Immigrant Daughter

IMMIGRANT DAUGHTER 71

2011-05-09T16:19:00.001-07:00

I have arrived safe and sound from a delightful passage of time in the present day. But want to tell you about some of the other enjoyable times in my life. We grew up with rules in the household, in the nation and in school. We also were taught not to speak unless spoken to.

No wonder our nation is going rampant against authority. We the people are allowing others to tear down our principles. As I listened and watched the nightly news I was shocked at some of the things I heard. It seems this future election is bringing the worst people out in front. We worked every election we would in the polls or by our support of our party candidate. Here is one of my favorites.

How do these people who are objecting to our constitution think they got the privilege to object in the first place? I shudder when I think that they want to give illegals the right to vote. They have no right even to be here. We should start collecting them up and put them out to sea in the vicinity of where the pirates are.

Now, I know this is extreme, but its’ time we called a halt to letting a few disgruntles trying to change the rules to suit themselves. We are a nation of the people, by the people and for the people. No matter what our age we better start getting involved.

Getting back to my story. Carl decided to run for a local office when we lived in Little Rock long time ago.

We always registered to vote no matter where we lived. In fact there was one place we lived when I registered They had to get the book out of moth balls so that I could sign it. Of course you realize I am exaggerated a bit. We always wanted to be a part of the community we lived in. I remember when we lived in Guam I we had absentee ballots. We were proud to be American.

My father was in politics and I can remember in the restaurant he would argue with his customers frequently. The “never argued with the customer” did not apply here. Carl and I were on the other side than he, but he never tried to convert us.

My mom and dad had a house on Pleasant Street that was two stories with an attic and a basement. We had lots of room to run up and down the stairs. It had a crystal chandelier that five layers of hanging crystals attached to a five sided sliver plated frame. We always seem to take our pictures under it. Here in this picture is my three sisters and my uncle George.

My oldest sister is in the middle and I think she was nineteen years old. They belonged to the Eastern Star and I remembered wanting to join when I was old enough. The evening gowns were beautiful.

The next picture is of the four of us when I was old enough. The picture also includes a picture on the wall of mom who had died when I was twelve. My dad was proud indeed on how we turned out.

Memories are great to go back to. And until next time I am, Immigrant Daughter

IMMIGRANT DAUGHTER 70

2011-05-02T16:55:00.001-07:00

I mentioned in my 69 post about The Holy Land Experience and when I went to ladies Bible study this week someone mentioned a display came through at the Arts Center, Little Rock that pertained to the Tabernacle. She asked if anyone had seen it. After discussion I asked if anyone had gone to the Holy Land Experience in Orlando, Florida. There was one of the ladies that even knew what it was but had not gone . Believe me I was flabbergasted because it was been years since Carl and I have been there. It has been at least six or seven years. This would be an ideal time to see it during the Easter season. I just assumed that some had seen it. I guess you can never assume that people have been to places you have been to.

It came to me again how blessed I am of seeing so many different places in our country. My grandson stopped by to drop off my mail so I wouldn’t have to drive down to pick it up. With a walker it is difficult because of rocks to walk but no problem to drive up and get it. He sat for a few minutes to chat. He asked me a couple “Why don’t you questions?” of me doing this or that. I told him there aren’t any old ladies out here that like what I do. He said I am not the only 80 year old out here and he is sure there are others and instructed he is going to find some. Believe me I won’t hold my breath on that statement. I found out sometime ago not many like sports, let alone old ladies.

This morning I woke up with something I remembered saying in Greek when we didn’t want any one else to understand. Some people are puffed up with their own importance and when you are mentioning the incident to a family member you would say it in Greek because translated to English is little t—d. Now Carl thought that was so funny he wanted to learn how to say it in Greek, I tried to teach him but he just couldn’t roll his tongue right to get the accent. So every time he tried we laughed at way he said it more than what he was trying to say. I can’t imagine what ever brought that to mind waking up from a night’s sleep. I really don’t remember my dreams. Cindy tells me we dream every night even though we can’t remember what we dreamed

I remember my mother doing a lot of baking for our religious holiday. We did not get baskets with chocolate bunnies or even jelly beans. The one thing I remember best was the Greek Easter Bread she made. I can still remember the taste. It has a different texture than sandwich bread and tastes good plain or toasted with her jam. Of course we had our Koolouas cookies that we helped make. Here are pictures of the Koolouas and the Easter Bread with the one red egg in it. All our Easter Eggs were Red when I was growing up to symbolize the Blood of Christ.

I hope I am not boring you with my family memories of when I grew up. I was so blessed to have had a father and mother who stayed together all their lives and giving us a foundation of living believing in God.

Does anyone have a pet peeve like I do. When I buy bananas I make sure they are not mushy, but firm and yellow. I eat a banana

every day with cheerios for breakfast. The peeve I have is when you slice the banana down to the end a dark center line appears that looks like a worm. Yuk!! That is one thing I will do for myself to make sure my banana is all yellow. I have to admit I am a bit spoiled after living in Guam where we could get them from the trees. There was always someone who could climb the very tall tree for pocket change.

Dad and mom sold pies they made in the restaurant but for breakfast they purchased from the bread man wrapped goodies that can be stacked on the counter. The one I remember liking the best was a Tasty Kake that came 12 packages to the box. They also had an item called crumpets. That had two crumpets in each package, They each were two fingers wide were about 4 inches long with butterscotch icing on yellow cake. He also had on his truck sliced oblong pound cake each piece was individually wrapped. The slice was about 8 inches wide and quarter inch depth. The box held 12 pieces of yellow pound cake. Customers loved to have us toast the pieces to enjoy with coffee.

Then super markets cutting into the delivery to individual small business’ like dads’ restaurant. They just plain stopped servicing little accounts like ours. This was called progress. Eventually as time progresses things change. Where is the A & P store now? In the little town I grew up in the store no longer exists.

Like everything else time moves on not by train or auto but rotation of the sun around the moon.

Here in Arkansas we experienced several days of tornados and damage. I believe the last record I heard was 200 deaths and severe wind damage. My DIL wanted me to come and stay with her once or twice, but I declined, I felt the Lord will protect me no matter where I am and if it’s my time so be it. We had such a pelting of rain it is going to take weeks to dry out. I believe we live in kind of a bowl, we are at the base of the mountain sort of protected.

But, I will say I was without phone service for three days and electricity for 20 hours. Now we have electricity but no phone. Now that is an inconvenience because we are without water because the well pump stops. This really happens so seldom and I do not like it.

I wish you all blessings that only God can bring. Until next time I am Immigrant Daughter.

IMMIGRANTY DAUGHTER 69

2011-04-04T16:37:00.001-07:00

There comes a time when what seemed so important is not as important now in this time of my life.

I was reflecting back in time when Carl and I were rushing to get to his new job and having to do this or that before we could leave. Our lives were centered on his job and new place to live and as I compare this to my life now my life is at a standstill. I am thinking how grateful I am that my life did slow down.

One day Carl wanted to go to Law School and after seeing the schedule my DIL keeps I am so glad he did not. She came in so exhausted last evening and told me she was headed to bed. Her dog Chili was so glad to see her that I am sure she had to give him some attention. Some times animals are more demanding than children.

Carl planned a trip for us to go to Orlando, Florida to see the Holy Land Experience that is a replica of the buildings in Jerusalem that were up in the time of Christ.

This is a theme park you walk around and go in different buildings and see The Holy of Holies. The Tabernacle and the Temple. This followed the Bible and was done by the Zions Hope Ministry that we had contributed to many times. We were there in the first week of the opening of the park.

As I was watching one of our news channel I saw that a storm with high wind velocity ripped thru that part of Florida. I tried to see on the TV just what was the extent of the damage but could not tell. If you are planning any vacation believe me Orlando is worth going to see. It seems our weather can not be predictable so take all kinds of clothing.

After we spent a few days in Orlando we tried to go to the East Coast to see if we could find a cousin I had on my fathers’ side of my family. Her husband was a Commander in the U.S. Navy. We never did connect with them so we went on just site seeing Florida. We also had another ministry we supported called Pioneers which supported Christians in foreign countries. We got a tour of their facilities and could have a position of being a working volunteer on the premises. But we had decided long ago that Florida for us is not a choice place to live. I am so sorry we did not get there with our children.

