First....Happy Birthday. Then...my mother was a Brit, raised by her grandmother in India in the 1920's-30's, traveling back and forth between Calcutta and Bangalore during horse racing season - her step grandfather trained race horses. Her real grandfather was a famous trapeze artist, traveling worldwide in the circus. Oh, the stories, the life that seemed surreal. I carry those stories around with me like little gold coins in a velvet purse.
Thanks for sharing the story about Dorothy and just about us old folk, in general.
For years I have wanted to. There's just so much, including truths, fables, untraceable details (although I'm trying through Ancestry), far away places, the war, the lemon dance with the American soldiers, my grandmother buried in Pakistan having died under strange circumstances, (I digress); I don't know how to start or where to share it or who would want to read it. You know (I think) that I write the substack Kindness Magnet. But this, this would be a whole unusual beast - like my mother's pet mongoose. Is there any chance you would want to give me some guidance?
You know you can add sections to your Substack page? You might add one called 'Family Truths and Myths' or something like that and add your pieces there. Or start an entirely new Substack only for these stories.
I'll be happy to help if I can. Email me at ramonagriggwriter at gmail dot com whenever you're ready.
Can I ever relate, and I'm right behind you; I turn 84 on January 7. I guess I should probably add "God willing." And as you know, I love telling stories about the past. And I will admit I put a lot of "me" into them, in the person of my protagonist in my mystery series. I made her 5'9", though. And gave her the chance to sing professionally. But mainly, she's as passionate about teaching voice as I am. And I also gave her a dreamboat of a husband. I married a tenor. Tenors are not easy. Anyway...thanks for writing and remind us old fogies about the amazing changes we've witnessed during our many years on this earth. And HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!
Susan, you are a prime example of the Energizer Bunny. You keep going and going and going! I love following your doings, knowing we're both at the same stage in our lives and yet we don't have time to notice that we're supposed to be slowing down!
Keep doing what you're doing. Your books are treasures, with delicious discoveries on every page.
Please don't take offense to this but I cannot believe you are 84!!! It really shows that age is not always reflected in writing. But about the stories... I used to love the stories my grandmother used to tell me about growing up in Germany during the war and when they first immigrated to Australia. And I loved the stories my mum used to tell me about when she was a kid. Our stories are always interesting if only people let us tell them.
LOL. I don't take offense at all. I want my writing to be ageless! I wish I'd thought to write down those stories my parents and grandparents told. There are so many holes in the things I remember them telling me and I have no one to ask. So write those stories down while you remember them--and ask anyone still here to help you get them right!
First....Happy Birthday. Then...my mother was a Brit, raised by her grandmother in India in the 1920's-30's, traveling back and forth between Calcutta and Bangalore during horse racing season - her step grandfather trained race horses. Her real grandfather was a famous trapeze artist, traveling worldwide in the circus. Oh, the stories, the life that seemed surreal. I carry those stories around with me like little gold coins in a velvet purse.
Thanks for sharing the story about Dorothy and just about us old folk, in general.
OMG, Heather! You MUST write about your family! The world needs to read them! Or at least I do. Please!
For years I have wanted to. There's just so much, including truths, fables, untraceable details (although I'm trying through Ancestry), far away places, the war, the lemon dance with the American soldiers, my grandmother buried in Pakistan having died under strange circumstances, (I digress); I don't know how to start or where to share it or who would want to read it. You know (I think) that I write the substack Kindness Magnet. But this, this would be a whole unusual beast - like my mother's pet mongoose. Is there any chance you would want to give me some guidance?
You know you can add sections to your Substack page? You might add one called 'Family Truths and Myths' or something like that and add your pieces there. Or start an entirely new Substack only for these stories.
I'll be happy to help if I can. Email me at ramonagriggwriter at gmail dot com whenever you're ready.
Can I ever relate, and I'm right behind you; I turn 84 on January 7. I guess I should probably add "God willing." And as you know, I love telling stories about the past. And I will admit I put a lot of "me" into them, in the person of my protagonist in my mystery series. I made her 5'9", though. And gave her the chance to sing professionally. But mainly, she's as passionate about teaching voice as I am. And I also gave her a dreamboat of a husband. I married a tenor. Tenors are not easy. Anyway...thanks for writing and remind us old fogies about the amazing changes we've witnessed during our many years on this earth. And HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!
Susan, you are a prime example of the Energizer Bunny. You keep going and going and going! I love following your doings, knowing we're both at the same stage in our lives and yet we don't have time to notice that we're supposed to be slowing down!
Keep doing what you're doing. Your books are treasures, with delicious discoveries on every page.
Thanks for your input here, as always.
Please don't take offense to this but I cannot believe you are 84!!! It really shows that age is not always reflected in writing. But about the stories... I used to love the stories my grandmother used to tell me about growing up in Germany during the war and when they first immigrated to Australia. And I loved the stories my mum used to tell me about when she was a kid. Our stories are always interesting if only people let us tell them.
LOL. I don't take offense at all. I want my writing to be ageless! I wish I'd thought to write down those stories my parents and grandparents told. There are so many holes in the things I remember them telling me and I have no one to ask. So write those stories down while you remember them--and ask anyone still here to help you get them right!
Such a good read, Ramona--thank you!