Evening at Home

As COVID really accelerates, our family continues to spend most non-work time in and around our home. We’re lucky to have each other within this space!

This week we find a warm, evening, living room scene, lamplit and relaxed in the comfort of home. It’s uniquely candid for this era — no one is noticing the photographer who decides to capture a moment with Joe Jordan, distantly sitting on the couch and apparently talking to a woman, perhaps just relaxing, perhaps ill. Joe while distant and turned away/low-detail in the photo, is readily recognizable here. Though I never knew him, another benefit of this life-project is a visual familiarity that comes from repetition. For the other two, there is some assistance in this small note on the back of the photo:

So we have “Mom” and Joe and “Grandpa Greiner”.

Grandpa Greiner is Christian Greiner, Joe’s maternal grandfather. He lived 1867-1947. He looks very focused on a folded paper (or book) and I rather like his vested, pen-in-pocket, rocking-chair thing going on.

“Mom”, I assume is Bertha (Greiner) Jordan, Joe’s mother. I’ll need some confirmation from others. Erin is thinking yes.

For dating, I chose around 1945, with Christian around 78 years, Bertha (if that’s her), 49 years, and Joe 22 years. Christian passed in Nov ’47, so we know it’s before then as a late limit.

For location (which home/address), I’ll need some help from the perusers. Erin thinks it’s likely Bert’s house.

Other details, Jesus and Mary portraits feature prominently, high on the wallpapered walls, discarded newspaper on the floor (comics?).