In The Unlikely Location Of Texas Thinking About Great-Grandma Tillie & A Wiener Dog

Me, My Brother, Great-Grandma Tillie & My Sister

In the picture you are looking at me on the left, my little brother next to me, my Great-Grandma Tillie and my little sister, who was emailing me snow photos yesterday.

My Great-Grandma Tillie was on the boat that brought my Dutch relatives to America, way back in the 1890s. Great-Grandma Tillie was married to my Great-Grandpa John, with Tillie and John being the mom and dad of my dad's dad.

My dad's dad and my dad's dad's dad died before I was born.

It was Great-Grandpa John who made the trek to Washington, a few years after the family landed in America, to the upper northwest part of the state, where he found land that reminded him of Holland.

My Great Grandpa returned to his mom and dad and sister and wife, with tales of giant trees, berries growing wild, and lush land ready for farming. The move was made to Washington, which eventually is how I came to be born there. Well, actually, I was born in Eugene, Oregon. Let's just say this was how I came to be born on the West Coast of America.

Tillie The Wiener Dog

Great-Grandma Tillie was the first human knitting machine I ever knew. I remember getting caps, mittens, sweaters.

Great-Grandma Tillie still had a thick Dutch accent by the time I came around. I learned a few Dutch words. Like "brookies'' means underwear.

Why am I sticking one of yesterday's snow photos, from my sister, in this blogging about my Great-Grandma Tillie?

Well.

That is my ex-wife, all bundled up in winter wear, holding a little wiener dog on a sled. That wiener dog's name is Tillie. Yes, my sister named her new baby after Great-Grandma Tillie.

I am almost 100% certain that Tillie the Wiener Dog is not wearing a dog sweater knitted by her namesake.

I don't know what Great-Grandma Tillie would have thought about knowing a wiener dog would be named after her in the next century. But, I suspect she would be pleased.