Obviously we had to go through my dad's things recently. He had kept all of his war service medals, safe driving awards, qualifications, and a mass of Buffalo regalia and correspondance.

That must make you proud GJ!! Somewhere in my Nans box of old things she has a life savers swimming certificate, and lots of my Grandads medals I think it is all dead cool!!

I loved my Nana [ on my Mums side ] I look like her and I take after her too ,so  the family say.

She showed me photos of her playing an Irish harp in the 1920's. She said her father presented a harp to Queen Victoria. Thought nothing of it really, til I researched it later. Her father James McFall made 520 harps in his lifetime and theres one in the Vatican, and the Whitehouse. I WISH I had talked to my Nana more about her life.. she lived through interesting times... the Belfast Blitz destroyed her house!

my nans like one of my best friends shes nearly 89 i love her to pieces shes so tiny, her first husband died in 1948 she was 25 he was 35, she still has christmas and birthday cards he sent her they are all boxed ones and so different to what greetings cards we get today, i will treasure them forever when she passes them down to me. silly things but very special to her. she had her wedding ring and engagement ring but was burgled a few years back and they were taken, shes still heart broken about that.

Aww Nosey...that is dead cool about the harps!!

Awwww  I'm surprised she's allowed you to go through her love letters while she's alive though

I never had that opportunity as my paternal grandparents were dead before I was born.  My maternal grandfather died when I was very young but my maternal grandmother raised my sister and I for a bit but when she died everything went to my uncle so I've got nothing left of her but memories 

Aww Justa! that is dead shit about your Nans rings I know my Nan once misplaced her wedding ring, and she was totally beside herself about it But it had at least only been misplaced...she found it Though she did have her bag stolen a while back and her purse, while it didnt have much in the way of cash, it had photos of my Grandad, and us Grandkids that she cant ever replace, which is a bit shit,BUT she has LOADS more

Pengy!! I think she musta stashed all the filthy ones in a seperate box and just let me read the repectable ones!!

That is sad you didnt get to know your Grandparents....My Nan is wayyy better than my Mum

Thanks Zazz  They're beautiful, decorated in celtic designs like the Book of Kells. The Linen Hall Library in Belfast, opposite the City Hall has one on display,  I'd love to buy one back into the family one day!

Your Nan sounds like a treasure-house of the past and a lovely lady too  

My Nan is in a league of her own Nosey! I can't believe she is like she is for her age

she is currently waiting to get her driving license back from the DVLA after passing thier eye test**blink** and being told she is fit to drive, still!

 Pengy thats sad

 Sounds like your Nan still going strong, good for her Zazz 

You're making me smile now, remembering my Nana... She had a taste for all things dark, and was notorious at the town library, she only read murder books, the grislier the better!!!  

Pretty cool stuff, isn't it? I love the old stories you get from your elders.

When my great-granny died, my mom and dad gave me a fur coat that was hers. I don't wear fur (in Seattle it'd end up with red paint on it  , but I found a website where you can ship off this stuff and have teddy bears made from it. The coat, which turned out to be beaver, btw, made 4 lovely bears: one for me, each of my sisters, and my mom. Now we all have something to remember Grandma Ted by that isn't tucked into a closet all wrapped up in whatever.

My mil is 83, and has been hospitalized since the day after Thanksgiving. She's hanging in there, and they've recently moved her to a rehab center, but we've been spending a lot of time with her. I've been busing to the rehab center in the middle of the day to sit with her, and she's telling me lots of stories: about her childhood, young married, and my husband when he was a kid. She's still pretty sharp, and lots of this stuff I'd never heard. She's enjoying talking, and I'm enjoying listening.

I'd be lost without my Nan, but I do know, when her time comes, I will always, no matter what have lots to smile about its cool if you can look back and still smile your Nan sounds..........scary?

I wa sorting through some old photos etc(formal ones of weddings)and I was showing my niece who lives with me and my other niece their late  grans wedding photos(1952).My mother got her silk wedding dress sent from America by her friend who moved there.We still had rationing then etc.It would stand up today ,shaped to the body silk with a long train etc.They werequite impressed by the style of it.My mum died 16 years ago.The thing is the dress was so beautiful she lent it out to another 4 brides in the family.

Its great that you listen to her Lori, I bet your MIL has seen a lot in 83 yrs 

That programme Who Do You Think You Are? reminded us that our older relatives are living history and to be valued, I think.

