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I've spent some time with my 86 year old grandmother the past 2 weeks. She is in failing health and I don't see her being here next Christmas. Anyway, just a post to encourage you to make a New Year's resolution and spend some time with your grandparents or other elderly people you may know. I've learned a lot about my family's history these past two weeks, some good, some bad, and some just things I had no clue about. One thing I learned was I had two uncles die at the Hornets Nest at Shiloh. One had his leg blown off by a cannon ball and the other wouldn't leave him to die by himself. He sat with him under an oak tree until the blue bellies over ran them.

It amazed me talking to her how she takes things some calmly. Nothing seemed to phase her and in retrospect I don't know why I should be surprised. She went through the depression, WW II, the Cold War, and everything the last century had to throw at her and she didn't blink. Just some pretty neat things. For the most part I didn't say a word, just let her talk as long as she wants or just sit and watch the day.

Just a good New Year's resolution to make. Once my grandmother passes, all that knowledge and widsom will be gone.

Couldnt agree with you more. I used to love listening to the stories my Papaw would tell me about moonshining and his trials and tribulations in WWII. He got surrounded in the battle of the bulge and pulled another dead soldier on top of him to hide. The germans came and started to shoot into the body and hit him in both legs a total of 7 times. The scars on his legs were horrific. My wifes great aunt, who is like a mamaw to our kids told us the story of her great aunt, who would sit by the fireplace, chew tobacco and tell them stories about the seige of Vicksburg during the "southern war for independence"...one of the stories that she relayed to us was about how her aunt and family tried to hide all their valubles in a ravine and the Yankees found it and took all of it and burned down the house. She said they didnt celebrate the fourth of July at her house until some family fought in WWII and even then her aunt still wouldnt. It made the history of the Civil War come alive to me and I was fascinated by the fact that my wifes great aunt grew up with a woman who lived during that time and suffered through it. I wish I could have met her. The older generation is a treasure, not a burden