Friday, May 27, 2005
NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER....1991
Getting past mom’s funeral I went back to work and the month passed quietly. Mom, dad and Louis all died so close in calendar time to each other. Mom, the end of October and Louis and Dad the 10th and 15th of November. Jakie also. Veteran’s Day, Thanksgiving and Bear’s birthday also fit into the month. Somehow we moved past all of that and put it behind us. The guys at work gave me a lot of space and office time. Somehow, losing mom raised a flag that time was flying by. I had a lot to think about with finishing up mom’s affairs and adjusting to the time I normally would have spent with her
Jennifer came home for Thanksgiving and Jonathan came for the day. We had a small group but the usual meal with everyone’s favorites. Bear was 67-this year. The weather had been unusually disagreeable with icy roads several times in the month and we were glad Jennifer was able to get home from school at all. She left to go back on the first of December…..we always missed her…she was gaining so much confidence by being away at school and taking charge of her life….. without the usual input from mom and grandparents.
This particular year was the 50th anniversary of Pearl Harbor. Bear taped all of the special programs and we relived the whole experience again when I came home from work. It is always an emotional day for me. I was 9-years old at the time and I can remember the day very well. My brother was wearing his Boy Scout shirt and the shock on mom and dad’s faces told me this was something that had never happened before. We listened to president Roosevelt on the radio and the day was spent with a lot of speculation and fear. Life would never be the same for any of us.
We decorated for Christmas a little late this year. Somehow the Christmas tree always gives me hope and peace. It’s little lights aglow in a darkened room still represent the same message of long ago when a star shone over a stable. Once the tree is up I begin the gift wrapping and mailing….after that, the baking and candy making. There are always Sunday School parties and church functions of the season that make December special. Is there anything cuter than the nursery children tugging at their Sunday clothes the whole time they are on stage singing “Silent Night?” Wide eyed with wonder, they are the future.
At work, things were humming right along with new CDL requirements to comply nationally so that all commercial licensing was uniform. We had 206-tests on one day in just one of our offices. We were over-whelmed with the numbers of applicants but worked fast and furious to take care of them. The date was arriving when no more “grand fathering” would be permitted and a physical driving test would be required. Naturally the commercial drivers were wanting to beat the cut-off date and as usual, everyone waited until the last opportunity.
Christmas eve was special because George arrived around suppertime, Hank and Jonathan came and Becky and Jennifer. We had a nice dinner together and then opened gifts. Santa was very good to all of us. On Christmas day I got up early to get the pies made and dinner started. Becky and I took turns working during the time George was here as we couldn’t both be off at the same time. We played a lot of monopoly which has a long history of George beating the sox off all of us but once in a while we sneak a win in. I amazed myself by beating him once myself. There is always spirited competition during the game…..none of us like to lose.
The year ended with a change of governing in the Soviet Union. At the stroke of midnight, the Soviet Union was changed to “Russia.” Fireworks went off all over Red Square and the world wondered if the long cold war was finally coming to an end. The Russian dominance over the satellite ‘states’ was certainly coming to an end. At the close of 1991 we stayed up to watch the New Year in for a change. It was a moment in history we waited many years to see…..and with a New Year waiting to be born, there was hope and thoughts of peace as the old, bent man of 1991 handed the keys over to the new baby……..1992.
Peace on Earth…….Good Will to Men.
Until the next time,
Essentially Esther
Jennifer came home for Thanksgiving and Jonathan came for the day. We had a small group but the usual meal with everyone’s favorites. Bear was 67-this year. The weather had been unusually disagreeable with icy roads several times in the month and we were glad Jennifer was able to get home from school at all. She left to go back on the first of December…..we always missed her…she was gaining so much confidence by being away at school and taking charge of her life….. without the usual input from mom and grandparents.
This particular year was the 50th anniversary of Pearl Harbor. Bear taped all of the special programs and we relived the whole experience again when I came home from work. It is always an emotional day for me. I was 9-years old at the time and I can remember the day very well. My brother was wearing his Boy Scout shirt and the shock on mom and dad’s faces told me this was something that had never happened before. We listened to president Roosevelt on the radio and the day was spent with a lot of speculation and fear. Life would never be the same for any of us.
We decorated for Christmas a little late this year. Somehow the Christmas tree always gives me hope and peace. It’s little lights aglow in a darkened room still represent the same message of long ago when a star shone over a stable. Once the tree is up I begin the gift wrapping and mailing….after that, the baking and candy making. There are always Sunday School parties and church functions of the season that make December special. Is there anything cuter than the nursery children tugging at their Sunday clothes the whole time they are on stage singing “Silent Night?” Wide eyed with wonder, they are the future.
At work, things were humming right along with new CDL requirements to comply nationally so that all commercial licensing was uniform. We had 206-tests on one day in just one of our offices. We were over-whelmed with the numbers of applicants but worked fast and furious to take care of them. The date was arriving when no more “grand fathering” would be permitted and a physical driving test would be required. Naturally the commercial drivers were wanting to beat the cut-off date and as usual, everyone waited until the last opportunity.
Christmas eve was special because George arrived around suppertime, Hank and Jonathan came and Becky and Jennifer. We had a nice dinner together and then opened gifts. Santa was very good to all of us. On Christmas day I got up early to get the pies made and dinner started. Becky and I took turns working during the time George was here as we couldn’t both be off at the same time. We played a lot of monopoly which has a long history of George beating the sox off all of us but once in a while we sneak a win in. I amazed myself by beating him once myself. There is always spirited competition during the game…..none of us like to lose.
The year ended with a change of governing in the Soviet Union. At the stroke of midnight, the Soviet Union was changed to “Russia.” Fireworks went off all over Red Square and the world wondered if the long cold war was finally coming to an end. The Russian dominance over the satellite ‘states’ was certainly coming to an end. At the close of 1991 we stayed up to watch the New Year in for a change. It was a moment in history we waited many years to see…..and with a New Year waiting to be born, there was hope and thoughts of peace as the old, bent man of 1991 handed the keys over to the new baby……..1992.
Peace on Earth…….Good Will to Men.
Until the next time,
Essentially Esther
