie at Angler's Rest.
I have to say, I am not completely thrilled with this prompt due to my own personal insecurities, but I set out to do all of the exercises, and so I will.
I have medium-length dark brown hair, and I'll admit I am beginning to grey. I haven't had bangs in probably about 15 years, since I was 18 or 19. I don't do a whole lot in the way of primping, so my hair is usually wash, brush, and go. I have it cut about once a year, and usually go as short as shoulder length. I have big, round, brown eyes. They are actually my favorite feature about myself. My face is round, my lips are small, and I have a scar on my left eyebrow that I got when my cousin, Jen, accidentally hit me with a golf club when I was 5. I needed several stitches. My earlobes are pierced, though I seldom where earrings anymore. They tend to hurt my ears after a while. My mom brought me to get them pierced for my 11th birthday (she also got me a spiral perm that year...eek). I've had my left ear cartilage pierced twice when I was a teenager, but both times my ear rejected the piercing and became infected. I wonder if that's the problem with my lobes, as well.
I am 5'3" and wear a size 14 jean (a lady never reveals her weight). I have three tattoos: a butterfly on my right inner hip, a ladybug on my right foot that I got with my best friend, Peaches (Jessica) (we got matching tattoos), and red, white & blue stars that incorporates my kid's names on my left shoulder blade. I will try to remember to get photos of them to add to this post at some point. I love my tattoos and hope to get one or two more. I only get small ones in discreet locations that can be covered if need be.
I wear a claddagh ring on my right ring finger. It brings me a little closer to my Irish heritage, and it's really pretty. I have tiny fingers, and my ring size is 6.
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
The Book of Me, Prompt 2 - Your Birth
These Book of Me posts are inspired by weekly prompts provided by Julie at Angler's Rest.
I came into the world on a Monday morning in June 1979. Having been due at the end of May, I arrived about 3 weeks late. I weighed in at 6lbs, 11oz and was 19 inches long. I believe I had brown hair and blue eyes (though my eyes later darkened to brown). The photo to the left was taken when I was three days old, prior to my mother's and my discharge from the hospital.
The attending physician at my birth was Dr, Gary Waring. My mother has fond memories of a nurse that was also present, though her name escapes me. I do recall a time during my childhood when the nurse came to our door on a Jehovah's Witness ministry. I think she was the only religious person my mother ever knowingly opened the door for.
I wish I could provide all the details of my birth for you, but my memories do not reach that far back. This exercise has inspired me to ask my mother for her memories of my birth, as well as to re-read the baby book she has in her possession. I do have a few mementos from my birth in my own possession: a certified birth certificate, a card that was probably attached to my hospital cradle, a decorative "certificate of birth" issued by the hospital, an immunization card, and the Notification of Birth Registration submitted to the Vermont Department of Health.
Note: For security reasons, I have purposely neglected to add certain identifiable information to this post, such as my exact birth date. I will add this information to my private, offline file.
I was born at Copley hospital, a small hospital in the rural community of Morrisville, Vermont. My mother grew up in this town. Born and raised. She, as well as many of my extended family, resides there still.
The Book of Me, Prompt 1 - Who Are You
I have been trying to get myself to write my family story for several years now, but I never know where to begin. Today I found Julie Goucher's project, The Book of Me, Written by You, which is a series of writing prompts that is, in her own words, "a journey of rediscovery of yourself and perhaps your loved ones through your eyes." So I am going to attempt to complete each of her prompts, one by one, in this blog. I'll also be saving a copy to my offline genealogy file, which may (or may not) contain more personal details not appropriate for the public's eyes.
1. A mother
2. A woman
3. A girlfriend
4. A genealogist
5. A daughter
6. A pet-owner
7. A giver
8. A friend
9. An office manager
10. A history lover
11. A traveler (when I can)
12. A dreamer
13. A writer
14. A movie lover
15. A wannabe crafter
16. A chronic dieter
17. A hopeless romantic
18. A shopoholic
19. A chocolate lover
20. A caffeine addict
The first of these prompts is entitled, 'Who You Are' and the instructions are as follows:
"Ask yourself 20 times “Who are you?”
Each time you should give yourself a different answer, and if you can easily go beyond 20 then that is fine too."
2. A woman
3. A girlfriend
4. A genealogist
5. A daughter
6. A pet-owner
7. A giver
8. A friend
9. An office manager
10. A history lover
11. A traveler (when I can)
12. A dreamer
13. A writer
14. A movie lover
15. A wannabe crafter
16. A chronic dieter
17. A hopeless romantic
18. A shopoholic
19. A chocolate lover
20. A caffeine addict
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