Thursday, August 19, 2004
THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF 1972...
We had a beautiful snow in January that wrapped our world in a white blanket. We kept the birds fed during that time because it’s so hard for them to find food when the ground is covered. At times I counted 22-cardinals plus other bird varieties feeding. It is a colorful sight on the white snow. I especially enjoy seeing the cardinals sitting in our pine branches when we have a pretty snow. It looks like so many Christmas cards I’ve had in the past…..nothing surpasses their beauty in my way of thinking.
I enjoyed staying in and working on a baby quilt for my friend in Shawnee who was expecting a baby. I made a pattern off of the baby quilt my aunt Mary made for me when I was a baby. It had three bunnies hopping over a group of flowers…one pink, one yellow, one blue. I always loved my quilt and wanted to make one for Betty. They had two boys and wanted a girl so they adopted a daughter. Then, as so often happens they had a little girl of their own. Next came another boy. It seems like whenever a couple adopts……here comes a surprise or two. They were devoted parents and good friends of ours.
I had a surprise, as well, in January. Becky called to tell me she was quitting school, going to get married and move to California. I don’t remember much of the conversation because I went into shock more or less after her first sentence. I wasn’t in any position to tell her not to since she knew I married her dad when I was seventeen…..I asked if she was sure about her decision and, of course she was, so I wished her well and prayed it would work out.
Of course I had wanted her to finish high-school….she was a bright girl and I hated the thought of her not graduating. Long story short, they married January 20th and headed for California…..George went to San Diego for his basic training with the Navy in February and with Becky married, that left John. During the school year he lived with his dad and step-mother, Irene, in our home on 65th Street. He went back and forth from Shawnee to Willow Springs with them or with us…..sometimes on the bus. We enjoyed the summers he spent here…..he was always a good natured kid and got along great with Warren.
I had an anniversary party for mom and dad in March. I invited their friends, the Goggins and Floyd and Ruth. We had a nice evening together and we pressed dad to tell the story or their wedding day one more time. I always loved hearing it and dad always put a “spin” on it that was hilarious. How I wish I had recorded him telling it. This year marked their 47th anniversary.
Later on we got a call from Warren’s brother that Mom Gilbert was in the hospital after suffering a stroke. The family was very concerned for her and we drove back out to Nampa fearing the worst. She was in the hospital until Social Security would no longer pay for her care since her recovery was no longer progressing. Dad Gilbert was in his 80’s and not able to care for her. It broke his heart to give permission to take her to a nursing home. We visited her there and it was a shock for all of us.
Although it was very expensive, nursing homes in 1972 left a lot to be desired. The smell of urine when we entered the building was appalling. Dad Gilbert had her brought back home and hired three registered nurses a day to take care of her. He literally did everything he could to make her last days good. It came time for us to leave for Missouri and Warren held his mother’s hand…. “am I your little rascal, mom?”…..she opened her eyes briefly and a slight look of recognition flashed, then disappeared. We came home from Nampa feeling it wouldn’t be long until we would be going back for Mom Gilbert’s funeral. Warren kept asking, “Why?” She was so good and giving all of her life….. the “why” bothered him continually.
Dad’s brother and his wife (uncle Emil and aunt Mardelle who lived over at Kimberling City) came to visit the folks after we got back from Idaho. The guys loaded up the boat and camper for a fishing trip on Norfolk Lake, in Arkansas for some serious fishing. John arrived for the summer and the three of us drove out to California to see George before he shipped out. He was stationed at Alameda, CA. We pulled into the ship yards after dark and a Marine told us at the guard house that we could park the pickup and sleep in our camper until morning. George had a day off so we picked him up the next morning and went sight-seeing. We went into San Francisco to see the Golden Gate Bridge and the other points of interest.
The next day we walked on the pier where his ship was moored and spotted him waving above us. The Big E was tied up behind us and was an enormous ship. I had seen her a lot on television but never in person. She was huge. Over 5,000 crew members made up the floating city. We had our back to her as we watched the crew make preparations to leave on George’s ship….the US Monticello. I noticed something moving out of the corner of my eye and turned around to see the Enterprise moving away from the dock into the bay area. Soon George’s ship was doing the same but not silent like the Big E….the sailors were all lined up on the side rails and they made a pretty sight as the ship flowed away from us to disappear under the Golden Gate.
