Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Gratitude

My daughter and her family will be spending the upcoming holiday season in Italy. They are flying to Milan and then moving on to Florence, Rome and then Pompei.
It is a lovely opportunity and something they are very grateful for.
Hopefully they will take tons of photos. 
My daughter is so excited to see the house of Lucius Caecilius Iucundus.
We studied Latin for a few years in home school and his life and times were part of the lessons from our Cambridge Latin text books.
Well they found his home in Pompey and she will have the opportunity to see that now.  They found a guide to take them through Naples and Pompei.
Our little one already knows the history of the city and of Caecilius. She knows that an impluvium is and how Romans served 'fast food' in the streets.
We were astounded by what she got out of a documentary she watched and from discussion about Latin.
She is quick, something else to be grateful for.

Are we grateful for the blessings given to us?
Just a short time ago the Great Depression left many Americans in a very bad way.
The saying of the times was “Use it up.  Wear it out.  Make it do or do without!"

Our parents got used to saving everything!
I know my grandmother would wash and reuse all plastic bags, aluminum foil, etc. They knew what it was to do without and to work very hard.
You had to eat every bit of your food on the plate because tomorrow there might not be enough.

The Great Depression in America
So much to be thankful for.



8 comments:

  1. Hi Annie, how exciting for your daughter and her family!
    My grandpa David probably taught me the most about the value of something. He was a gardener and would go to the dump a couple of times a week. When I was off school in the summer, I would go with him. I would find all sorts of things and ask my grandpa if I could have them. He would tell me how much they were worth and how sad that people would just throw away good things. That there were so many people that went with out to survive. I know he had a hard life as a kid and that made me sad. Our kids and grandkids don't know what it is like to not have money. I know today I have a hard time letting go things and it probably stems back to those days.

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  2. Hi Annie!
    I am so happy for your daughter and family! I would love to visit Italy! My husband was born in Italy, came to America when he was 8 yrs old!

    I learned many saving tips from my Grandma, and my Aunt, her sister. Wasting things was not something they believed in. My grandma would reuse everything, even to making doll clothes for me out of clothes that saw much repair, and to me, they were heavenly! We need to go back to those days.

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  3. What a wonderful opportunity to vacation in Italy. They will have a lovely time, I'm sure.

    My grand mother re-used everything and there were some things she got as gifts that she packed away and never used. I'm thinking she was saving them for some other time "just in case". We don't know what it is like to do without like our grand parents did. Great post.

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  4. How wonderful for your daughter and her family! I've been there years ago and Pompey was amazing. I remember a lot of those lean times as a child and we too had to make do. Thank you so much for visiting my poetry blog Annie, I don't blog much anymore as there is too much going on in my life right now. Have a blessed Easter and Passover my friend.

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  5. I'm sure their trip is going to become unforgettable, my land in this period of the year is truly lovely !
    Sending much love to you and your daughter
    Dany

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  6. I've been fortunate to ahve visited Italy twice--once wehn I was 18 and accompanied by school mates and teachers, and then again with my husban and children on a family trip. The first trip I visited Pomeii, and I found the city to be very fascinating! I know it has been excavated much more and the museum improved so I hope to take another trip to see it again someday. My favorite city in Italy is Venice as it is so unique, but Florence is a close second for all it Reminiscence art and history. I studied Latin for three years in HS, Annie, but I've sadly forgotten most of what I learned. I think it is wonderful your daughter and granddaughter study it!

    Ah --the depression era--my Mom and Dad grew up in it and both of their mothers were widowed young. They were both poor but felt they were better off than many. I know they were never wasteful!

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  7. Hope your daughter and her family had a lovely time in Italy. :)
    Florence is just gorgeous, and Pompey is a magical place... but so neglected. :/
    Have a happy Monday ahead, dear.

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  8. What a wonderful opportunity for your daughter and her family. I am sure they will have the time of their life. Annie..........Spring is really here! At least in OH :-)

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