My older sister complained about she never got to travel and see things I was privileged to see. But I told her staying in one place she has a house paid for and that is a plus in life. I couldn’t help it if she married a man who never cared to see or do anything different. I mentioned before that we lived in seventeen different homes that we never really owned. The bank did and we always had to sell them to get our down payment out for the next place.

There was not any place we lived that we did not like. I will say this Carl liked the coastal waters the best. There came a time in our life when our country faced shortages of many different kinds. Carl then became interested in survival . He had and read all kinds of books on food storage and shelf life. You do know that the food for storage is a nitrogen packed. Howard Ruff wrote many of the leading books.

We purchased special packed food by the case and had one room just for this. We had milk, flour, oats, wheat and different kinds of beans. We purchased a special grinder that worked both on electricity and a handle to fit if electricity was out. We had purchased enough food to family and others. Their storage life was twenty five years plus.

After carting this food around many years it seemed as though the crisis pasted. When we were in charge of the food pantry in Indiana we started to open the boxes of oatmeal and milk to pass on to large families in need of food. They had to be large families because these were packed in large number 10 cans. It made us pleased to contribute the food to those in need.

I sort of see a trend today that is creeping in that we import so much from other countries that very little is made in the good ole U.S.A. I for one look to see where the item is made and if it isn’t from our country I do without. Our country is facing a crisis that people want the government to support them and they not work to help themselves. Boy I am glad my dad who came from Greece to the free world isn’t alive to see all the free loaders.

Immigration has no rules they want in and want to bring in their own language and not learn a thing about the U.S.A.

Until next time, I am, Immigrant Daughter.

IMMIGRANT DAUGHTER 68

2011-03-26T10:46:00.001-07:00

When Carl and I moved to Arkansas a long time ago we were told of ticks and to make sure we checked ourselves over before going to bed. Now we were aware of pests because New Jersey has the biggest greenhead flies and mosquitos both that bite.

Carl was a man with a light ruddy complexion and I myself have an olive complexion. I was constantly picking ticks off of him.

Every place on earth has its season when pests prevail certain times of the year and here in Arkansas has one of the least desired one when the ticks are “in”.

My mobile home is surrounded by Pine trees and I believe that is their breeding spot. I don’t know this for certain but it’s as good guess as any.

My metal carport is close to the house so when I pull my car under it I don’t have to walk but a few steps to get to the ramp or steps to the porch to get in. The mobile home sits parallel to the woods which is only ten feet away and DIL’s dog Chili lays right at the edge of the woods so he can survey the woods for critters he might like to chase and still see me park.

The other day it was warm and windy and when I came in from the women’s Bible study. As soon as I was under the carport and opened the door Chili was right there and put his head in my lap to be petted. He loves the attention and I love to give it to him.

I always have a chore getting my groceries in because I have to stop close to the porch and open the trunk to get the groceries out and lift them on the porch which is about chest high. I then put the car under the carport and get out. I did all this and after petting Chili I came in and put the groceries away. I had lunch and sat down on the couch feeling completely exhausted. This little chore tires me out.

My shoulder had an itch on it where I couldn’t reach and after trying and trying I finally got up and got an old bamboo back scratchier we purchased many years when we lived in Southern California. Well I scratched and seemed to be reaching the spot okay and didn’t think much about it until later.

I was preparing for bed and my shoulder had an itch at the same spot (I certainly missed not having my bed buddy.) where I couldn’t see if anything was on my back shoulder. I finally got some rubbing alcohol and pour some on my shoulder so it could run over the spot I had been scratching relentlessly. I went to bed and didn’t think much about it. I awakened about two hours later and I was itching and itching so it was at that time I remembered Oh yes it’s tick season time.

I stood in front of the large bathroom mirror and held a small mirror to see if I could see anything. I used the back scratchier with and alcohol swab wedged in the prongs and I scratched away. I finally did see a black speck on my back and I doused it good with alcohol because I did remember ticks do not like the stuff and they will retreat from the hold they have on you. I finally was making headway but I still could not reach it with my hand. I remembered I had a long tweezers somewhere and after searching I finally found it. I reached back using the wall mirror and finally reached that pest with my extended fingers and pull it out. I still have a welt where it bit me but I don’t itch any more. I am much relieved and finally went back to bed. This process took an hour at least.

I am much annoyed with myself because I let myself be pestered all day and didn’t remember the solution as soon as I should. I guess age does have it’s limitations.

I have been enjoying watching the college March Madness basket ball down to the sweet sixteen. So far a couple of my favorites are still in the running. It has been such a good tournament that it is anybody's guess who will win.

I do enjoy watching sports. One thing for sure you won’t see people disrobing and jumping in bed together. In the sports world baseball is beginning. It is hard to keep up with that sport because they have increased their number of teams in the league that it isn’t interesting until it comes down to the World Series. It is impossible for me to remember them all so I wait until the series and then pick a team to root for.

I remember baseball of years past with fondness because it was when Carl came into my life then. Back then Dad always had a radio on for the customers that came into the restaurant. Baseball was very popular, and everyone liked to listen and young men and boys played on the local teams. I remember telling you that Dad hit the ball over the barn and broke the window in the doctor’s house and then ran back in the store and left my brothers to take the blame.

Needless to say our country was a good place to grow up. Getting back to my story. I was seventeen and asked out to go to a baseball game to see the Philadelphia A’s play a night game. As fate would have it a sailor who came in the restaurant also asked me to go. I would have liked to go with him too so I had to think of how to go with both. I asked B the customer if he would not mind if Carl came with us if he had his own date and he said yes. You have to remember this was a small town and customers got to know each other because of conversation going on in the restaurant. You see a waitress couldn’t neglect or favor customers.

So a friend from school came to be Carl’s date. Customer B had the car so we all met in the restaurant so my Dad could see there were four of us going to the night game in Philadelphia. All four of us had a good time because the A’s won and we ate hotdogs and popcorn and rooted for the old home team.

The picture above is Jimmy Foxx who played for the A’s.

So whenever I hear the song “Take Me Out To The Ball Game” I have loving memories of the Lord letting me have the best of the ballgame and Carl too. I share these glimpses of my life for my children to look into my past of things I might not have shared with them. I can’t remember.

Until next time, I Am IMMIGRANT DAUGHTER.

IMMIGRANT DAUGHTER 67

2011-03-15T17:31:00.001-07:00

Last Sunday it was so cold here in Arkansas that I had to wear my winter coat, something I have not done thus far. When I was in Pennsylvania whenever I wore it I received so many compliments. I bought this coat out of one of the many catalogs we had coming to us in the mail. Carl loved to get mail even if is what I call “junk Mail”. This stemmed way back to his Alzheimer's and with that I had to intercept his not sending checks. I have had to return many items.

I’m getting the catalogs still because some just refuse to stop. I needed a warmer coat so I started looking at the catalogs and I saw this beautiful blue coat and decided it would perk me up a little because I never had a blue coat. Well it did because whenever I wore it with the hat and scarf the same color I received many compliments. One of my friends took a picture and this is what I looked like three years ago.

Well I wore it for the first time here in Arkansas and I received the compliments about the color and how nice it looked and I thanked the Lord for His blessing.

When we lived in Dallas Carl traveled to visit the men who worked the territory he had to supervise and was gone Monday thru Thursday. Our kids were in college and/or married and I had nothing to do. I started looking for work that did not require to work weekends.

I began working for an insurance agency. The agency had several agents who worked out of the main agency. One of these men raised German Shepherd dogs and he was selling the last litter of dogs and asked if I wanted one. He knew I liked dogs because that is the place Carl gave me Sandy the Smooth Hair Fox Terrier as a gift and I shared this bit of news with the agency. I asked him the amount he wanted? His answer surprised me when he said he wanted to give me the mother because he needed to close down his kennel. I told him just as long as I could have her spayed. He said that is okay he just wanted to find a home that would love her . This dog had been more of a pet.

We did take her because we had our small back yard all fenced in because of Sandy. This dog was so laid back that she tolerated Sandy as the alpha dog. Going to dog training was an unique experience. Carl and I took them to training class and had lots of fun. Our family increased.We named the dog Nitch.

I want to mention a little bit about insurance. If you have children old enough to marry please encourage them to take out whole life insurance on each other as a safe guard. I know it was a godsend for me when Carl died. If they have children then especially on the children as they are born because the premium is smaller. As the policy comes of age you can cash it in or leave it on file and keep on paying for their life. Or give it to them and they can reinvest it as owners and they get to name their own beneficiary. The younger age you are makes the premium cheaper.