John, Warren and I watched until they were specks in the horizon…..it gave all of us the feeling we’d been left behind. The Monticello would scale the distance between here and many other ports before they would make their return trip home. It would be some months before we would see George again………
Until tomorrow,
Essentially Esther
I enjoyed staying in and working on a baby quilt for my friend in Shawnee who was expecting a baby. I made a pattern off of the baby quilt my aunt Mary made for me when I was a baby. It had three bunnies hopping over a group of flowers…one pink, one yellow, one blue. I always loved my quilt and wanted to make one for Betty. They had two boys and wanted a girl so they adopted a daughter. Then, as so often happens they had a little girl of their own. Next came another boy. It seems like whenever a couple adopts……here comes a surprise or two. They were devoted parents and good friends of ours.
I had a surprise, as well, in January. Becky called to tell me she was quitting school, going to get married and move to California. I don’t remember much of the conversation because I went into shock more or less after her first sentence. I wasn’t in any position to tell her not to since she knew I married her dad when I was seventeen…..I asked if she was sure about her decision and, of course she was, so I wished her well and prayed it would work out.
Of course I had wanted her to finish high-school….she was a bright girl and I hated the thought of her not graduating. Long story short, they married January 20th and headed for California…..George went to San Diego for his basic training with the Navy in February and with Becky married, that left John. During the school year he lived with his dad and step-mother, Irene, in our home on 65th Street. He went back and forth from Shawnee to Willow Springs with them or with us…..sometimes on the bus. We enjoyed the summers he spent here…..he was always a good natured kid and got along great with Warren.
I had an anniversary party for mom and dad in March. I invited their friends, the Goggins and Floyd and Ruth. We had a nice evening together and we pressed dad to tell the story or their wedding day one more time. I always loved hearing it and dad always put a “spin” on it that was hilarious. How I wish I had recorded him telling it. This year marked their 47th anniversary.
Later on we got a call from Warren’s brother that Mom Gilbert was in the hospital after suffering a stroke. The family was very concerned for her and we drove back out to Nampa fearing the worst. She was in the hospital until Social Security would no longer pay for her care since her recovery was no longer progressing. Dad Gilbert was in his 80’s and not able to care for her. It broke his heart to give permission to take her to a nursing home. We visited her there and it was a shock for all of us.
Although it was very expensive, nursing homes in 1972 left a lot to be desired. The smell of urine when we entered the building was appalling. Dad Gilbert had her brought back home and hired three registered nurses a day to take care of her. He literally did everything he could to make her last days good. It came time for us to leave for Missouri and Warren held his mother’s hand…. “am I your little rascal, mom?”…..she opened her eyes briefly and a slight look of recognition flashed, then disappeared. We came home from Nampa feeling it wouldn’t be long until we would be going back for Mom Gilbert’s funeral. Warren kept asking, “Why?” She was so good and giving all of her life….. the “why” bothered him continually.
Dad’s brother and his wife (uncle Emil and aunt Mardelle who lived over at Kimberling City) came to visit the folks after we got back from Idaho. The guys loaded up the boat and camper for a fishing trip on Norfolk Lake, in Arkansas for some serious fishing. John arrived for the summer and the three of us drove out to California to see George before he shipped out. He was stationed at Alameda, CA. We pulled into the ship yards after dark and a Marine told us at the guard house that we could park the pickup and sleep in our camper until morning. George had a day off so we picked him up the next morning and went sight-seeing. We went into San Francisco to see the Golden Gate Bridge and the other points of interest.
The next day we walked on the pier where his ship was moored and spotted him waving above us. The Big E was tied up behind us and was an enormous ship. I had seen her a lot on television but never in person. She was huge. Over 5,000 crew members made up the floating city. We had our back to her as we watched the crew make preparations to leave on George’s ship….the US Monticello. I noticed something moving out of the corner of my eye and turned around to see the Enterprise moving away from the dock into the bay area. Soon George’s ship was doing the same but not silent like the Big E….the sailors were all lined up on the side rails and they made a pretty sight as the ship flowed away from us to disappear under the Golden Gate.
John, Warren and I watched until they were specks in the horizon…..it gave all of us the feeling we’d been left behind. The Monticello would scale the distance between here and many other ports before they would make their return trip home. It would be some months before we would see George again………
Until tomorrow,
Essentially Esther
