Preamble Ramble

Here is the premise...in one of those "Dear-Abby" type columns, a person wrote that her grandmother had turned 91.  The Grd-ma sat down and told her kids and grandkids:  "I am here.  Ask me any question you might have."   I wish I had been awake enough years ago to ask my great grandmother some things.   Grandma LeBarre we called her.  She died around 101 yrs old and was a full blooded Indian.  There were arguments about which tribe.  I had always heard Cherokee.  Then, once I heard the term  Wa-Ha.  It was explained that the Wa-Ha tribe lived down by the creek - Creek dwellers you might say.  I had the impression that her tribe was not considered high class.  Anyway, she remarried a couple times before and after having my grandparent.   The name LeBarre came in one of those remarrys I think.
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I don't know.   She had a couple of other boys  Pete and Ed LeBarre.  Ed was really named Clarence. They lived in Lawton, Okla.   I assume the boys have died now and all of their info has flown away. There was a half brother Jamie - Jamie Metz - who, last count, lived in Burkburnet, TX and has children up there.  We have lost contact.  There is no excuse for that; but, we have.
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So the newspaper column sorta reminded me of what I am doing in this bluggy  { "blog" for those who are challenged by my use of the word blug }.   My own children have their own memories of their grandparents - on both sides of the family.  The memories are limited and varied depending upon the child and the interaction they had with that grandparent.   Roger, my youngest, was born in 1970.  Both my father and my wife's (Brenda) mother died of a cancer in 1974.   My own mother lived till 1986 and wife's father in 2008.
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How much can Roger remember about my father and my wife's mother since he was only 4 years old?  He has memories of things we have said.  Christine, my oldest, was born in 1964.  She would have been 10 years old and had more memories.   [ I will be in trouble if I leave Laura out who was born in 1967. I am sure she must have a memory too. ]
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Of course, none of my children knew my own grandparents as well as my own grandchildren never knew our parents.  Things like that happen when children don't marry and have 2 1/2 kids by age 15.  So their only memories are what we pass on - and, I might add, what we pass on when the grandchildren are mature enough to pay attention and care what one might relay.  How many times have I said something / anything to my grand-girls and it passed straight into one ear and out the other?
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It is possible that these girls may never care about any family thing from the past, but, you never know. One of their children might really want to learn about the family's past.   It could be that a future generation will not be so consumed by cellphones, facebook, jeans with bling on the back pockets and so forth.  Ya never know.  It would be nice to be remembered by someone.
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With this blog I am trying to create a bit of a family history here.  I wish my wife and all my kids - hey, and my brothers and their kids -- I wish they would write stuff here about our family and childhood too - prolly won't happen.  I'd give them the password if they'd care to write.
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I could probably write a book just about my band directing adventures too.  It is all simply what I happen to think about at the time.   My next posting will have to do with food....unless I decide to take a nap first.  That sounds pretty good right now.
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Final Bit:  All of you start writing down things.  Keep a book.  I worry this blog won't have the staying power until my great grandchildren start to read and comprehend.  Perhaps I should do a bit of printing and archiving.   What cha think?
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