Anna Liisa

Anna Liisa was Great-grandmother's name. She emigrated from Finland at the beginning of the 20th century. I have only one memory of Anna Liisa from back when I was 10. She was elderly then and had come to live with Grandmother. She sat in a big, comfy rocking chair in the far end of the living room. We young ones, my siblings and cousins, were a bit scared of her. She had a strange countenance, as old people do, and spoke only Finn. My brother says he remembers her. At that time he was a terrible two, but he swears now, when he talked to Great-grandmother he understood every word that she said. He tells us that one time Mother had to correct some of his young misbehavior, and she spanked him square on his little behind. He says that made Great-grandmother laugh and say, "paha poika," which translated means "bad boy!" dear Anna Liisa your language was as foreign to me as you were