Memoir
/ˈmemˌwär/ noun. a record of events written by a person having intimate knowledge of them and based on personal observation. Usually memoirs. an account of one's personal life and experiences; autobiography. the published record of the proceedings of a group or organization, as of a learned society.
We’ve already done a dozen of these!?
Memoir Monday has grown so much that I won’t be able to comment on everyone’s posts anymore (and get my own work done) but I’ll still be supporting your posts with reblogs, votes, and shares on my other social media accounts (X, Facebook, etc.).
For all of those who’ve regularly participated in Memoir Monday - keep going, you’re making great progress in chronicling your very own life story for future generations to enjoy.
For those who missed the inaugural post explaining what the Memoir Monday initiative is all about you can find it here.
Now for next week’s Memoir Monday prompt:
What were your next door neighbors like when you were a child?
My answer:
It’s almost hard to believe now but in the 1970’s, when I was growing up on the east side of Columbus at 586 Elizabeth Avenue the neighborhood was a quiet and safe place. Now the neighborhood has been overtaken by violence, drugs, and urban blight.
When I was growing up the neighborhood was full of hard working lower middle class families raising children. A majority of the homes on our street were built in the 1920’s-30’s and there were still even a few old-timers around who were original residents.
One of them was our neighbor to the south, Mrs. Willow (Bucher) Werkhaven, was born on September 3, 1906. She was the child of Dutch immigrants. Supposedly her parents still were wearing their wooden shoes when they arrived in Columbus in the 1800’s. Her father eventually opened a butcher shop in (I believe) Columbus’ Central Market and, considering his daughter’s education and love of classical music and finer culture, did fairly well for himself. Considering their surname, Bucher, this was a trade that was likely brought over from their native Holland.
My parents told me when they first bought our house in 1972 (for $18,000) they thought the house next door was vacant. Later they discovered their neighbor had recently retired from a long career at Lazarus Department Store and was out traveling the world for the first few months we lived there. We learned Mrs. Werkhaven had been criss-crossing the globe, visiting -- Egypt, China, Vietnam, Hawaii, and India. She had gone to college for music but I suppose her job at Lazarus proved to be more lucrative.
Sadly, all but my maternal grandfather passed away before I was born but Mrs. Werkhaven lovingly filled the void for me. When I was just a few years old she would wave from her porch and say “Whoo, whoo” (I don’t know why). Well, that became her nickname.
She became like a surrogate grandmother to my brother and I. Here and I would spend hours on her porch and she would tell me about her global travels. As we thumbed through her National Geographic magazines, she’d educate me about the other cultures she experienced. She even taught me to play piano and was highly educated and cultured.
Mrs. Werkhaven could also be a very stern (some would say grumpy) woman and, as so often is the case, we learned her life made her that way. Her husband left her to raise their three daughters alone and in the 1930’s and 40's this couldn’t have been an easy task for a single woman. She drove a little metallic green Ford Maverick that smelled just like her best friend, a springer spaniel named Boomie. The windows were always smudged from his nose prints. Those two were inseparable.
She was a tough woman, having lived through two world wars and the Great Depression. Mrs. Werkhaven's demeanor softened as we spent more time together and she got to know us. As I grew older I took out her trash and would cut her lawn. Let me tell you, if that lawn wasn’t cut perfectly she would make me do it again until it was. For Christmas she would get us gift certificates to McDonald's and books. For birthdays we'd get a card with a five dollar bill inside.
Aside from my memories this blurry, faded picture is all I have left of Mrs. Werkhaven, she passed away in 1990 at 83 years old. I credit her with planting the seeds of my wanderlust and deep curiosity about other cultures, also my love of literature and music. There was really nobody else in our lives who was able to travel the world, she showed me that these experiences were attainable.
My childhood experience and my entire life has been better for having known Mrs. Werkhaven. Our time together taught me a lot and helped mold me into the person I've become. As I get older I think about her and the impact she had on our lives a lot. Each person we spend time with has either a positive or negative impact on us. We were so lucky to have moved in next door to this wonderful woman.
Rules of Engagement
- Please reblog this first post and share on other social platforms so we cast the widest net possible for this initiative;
- Pictures paint a thousand words. Include pictures in your posts if you have them;
- Answer each Memoir Monday prompt question in your own post. If possible, the prompt question will be published in the week prior so you'll have the entire week to answer and publish your own post;
- Have fun with it, don't worry about getting behind, or jumping into the project at any point after we've begun; and
- Lastly, be sure to include the tag #memoirmonday.
It's that simple.
At the end of the next twelve months we'll have created something immensely valuable together. It's so important to know our "whys" in life and there's no better way to do that than this.