I noticed an ad in the newspaper to buy insurance for your pet. I am afraid I draw the line on that. not that I don’t value my pets life but that opens up a can of worms, Can you imagine getting a death certificate for a dog or cat. I just snicker at the cost. I just finished paying a funeral home for my own demise for when it happens, Funerals are not cheap even when you don’t want anything but a cheap, cheap funeral.

When I was driving to church Sunday I want to tell you I felt I was driving on the Lord’s canvas of beautiful color. We have blooming at this time Bradford Pear tree, the Redbud trees and bushes, yellow forsythia bushes and yellow daffodils and a blue ground cover I don’t know. It is beautiful picture as I drove.

Daylight saving time was yesterday and jumping forward doesn’t give us any more time like some people think it just a push and pull of the mechanism of the clock. I see I am near the end and want to say, until next time I am, Immigrant Daughter.

IMMIGRANT DAUGHTER 66

2011-03-05T16:36:00.001-08:00

I have been putting a Thomas Kinkade 1000 piece puzzle together that is a beautiful winter scene in the alps of a whole village. I will admit that it is very challenging because as you know Thomas Kinkade paints with so many colors and shades that it is hard to separate in colors in groups. I have received this for Christmas and really enjoy putting it together. I just finished it. This is what it looks like.

I remember many years ago we sent my sister and her husband a puzzle that was a picture of the four of us. It is amazing what they reproduce in a puzzle format. I love Blue Birds and think the picture of the Blue Bird that looks mad and frumpy is one of my favorites because Carl and I had a birdhouse for them when we first moved here. We use to sit on the porch and watch them come and go building their nest.

Country life can be very relaxing but you have to like being alone. I have been asked; “How can you stand it away from people? “ I know we like it because we had each other. I am still having to adjust being alone. Now dogs take up the slack.

I am glad The Kings Speech won best picture, and best actor and actress Oscar awards last night. I don’t see many movies but when I do I am glad they were good choices.

I have been watching some very old movies on cable and I am surprised that there are so many I haven’t seen. The war movies are always good. It seems to me there won’t be any of todays crop that will be memorable.

I have two grandsons who have birthdays this month and it turns out it’s the oldest 30 and the youngest 16, of different children. If I hadn’t felt old before I do now. I told the youngest I can remember my 16th birthday very well because I received a gold stretch band that was a Lily that circled around my wrist that I still have. On my 30th Carl took me out to dinner and gave me a gold horse pin which I still have. I must admit I don’t remember many of the in-between birthdays.

My father gave me a locket that mom wore that he had given her. It is a gold heart shape that opens up and had his picture on one side and moms on the other.You can’t see it, but Mom is wearing the locket in the picture below. I still have it also. Memories are so good to remember when the individuals have passed on.

Also this February my oldest sister who is living, she and her husband celebrated their 61st wedding anniversary. From the picture it indicates the weather was warm for February in New Jersey way back then. They still live in the same house.

A friend sent an email with pictures of ice burgs on lake Michigan were beautiful and huge. Here are a few of them below.

I went also and had my tax return done and filed electronically. It cost almost same as last year.

I have seen many winter pictures but the one that wins the prize was an Amish farmer pulled an empty milk container truck out of a ditch that he slid in. He was very skeptical and when the farmer hitched his four horse team to the truck and pulled it out. They were large like the AnHauser Bush Clydesdales.

I am enjoying life even though it is not quite the way I would say is ideal but God knows what’s best for me, I want to get his posted so Until next time, I am Immigrant Daughter.

IMMIGRANT DAUGHTER 65

2011-02-10T14:31:00.000-08:00

I have witnessed more snow this past week in Arkansas than I ever saw before. It made me think I was back in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. I had 8 inches on the porch. Growing up I would have loved it. I remember my dad throwing snowballs at us while we were playing out back of the restaurant. those were fun days.

Carl told me they use to play ice hockey on Lake Michigan every chance they could sneak away from school. Of course they always got caught and hauled back to school. We never sneaked out because our fathers punishment was worse than the schools.

C’s dog Chili was fun to watch in the snow. He would put his head down in the snow and push until he had snow on his snout and then shake his head trying to get it off. Animals are great entertainment. The other day I tried to go to bible study and couldn’t get off my porch. It was so slippery I couldn’t get any traction on the bottom of my shoes to make the steps down. I do have a ramp but that was also icy.

When we had our Chris craft boat on Lake Texoma it got so cold one night that no matter what we did we couldn’t get warm enough so the next day when we got in port we made arrangements for winter storage. It is really something to watch how they hoist the large boats out of the water for winter storage. Most boats need to be cleaned and the bottoms painted with anti fowling paint. I was told this past week that they have discovered a coating that will keep the barnacles off the bottom of the boat. I bet a lot of boat owners are happy about that. Boating was a new experience for me but to Carl it was old hat.

The news of the day with violence in Egypt and other parts od the Middle East sure makes me thankful I live in America brought to mind how nothing changed much since my father’ mother hid him so the Turks would take him from her to fight. They still are fighting. There is no place like America.

I had to stop because my computer was acting up to renew things I didn’t want to renew, and it was showing the bar with things that were not familiar to me. C told me every time the machine updates familiar things change and I have to get accustomed with the new bar all over again. I do not like the changes and I wish they wouldn’t do it. It takes me for ever to complete a new post as it is. I see I just wiped out a whole paragraph I had just written so here I go again as I am learning to be patient with myself,

I went to the medical doctor yesterday and found out I am healthy because the blood work reveals that I am. It is very satisfying that they agree with me. I do have to admit I hate growing older. I am hearing so much how to stay healthy that I could have told them, everything in moderation and you don’t need to deny yourself anything. It worked for me.

Carl loved to eat and I loved to cook and we both like to enjoy food. He also like to make gumbo (without Okra). and Last week I was invited out and enjoyed some of the best gumbo with okra and it made me remember my honey. I am so happy that he is not living to hear of all the evil that is going on in the world today.

The weather these past days have been pleasant. It is nice not having to wear a heavy coat. I let chili inside and he doesn’t last long because he get too warm. I can take the warm weather better than the cold.

There appeared on my email inbox with the name of a close friend, but the email was gobbled goop That didn’t make sense and come to find out they didn’t send it so I deleted it. Boy you can’t be to careful.

One day while living in Muncie Carl and I supported a political candidate who was running for congress and I hope he makes a run for the white house. He is young, honest and conservative that is making his mark for the betterment of our nation. I hope all of you out there are keeping up with the world situation. Our men need to stand up and be counted. We are getting too many females in our leadership position and I am sorry ladies, I don’t like it. My church denomination went down the tubes when the women got in the priesthood. They weren’t satisfied just to be a part of the body they just plain took over and many people left. I was one who left. The denomination is still floundering.

I am happy to say I walk with God daily. He supplies my need and helps me through my sorrows and I can’t ask for more than that.

Until next time, I am Immigrant Daughter

Immigrant daughter 64

2011-02-03T16:51:00.001-08:00

Back to a glimpse of another memory of my past. Carl and I had so many good years and I remember that one day a voice from his past came calling. We were living in Muncie at the time and the phone rang and I said hello this is the Moody residence and there was a hesitant voice asking “Is this where Conrad lives?”. And after a few questions back and forth I put Carl on the phone to talk. When Carl finished talking he had such a glow on his face when he sat down and told me this.

When growing up in one of the foster homes he was befriended by another foster child who was adopted. This boy lost touch with the others because his new parents moved out of the mid west to another region. He, like Carl, never forgot his past and he was trying to find some of the other kids he remembered growing up with. When checking back with the Children’s Aid Society and other agencies he found out about Carl who was also inquiring about his past. I am not sure about all the particulars but he found out that Carl lived in Muncie. He made a phone call to find out if the Carl who lived here was the Conrad who lived at a particular place many years ago. And from there this voice of the past came alive and brought a flood of tears and remembrance of part of his life he had long forgotten.

Carl told me he had forgotten this, because this boy was adopted and he had not because Carl was unruly and wild and did not take correction well. Carl told me all this was true because he was told nobody cared whether he lived or died. This man who called was a boy who befriended when Carl when they growing up and he remembered him after all these many years wondering what happened to him. Isn’t it strange how the Lord brings to light things long forgotten?

