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GRANDPA and GRANDMA BLANCHARD and OTHER RELATIVES
I was the fifth grandchild of Oneziphore and Lucie Ann Blanchard and the first to bear the name Blanchard.
I became the plaything of five aunts and four uncles. When it became time for Papa to pick the Godfather for me, all my uncles caucused to decide which one would be the lucky guy. Papa said, "I pick Buoy." They wanted to know why.
"He is only a kid!" Papa told them, "He was the only one who asked." Aunt Teen became my Godmother. How lucky can a guy get!
My earliest recollection of Grandpa Blanchard is of him taking me to the picture show around the corner from his house. I can remember him sitting ramrod straight, his elbows on the arms of the seat, his hands in his lap, staring straight ahead at the screen. He always wanted to leave when we got to the scene in the movie where we came in --- but I didn't. So I would slip away and hide from him until the lights came on. I realize now that he was put out but he never, never scolded me or showed any anger at
this ---- not at all like Papa. As I recall, both Grandpa
and Grandma were quiet and aloof. Not ones you could run to hug and get hugged like with my other Grandma. The atmospher
was formal ----- stiff. Kids sense this. When we visited,
as soon as the hello's and kissing was done, we ran outside where we felt more at ease. But I will say truthfully that there was no question of love and concern, just the way it was given and received.
I remember Grandma as a small, quiet woman with a ready
smile and an infectious laugh ------- like her sister Aunt Nannette
She was always squeaky clean and well caked with sweet smelling talcum powder. I never heard her fuss or raise her voice.
My most vivid memories of her is when she and Elvie took me to visit Aunt Edna and Charlie McLeod in Cuba when I was seven. In fact, I had my seventh birthday on the boat,
March 25,1928. Grandma was completely inconspicuous. She was there, but invisible. She had a presence about her.
Aunt Edna and Charlie really did spoil me while I was there, but Elvie and Sister (Marguerite) would get in their pinches and slaps when Edna and Charlie were not around.
Baby (Waldo) was my idol. He reminded me of a young Burt Lancaster. Any thing physical he did well. He and I took well to each other. He taught me to ride and race the horse he and Charlie gave me. And I would soar to cloud nine when I could go along when they rode around the plantation. That plantation was like a movie set. It covered an entire valley surrounded by mountains and the sea. And palm trees everywhere.
Teen and Grandma brought me home after four months.
The grandest four months of my life. When I got home I was