These photos of Oma and Opa clearly show their love of travel and being with family and friends.

Case in point, the dated dinner napkin at the top of the photo and next to that Oma’s resounding handwritten praise for the excellent meal she had at “Wurst Spezialitäten” which I believed translates into “The Sausage Specialist”.

Any opportunity to sit and enjoy a meal, some cake or even a cup of coffee with loved ones was always reason to celebrate.

Always.

Today’s post is special to me because it includes a gift in the form of a story that my Grandfather decided to include in his personal narrative.

And here I thought his story telling days were through…

One last story from Opa…

My Grandfather excelled at telling stories.

My love of stories began with him telling me one story each day that we spent together.

He had a collection of over 500 which he kept in a small handwritten journal of robin egg blue which he kept in the left pocket of his jacket.

I’m hoping to rediscover it as I make my way through his albums.

That would be incredible!

Oma and Opa loved music. Grandfather was always leading us in song before meals, when talking to loved ones during long distant phone calls, or even during a lull in conversation.

In the centre you see birthday wishes received in the mail written in different hands. Each signature offers their good wishes and loving thoughts.

Ticket stubs were also particularly prized as they were tangible proof of one of their joyful travelling experiences.

My favourite part of this picture is the bold red AMEN at the end of what seems to be a quote of scripture followed by his initials and the date.

No doubt, all those who loved Opa can still easily identify with this testimony of faith and still feel his joy.

Greetings!

I love that word because this is how my Grandmother opened all of her letters and postcards. My Grandfather always ended his letters by quoting scripture, usually from the Psalms.

Since receiving the archival boxes containing Oma and Opa’s lifetime of letters, postcards, photographs and other joyful ephemera, I’ve wondered how it can best shared with family.

I don’t know why it took me so long to think of using social media to document their daily lives.

I promise to try and keep the flowery adjectives and adverbs at bay. I know that family members have their own memories. They can easily fill in any interpretive blanks that I may leave behind.

There’s a lot of material.

I’ll try to keep it interesting, but family members know that this stuff of memories never gets old.

Please pray that God will deliver me from spelling mistakes, bad syntax as well as the other multitudes of blogging sins that continually haunt my posts.

Do check back for updates.

Chuß…