One thing I can say about Becky, her life has never been boring. March is always a stormy, unsettled month and it seems to have set the pace for her life. She has always had “highs” and “lows” but never the in-betweens.

When she was young, I felt at times I was raising three boys. Her older and younger brothers were usually left in the dust with their backyard activities. But when she decided she wanted to leave the tomboy stuff behind, she grew into a pretty and graceful young woman.

This is her senior high picture. The gateway to bigger things and she was ready for the climb. Becky always had a lot of energy and was blessed with brilliant ideas which she could implement into completion at the drop of a hat. If she was interested in the project, she was unmatched…..but following someone else’s plan always lacked her best efforts. Her reason being if it wasn’t up to standard why put effort into an unworthy project. This began a life of leading the pack.

Becky had several jobs and was well liked no matter what it was. She always saw a way to make it better and more successful. Of course this got the attention of her employer’s and she enjoyed some beneficial advances up the ladder of work.

Her two children and grandchildren are the light of her life. She tried to give them the best hope for the future and opportunities therein. Becky lives next door and is a lot of company to me…….she is usually the life of the party and loves a good time. All it takes is for her to walk into a room and the party is on.

As I write, her employment takes her out of town for the week but when she comes home we will celebrate her 58th year a little late. So Becky, at 1:15 a.m. you came into our lives on this day and we’re so glad you did. Watching your journey has given me a lot of memories and we’ve shared a lot of happy moments together.

Happy Birthday from your Mom…….

Essentially Esther

…….Spring is here. We kept waiting for the other shoe to drop in January and February but I think it’s believable now. The reason being….everything is on time in the yard. The air is fresh and inviting and all of a sudden, I’m thinking about the container plants I want to enjoy this year. I like to try new things and hopefully dry some for the cards I make.

It’s nice to turn off the furnace and open the windows. Sort of inviting the world back into my domain. Neighbors working up and down the street are busy with outdoor projects while I’m cleaning indoors. It is always hard to know which things to pass on and which to keep. There is always the thought, many of us have, that we may need it sometime. Part of my closet is full of things I never wear and I’m telling myself they must go this time.

I wasn’t born during the Great Depression but I was raised by parents who were. We wore the few clothes we had until they were rags or someone in the family passed things on to us. I always said I wore three sizes growing up. Too big, just right and too little.

I grew up with women who scraped the paper when a new stick of butter was used. I wonder how many kids hung around the kitchen table while their mother’s whipped up a cake and then gave them the spoon and bowl to finish the last little bit. It was as good as candy to me.

My brother and I had to take turns and we were pretty careful to remember whose turn it was. He was older by four years and could out-talk me every time. Once I was waiting for the bowl and he came at the opportune moment to claim his prize. Sure, enough, he talked me into believing it was his turn.

Mom didn’t say anything but let it play out. Louis took a swipe around the bowl with the spoon and took a big slurp. As soon as it hit his tongue he gagged and spit out, “cornbread!! Mom chuckled and said, “I knew it was Esther’s turn and I would have told her it was cornbread, but since you talked her out of it I decided to let you find out the hard way.”

Just one of Life’s little lessons growing up with a big brother.