This site is about the McGrail farm at 19 Lyman Road Berlin Massachusetts.

Dan's Memories

Farm Stuff From Dan
I remember Gramp's law books in the cellar, and a kind of play area he made
for us as younger kids with a blackboard. Sometimes slide shows of trips to
Ireland were shown here. I remember the comfortable(and sometimes
uncomfortable) chairs McGrail kids could loll away afternoons in reading a
book. I especially remember a green cylindrical, vinyl footstool with piping
that would hurt your butt if you sat on the piping that Gramp used while
relaxing. Hassocks, sofas, and rockers abounded. When I was little and there
was no one around I played a game where I would try to sit in every single
SEAT in the house. It took me a while.
I remember the Franklin stoves in the cellar, the tin dollhouse forever
disassembled in the barn. I remember the telephone poles leading to the pine
grove(?)with no wires on them, which I found vaguely disconcerting and
lonely. I remember the green satin pillow Gramma took naps on. I remember
records like Morey Amsterdam's "Mixed-Up stories for Smart Kids", "The
Little Airplane that Couldn't Fly" "Mother Goose Rhymes with a Beatle Beat"
which Gramp found appropriate for our "generation". I remember Gramma
writing letters at her desk in the library, and the sound the fake fireplace
made when switched on. I remember the smell of sweat, hair oil, after shave,
and whiskey on Gramp as I sat on the arm of the spring rocker in the library
with his arm around me and listened to him quietly as he spoke to lots of
various old people who came to visit, and who were always so happy to see us
and kiss us.
I remember Gramp making us "cocktails" (ginger ale with cherry) during the
hot summers (no A.C. then) I remember the hum of lots of fans throughout the
house.I remember the smell of the grass when Unkie cut it. I remember the
loud ring the telephone made in the kitchen as Gramma raced to get it. I
remember Gramma's wonderful, tender, loving bony fingers that she used to
brush the hair out of my eyes with so everyone could see my "beautiful
forrid" I remember that it was unusual that Gramma only wore one pair of
shoes. And I remember lots and lots and lots of bees and wasps, and
yellowjackets, and flies and gnats and worms, and June bugs, and ants in the
kitchen, and lots of beautiful birds chattering.
I remember the cool, bleached, clean sheets on the beds for us. and the
pink, fluffy, corduroy chenille bedspreads that Gramma made us make when we
got up. I remember the garbage composts outside with foot pedals. I
remember the worn out linoleum in the vestibule where Gramp had his rubbers.
I remember the blue entrance door and the squeak it made. I remember the
"Ship's wheel" mirror in the vestibule. I remember the crossed dress swords
in the attic as well as the paiting of Gramp, and the Maxfield Parrish print
in the closet in the attic. I remember the smell of hay and gasoline in the
horse stalls in the garage that also served to store the many lawnmowers
Gramp and Unkie had.
I remember the Roy Smeck's Ukekle songbook with sheet music for
"Toot-toot-toostsie", "Camptown Races", "Swannee River","The Man on the
Flying Trapeze" and other "contemporary favorites". I remember a lot of
other things too.

Written by Dan McGrail

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