Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Air Mail and typewriter

As I was clearing out our storage barn, 
I found few boxes of letters, 
neatly grouped by sender.
A few stacks stood out to me, 

one of which was from my maternal grandparents (nonni).
Most of the letters where from my College days, when I moved across the ocean to go to College.
So, I am talking about 15 years ago.

Yes, my grandfather still used his typewriter...and God knows where it is now.
Those where the days before vintage was cool. Back then, vintage was old and out of style.
He also wrote a few letters by hand.

I always admired his handwriting.
He was an educated man, he had graduated from middle school. Back then, middle school was considered "higher education".
My grandfather relocated to Heaven almost seven years ago...he would now be in his nineties.
Until the day comes when we will be reunited, I will just hold on to his letters.

For some things, it pays to be a pack rat.

Stay Frugal,
Daniela

Linking to
Savvy Southern Style

14 comments:

Something Nice and Pretty said...

Hang on to them, you are so lucky to have them!

Art and Sand said...

How sweet that you still have them. I think I would tie a ribbon around them and display them - if they wouldn't get damaged.

My mother and my husband's mother saved every letter we wrote to them when we were in the Peace Corps in Jamaica. Someday we need to read through them again.

Amy of While Wearing Heels said...

What a lovely and meaningful thing to have stumbled upon. I love the handwritten letters and those typed on the typewriter. Thanks for sharing.

Mindi@MyLove2Create said...

What a wonderful treasure to have! I think it is so sweet he wrote you so many letters, and the handwriting is very beautiful! I love that you shared this!

Jeanette@Creating a Life Studio said...

Oh, how sweet Daniela! Makes me teary eyed...such a treasure. Thank you for sharing with us.

Jeanette

Meredith @ The Laundry Can Wait said...

Seeing his handwriting warmed my heart. How wonderful that you kept all those. What a treasure! And thank God there was a time when people actually communicated this way, rather than just sending an email or message on FB.

XOXO,
Meredith

Miss Kitty said...

Such a beautiful blog post! Your photographs of the letters are very artfully done. I love not only seeing the Italian lanquage on the page via typewriter but also your grandfather's fabulous handwriting. So very distinctive.

Unknown said...

What a beautiful handwriting your grandfather had Dani - I think one of those letters deserves a place of honor in a frame.
When my girlfriend's Mother passed away ( Portuguese ) she found a paper with the Mothers signature written on it 10 times - because she had never been to school and it was a practice sheet - she had copies made and all the kids proudly had them framed.
Much love,
XOXO

Anonymous said...

I would hold on to them as well. I can't get over how neat your grandfather's handwriting was. I've noticed lately that my handwriting isn't as neat, I used to write a lot of letters but now with the computer and going paperless as much as possible it doesn't even feel natural to write any more.

Sew a Fine Seam said...

I LOVE those letters! Oh the wonderful soon to disappear art of handwriting! and I so love the way you put it that he 'relocated' to heaven! What a wonderful way to put it :)

Kelly said...

Those are really a treasure, aren't they?! I do love his handwriting! I think having something handwritten by someone after they're gone is so special. It's like a piece of them has been left behind.

Leslie Harris said...

Oh my goodness. You know me. This post makes me swoon. I'm so happy you have such a treasure.

Mariette VandenMunckhof-Vedder said...

Dearest Daniela,
You deserve a BIG hug! That is so special for holding on to them. I would give a fortune for getting my two shoe boxes full of letters I wrote or typed to my Parents every Monday. Full of our adventures when traveling all over the world as consultants... My Mom kept them in my former bedroom's walk in closet. I looked at them and would have loved to take them home in my suitcase but Mom told me that on a rainy day she would go to my room and re-read them... BUT my sister trashed ALL of them. That day I felt like being mentally murdered. I never will find out why she did it. Was she jealous or what. But they meant so much to me and Mom had kept every single one of them; she cried too when she found out. So many people have asked me to write a book but now, most of the information is forever lost...
Your Nonno & Nonna are very proud of you and he is smiling down from heaven. The written word is so special and look, we all adhere still to the oldest writings; the Old & New Testament.
Hugs,
Mariette

Revi said...

Very sweet - and your grandfather's handwriting was artwork! You should choose a letter and take it somewhere and blow it up really big (copies like that don't cost much - maybe $5) to fit a cool vintage frame. Then you could tea stain it...and have a visually beautiful family treasure!
-Revi