Carl invited him to come out to the house for a visit after finding out he was passing through on his way to California. This young man grew up and became successful in engineering with a large firm. He stopped by for a minute on his way to California which turned out to be quite an enlightening visit. The visit lasted several hours filling in some of Carl’s past.

It was great for me because I heard things that are not written in any of Carl’s record.

When we lived in Little Rock while our kids were growing up we lived there right before the eruption of the school system between blacks and whites. We lived on the outskirts of town and sort of missed all the problems of the inner schools. There were blacks in the school but not that many and all kids were treated the same at least where we lived.

Some of the things they are showing in the news we lived through them without any mishaps. My DIL and her mother and I went to see The Kings Speech and it was excellent. There again her mother and I remembered very well living at the time of this crisis England was having with the King giving up the throne to marry a divorced woman.

If you have not seen it you a missing some history very well done, because the movie casting was excellent and the story true.

I haven’t been to see many movies because there are very few worth seeing. They just don’t make the westerns as they used to be and when they remake any movies too much garbage is added. I realize this is kind of short and sweet But its raining and it is getting dark outside even though it is in the afternoon.

This new month was Carl's’ birthday month and one birthday I gave him a surprise party even though he is gone he is not forgotten at least by me.

Well this weekend is super bowl time and I will enjoy watching and eating popcorn having as good a time by myself as best as I can. So until next time, I am Immigrant Daughter.

IMMIGRANT DAUGHTER 63

2011-01-25T17:31:00.001-08:00

It has been a week since I last posted and weather wise a lot has happened. Here in Arkansas we have had freezing weather and six inches of snow and for me that is more than I have seen since living up north.

It is a bit of an in convenience for me for me not being able to drive myself around and therefore I am a shut in. I really don’t mind being alone but I must tell you of an incident I experienced this past holiday.

Since my better half passed on three years ago it really hit me low. I became very depressed and not liking myself at all. When I snapped out of it after going to the doctor and asking for some help just to get over the bumps in the road. I am not a willing pill taker. I did not get to see my regular doctor and had to see an associate in the clinic. Not liking it but accepting it. The doctor was either Indian or or Hindu and I had to give him a complete run down of my medical history. This is why I want to stick to just one doctor. Even though my medical history is in the computer he asked me all the usual questions because he was too lazy to read it ahead of time.

I can go on about what a bummer this visit turned out to be but I took the script he prescribed and left. I mailed it in to my mail order pharmacy and when I got it back I started taking it. I never read the contra indications of the drug just the directions of when and how to take it. That was my first mistake. Mistake number two would show my prejudices and that is not good.

One day while getting bills ready to be paid I all ways go through the the extra junk paper to throw away so it won’t pile up. I started to read the rest of the information that came with the drug he prescribed and realized this is an indicative drug you can never stop and my brain went WHOA and no wine or drink of any kind. I immediately weaned myself off this off this by cutting the pill in half and taking it every other day until it was gone.

I am not a habitual drinker but I do like a glass of wine or even two and for me not to be able to indulge at all would be adding to the problem I went to eliminate. I can remember my better half was a pill pusher selling drugs to the doctors and hospitals and he told me so many things to avoid and drugs like this was one of them.

I called my mail order pharmacy and had to go through the rigger ma roll of trying to talk to a real person and not a machine. That is another pet peeve I have calling and trying to reach someone to talk to and being told don’t hang up you call is important to us and leave us hanging on to battle the machine and finally get the “leave you name, age and why you are calling and someone will get back to0 you”. This makes you having to stay glued to the house until they call back like my time is not important as important as theirs.

When I did get a call back and was put through to a person I told them not to send this drug to me ever again and explained to them why. They said they understand and would wipe it from my record. They did confirm the danger of the addict ion to this drug. Most of my life has been spent of having to take insulin to live and I wasn’t needing another crutch to live on. I know people that think pills are the answer, but I do not

Well I am over the depression state now that the holidays are over and I feel great not perfect but just great.

I received four puzzles for Christmas all different and I started to put one together. A thousand pieces will keep me busy for several weeks. In between I am enjoying the sports and getting ready for March madness in college basketball. I do have a couple of favorites.

Carl and I loved to watch all the teams play but we did want the favorites end the year in the top so we could root root for the home team. He always like the big ten schools and I always liked Pennsylvania and East Coast teams. We would have lots of fun kidding each other while enjoying our beer and popcorn watching the game. I can’t explain the inner pleasure we had but I can tell you I miss that when I am watching the games by myself. The weekends were relaxing times for us because it was special.

My home is small but comfortable and the saying “a place for everything and everything in its’ place. I have a small plastic tool box on my two drawer file cabinet that has wheels I have the small tools like hammer, pliers, level and the like. They all have my initials on the handle. I had to do this because Carl was great for not being able to find his tools half of the time because he would lend them out to anyone and never get them back. So I kept my own tool for the house so that I could find what I needed to hang a picture or what ever I needed a tool for.

We really were compatible and blessed that the Lord Jesus put us together to share our lives. I know this more now that he is gone and I am still here. And yes, I am not in the state of depression.

Without the Lord I would be. Until next time I am Immigrant Daughter.

IMMIGRANT DAUGHTER 62

2011-01-15T12:20:00.001-08:00

It has been a long time since I posted and I didn’t want let it go too long since I got back into the swing of things. I noticed that blogging has a way of going to the back burner during the holidays.

My youngest came to spend Christmas with me and it was a special treat for me because she lives in Virginia and that is a bit far for them to drive. She has three boys and one girl and it is amazing to me how much they changed in one year. I must brag a bit because I think they are good looking. The boys are all over six feet plus tall and the my granddaughter wears high heels to keep up in height, I could remember wearing high heels but never that high. It was encouraging to see young people with lots of life. I couldn’t house them all in my two bedroom Mobil home so the boys stayed down with daughter-in-law and daughter and granddaughter stayed with me. I had one folding bed and rented one so they were at least up from the floor. They had their own bath so that worked out fine.

I had gotten into a state where I didn’t want to cook or if I did nothing tasted good. You know it is easy to slip into depression. And I made up my mind that was not going to happen after I went through two weeks of it. So at this point I want to tell you I will continue about my life.

My daughter in law tells me about some of the sad tales of families breaking up with the lame excuse we fell out of love and don’t want to live together any more. and when finding out more there is always an involvement of a girl friend or boy friend. They think that when trials come on they can just walk away. Vows made meant nothing. It seems to me upon hearing some of the stories the couples left God out of their lives. I know even those who know the Lord and strayed like my son did is heart breaking. Lust plays a big part in wanderers.

No marriage doesn’t have problems but when you learn to give more than take it seems to get you over the bumps. Lord know none of us are perfect.

We were discussing the whys of this and came up to the conclusion that the moral teaching has disappeared from families and schools. Without morality people live without rules and the we have to have them. Not just for a few but for all of us.

I can remember growing up we always ate our meals together on the weekend. In the restaurant during the week we ate while working but we did have a family booth where the family sat. It is amazing how much you can say while eating. When C was coming to the restaurant he graduated from the counter to our booth rapidly. I can still remember the look dad gave him the first time. It is a shame today that we eat more drive in food than meals made from scratch. It the sign of the times and the beginning of family break down. Of course this is just my opinion.

My dad was the center of our holidays. When he was living we always made the trip home. That was one of the things we gave up was family holidays in our own home. And you know we gained more from that because it gave dad something to expect. I can better appreciate now because when I know any of the family is coming I mark the days off on the calendar.

I want to say that now the holidays are over I had the delightful experience of the special feeling that dad had after we visited him. I was so thankful after their visit.

A week later I had gone through a sort of rescue situation with Scout the Sheltie that DIL owns. She always followed DIL home when she came home from work after spending the day with me. One night she followed her home but wouldn’t go in when she opened the door and DIL couldn’t catch he to make her go in.

She disappeared for two days and we just assumed she went off to die. She wasn’t eating and was a shekel walking around. In the meantime AR got a snow storm that brought freezing weather more than I have ever seen. I had attempted to sweep off the porch and ramp and when I did there was nothing but ice left. So I knew I would stay put for awhile.

