(I must get a hobby!!!) Doris > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > > GRANDMA AND THE FAMILY TREE > > There's been a change in Grandma, we've noticed her of late, > She's always reading history or jotting down some date. > She's tracking back the family, we'll all have pedigrees. > Oh, Grandma's got a hobby, she's climbing Family Trees. > > Poor Grandpa does the cooking and now, or so he states, > That worst of all, he has to wash the cups and dinner plates. > Grandma can't be bothered, she's busy as a bee > Compiling genealogy - for the Family Tree. > > She has no time to baby-sit, the curtains are a fright, > No buttons left on Grandad's shirt, the flower bed's a sight. > She's given up her club work, the serials on TV, > The only thing she does nowadays is climb the Family Tree. > > She goes down to the courthouse and studies ancient lore, > We know more about our forebears than we ever knew before. > The books are old and dusty, they make poor Grandma sneeze, > A minor irritation when you're climbing Family Trees. > > The mail is all for Grandma, it comes from near and far, > Last week she got the proof she needs to join the DAR. > A worthwhile avocation, to that we all agree, > A monumental project, to climb the Family Tree. > > Now some folks came from Scotland and some from Galway Bay, > Some were French as pastry, some German, all the way. > Some went on west to stake their claim, some stayed near by the sea, > Grandma hopes to find them all as she climbs the Family Tree. > > She wanders through the graveyard in search of date or name, > The rich, the poor, the in-between, all sleeping there the same. > She pauses now and then to rest, fanned by a gentle breeze > That blows above the Fathers of all our Family Trees. > > There were pioneers and patriots mixed in our kith and kin > Who blazed the paths of wilderness and fought through thick and thin. > But none more staunch than Grandma, whose eyes light up with glee > Each time she finds a missing branch for the Family Tree. > > Their skills were wide and varied, from carpenter to cook > And one (Alas!) the record shows was hopelessly a crook. > Blacksmith, weaver, farmer, judge, some tutored for a fee, > Long lost in time, now all recorded on the Family Tree. > > To some it's just a hobby, to Grandma it's much more, > She knows the joys and heartaches of those who went before. > They loved, they lost, they laughed, they wept, and now for you and me > They live again in spirit, around the Family Tree. > > At last she's nearly finished and we are each exposed. > Life will be the same again, this we all supposed! > Grandma will cook and sew, serve cookies with our tea. > We'll all be fat, just as before that wretched Family Tree. > > Sad to relate, the Preacher called and visited for a spell, > We talked about the Gospel, and other things as well, > The heathen folk, the poor and then - 'twas fate, it had to be, > Somehow the conversation turned to Grandma and the Family Tree. > > We tried to change the subject, we talked of everything > But then in Grandma's voice we heard that old familiar ring. > She told him all about the past and soon was plain to see > The preacher, too, was nearly snared by Grandma and the Family Tree. > > He never knew his Grandpa, his mother's name was ... Clark? > He and Grandma talked and talked, outside it grew quite dark. > We'd hoped our fears were groundless, but just like some disease, > Grandma's become an addict - she's hooked on Family Trees! > > Our souls were filled with sorrow, our hearts sank with dismay, > Our ears could scarce believe the words we heard our Grandma say, > "It sure is a lucky thing that you have come to me, > I know exactly how it's done, I'll climb your Family Tree!" > > Author Unknown > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >