Jewels from Jan: Longing for Long Island...

1/22/2015

Bonjour mes amis!

Everybody's doing these throwback Thursday things these days. I really don't know where this started, but I often see friends putting old family photos, etc. on Facebook.

This morning, I got a jolt of a throwback...and it's Thursday, so why not?

I was born on Long Island...in New York...

My parents were born there...

All my growing up (once we moved away), we regularly went back to Long Island to visit our Grandparents...

A little over a week ago, a very dear man from Long Island was called to be with the Lord. I knew him all my growing up. He was such a kind and fun man, a dedicated man (worked for the Fire Department for 60 years), and definitely a Family Man. He and his wife were married for many years, and they had a big family together. His children were so blessed. He cared about each one of them so. He was so dedicated to his wife also, always looking out for her every need. We called him "Uncle" Tommy.

"Uncle" Tommy was my Mom's cousin and a dear friend to my Dad. It turns out that he really was responsible for my parents getting together. My parents went to Long Island this past week to honor and remember him, and it's been so nice to hear all about their visit, and how loved "Uncle" Tommy was.

Flashing to today...my so-called "Flashback Thursday"...It's a dreary day today, here in Texas. I made a cup of Tea this morning. I had to open a new box of Tea. As I put the tea bag in my mug, I had a vivid memory of my Grandparents (my Dad's parents) who also lived on Long Island. They were big-time Tea drinkers. The tea bags were always out, and they had a lazy susan on the kitchen table that never moved. It was stocked with sugar and tea bags and a cup of tea was always at the ready. Growing up, I thought that's all they did, was sit at the table and drink tea. If someone came to the back door (which, of course, is where all guests enter), they were invited in for a cup of tea, even when we were there for a visit. They were hospitable people.

As I made my cup of tea this morning, complete with two sugar cubes, I grabbed an iced tea spoon from the drawer to stir my tea. I had grabbed one that my mother gave me years ago, since she didn't use the iced tea spoons anymore. More flashback...the stainless we had all my growing up.