I was ready to stop when I noticed Scout came scrawling out from under the ramp next to my steps I was cleaning. Now here is where the rescue begins. Scout was covered with snow that was stuck to her. I went down the steps I cleared off and tried to pick her up which I couldn’t because I can’t bend that far down.You can imagine what a sight I was trying to pick her up by the scruff of her neck and hold on to the rail and cane at the same time. She was too heavy for my one hand I would get her front feet up the step and then try to lift her bottom up the step trying now to let her fall or myself either. I was near the top and I just couldn’t reach up from where I was and had to come holding her bottom on the step and to keep me from falling. I thought I might do well by sitting down the step and then scoot up step by step, You can imagine my surprise to find out I sat too low to be of any use to finish the job. Here I was stuck on the steps and not being able to get up myself. I prayed and asked the Lord for the skill to get her to the top and me too. It took me one hour to get her and me up five steps. When I got to the top I still couldn’t lift her and had to drag her one step at a time across the porch that is 14 by 16. Fortunately I left the door ajar and I was able to drag her into the living room where I had a sheep skin to put her on. I only was able to get her head and shoulders on. I left her to get a towel so I could dry some. She was so cold she was shivering. When I got a large thick towel and threw it over her she looked up as if to say thank you. As bet as we could determine she was out under the ramp the three days it was 18 to 25 degrees with weather people saying keep your pet in out of the cold. C and I felt awful but in all fairness she wouldn’t come in when we called. And by this time her back legs couldn’t work. C came from work and brought a small can of dog food and fed her and she ate it all.

After discussing the situating she decided to put her down and I agreed because I couldn’t be of much help. We both knew the Vet would try to talk her out of it but the decision was best for the dog because she works all day and I am handicapped. So she wrapped her with the towel and took her home. She put her in her very large bathroom to lock her in for the night and its a good thing she did because she let go both ends scooting all over the floor. It broke both our hearts she had to suffer.

Until next time, I am Immigrant Daughter.

Immigrant Daughter 6I

2010-12-09T17:25:00.001-08:00

Here it is December already and I am wondering what happened to Thanksgiving, the expression “time flies” really is a truism. I never let the passing of time bother me before and I don’t know why I should let it do so now.

Getting back to my story, I know I mentioned St. Judes’ Ranch for children before but I want to tell how how working there blessed our life. We had just returned from our trip to Germany from visiting our daughter and son in law. We had been there almost two years enjoying the birth of their first child John. We learned to adjust to the cold winters and the countryside. But it was time that we got on with finding a place to settle down.

We were visiting our son and daughter in law having the comfort of bed and bath on the lower level of their tri-level home with all kinds of privacy. After not being able to decide where we wanted to live Carl came out of the shower, he told me we couldn’t move as yet because he contacted St. Judes and I assumed it was the St Judes in Memphis, Tennessee, but it wasn’t, it was Boulder City, Nevada. That is why I told you we went back and forth over Hoover Dam many times coming East to see the kids.

So while in the shower he said he prayed to the Lord that he really didn’t want to retire and asked for help to find a place where we could help others because we were too young to retire. When he stepped out of the bathroom the phone rang and it was for Carl. (Isn’t that just like God to answer immediately.) The caller said he was impressed with his resume and wanted us come there so they could interview us . They paid our expenses for the trip. They hired us on the spot and gave us our own cottage up on a hill away from the 4 cottages where the children stayed with their cottage parents.

Here is what we found out about the place: St Judes was started by an Episcopal Priest that was not connected to the diocese as working priest but one who was not doing priestly duties because his heart was for neglected children. These children had parents that kind of shunned them because they were too busy and didn’t want to care for them. These were not poor or disadvantaged kids just ones with selfish parents who showed no love to them. Most of these kids were very smart and knew how to get around the rules so when you escorted them to doctors or other activities you really had to watch them closely.

One day Carl and I took two of them fishing and all they wanted was to try hide from authority and perhaps do what they shouldn’t like spend money buying candy or playing pinball machines. One occasion we took them bowling and we knew we couldn’t do that anymore. Too many places to hide in the bowling alleys like having to go to the bathroom too many times. They use to say I can go by myself and we learned the hard way to never to let them out of our sight.

Father Bert ---- was really a pastor that could demand respect and get it from them. They knew right off they would not be allowed to stay at the ranch and they also knew what awaited them if expelled from the Ranch. Some would have been put in detention homes they knew their parent didn’t want them home all the time. Here at the Ranch they knew they were loved and people cared for them and they were never were left alone.

Once a year the celebrities in Vegas had a dinner and fashion show to raise money for the ranch. The one year we were there the dinner host was Ed McMan and whatever stars were appearing in Las Vegas at the time. The Kids, Cottage Parents and volunteers were also invited. It was a great night out giving the kids and opportunity to dress up for the night out. The dinner was either steak or lobster with all the trimmings. The stars made people aware of the ranch and its’ needs.

The Ranch used the front of Christmas cards and pasted them on of blank cards with the information printed on the back telling about the Ranch. They still do this so if you care to send card fronts in their address is:

St. Judes Ranch for Children

P. O. Box 985, Boulder City

Nevada 89005-o985.

The sales also helps to pay expenses. Their budget depends on contributions.

When Carl and I were there we were called resident grandparents. We did whatever was needed. Every day we opened mail separating, the cards and the money it took us all morning just to open mail. I understand now it has grown from three bags of mail to a truck full of mail. They now have to hire people open mail. It was a rewarding job to us because we didn’t have to punch a clock.

We we went to Nevada the first time Carl had just purchased a Large panel Vanguard Chevy van that had a bed across the back that we slept in often. It kept us from having to worry about motels. We saw the desert in bloom and let me tell you it is a sight to behold. As far as the eye can see was color everywhere. It was amazing to see large cactus in bloom no one can paint like the Lord.

As I write about the different time in our life of what I can remember I am so thankful the Lord gave allowed us to have a memory. It gives me an opportunity to understand how frustrating it was for Carl when he lost that part of his brain. Someone mentioned I should volunteer in that area, but you know I don’t think I could do that family is the only connection the patient has to life they can remember.

Christmas time was a difficult time for the kids at the Ranch. Most of them went home but there were some that couldn’t because of conditions at home. Their parents did not care anything about the real meaning of Christmas. Now the Ranch was definitely started on a religious base and Christmas was a glorious time having many religious services. Of course we fit right in because we were of the same faith as Fr. B…. You know your Christmas memories play big roll in your expectations of the present Christmas.

Until next time, Immigrant Daughter

Immigrant Daughter 60

2010-11-30T16:22:00.001-08:00

It seems like a long time since I am getting back to my story of my life. But time has a way of getting away from me so I will just give you special incidents that I remember.

A few weeks ago in the Parade Magazine from the newspaper there was a beautiful picture on the cover of Hoover Dam that is 75 years old and the new bridge that was open to get across the Colorado River making it quicker to get on your way. I understand from the article that you can still get across the dam on the old road (which is on top of the dam) going East only. All traffic will be using the Mike O'Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial bridge. This new bridge was built in part for national security reasons, as the Hoover Dam is considered our most vulnerable landmark.

When Carl and I first came across the Hoover Dam it was still new and we took the tour going down to see the inside and how the turbines worked. It was magnificent to see. The picture shows at the bottom of the dam where they allowed the tourist to view this large structure and it looks mighty small on the outside. The thing I do remember was the elevator took some time to get down to the tourist section closer to the water. I remember the water was green.

Here are some pictures of the bridge. Each span was built by casting each piece by piece in mid-air. 106 sections in all.

This new bridge span gives me goose bumps just looking at it. It looks like it is all open but is is not. The road lanes are all inside away from the side of the bridge making it impossible to see anything from your car while driving.

Our children were small when we crossed over years ago so I am sure they couldn’t remember even seeing it. Our country has such a beauty that the Lord made, that it is impossible to describe with mere words.

We have seen a good bit of it in our lifetime and I would encourage you to expose your children to it if you can. The Grand Canyon is another place Carl and I saw together. I have fond memories of the places we have actually seen together and I will say this there is no place like home no matter where you live.

I would like to admit I do like the four seasons. It is a good feeling f rom going through spring, summer, fall and winter, each one has its high and low spots.

Now that I lived this long and still kicking, I can appreciate how Carl loved being at sea away from all the distractions on the ground. He never could make up his mind just where he wanted to live. Each part of the country held different distractions. I just knew where he was I wanted to be and I had no preference. That is why it is so hard for me to live without him, but I know I must because the good Lord isn’t ready for me yet.

