Do you enjoy taking a trip down memory lane? We will share with you a trip we took with my Grandmother where stories and memories were shared.
I was recently going through photos we have taken over the years... I came across pictures taken one day when we took my Grandma to land she and my Grandpa had a trailer on. It was their summer place, along the Muskingum River located in Stockport, Ohio.
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| The Stockport Mill and Inn |
She is now 98, but when we went on this trip, she was in her early 90's. She was able to tell us how to get there, all of the landmarks along the way, stories she recalled, and told us where she had stayed on her wedding night. She commented it looked a lot different then than it does now. I would expect so, 70 years later... not as nice now as it was then. I chuckled when she made that comment.
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| Hotel |
I have shared with you before, I love hearing others' stories... I always find them so fascinating. I would sit for hours as a child listening to my Grandfather tell all the stories of his life. I would sit on the edge of my seat, and just take it all in. He was a magnificent story teller, the details he included, I could see it all in my mind's eye.
On this trip, Grandma told us where each of their friends' stayed and if the trailer was the same or different than what was originally there. I used to love to visit them in the summer at this trailer. It was a big part of my childhood. My grandfather built a patio down the hill from the trailer and he could be found at 5 AM sitting there watching the sun rise while smoking.
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| Grandpa's patio |
I always woke early and would join him on the patio. Those mornings, we did not need to say anything to each other, only just be... sharing the space and the morning sunrise together. I always loved those mornings when it was just the two of us. The rest of the family would usually wake between 7 and 8, and by that time, we had sat with each other a few hours.
Grandpa is the one who taught me how to play checkers... we would fish together... he would always put the worm on my line. It made me squeamish, and when I would catch a fish, he would filet it and then we would fry it in a pan over fire. He taught me patience through fishing, being okay with silence, and a lot of other life lessons I doubt he was even aware of.
Grandpa had a red and white speed boat the whole family would go for rides along the river on. Thinking back, I can almost feel the wind in my face and my hair blowing all about, which was down to my waist as a child. My sister and I always had to wear our life vests, but the rest of the family would just soak up the sun...
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| Old trailer on Muskingum River |
A lot had changed, but a lot was the same when we visited the area... it was like I took a step back in time... and I was a kid again. I remembered so many things I had not thought of in so long. It was good to remember and take a stroll down memory lane...
Grandma shared with us who lived on each lot... it was funny when I thought back to some of the people she spoke of. My sister and I were down so often visiting, we knew a lot of the people who stayed there all summer long. Not many of the other families had grandchildren who would visit like we did. All of their friends knew who we were and Grandpa was proud we visited so often.
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| Home built in place of my Grandparents |
Above you see the home that was built in place of my Grandparent's trailer which I guess is a full time home for these owners. She indicated the same family owned and lived there who purchased it from them. They had since removed the trailer my grandparents owned, and built this home in it's place. You can see in the distance the patio is still there.
Back then, that patio would have colored lights strung all along the roof of the patio and we would sit outside long after dark. I had my first smores visiting my Grandparents here. We would have bonfires, also my first... many sunrise and sunset here... checker games... running through the sprinkler... boat rides... life was a much slower pace here, and I loved every minute of it.
I wonder if it was the location or the generation that made life seem like it passed slower here? All I knew was that I would get so excited when our parents told us we would be visiting. I'd pack my suitcase as full as I could so I could take books with me to read, coloring books, bingo, Grandpa never said no when I asked if he wanted to do something with me.
So many years spent here, and many good memories... I love thinking about the time we spent here as a family. We tried to stop at the Stockport Mill and Inn, but they were not open. They graciously allowed us to use their facilities when they met Grandma. She told them all about how she used to spend all of her summer's here on the Muskingum River, how it was the best time of her life, and the owner listened to her stories.
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| The perfect place to spend the afternoon |
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| I thought the railing was lovely The owner did not mind me taking pictures of their establishment. I hope to go back one day and have dinner here. The rush of the water right by the patio was so nice to hear. The water may be muddy brown, but the atmosphere was quite quaint. |
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| I would have loved to have lunch sitting here by the water |
At the end of our trip, Grandma said well, that was a lifetime in a day... and I thought that was quite fitting for the day we all got to spend together. So many memories and good times we all had here and were able to reminisce together over. Thanks for taking a trip down memory lane with me. Do you have somewhere that is special to you or your family? Have you gone back for a visit to see how things have changed or stayed the same? I love a good story when shared with loved ones. We shared old memories, but experienced new ones as well...
Enjoyed this story and want to learn more about us? You can find more stories about us and our home here.
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