Memory Jogger: Lessons and Hobbies

I forgot which blog I found this suggestion, and I started this post back in May and just found it again.  I haven't been doing much on my blogs too busy with work, organizing my Genealogy files, both paper and computer.  What a time consuming activity that is.  So I'm going to finish this now, why waste the potential.

This was a good memory jogger for me, it was about lessons or hobbies we did in our families. I wanted piano lessons as a kid and wasn't able to have them.  My parents didn't have extra money for something they didn't think I would stick to.  When I was in my late 20's I started lessons.  When I told my Dad I was taking lessons he was curious as to why I would do that since I would never be a concert pianist.  Like that is the only reason why someone should learn how to play the piano. The little bit of talent and ability I had came in handy while I was on my mission in Bolivia.  I used my basic piano skills to teach the first book of piano lessons to the kids in my mission and my companions who were more accomplished did the more advance students. It worked very well. I took more lessons when I came home. But when I married a fellow with 3 kids that was the end of my piano time. Some day I would like to pick it up again.

The similar thing happened with sewing I begged my Mom to teach me how to sew but she didn't want to, I really don't remember the reason.  One afternoon Mom and Dad went out and I took a part one of my full skirts and made a pair of culottes out of the skirt.  I cut out the pieces for the culottes by following the pattern and sewed all the seams back up.  I even had the waste band back on.  The only thing it didn't have was the zipper.  My Mom was so surprised she decide I really wanted to sew and she took me to J.C. Penny's for sewing lessons.  I can remember buying fabric on sale for $0.50/yard around 63.  I sewed all my own cloths for many years, I made a lot of my cloths in high school, my formal for the senior prom, all my cloths for my mission and I made cloths into my 30's.  Now I can't stand sewing cloths.  I made some holiday scrub tops about 10 years ago and that was the end of that.  I much rather make quilts. 

Mary 1965 Graduation Day, in a dress I made.

When I made that culottes my Dad said, "Mary must get her sewing talent from her great grandfather."  My great grandfather Joseph Hartmann was a tailor.
 

Happy Birthday Dad!

Today would be my Dad's 98th Birthday if he was still with us.  He is on his wedding day to my Mom, Annette Corkish.  He was 36 in this picture on June 25th 1949, just a couple of weeks until his birthday.

Some of his favorite sayings are:
        There is no such thing as a free lunch.
        If it is worth doing, it is worth doing well.
        If you want something you have to work for it.
        If you can read you can do anything you want in this life.

I'm sure there were more but I can not think of them at this time. 

One of my memories I have of him is he had a money jar in the kitchen cabinet and he knew every penny that was in it and I mean every cent.  It was very difficult to take any money from the jar because he would miss the money and he would point out to you exactly how much was missing.  I only tried once.  He had a thin stack of half sheets of paper and he would divide the paper into eight equal parts.  One square for each day of the week and a total square.  He used both sides of that paper.  That is how he accounted for all his money.  Everyday he would write down what he spent and totaled it on the end of the week.  He had no credit cards until later in life.  He was practical with money.   He believed in work and working hard. 

Well Dad, I hope you are having a good day!
Love me,