One day Carl said I want you to lean how to shoot and took me to the skeet shooting range. We sat through the short program to learn this isn’t a toy and how to be careful. The first time I didn’t do well but after a few times it was a good feeling to say “pull” and aim and shoot. I hit more than I missed.

Growing up my dad always had a revolver in the house. We knew where he kept it and were allowed to handle it. As far as I knew there were not any bullets around. So when Carl wanted me to learn how the shoot I was not afraid to handle a gun. Carl always had a rifle in the house. When he became seriously ill with Alzheimer's I had to actually hide the rifle from him because he imagined people coming to get him. I have great respect for firearms.

When we lived in Muncie we lived on a dead end street that was on the bottom of a U, giving us two streets in to our house in this small development of about 90 homes. We lived a happy life there and had many friends in Muncie. We lived there 13 years. We purchased a blue high back couch and chair that we didn’t own very long because there was couple with one child in our congregation where we attended church that was going through a tough time. They came to our home for Bible study and prayer and before I knew it the Lord instructed us to give them our lovely couch and chair because they needed it.

After checking into their situation it seems they had purchased one of the government homes that needed lots of fixing up because that is all they can afford consequently they lived out of boxes and make shift furniture. He had a low paying job that required him to have two jobs. They had one son who was on fire for the Lord. Everyone he would met he would ask them :Do you know JESUS? and would proceed to tell them who he was. We were blessed by giving them our furniture. The Lord is so good.

Until next time, I am Immigrant Daughter.

IMMIGRANT DAUGHTER 59

2010-11-05T16:58:00.001-07:00

It seems like ages ago since I have been in my blog Immigrant Daughter.When you let your brain get out of gear it is hard to get back. I will try to pick up our life in Muncie, Indiana. We did so many things that I may extend some of the stories I already mentioned.

We attended several churches there, But when we first arrived in 1990 we were still members of the Episcopal Church and we tried to attend there first. They had a man there that didn’t know his Lord personally and was leading his group down the path of destruction so we didn’t stay there long. We then tried a Nazarene Church close to where we lived and that didn’t fill our need. In the evenings we went to a Fellowship and Praise group and found out there was an independent Evangelical church out in the country in our end of town. We attended on Sunday and knew we found our new church home. The Pastor preached the Gospel without giving his opinion about what it said. We sang praise and worship songs that gave glory to the Lord. The group was a good mixture of young and older people. They did not have “Church Membership” so to speak. If you came you were on the roll as being there.

The Pastor surrounded himself with men to be accountable to. It was a great body of worshippers praising the Lord Jesus Christ every Sunday. We felt very much at home and became involved in the activities in the church and out of church.

Carl was always wanting to give food to those in need and he found out about “Christian Ministries” doing just that, so we volunteered two days a week down town working in their food pantry doing anything we could. We collected food and held various food drives. We went and picked up donated food from churches in Muncie because we had a large van.

We became so capable they offered Carl the job to overseer the the task of running the Pantry. This was right up our alley and we had the time for it because we were “retired” and worked for free. They insisted on giving us $200 dollars a month which we donated back to the ministry. We had lots of fun while working very hard keeping the place clean. We were never to busy to talk to people. Lots of time people just needed someone to listen to them.

We expanded the food items to include frozen foods because there was a commercial frozen food locker that kept wanting to give their extras to the pantry to pass on to those in need. Most of the “needy” had refrigerators with freezers across the top and at times we would try to get one donated to the family if they needed one. I am so glad I don’t have to mess with the plastic bags that are in use now the brown bags held more neatly.

I really do miss not being involved in giving help. But we live in a time when there are more give away programs than those in need. The standby is the Salvation Army for collecting items for give away programs that they have become very selective at what they will and will not take. We truly are a land of plenty.

I miss my independence of being being able to do for others. This getting old has its’ drawbacks.

When the pastor “retired” we lost something that was never recovered in that fellowship. They spent a lot of money on the Childrens church building, and as time past the young pastor was too dictatorial and forgot the adults and preached like we were children and neglected worship so people stopped coming. So we looked for another place to worship. And the place turned out to be a place that had a very large sign on the highway coming in to Muncie. We were able to see the sign but not the church building. So were searched and found it. One Sunday Carl and I attended and were very blessed. It was a large congregation that made you feel “at home” the very first visit. It was a joy and also the name fit, it was called “Glad Tidings” and had a pastor that could preach that was a blessing to us. Again we found we were home.

One of the things the churches did in the Muncie area was have funeral dinners for the family members whose love one passed on. I was involved in handling the dinners. Instead of donations I just cooked the whole dinner and had workers to help serve. I realized with Thanksgiving Day this month I remember cooking the Turkey at the church and having dinner for anyone to eat whether members or not. That was so gratifying and as I think back Carl and I did so many different things together that we never had time to get bored with each other.

One of the Fun things we did was meet once a month with other Christians couples to eat a meal and sing songs. It was at least thirty people to set a table for and that meant the ones with the large houses hosted. This was a bring a dish of your choice and the hostess provided the meat. I understand they are still meeting and eating together. I sure tasted dishes that were new to me. There was one couple who always brought beans and franks and ended up taking them home.

Isn’t it amazing just what we will remember. When Carl was in the working world at Christmas time we received many Christmas cards. I also like to send cards, so as we got the cards I hung them up on red ribbon that was attached to the curtain rod so that we were able to see the beauty of the cards. I did that for many years and then people just stopped sending cards or even writing notes. I use to write a note in every card I sent giving an update of our family. We really lost the personal touch. The next time you see a Hallmark card shop stop in and buy a card to remember someone that you haven’t seen. The computer just can’t give that personal touch.

Until next time, I am Immigrant Daughter

Immigrant Daughter 58

2010-10-22T17:04:00.001-07:00

One night about the time I go to bed a large water bug that looks like a giant cocka roach invaded my kitchen, I went for the bug spray and fly swatter. I then realized my fly swatter was so small compared to this monster and thought for a moment I was in Guam because this is what greeted me one morning. I forget to mention this was on the counter in front of the toaster oven, I must have used a half can of the bug spray.

Well this monster ran under each item on the counter until it ran under the microwave which is on the end. I managed to knock it on the floor between the frig and the counter. Again I used more spray and sat down at the table and waited. In about five minutes a groggy bug comes out and by the time I made it to my feet it ran back under the frig. This time I got the broom and waited and again it came out for air because of all my spray. The broom came down so fast on that bug and I held it until I could get closer to step on it. When I heard a snap I knew I got it. Let me tell you I wouldn’t have been able to sleep if I hadn’t killed it. I emailed my DIL and told her I almost called her to come and help but knew she was sleeping and didn’t have the heart to wake her up. Surely I can kill a water roach.

I sure miss my honey saving me from such chores, In Guam the bugs were big but I never worried about such things because Carl was always there and I was younger and could move faster than I do now. Does anyone else dislike spiders and bugs as much as I do?

My trailer is only 16 months old and the dirt is only mine so you can see I was a bit taken back when I saw it. Every area of the country has it share of undesirable bugs. I remember in Guam and California we had to cope with scorpions and crickets. In Arkansas its the brown recluse spider and the black widow. Isn’t God wonderful that he takes care of his children of any age.

It been at least a week since I have been on the computer to complete this post. I will try to finish it and get on with other things. I have a painting started and I am doing a 1000 piece puzzle just to keep busy.

I had to prepare the lawn tractor for winter and made a trip to Home Depot to purchase Staybil for the gas tank this way I don’t have to worry about the tractor not having a permanent cover. Oh I have a mower cover but that won’t protect liquid from freezing. I know gasoline won’t freeze but the condensation from climate change in the mower gas tank will . I am sure glad Carl was patient and taught me many of the things I need to know now without him. Our anniversary date just passed making me a bit sad that I am not with him walking on the streets of gold with our Lord.

We are not into our winter as yet so sitting out on the porch with the dogs is a treat for me and them because they know they will get a goody. I took out two pieces of bologna and the Sheltie just swallowed it whole but the Belgium Milionis took it and carried it off the porch and dropped it to lick. As soon as the Sheltie got too close he just swallowed it whole. I think I am going to take a trip to the dog pound to get a small mutt to have inside. I do miss not having a pet. I thought I would just share Cindy's but when the day is over and they realize she is about due home they want to go out so they don’t miss her. It never ceases to amaze me how attached animals get to our schedules.

