Saturday, March 12, 2005
OCTOBER....1988
October came in on a week-end. I made fruit cakes early as it was Louis’ favorite cake and I wanted to have it ready because he, Gail and a friend were coming for his birthday this year. We were excited to have them come back to Missouri. On Sunday, after church, we picked mom up at WC and took her on a nice long drive to Van Buren. It’s a pretty drive anytime but especially in the spring and fall.
Our Space Shuttle landed safely on October 4th, putting us back in the space program once more after the disaster of the Challenger. John called the next day to tell us he’d had a good interview for a job he wanted and would know in a few days. We were hoping it would come through for him. The following Friday, George arrived about 6:00pm from Shawnee and the Seattle gang arrived about 8:00pm. They drove a lot of miles that day to get here and were worn out. A friend of theirs, Jack, came with them to help out on the driving…..they rented a large RV for the trip and it was very comfortable….but lots of miles are still tiring.
We visited for a while and then they got the RV set up with electricity and ready for the night…..we closed down and all went to bed. The next day would be a busy one. We had a leisurely breakfast….a family favorite, of mom’s buttermilk pancakes. We’d been raised on them and still like them. Home made syrup is the favorite topping for them. Later, Gail and I went out to pick mom up and she was excited to see Gail. By the time we came back, Louis was involved in some big tall tales and mom settled in to enjoy her baby boy. Louis and mom beat to the same drum and were very close in a special way. I knew I was loved as much, but just different.
Saturday evening I had George, mom, Becky and Jennifer, Louis, Gail and Jack around our table. There was so much laughter and fun my face hurt from all the hee-haw but it was worth every minute. I still miss my brother terribly who was the consummate life of any party. He used to laugh and say his sister was good but he had more fun……..he was right. No one ever had more fun than he.
The 9th was Louis’ 60th birthday. We had dinner and then we drove down to Arkansas to see aunt Beulah. Louis just couldn’t be that close to her and not go see her. He had Warren drive the RV and he loved doing it. When we arrived at aunt Beulah’s, Julie Shepherd, Julie’s niece and Mildred, aunt Beulah’s sister were visiting also. Julie and aunt Beulah lived side by side for a lot of years and were like family with each other. We had a good visit over coffee and cookies and then drove back home for the birthday party. We had a good meal, gifts, cards and his special cake. I think he liked that better than anything.
The next day I was off work for Columbus Day and so we ate and visited all day again. We picked mom up early enough that she could have breakfast with us…her favorite meal of the day. It was our last day together. They planned to drive on to Milwaukee and see old friends and family the next day and I had to go back to work. We had our sad goodbyes…….my supervisor came to pick me up and I introduced him to the family….he entertained them with his repertoire of jokes. We left everyone laughing and headed for the office of the day.
It was sad to see mom and Louis telling each other goodbye. She asked when we would see him again and he shook his head and said, “God only knows, mom, hopefully next year.” In my heart I feared for them both…..mom had been slowly losing some of her mobility and Louis never took good care of his health. It proved out that it would be the last time we saw my brother.
John did get the job and so it is with life….there is always some good to balance our concerns.
Until tomorrow,
Essentially Esther
Our Space Shuttle landed safely on October 4th, putting us back in the space program once more after the disaster of the Challenger. John called the next day to tell us he’d had a good interview for a job he wanted and would know in a few days. We were hoping it would come through for him. The following Friday, George arrived about 6:00pm from Shawnee and the Seattle gang arrived about 8:00pm. They drove a lot of miles that day to get here and were worn out. A friend of theirs, Jack, came with them to help out on the driving…..they rented a large RV for the trip and it was very comfortable….but lots of miles are still tiring.
We visited for a while and then they got the RV set up with electricity and ready for the night…..we closed down and all went to bed. The next day would be a busy one. We had a leisurely breakfast….a family favorite, of mom’s buttermilk pancakes. We’d been raised on them and still like them. Home made syrup is the favorite topping for them. Later, Gail and I went out to pick mom up and she was excited to see Gail. By the time we came back, Louis was involved in some big tall tales and mom settled in to enjoy her baby boy. Louis and mom beat to the same drum and were very close in a special way. I knew I was loved as much, but just different.
Saturday evening I had George, mom, Becky and Jennifer, Louis, Gail and Jack around our table. There was so much laughter and fun my face hurt from all the hee-haw but it was worth every minute. I still miss my brother terribly who was the consummate life of any party. He used to laugh and say his sister was good but he had more fun……..he was right. No one ever had more fun than he.
The 9th was Louis’ 60th birthday. We had dinner and then we drove down to Arkansas to see aunt Beulah. Louis just couldn’t be that close to her and not go see her. He had Warren drive the RV and he loved doing it. When we arrived at aunt Beulah’s, Julie Shepherd, Julie’s niece and Mildred, aunt Beulah’s sister were visiting also. Julie and aunt Beulah lived side by side for a lot of years and were like family with each other. We had a good visit over coffee and cookies and then drove back home for the birthday party. We had a good meal, gifts, cards and his special cake. I think he liked that better than anything.
The next day I was off work for Columbus Day and so we ate and visited all day again. We picked mom up early enough that she could have breakfast with us…her favorite meal of the day. It was our last day together. They planned to drive on to Milwaukee and see old friends and family the next day and I had to go back to work. We had our sad goodbyes…….my supervisor came to pick me up and I introduced him to the family….he entertained them with his repertoire of jokes. We left everyone laughing and headed for the office of the day.
It was sad to see mom and Louis telling each other goodbye. She asked when we would see him again and he shook his head and said, “God only knows, mom, hopefully next year.” In my heart I feared for them both…..mom had been slowly losing some of her mobility and Louis never took good care of his health. It proved out that it would be the last time we saw my brother.
John did get the job and so it is with life….there is always some good to balance our concerns.
Until tomorrow,
Essentially Esther
