True Family Heirlooms

[Anonymous]

My grandfather was a scientist who could work a sliderule faster than a calculator! That worn out sliderule and his doctorate diploma are my most prized possessions.

[Anonymous]

My most treasured possession from my grandmother is her daily dishes. She got them from being a good account holder at her bank. Each month, if she made a deposit of a certain amount or if she maintained a certain balance, she earned enough to get another plate or bowl or saucer or whatever. It took her a long time but she finally got a set of 6 (dinner plate, bowl, b&b plate, cup & saucer) in a very mod and funky daisy pattern. She used the set for everyday. I only use it when I'm feeling low and need a boost. It makes me smile like crazy when I look at those dishes!

[Anonymous]

My grandmother had a small collection of pottery bowls. Mismatched, collected over many years, and they were her daily bowls for everything from mixing biscuit dough to eating cereal. All shapes, sizes and colors. I have 2 of them, use them daily, and love them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My most treasured possession from my grandmother is her daily dishes. She got them from being a good account holder at her bank. Each month, if she made a deposit of a certain amount or if she maintained a certain balance, she earned enough to get another plate or bowl or saucer or whatever. It took her a long time but she finally got a set of 6 (dinner plate, bowl, b&b plate, cup & saucer) in a very mod and funky daisy pattern. She used the set for everyday. I only use it when I'm feeling low and need a boost. It makes me smile like crazy when I look at those dishes!

I love this! But know that these dishes actually are valuable to collectors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My grandfather was a scientist who could work a sliderule faster than a calculator! That worn out sliderule and his doctorate diploma are my most prized possessions.

I have my grandfather's slide rule also. He was not a learned man, he ran construction equipment. But when he was laid up in the hospital for a couple of months following an accident, his supervisor gave him a couple books on mathematics to keep him occupied. He spent those months studying trigonometry, and bought a slide rule. He did eventually become a foreman and used some of that knowledge, and always expressed a sense of wonder about the power of math. When I was accepted to engineering school, I think it was about the proudest day of his life. He gave me his old slide rule as a college graduation present. It really is an amazing tool!

[Anonymous]

I have a plastic ashtray from the bar my grandfather owned in the 1950's. It's the only thing of his I own.

[Anonymous]

My childhood best friend growing up had a needlepoint sampler on the wall of her enclosed porch that said, “The Road to a Friend’s House is Never Long.” I was afraid of her dog so I spent a great deal of time standing on that porch instead of going in to wait for her. Her parents gave it to me when I got married and it hangs in my hallway now.

[Anonymous]

I have a old and worn set of glass measuring cups from my mother that I use. Reminds me.

[Anonymous]

I have the little stand my grandfather kept his pen in -- sat on his desk at work for 35 years, and then on his desk at home for another 20.

It came with a (plastic, worthless) pen he used for decades, which I broke almost immediately. I cried for days.

[Anonymous]

I have my dad’s globe that still has the USSR on it! He loved maps and globes! We would sit together when I was a kid and he’d point out all the places I would go.

If my house ever caught on fire, I would save the globe before anything else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My most treasured possession from my grandmother is her daily dishes. She got them from being a good account holder at her bank. Each month, if she made a deposit of a certain amount or if she maintained a certain balance, she earned enough to get another plate or bowl or saucer or whatever. It took her a long time but she finally got a set of 6 (dinner plate, bowl, b&b plate, cup & saucer) in a very mod and funky daisy pattern. She used the set for everyday. I only use it when I'm feeling low and need a boost. It makes me smile like crazy when I look at those dishes!

I love this! But know that these dishes actually are valuable to collectors.

Huh. That surprises the heck out of me that they would be collectible but thanks for telling me! All I know is that I love them!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have my dad’s globe that still has the USSR on it! He loved maps and globes! We would sit together when I was a kid and he’d point out all the places I would go.

If my house ever caught on fire, I would save the globe before anything else.

I'm a teacher. You might be interested to know that over 20+ years of teaching I have found that most children in my school have never, ever seen a globe. This is a little reminder to us all that we can tell kids as much as we want that the earth is round but it helps make sense of the concept if the kids see a globe with the continents and countries all laid out. Plus it is super fun spinning those things around.

Thanks for posting an account that let me stand on my soapbox for a second! Your globe with the USSR is a pretty cool remembrance of your dad! I also love that you would talk about all the places you could go. He sounds like he had a robust imagination and big dreams for you!

[Anonymous]

I just love this thread

[Anonymous]

We have an oriental rug my great grandfather rolled himself up in to cross the border, which saved his life. We also have a Marc Chagall painting that allegedly the artist gave my granduncle in exchange for saving his life.

[Anonymous]

My grandfather's rosary (belonged to his uncle who was a priest for 50 years). Just black plastic beads and sterling chain and crucifix. I carry it with me in my purse and feel extra grace when I use it.