I can remember when Carl was due home our dog use to wait on the door stoop just so she could be first to greet him. I already mentioned the Cocker Spaniel “Missy” who adopted Kim’s bed as her night time sleeping place. Pets are family members as far as I am concerned.

This is where Missy should be sleeping:

When we chose to live in Muncie, Indiana there was a pet shop that will be remember by by me until my dying day. It really was striking how they advertised their store. They had a large hippopotamus out in front on the sidewalk painted purple that was as large as small car. It was used for many things. The parents use to put their kids on it and take pictures and grownups used it for giving directions because it was on the main drag and you really couldn’t miss it. It was a fun thing to see and it reminded me of several large cement animals we have seen in different parts of the country. There is a large elephant at the Jersey Shore all decked out that people could climb up for pictures and in the mid west there was a huge Mother Goose that that displayed some of her rhymes. Also there was a large shoe that the old women lived in that sold cookies and candy. The nursery rhyme themes were easy to copy and everybody enjoyed them. Do kids even hear nursery rhymes anymore? I know the comics in the papers aren’t funny to me in fact they are gross. It seems like the more ugly the better is tolerated.

I am concerned as to what is ahead for the future children because they are not allowed to be children. I read Stickhorse today and she hit the nail on the head that children are not made to read a book or just have discussions at supper time or even just some quiet time without the TV or computer. They really do need to use their imagination.

I hope I haven’t bored you silly but this nation needs to get back to basics to help the children realize the important things they need don’t come in boxes. Until next time, I am Immigrant Daughter

Immigrant Daughter 57

2010-10-11T17:37:00.001-07:00

I want to tell you more of my life with the Love of my life. It seems to me that Lives being displayed whether on the TV or newscasts just the despicable ones are shown because that is what people want to hear. I am sure there are many of you reading this are not in that group. If I am watching a movie and the story is good if at any point two unmarried people jump in bed ..click it goes off. I don’t care how good the story is. I guess you would consider me a prude.

I watched the next Dancing With The Stars and the star I did not like was sent packing and I am glad others did not like her either.

I worked for an Insurance Company in Dallas and had a nice job where all the secretaries desks were lined up out in the hallway. The picture below is of the building. The managers offices were small just be enough for him and a client.

My job included two managers. I had only met the one who hired me. He was respectful and did not use bad language, but the other 0ne use to parade down the hall stopping at the sectaries' along the way telling off color jokes. The first time he stopped at my desk he found out I was not interested in any thing he had to say and if he didn’t have any work for me to just stay away because I wasn’t there to be insulted. He thought because he was handicapped with a shriveled up leg he could say anything and spoke loud enough so everybody could hear him and said boy stay away from CM’ desk. I mentioned to my other boss if it didn’t improve with the bad language and off co9lor jokes I would have to leave. What ever was said to the man it certainly changed the atmosphere there.

Everyone had the same lunch hour because they offer a reduced cost lunch in their own cafeteria which was delicious. It was there that I had my first taste if a cheese enchilada. They made the standard so high that I have never found any as good as those.

The ladies sat in small groups of friends and people they worked with. Most time I would eat and leave to walk the rest of the hour. If the weather was yucky I stayed and talked, but mostly listened. I have never heard so many complaints about husbands as I did here. Women spoke freely of very private things done in their bedrooms, and some not too kindly about their husbands. It was like an on going saga of “Peyton Place” because they all joined in. Then one day one lady said C. you have said nothing all this time about your husband. I said you are right because comparing my husband to all of yours, after God made C he must have thrown the mold away. And another thing what goes on in our house is private and not for discussion. I have to say when I did eat lunch with them again they curtailed the complaints about their husbands and started to tell some amusing stories about family get together. They did get to meet C because he came in after work to pick me up so we could go up to their Tiki Bar on the 30th floor to have a drink and supper. It was a nice place to bring guests. My kids tell me they remembered the place,

Again I say there isn’t any place we have lived that we didn’t like and I would say Dallas ranked high on the list. At that time I would have to say Dallas was so spread out and easy to get about because the LBJ Freeway went around the city making a complete circle. We lived at the top of the circle and I worked at the bottom of the circle. The new airport was close to us so C could get in and out of Dallas easily. We thoroughly enjoyed our live there. C bought a boat that we put on Lake Texoma It was called that because it was on the border of Texas and Oklahoma. The lake is so big we never did get to the Oklahoma side.

The house we purchased was a Tudor type with an upstairs and for us this was certainly different. But it had a big room C used as an office on the first floor and made his work at home more enjoyable. The thing I remember most about this house the lady who had this house before us loved yellow. Everything was yellow outside and inside. It was a cheerful house and I liked it. I have mentioned before between the military moving us and C’ company moving us that we lived in so many houses I really am having fun remembering them. This house had a small kitchen with an extra large dining area attached to the kitchen area. Our animals loved the space because they had run of the whole house.

One night we had C’s boss over for spaghetti and meat balls. When he was finished eating we had to take him to the motel. I just rinsed and stacked the dished putting them on the counter. I put the left over spaghetti in a bowl and left it on the counter surrounded by the cups and glasses because it was too warm for the fridge and we we were coming right back. Our animals never lacked for food but the smell must have been overwhelming because when we returned the bowl was on the floor and the spaghetti was all gone. Our dogs did not greet us as usual because their tummies were bulging. C and I had to mop the floor before going to bed. I did the dishes and he mopped the floor.

There incidents about all of them that I hope I am not boring you with my memory of them. I don’t get too many responses but I guess it’s just me enjoying my memory of them and the man I shared them with. So until next time, I am Immigrant Daughter

IMMIGRANT DAUGHTER 56

2010-10-03T14:09:00.001-07:00

A day doesn’t go by when I am not looking for something and that reminds me of a time long ago when Carl and I did our weekly jaunt to the lake when he would come home from work on Friday. We each had a special responsibility to get ready to go. To him it was pleasure and to me it was work. Oh, it it was pleasurable too after I got there and didn’t forget anything.

I am not expressing myself very well so I had better explain some of the dilemma that faced me. If it was up to Carl we would only take water because he could go without eating for a long time. Me, I couldn’t last a day without my next meal. Food for taking on our boat was different because of it having to be kept cool. The different boats that we had over the years gave us much pleasure and to me hard work.

Our Boston Whaler was one the that kids could water ski behind, and we had a neighbor that had two smaller kids than ours who like to tag along with us and bought their own boat. Now they knew nothing about boating and would copy us in any way they could. They were pleasant enough people to be around, but their only trouble was they argued over silly things they should have laughed about. They were ten years younger and I won’t say smarter but more educated than I was. You can’t put Carl into that equation because he was so much smarter because of having to learn the hard way by life’s hard knocks that books can’t teach.

One weekend we were too busy to go to the lake on Saturday and made plans to go after church on Sunday. It was a rush but we made it. As we were loading up to go the couple across the street always followed us. But this day they were having words even before they left giving each other orders and they did not get off when we did and arrived just as we put our boat in the water and they yelled to us to wait for them because we always made it out to one of the islands to unload the food and stuff out of the boat so it can go fast enough for water skiing. Well as we waited and waited we finally yelled we were going on to our island we always went to.

When they finally got there and told us what the trouble was we just laughed. They left without the key to the boat and had to go all the way home to get the key. They did not have a check off list or who was given the particular assignment of boat, food,extra gas can to be put in the boat for travel. All this could have been eliminated if they would just quit arguing and talk. After listening to DIL stories about her clients she would have less clients if couples were more respectful and talk to each other more than they do.

Getting back to going to the lake one thing I did not have to worry about was the car. That was Carl’s responsibility. The only thing he liked me to do was help wash it. Car wash establishments were not as plentiful then as they are now. But I love to get wet to help cool off in the summer heat. Although I like the heat and sun I would darken without having to sit in the sun. My olive complexion takes to the sun nicely. Poor Carl had a fair ruddy complexion and had to keep covered with sun screen and long sleeves When he was young and allowed to be in the Navy the went through the the first blistering sun burn his skin adapted to having to be outside. One liberty he and is friends doing the normal stuff young men do to prove they are grown. One liberty headed out to town to drink and got sloshed and ended up with two small tattoos one on each forearm. He was always ashamed of these and would never wear short sleeve shirts.

