From my grandfather´s diary
My grandfather died when I was just seven years old, so I never really got to know him. I only have a few memories of him imprinted in my mind. We were not rich so I do not have even one photo with him.. and I am sure my memories will fade…
So I am excited to have his diary. Me, his granddaughter, not his kids. I keep it safe and started reading it just now…
I love it. I miss him… And grandparents and parents, write something. We do not often talk about deep things, past, or emotions, especially if we are from the post-Soviet Union generation… It is nice to get to know our parents and grandparents at least through their written word…
I hope my grandpa does not mind me sharing a few of his lines… so here it comes…
I was born in 1926 in Ginkanciai village (my remark — Lithuania). I was the fourth kid. My two older sisters have already died. My name was Vaclovas and my older brother — Alfonsas was born in 1925. My sister Elena, I do not remember her age, one more sister — Maryte, and twins — Juozas and Onute, and brother Jonas. We were three sisters and four brothers. In total, we were seven kids, my mother, and father. I do not remember the sisters that died…
We were very very poor. We did not own anything. We did not have a house, no land. Once my mother told me that we had a cow, but we had to sell it because we had to buy bread to eat…
To have hay for the cow we had to work 40 days in public service. The work was very hard. We worked from sunrise to sunset. We were called to work only when the farmer had high season: harvest potatoes, cut the grass, harvest hay. Most of those jobs my mother did. My dad was helping with construction jobs at the farm. He was making windows and floors. Those times everything was made at home, not much you could buy at the shop.
My father liked to drink. I and my brother Alfonsas remember it very well. I remember when my dad would come home, my mother would take the youngest kids and would run away. We would run by ourselves.
My mother would not get any money from my father as he would lose it or drink it away…
That was the first page. Would you like more?
I am so grateful he left it, so I have a chance to get to know him from the first lips…
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