Someday all that will be left of our existence are memories of us, our deeds, and words. It's up to you to leave as rich of a heritage as possible for future generations to learn from. So, go ahead, tell your stories. I can't wait to read them.
Be well and make the most of this day. I want to sincerely thank all of the participants thus far. I've really enjoyed reading your posts!
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What a wonderful neighbor Mrs Werkhaven was! Lucky you. We should all have such great neighbors!
I hope to participate in this endeavor of yours again this week. Where does the time go?! I had great neighbors too and, now that I've moved back to my hometown, I've reconnected with the best of them. This should be fun.
We were very lucky! She ended up being like a mother to my mom too. My grandmother passed when my Mom was in her early twenties. It's weird when I think back across my life, those who I deemed "stern" or "mean" ended up having the most impact on my life.
I hope you can join in this time but if you can't I understand! Time has been getting away from me lately too. Summer is always more difficult because the outdoors is always calling.
Like my geometry teacher! She made me stay after school many days until my homework was absolutely perfect. I credit her with my being so good at college math, one of my earliest loves.
Yes! Thank God for those people, as painful as those things were to go through in the moment. I'll never forget Mr. Morgan, one of my middle school teachers. I was petrified when I heard I got him in the seventh grade. He ended up being one of the best mentors I've ever had, he brought me out of my shell and turned me into a leader in the class.
That sounds like it used to be a pretty great neighborhood to grow up in! I grew up in the country, so neighbors were a little more distant than you get in the city. We had a couple of them fairly close. Probably the closest thing I had to your neighbor was an old German woman who lived across the street. Her kids are much older than my sister and I, so they were long gone by the time I can remember. She had a thick accent even until she passed several years ago and my mom was quite close with her as they both got older. She was a pretty cool lady. I remember one Christmas she got us chocolate covered cherries from Germany. My family doesn't drink and I didn't at the time, so we were all surprised when we bit into them!
It really was, very walkable too. Everything we needed was within a few miles. To drive through there now you'd never know it. It actually makes me sad when I see it now because I remember it as it used to be.
That's cool. My Mom and Mrs. Werkhaven had that kind of friendship too. I bet your Mom looked to her for advice as she was raising her kids. Oh, I remember those candies! My Dad would bring them home from work around Christmas. Good memories, man. We were very lucky to grow up when we did.
Yes, she probably did get lots of advice, I was quite the handful!
😂
When I was child, the place where I live was like a village despite having been in Istanbul. Frogs used to jump here and there in streets and croak all night. It was a safe place as the population was low, but can't say the same today.
Did the frogs keep you awake at night or did you eventually get used to the noise?
A child would sleep early somehow :)
Everything you tell about Mrs. Werkhaven is very interesting. It's enough to make a novel! I would have liked to meet Mrs Werkhaven or have a neighbour just like her. I can imagine your face remembering and writing all this: remembering childhood moments is in one way or another going back to childhood. I hope I can write something as good as your story. I hug you, my friend, and happy Thursday.
Her life could definitely be turned into a novel. She kept a horse when her girls were young and they used to ride it a few blocks up to an apple orchard that sat on the property that is now in the heart of the city. She saw as much change in her life as our generation will by the time we're in our 70's and 80's. I can't wait to read your post! Thank you Nancy, take care and have a wonderful weekend.
Likewise, Eric. A big hug and thanks for the support.
Good morning dear friend @ericvancewalton how are you?
What a beautiful experience you have had in relation to your neighbors, how good that the Werkhaven has transmitted to you that passion for travel and your curiosity to discover different cultures.
Have a happy and prosperous week
Hello my friend! All is well. Today is a holiday here in the US (Memorial Day) so everyone has the day off. Thank you, I hope you have a good week as well!
Sounds like a great neighborhood!
I didn't really know the neighbors when I grew up. We just said hello when we saw eachother but never had 'deep conversations'.
Not that much of a miss as I was a child.
Nowadays I try to have a talk with my neighbors every once in a while :D But still only have contact with the neighbors of one house..
That seems to be how it is these days, unfortunately. People move so often now I think they're hesitant to put down roots and get to know people. It's sad because sometimes I think the universe brings people together for a reason but if they never take the time to get to know each other they never reap the benefits.
xto con la cámara
Around here it is often said that the neighbor is the first family we have. And I believe that is so.
You seemed to have had a wonderful neighbour. Looks like she is the bold and beautiful. Her travel should have given her the best experience. Nice to hear how she replaced your grandmother for both you brothers. I liked the part where she made you ro cut the lawn if she is not satisfied. This shows her affectionate control over you and importance of you as a kid in her life.
Very rarely do we get such lovely neighbours now.
