Remember me this way.

Suburban Chicago, 1969. This is another snapshot from the "new batch" of photos that traveled to Lithuania and back again to the States. My paternal Grandmother, Tatjana, sent this photo of herself to the family of my Kaunas Cousin.

Tatjana wrote on the back of this photo: "I watch television in the evening, wearing my housecoat. Our doggie came to visit me like a little guest."

Thanks to my Kaunas Cousin for making this photo available to us.

Tatjana at the Lake

Lake Nipissing, Ontario, Canada, July 1964. My paternal Grandmother, Tatjana, visits us at Lake Nipissing. This photo illustrates the colors of her housecoat.

Dressed Up

Suburban Chicago, December 1972. My paternal Grandmother, usually wore a housecoat around the house. She's likely dressed up here, in her royal blue suit, because it's the holiday season. Two clues indicate it's Christmas time: (1) cookies are cooling, and Tatjana's ready to put them in the familiar, gold tin; and (2) Tatjana wears a wreath brooch.

Take off your shoes and enjoy a good book.

My paternal Grandmother, Tatjana, and I sit down in the living room to read. Tatjana is reading a library book. Tatjana reads English easily; her favorite books were Robert K. Massie's 1967 biography, Nicholas and Alexandra, and Boris Pasternak's Doctor Zhivago. I can't tell what she is reading here.

I, too, am reading a library book. I don't look any more thrilled with the activity than I did in the past. I'm looking through another girlie book about horses. This book is about harness racing. That’s appropriate because our home was a few blocks away from Maywood Park Race Track. On summer nights, I could hear the announcer calling the races through the open window of my bedroom.

We sit in the corner of the living room, near the bay window. This was Tatjana's favorite spot. She's wearing, as she often did, a housecoat. She's taken off her glasses, and they rest on the coffee table. There's a plate with a knife on the table; Tatjana probably just finished eating a piece of fruit. There's also a copy of the Lithuanian-language daily newspaper, Draugas ("Friend"). Draugas didn't arrive "daily;" usually, it ran a bit late, and we'd get several editions in the Saturday afternoon mail.

The chairs are covered with throws so that our daily use wouldn't dirty the upholstery. There's also a throw rug under our feet. I suppose Tatjana and Mom thought that would diminish wear-and-tear on the new wall-to-wall carpeting; they probably didn't realize that the backing of the throw rug itself caused more harm than our feet.

Suburban Chicago, Winter 1967. The swish glass ashtray is a piece my Parents bought during our vacation that previous summer in Colorado.

Goodbye!

Suburban Chicago, Spring 1970. My paternal Grandmother, Tatjana, bids goodbye as my Parents and I drive off to Door County. Tatjana came to like the idea of having a dog. She's also wearing a housecoat again.

Tatjana, in the woods.

Lake Nipissing, Ontario, Canada, July 1964. Here's another photo from the week when my paternal Grandmother, Tatjana, visited us during our summer vacation. Ah! I remember that housecoat; it was avocado green and tan. I thought Tatjana was so old. But she was only in her mid-sixties.

Grab a Book: Housecoat Edition

Kaunas, Lithuania, about 1937 or 1938. My paternal Grandmother Tatjana's habit of wearing housecoats goes way back.

Overstimulated

December 24, 1960. My Mom remembers Santa bringing only one toy for me each Christmas. I remember more. Here's a post-Kūčios, gift-opening session at which I received at least three gifts. There's a top, and I got a telephone so I could be just like Mom. This also is the year when Santa delivered the skunk.

Ah, look! It's Christmas Eve, and Tatjana has put on a dressier housecoat. Tatjana's habit of wearing housecoats drove Mom batty.

Let's get a shot in the living room.

Suburban Chicago, Winter 1957. My Parents and my paternal Grandmother, Tatjana, have moved into the new house. 

There's a bit more about the painting here. I think I may create a housecoat tag.)