Dad's trick

I remember hearing this story from Dad when I was younger...
One time Dad gave Grandma Ducks an elephant figurine which she put on display in her home. She didn't know this, but he had a whole collection of them, all identical and in various sizes-big to little. Every once in a while, he would switch them out so that over a period of time, it seemed like the figurine was shrinking and Grandma would wonder if she was crazy!
It's been a while since I've heard the 'story of the elephant' but I think that's fairly accurate. Maybe she had the collection and only one out and he switched them? I can't remember.

Mack Jones

Mack Jones is Grandma's older brother. He makes wooden cars and toys by hand and donates them to charity. It's pretty cool. He's 91. Grandma has an recent newspaper article about him (it includes a picture) in her room at the group home. I'll have to look at it again and see if I can find a link to the paper -I think it's from Mesa, Arizona-so you can see the picture of him.

Here's a related article about him and his work!

http://www.carepartnership.org/news.php?id=60

(Let me know if my links are working...if not, I know you can copy and paste them and get to them that way.)

Daniel Webster Jones

Grandma's great grandpa (I think that's right...), Daniel Webster Jones, wrote a book called Forty Years Among The Indians. I first noticed it sitting on a shelf at Mom and Dad's and read through it. I loved it. The history was fun, but not as fun as getting to know my great great great grandpa (again, I think that's right...). I enjoyed the adventure and the fact that he was stubborn too!

Years later I found the book covered in yogurt in Mom and Dad's van. I brought it to Mom's attention and she said I could have it if I could take better care of it. So I read it again. It was just as good as the first time-if not better since I was older. Then the book mysteriously disappeared. I was sad so Benj got on Amazon and ordered me a copy. =) Not soon after it came in the mail, Grandma and I were talking about Daniel Webster Jones and she told me she had another copy (with an autographed picture!) and that I could have it!

Again, it's been years-the original copy was found (it magically reappeared on Mom's bookshelf somewhere) and I still have my two copies. I plan on giving one to Naomi when she's older. Anyhoo, it's a great book. The original hardback is difficult to find, but you can get a copy on Amazon. Or you can go to the link I'll leave below and read it online. It might include the picture. I think Dad looks a bit like him. Only with less face fuzz. =)

I was hesitant to add this next part, but am going to do it anyway. Keep in mind I'm just talking about family history-not selling. =) Daniel Webster's book Forty Years Among the Indians mentions another book that Grandma and I also love. The Book of Mormon. It's another testament of Jesus Christ-a companion to The Holy Bible. It was a huge part of Daniel Webster Jone's life. He sacrificed much for it. I know that Grandma has as well. I know she has a strong testimony of The Book of Mormon because of the way she has lived and also because she's told me so. I feel blessed that our family has had the opportunity to have it in our lives. I wonder what the generations would have been like without it? I realized not long ago that Daniel Webster Jones was the first to translate The Book of Mormon into Spanish-the very language that Dad taught in when he served his mission in Argentina generations later. How amazing is that?

I really enjoy family history so I'll keep adding random bits. I just wanted to mention this book because of the role it's had in Grandma's life. Happy reading!

http://www.geocities.com/fortyyearsamongtheindians/index.html

Making due

Grandma says:

"We were so poor that we didn't have enough chairs at the dining table for all of us to sit, so my older sister Phyllis and I would each sit on one of my dad's legs."

Chihuahua!

This is a memory from Maida(Grandma's granddaughter and namesake):

She (Grandma)had this long haired Chihuahua when she was still living in Arizona. Anyway, we went there for Christmas and I was playing with him. I don't remember how old I was, but I remember Grandma being soooo clean! It didn't matter if I wanted a cookie or a glass of water or just watching the telly, she'd make me wash my hands! Hahaha!

Growing Up

Grandma says:
"As the youngest of eight, my personal upbringing was frequently overlooked. As I developed into a young woman, it became obvious that I needed "support." One time when I was doing some ironing, I noticed a bra in the laundry basket. I pressed it, tried it on, and kept it. Just what I needed! It was pretty blue."

The Jones Girls

Grandma says:
A few times my sisters and I would skip along the sidewalk singing "We are the Jones girls." Each one of us had a short rhyme to go with her own name. Mine was "Maida Jones, full of bones, riding on the Ackyones."

