Thursday, September 23, 2004
THE END OF 1979....
We were exceedingly busy with church events and family members coming to visit all Fall. We were happy to have George and John come for Thanksgiving….though they didn’t get to stay very long. Aunt Mary rode down on the bus to be with us over the holiday and Becky’s family and mom made a full house.
John had to leave the day after Thanksgiving with the three friends he rode home with….they got to our house about noon and I fed them all before they left at 1:30pm. It is a long drive from Willow Springs to New Orleans.
December was full of baking, gift wrapping, writing cards and seeing friends and loved ones. I wrote a note in each card so it took a lot of writing in the ones we were only in touch with on a yearly basis. I always thought a typed generic letter was something I would never do but with everyone else, I finally had to resort to it last year. There just isn’t enough time anymore to keep up…..and I do enjoy keeping up with our friends.
In November I was given an offer to go to work for the Missouri Highway Patrol as a clerk for the Driver’s Examiners. There were two crews who were based here at Troop G Headquarters. They worked each day in a different town giving the written, driving and eye tests. They guys didn’t like all the paper work that went with each applicant so the Captain decided to request a clerk to swing back and forth between the crews to work on their busiest days.
He took his request to Jefferson City at General Headquarters and was given permission to start in December. I was informed of the confirmation and asked to come to Troop G for an SAT test. Having fulfilled that, I went back the next day to be fingerprinted and get all the paper-work filled out. I was scheduled to begin on December 4th and so after 10-years of being at home and filling my life with family and church I was now starting a new career.
On the appointed day I showed up at Headquarters, met the crew, and worked in Willow Springs the first day. It happened to be the night of the Troop Christmas Dinner so the Sergeant told me to bring my husband and join them at dinner. That night, Warren and I both went, and when dinner was over the Captain introduced me as the newest member of the Troop. It was a pretty big and exciting day for someone who had been unemployed for a long time but it was to be a long and lasting relationship. The guys received me as one of their own and always looked out for me. I look back fondly to the years I spent with them….and of course you will be reading a lot about those days as we journey on.
John went to Shawnee first to have Christmas with George and his dad….then the boys drove down for Christmas here, on Christmas day. This year, Becky was having dinner and gift opening so mom and I fixed some dishes to take with us. Becky is a good cook and her brothers always request Beef Stroganoff and hot rolls. I’ll have to admit….they are the best!! The children were on high energy alert with all of the gifts piled under the tree. With only the tree lights in the living room each face stood out in the shadowy atmosphere and I can envision them all, smiling and opening their gifts. Is there any happier time for a family? Being together and sharing those moments has to be the greatest blessing of life….so may it always be…..
Until tomorrow,
Essentially Esther
John had to leave the day after Thanksgiving with the three friends he rode home with….they got to our house about noon and I fed them all before they left at 1:30pm. It is a long drive from Willow Springs to New Orleans.
December was full of baking, gift wrapping, writing cards and seeing friends and loved ones. I wrote a note in each card so it took a lot of writing in the ones we were only in touch with on a yearly basis. I always thought a typed generic letter was something I would never do but with everyone else, I finally had to resort to it last year. There just isn’t enough time anymore to keep up…..and I do enjoy keeping up with our friends.
In November I was given an offer to go to work for the Missouri Highway Patrol as a clerk for the Driver’s Examiners. There were two crews who were based here at Troop G Headquarters. They worked each day in a different town giving the written, driving and eye tests. They guys didn’t like all the paper work that went with each applicant so the Captain decided to request a clerk to swing back and forth between the crews to work on their busiest days.
He took his request to Jefferson City at General Headquarters and was given permission to start in December. I was informed of the confirmation and asked to come to Troop G for an SAT test. Having fulfilled that, I went back the next day to be fingerprinted and get all the paper-work filled out. I was scheduled to begin on December 4th and so after 10-years of being at home and filling my life with family and church I was now starting a new career.
On the appointed day I showed up at Headquarters, met the crew, and worked in Willow Springs the first day. It happened to be the night of the Troop Christmas Dinner so the Sergeant told me to bring my husband and join them at dinner. That night, Warren and I both went, and when dinner was over the Captain introduced me as the newest member of the Troop. It was a pretty big and exciting day for someone who had been unemployed for a long time but it was to be a long and lasting relationship. The guys received me as one of their own and always looked out for me. I look back fondly to the years I spent with them….and of course you will be reading a lot about those days as we journey on.
John went to Shawnee first to have Christmas with George and his dad….then the boys drove down for Christmas here, on Christmas day. This year, Becky was having dinner and gift opening so mom and I fixed some dishes to take with us. Becky is a good cook and her brothers always request Beef Stroganoff and hot rolls. I’ll have to admit….they are the best!! The children were on high energy alert with all of the gifts piled under the tree. With only the tree lights in the living room each face stood out in the shadowy atmosphere and I can envision them all, smiling and opening their gifts. Is there any happier time for a family? Being together and sharing those moments has to be the greatest blessing of life….so may it always be…..
Until tomorrow,
Essentially Esther