She was definitely ahead of her time, so forward-thinking and independent (probably out of necessity). I have a lot to thank her for!
Reading your publications I always learn new things about your culture. It must be a great experience to have a neighbor like Mrs. Werkhaven. At present I have some neighbors who make my life very difficult, maybe I will talk something about it in my publication. Thanks for the call dear @ericvancewalton . Happy Sunday. A big hug from Maracay.
Back then America really was a melting pot of so many cultures. These cultures used to keep their traditions but assimilate into the country and become "Americans". Today it's very different, many people who come here wish to retain their culture and not assimilate. Some don't attempt to learn the language and live their lives just within their own communities. This divides us as a country even more. Here in the Twin Cities (Minnesota) all state and city government documents are printed in four different languages (Somali, Hmong, Spanish, English). You see this at ATM machines and health insurance documents as well.
I'm so sorry to hear about your neighbor! This can make life very difficult. Thanks for participating in our adventure again this week! I hope you had a wonderful weekend.
How interesting to have public documents in four languages. Here we always had many Spaniards, Portuguese and Italians who came here after World War II. In the last few years many Chinese and Arabs are arriving. I saw that your city is quite far north, it must be very cold. Here we have heat all year round, with an average temperature above 30 degrees Celsius. Have a happy week dear @ericvancewalton . A big hug from Maracay.
You were blessed to have someone like Mrs. Werkhaven living next door!
I can just imagine how she transported you to these exotic destinations with all her stories.
I truly believe special people like her do not happen to cross paths with us by chance, it's all part of the bigger picture that we do not understand then, but when we look back, we see the answer.
You really are making us dig deep Eric, especially an oldie like me!
We were so blessed! She definitely planted the seeds of travel early into my brain. I think just having exposure to someone who had experienced those exotic destinations was a very rare thing back then in a lower middle class neighborhood. I don't believe in coincidence either. I hope you can join in this week!
xto con la cámara
Around here it is often said that the neighbor is the first family we have. And I believe that is so.
That certainly used to be the case here in America! I'm so glad I grew up when it was still that way.
Your neighbour was a very good person, to you and your brother and having these fond memories of her isn't out of place.
Childhood is always special and its memories will last as long as life lasts
You are lucky to have a neighbor like Mrs. Werkhaven who really cares about you as if you were his grandson. What a good woman. Regarding the neighbors next to me when I was little, I don't think there was anything special. they are a family with a large number of children and spend most of their time working to support their children.
We were very lucky! Thank you Eliana.
This week's topic back is very special and interesting, I will definitely make my own post in a couple of days and share my thoughts.
Ohhh I love this week’s topic, I’m
Definitely gonna write my own Memoir.
Great!
This particular one makes me to remember childhood memories where we usually goes to our neighbours to play
It's really wonderful to relive memories like these and it's a good thing that Mrs. Werkhaven impacted you positively.
She was one in a million.
Beautiful memories of a beautiful woman inside out. I will submit my entry soon.
Memories of our formative years remain fresh in ones mind, we had a wonderful time growing up during that period. Thanks for sharing about your lovely adopted "Whoo whoo" an enduring nickname to remember.
You're welcome, Joan! Every generation probably feels this way but I think we grew up during the best of times.
It would be going on a magical mystery tour through handful of photographs, photos seldom taken other than on holidays.
We had some very special folk living in the town growing up, it was an experience like no other. We made friends with English speaking mostly going to the same schools, churches, dancing or girl guides. Afrikaans were directly next door, across the road, we seldom saw let alone spoke to.
School holidays we did mingle when very young, as we got older this too fell away until our late teens, after school life making our own way with friendships.
Ironically some families of say four children, two went to Afrikaans school, two to English, we only really became friends through being in the same schools together, befriending the English! Both languages officially taught in all schools back then.
Sharing on Twitter.
https://ecency.com/memoirmonday/@ericvancewalton/memoir-monday-week-twelve-527-61
#hive #posh
#hive #posh
Hi there! Here's my entry:
https://peakd.com/hive-106316/@sarimanok/memoir-monday-week-12-what-my-neighbors-look-like-when-i-was-a-child
https://ecency.com/hive-126152/@edith-4angelseu/memoir-monday-week-twelve-5
My entry;
https://ecency.com/hive-109288/@tranquil3/just-a-little-kindness
https://ecency.com/hive-161155/@annievictory/fighting-back
https://ecency.com/hive-197685/@jemima2001/a-goodly-neighbourhood
This was so beautiful to read, your words drew me into the world of the story and I could literally watch Mrs Werkhaven wave at you and every other thing you wrote about her.
I will definitely be participating in the Memoir Monday initiative.