MEMORIES ~THE "RED" BOOK

This old "RED" scrapbook is filled with sooooooooooo many memories of years gone by!  I remember my Mother having had this book around for so long.  She has this chucked full of so many pictures.  The pages are black and have become so very, very brittle that they have broke and tore.  Back several years ago when we were still living in Ohio and Mom lived with us, we had made a trip to PA for some reason.  I took this "RED" book with us and I was on a mission :o)  Mom's mind was still really good for her age, but there were several pictures whom she couldn't identify and I wanted to know who was who.  We were at my sister Vi's house when I pulled out the "RED" book.  This was after when my sister Thelma was diagnosed with cancer.  I was sure that Thelma could answer most of my questions!  So, as Mom, Thelma and I sat on the sofa the questions began to flow.  Thelma had a wealth of answers for me.  We got a pen and wrote lightly on the back of most of the photo's who Thelma was able to identify for me.  Around this same time, I had taken Mom to a huge craft store in Akron, Ohio where I bought a large scrapbook (I should have bought two), lots of paper and stickers.  Over the years, there were quite a few major changes in our lives: losing both my parents, my sister Thelma, my nephew Matt and then moving from Ohio to Cayman.  I've thought so many times about pulling out the "RED" book and start scrapping, but it seems I'm always so busy here.  Well, yesterday was the day.  I wanted to get started on this major project and so I went on a mission to find the "RED" book.  I wasn't sure if it was in a drawer with other scrap-booking items or packed away in a box.  Tah~dah!  It was in one of the first drawers I checked!!  When I found it I felt like a child in a candy store.  It was so delightful!!  I took the book to the dining room table where I could open it.  It was just awesome!!  I'd take the book and show Dennis a picture and tell him the story behind it.  Some of the pictures are over 80 years old!!  The back cover of the book has now fallen out of the once tight binding!  It's really in sad shape, but considering the age of the book and how many times over the years that it's been looked at I guess it's still in pretty good shape :o)  Here is glance of just a few of the many pages in the dear old treasured "RED" book:

 

 

 

The top left pic is one of our family.  I was the baby Thelma is holding.

Harold

Charlotte

Vi holding Michael with Teresa and Michelle

(Sorry that this is turned sideways.  Blogger is acting up again!)

My Dad's parents and my Uncle Henry

All these pictures are Thelma except the bottom left corner and that's Jim with bushel's of cucumber's from the garden that summer.

The top row of pictures are Daddy holding either Vi or Jim.  I'd have to check that.

Now I just have to figure out where to start on this project.  I hate tearing apart his great piece of memory work, but hope to restore and keep everything together as it is literally falling apart!  That way, we'll be able to once again be able to share it as a family and I think Mom would be proud.