Grandma's first move

Grandma says:
"We moved to Los Angeles (from Arizona) because my dad found a job teaching school there. He was a very good gardener and would spend a lot of time working on our yard. We had a beautiful gardenia bush that smelled wonderful."

The beginning

I have a few stories in Grandma's own words. Here is her birth information:

1925 Pomerene, Cochise County, Arizona

"I was the youngest of eight children. My mother named me after her friend Maida who helped deliver me. I was born on May 1st, May Day, so the name seemed very appropriate.

Pictures

Grandma's namesake

Rachel and Grandma at Ryan's baptism

Grandma and me when I went to see her in Arizona

Monograms

Grandma's monogramed hankies. I love her name~

Grandma's birthday!

I copied and pasted this from my other blog since it's about Grandma:

Grandma is another year older! I have no idea how old she actually turned and didn't ask since I wasn't even sure she knew. =p (Mom later told me Grandma turned 84). I didn't get around to asking my dad since ultimately, I'm just happy to celebrate another year of Grandma being around. She was born on May Day which is why most people think her name is Maida. The real story though, is that she was named after one of the ladies who helped deliver her. I like that. It's cute and old fashioned.

Naomi and I always have a nice time seeing Grandma. She talked to me about when my dad was on his mission and told me about a hallucination she had a night ago. I can't wait for that part of being old. Must make life so interesting! She said it was so realistic she almost didn't snap out of it until a night nurse turned on the bedroom light and showed her an empty room (she thought she was able to see well again and was reading a book to an infant Dana-my cousin who is an adult now). She said it was probably brought on by her wanting to be able to read to Naomi. She was happy to hear that Naomi gets read to often and enjoys it.

Grandma asked me lots of questions about things that are going on. We talked about Matt's setting apart blessing, the ground breaking for the new church building, and the recent scandal with one of the local doctors. I think she had a good birthday. She even had a frosty (pretty much her ultimate treat) brought to her by Dad.

Mangos and Sjogrens

Grandma loves mangos. She can't eat them though because her throat, mouth and tongue get all swollen. She had to go to the hospital once and was told to stay away from them. She has Sjogrens syndrome/disease. I'll copy and paste an explanation of it:

"Sjogren's (SHOW-grins) syndrome is a disorder of your immune system often defined by its two most common symptoms — dry eyes and a dry mouth.

Sjogren's syndrome often accompanies other autoimmune disorders — such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. These diseases are marked by inflammation of your connective tissues, and it's common for people with Sjogren's syndrome to also have a connective tissue disorder.

In Sjogren's syndrome, your immune system attacks healthy tissue. The mucous membranes and moisture-secreting glands of your eyes and mouth are usually affected first, resulting in decreased production of tears and saliva. The disease can damage other tissues as well.

Although you can develop Sjogren's syndrome at any age, most people are older than 40 at diagnosis. The condition is much more common in women. There's no cure, but treatments can relieve many symptoms."

She doesn't produce saliva or tears so she has problems eating a lot of things. For a while she was living off of Ensure and other drinks since it was easier than eating solids. Which reminds me-she absolutely loves Frostys from Wendy's.

Commodores and fashion

Grandma was a military wife -Navy. When she was still married to Grandpa they would attend the occasional balls. One time, she was talking to a friend at one of the parties when the commodore made a grand entrance: he pushed open the double doors, marched in and asked loudly "Where is she?". He looked rapidly around the room, spotted Grandma, approached her, took her hands and proceeded to examine her nails. She says she was very flattered. He always wanted to see her nails since she had a habit of painting each nail a different color. Perfectly manicured. Grandma loves being the center of attention so it's always fun to have her retell this story.

First post!

Grandma Ducks just before her 84th birthday

As long as I've known Grandma, I've called her Grandma Ducks. I'm not sure how that was started. My mom says that my cousin Heather may have been the first to call her by that. Grandma loves ducks. She would let me feed them when I visited her. Her homes have always been decorated with pictures of ducks, towels, stationary, earrings etc. with ducks, and an army of little duck figures.

I've been writing down Grandma Ducks stories for a while now. I'm starting this blog so I can include pictures and also so that my siblings, cousins and anyone else who loves Grandma can read them.

I don't know a lot of the basics (birthplace, how many siblings, etc.) but I hope you enjoy the random tidbits about Grandma. Oh, if you have stories you would like me to add, just message me and I'll post them!