Our Memory Book
Thanks to Steffi, our German exchange daughter and her family in Munich, we now have a new tradition at The Little House.
When we visited Steffi’s family three years ago to attend her wedding, we spent a couple of evenings at her mother’s flat.
After the meal and good conversation (some of which had to be translated for us), her mother, Barbara, brought out a little album.
Everyone was required to write a little something memorable about the evening. Barbara’s book was brimming with quips dating back years, all written for posterity. Some of the people, such as her parents, were no longer with them, but they had the album of memories. Steffi and Barbara told us that pulling out that album was like reliving a fun-filled get together all over again.
Of course, we have photos and videos of special times, but upon seeing their book, I wished I had the writings of my parents; my Godmother; my great aunt Edice, who was like a grandmother to me; my brother and even those of some of my family of which I am now estranged.
Maybe as a writer, I feel a few words are worth a thousand photos, instead of the other way around.
When we built The Little House, I found this book in our local pharmacy/soda fountain (it’s so much fun our pharmacy has a soda fountain!) The book allows us to record everything that is done to our house and memories we make here.
When we returned from Germany, I fully intended on beginning this tradition of writing special memories when our friends and family visited.
Somehow, I just never got around to it until Fred and Rae came up for dinner on Sunday. It was a good night for memories too, it involved the dogs tearing around the deck while we tried to visit, Molly eating whip cream from the can and lots of yummy food. We all came up with a special moment to write about that is now tied forever to that evening of good food and good friends.
Priceless.
How do you record memories of special times at your home?
I like to save any item that reminds me of a certain time or event. I think of them as little totems in a way that mark a certain time or even feeling.
That's a neat thought, "totems."
What a great idea. What part of Germany did you go to. My mom is from Weinheim. We lived there with my grandparent back 63–64 and Stuttgart from 54–57. Hoping my one son will get stationed over there next year.
We went to Munich and did some castle touring in Bavaria. Steffi was married in a cute little town about an hour outside of Munich. We also spent a day in Austria, in and around Salzberg, and of course, had a 4 hour security nightmare lay over at Heathrow.
A few years ago, when I got interested in different Texas Wines and Winerys my daughter gave me a Wine Diary…it has become not only a way to remember what the heck was that good wine we drank…but a note of who it was shared with, and the good times we had while 'drinking' up the memories. It has a space for each guest to write a little something too. More often than not it has become memory record of the Good Times shared and not always about the Wine!
the Wine diary traveled with me to the new little Lake House and has recorded the first get togethers here as well…come to think of it the Wines too..So maybe for the Good Times, Record the Wines/Whines too! It is fun to look back at and see what everyone wrote! This is a good idea Wine/Whine or not. Cindyt
The wine book sounds like a really neat idea too! There were different journals in this line I found at our pharmacy. Some for fishermen, teachers, sewing, etc.
What a really neat idea and how fun for you to start your own "little" tradition in your little house!
May your book be filled with wonderful memories and bring you sunshine on rainy days!!
Thanks, Sandy. I regret the times I've already missed doing this, but we can't live in the past — we must move forward!
There are always things, I think that we dwell on and wish we had done diffently. But I try to live by the words "don't stress over things you cannot change" and that is sometimes harder to do than one would think. Especially if you tend to "dwell" on things. That's right, I'm a "dweller"…lol…and I'm especially good at doing it at night…makes for sleepless nights!
I have been a dweller, too, Sandy. But I'm getting a lot better at looking toward the future!
The soda fountain is fun, Alexandra. Someplace to take guests when they visit us here. Ice cream and deserts are good, but too bad the food isn't better!
We have a book for guests to write a few words about our B&B. Actually, we are on our third book. It will be nice to look back on these memories when we are no longer working.
PS. I'm jealous that you have a real soda fountain!!!