Now Ve Go! and Hell for Strong!

   I am writing a book of stories from my life.  It is called "Grandma's Stories."  Following is one of the stories from that book.

Now Ve Go! and Hell For Strong!

These stories have become family legends if there ever was one.  My dad would tell these stories frequently. 

My dad’s grandmother, Pauline H. Larsen was from Norway, the old country, as they called it.  When my dad was an intern in Salt Lake City, his grandmother needed a ride to Salt Lake.  I don’t remember why.  My dad offered to drive her there.  He picked her up and they started the drive.  My dad drove extra carefully and slowly, so as to impress and not upset his grandmother.  After several miles, she said, with her thick Norwegian accent, “Can’t dis ting go any faster?”  My dad told her it could and sped up. His grandma settled back in her seat, folded her hands on her lap, and said, with a smile on her face, “Now ve go!”

Pauline (in front,) on her 90^th birthday, shown with her two sisters

Another cute story about her:  When she was very old, Pauline H. Larsen went to live with her daughter in California.  My parents went to visit her there.  During the visit, she asked if they would like to see her garden.  Pauline had always kept a vegetable garden, and had planted one at her new home.  Her daughter’s home was on a hill, making it necessary to build a dam so that water could get to the garden plants.  At age 90 or so, Pauline mixed the cement herself in a wheelbarrow and made her own dam.  That is pretty hard work for anyone – especially someone that old!  When she showed the dam to her grandson, Lyman and his wife, Dorothy, Pauline said what has been quoted at least 100 times since.  “It ain’t purty, but it’s hell for strong.”