That's such a wonderful thing, isn't it? I wore my godmother's wedding dress--still have it. I can remember when my mom suggested it, and I, thinking of my rather portly godmother, said, "well, I guess I can have it taken in." My mom looked at me and said, "No, dear...we'll be taking it OUT for you." 

Nah she was great Zaz . She loved her crime books, and had a really dark sense of humour  She was a tomboy at heart, despite her age. She'd wheel us in her wheelbarrow down the garden, then dump you out and run! 

Its great that you still have your Nan... and she may last a few years yet by the sounds of her!

I have my Mum's tablespoons that she had as wedding presents - they are well over 60 years old and very worn - but they are great

I also have my Dad's certificate of the Freedom of the Seas - signed in 1943 by Neptune ( he got it when sailing to Africa in WW2).

I have so many quirky things of theirs - would be too long to list.

Are you keeping all your "quirky" things for your kids?

Cool   list them > I'm a history addict 

I'd like to know about the certificate? I never heard of that before Eileen, what was it for?

Is it the crossing the equator tradition?

That sounds great 

Hell to the yes

Thats the one Jo

I can't remember where he was but he did get this wonderful document.

I am so pleased you know about it!

Thanks Aimee  Nana was a character 

My Mum and her didnt get on... Nana had a stroke in 1985.. and died in 1990... I wasn't allowed to visit her  but my happiest childhood memories are of her, strange  isn't it 

Have you family tales to tell? 

Do you know I don't have anything of my nana. I used to love visiting her we would spend summer holidays with her when we lived in Manchester, shipped over the begining of the holidays and someone an aunt or uncle would bring us back in time for the new school year. We would go through all the ole photos and she would explain who everyone was, where in the world they where. She had no wedding photo's or dress but told us all about it, but my fave ever story was how my grandad made her Claddagh engagement ring from a sixpence. I loved that ring, she never took it off her and has it still.

There's 3 plates at home home that my great great grandmother got as a wedding present.

Never knew my dad's mum she died when he was 13.my dad's dad was a bit of a boyho. My mum's dad died when I was 6 so don't really remember him.

Great story Moonbeams 

Claddahg rings... its the only ring I wear  My Irish great uncle in N.Y. bought me one 20 yrs ago and I never took it off since

I must confess to having a couple of claddaghs in the odds and sods box, but the only rings i wear are my engagement ring and a ring I bought from my mum and dad.

My Gran (my Dad's mum) was in service. When I was about 12 she gave me a mother-of-pearl penknife that she stole from the family she was in service to.

It's inscribed with the initials B.O.G.

It made me laugh

I was lucky enough to know all 4 of my grandparents for at least a short while.

It was my aunt's funeral today.  She was 98 years old and the eldest of 14 kids.

My mum is the youngest (and 27 years younger ).

We've sat and swapped stories and memories, corrected mistaken assumptions and most of all, tried to work out who was related to who - and how. 

It's still odd to talk to a 1st cousin who is only a couple of years younger than my own mother.  Freaky family

Most of my happiest childhood memories revolve around times spent with my old darling nan, and I'm honoured that out of all the grandkids she chose me to have her engagement ring. 

I never did get it though.  My uncle swooped in and made like a plague of locusts; he sold everything he could get his hands on.  My dad eventually paid him a visit.

Holy cow, Cosmo, that's a lotta kids!  My f-i-l had eight other siblings, and I thought THAT was a lot!

The bright side of a funeral is the mini-family reunion that happens, isn't it? I worry a little bit that when my m-i-l goes, we won't see Mr Lori's sister and family very much. Although right now, that doesn't sound like a bad thing to me. 

Hi Lori

Both my mum's parents were from HUGE families too.  Sometimes I think I'm related to half of London, Essex and Suffolk

I think you tend to keep in touch with those that you really want to keep in touch with.

That is no doubt true. 

In small doses, I can take my s-i-l. Unfortunately, the doses have not been small enough, and the situation is stressful enough that she might be as sick of me as I am of her.

Ah yes, the sister in law dilemma.  I avoid one of mine completely.  It's for the best. 

She has no idea how much she should thank me

I remember my "Old" people as part of me, they knew nothing when I knew it all.....but I wish I had listened to what I have yet to learn.

I also have my late dads scroll,from the King of Norway thanking hm for the release from the Nazis!  Now that is a document.

It's a gift you give her.  I'm about ready to bestow that same gift.

Syd: SO true, and a lovely thought to keep those people close to us.

Katty: That's awesome!! Is that framed some place prominent, or tucked away safe?