I mention this to say I was watching the first show of Dancing With The Stars the other night and one of the so called stars had tattoos all over her body. To me this was disgusting and found myself hoping she would be eliminated early. Well she wasn’t, so I will have to watch her again but I want to say she did at least have the sense to wear a costume that covered her body. It also caused her to trip and getting up not so lady like. Does anyone else like this nonsense program. I love to watch them dance I know it is something I can’t do but love to watch others dance.

I remember when Carl and I danced in the Green Room in the Edison Hotel in New York City. We were both self conscious but very much in love. Boy that was a long time ago. As I understand it that hotel is now long gone but not the memories.

The New York Skyline is a beautiful site because of The Statue Of Liberty in the harbor is unforgettable. Living in New Jersey one of the beautiful sites driving into New York was the Statue of Liberty.

I see I am jumping around with subjects and it is difficult to sort out some of the stories I want to mention. I have so much I want to tell you but not to make this too long I will say, until next time I am Immigrant Daughter.

IMMIGRANT DAUGHTER 55

2010-09-21T16:22:00.001-07:00

The days seem to pass so quickly. I know I said that before, but being alive was brought close to home this past week. I received an e mail about a young lady who was on staff at our church who just dropped dead at home. Her husband called 911 and when they got there she was unconscious. By the time thy got to the hospital she was dead. They have not determined cause of death. This young lady had three children at home and a husband. It hit me: Why, Lord?

She was active in children’s ministry. As I understand it, she balanced her life with husband and children with her work at the church and home. Such a sad day! I happened to wonder why the lord would allow this and leave me, an 80-year-old who has lived a full life and who is now living alone because her husband of 58 years has passed on. I was left behind, so I asked the Lord, “Why her, and not me?” These children are left to grow up without a mother.

Both of my girls bawled me out and told me I was needed and not just existing, as I had said.

I went out to go to the post office today and my car would not start. The car key inserted in the lock would not turn. I could not shift it. It just stayed put without a sound, so I stopped trying to start it and came inside and called the Honda repair service. They told me to use my second key and, sure enough, it started right up. No one had a good explanation as to why just changing keys worked.

I love to do puzzles because it helps hand and eye coordination for me and helps to keep my mind busy. My DIL saw this particular puzzle and said “Better you than me!” The hardest part of doing any puzzle is the separating of the pieces by color, and this one is difficult because it is a bookcase full of books. The titles are humouse because they changed them to be funny, like “Lord of the pies,” and “Posy Girl.”

Here is a picture of my puzzle. The colors of the book covers have little humorous characters on them. It is like a fairy tale in pictures. I can only do puzzles that will fit on my card table so that means they can’t be more than 30 by 30 inches and they are usually 1000 pieces of under.

I separate the pieces and put the different colors in box lids so I can work on different sections. To me, it is relaxing and time consuming and helps pass the time.

I am also reading a book, Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas that is intriguing. I usually watch mysteries or police shows and hope they make this into a movie, because this book is about a man putting God first in all his decisions. He is a young man in the Hitler time in Germany, and his life reads like a movie.

I remember when I was in school, the only books I read were the ones assigned as must-reading for the class. I have grown into a person who likes to read, especially mysteries, who donits and police stories. I especially like books such as by Tom Clancy.

I am ashamed to say that Carl tried many times tried to get me to read because he used to like to read and he was a fast reader. Me, I am a slow reader. I can read something and have to read it over again to understand it. I do know my limitations and reading details is low on my list. When you buy something and have to put together a good thing for me is that they put pictures in the directions.

I went to my second session therapy for getting muscles in my hi p and leg flexible so that I can walk better than I do. I have heard many stories about hip replacements and all I can say is mine was the pits!

Until next time I am a very sore Immigrant Daughter.

IMMIGRANT DAUGHTER 54

2010-09-08T16:46:00.001-07:00

I would like to tell you of our trip to Colorado Springs in the 1990’s. I was reminded of this by a phone call from my daughter this evening. I mentioned before we traveled quite a bit. Carl wanted to just travel all the time in fact he was like the person in Willie Nelson’s song “On The Road Again”. I held him back because I wanted roots somewhere. We did agree that when we got back East we would find a place.

The main reason I did not want to travel was in the early years of being a diabetic the equipment was syringes made of glass and had to be sterilized. That made traveling a hardship for me. To travel anywhere overnight I had to have clean syringes and insulin on hand. Motels were not equipped to handle people with special needs like they are now. So I hated to travel. You should see me now. They have improved insulin and made disposable syringes with needles attached. It is as different as night and day and I ready do go on a moments notice.

Getting back to Colorado Springs where my daughter called me from she remember me telling her of our trip and about the different things to see. The Lord sculptured the rocks like no other place. Pikes Peak is in Colorado Springs It is 12,000 feet high and the first women to climb the peak was Julia Archibald Homes on foot. My girls took the tram up and back. Pioneers they are not.

There is so much to see as a tourist. The United State Air Force Academy plus the Olympic Complex that gives a panoramic view of the entire area is there. The Dare Bridge at Royal George is breathtaking to see even at a distance. My mined cannot comprehend how they completed building that expanse. When we went to Colorado Springs it was for seminar for learning how to live with diabetics that was held at the conference center called Glen Erie Castle there that is owned by the Navigators a Christian based organization that owns it. They rent rooms out to tourists and people attending the conferences. The the picture of the Castle graced the cover of their monthly magazine for many years.

The Valley Of The Gods is open for tours. If you like the outdoors it is a must place to visit. There are many places you can take your car for a short distance. Camera buffs have helped Kodak improve their business.

The most popular place to visit for people with children is Focus On The Family, a radio ministry started by Dr. Dobson who counseled families with their children. His most famous book is The Strong Willed Child and I think every family has at least one. Dr. Dobson spoke in down to earth English all mothers could understand. I know I needed the help raising my three.

We decided if we were going to be on the road we needed to get a vehicle that was more comfortable and could cut some of our expenses. Carl traded up to a large paneled van with large windows on both sides. It had two front passenger doors and on the passenger side it also had a double door making it easy to pack and live out of. It was a navy blue Vanguard. We put on many miles of pleasure driving it. We definitely were “van” people.

We could just drive until we were tired and stop rest areas, parks or truck stops and set up the Coleman stove , chairs and table and eat. Years before I had purchased a steeled framed masonite top table for picnicking that carried like a suitcase. When it opened flat like a suitcase the legs had to unfolded down from the benc h seat so that when it was turned upright you had a table top with a bench on either side that had legs. I had never seen any like the one we had. I purchased it at an Navy Exchange store but can’t remember where. We used this table many many years.

When we traveled we sang old songs like Pack Up Your Old Kit Bag, You are my Sunshine, Clementine, Good Night Irene, Smile Awhile and Carl’s favorite was Deep In The Heart of Texas. The Kids always joined in and had some ditties of their own they sang. When we drove through Texas you really can see the array of stars at night. It is breathtaking to see such clear skies, Carl and I both came from coastal places that were always cloudy and misty and very seldom saw clear skies.

Backing up a little in my story before the van trek. I needed to tell you car buying was always designated to Carl who would keep me abreast of his decision. When we were in El Centro, California and were making plans to come back East Carl knew we needed something better than we had to drive. He traded our little car for a blue Roadmaster Buick that had more bells and whistles on it than we had ever seen. This picture looks like it except for color. Ours was blue. It was huge compared to the little Ford we traded in. The back seat was so large and plush and comfortable. We didn’t hear the usual bickering like stay on your own side and mom he’s touching me for a dew days. We did hear it’s my turn to sit up front.

We kept a blanket in the car for stops so we could spread out on the grass and let the kids run around for exercise. This helped a great deal because they knew we would stop. The closer we got to the East Coast we had to fight rain because that rob us of letting the kids outside. Traveling with the kids was challenging for us but we made out because of Carl’s easy disposition while driving. I would said the hardest thing about traveling with kids were the bathroom stops making them realize if you didn’t go now you had a long wait. They learned quickly because when Carl stopped and said bathroom break they ran because we did stop many times just for exercise.

I have enjoyed sharing another part of our life with you. Thank you for stopping to read my story, This is a good place to say until next time I am, Immigrant Daughter

IMMIGRANT DAUGHTER 53

2010-09-06T12:33:00.001-07:00

I think I have a keyboard that is giving up the ghost. It does its own thing, it will not make capital letters when I want it to. When I went to bed last night I had a thought I didn’t jot down and it seems like now I am not writing what I truly intended.

Family is so important and it is disturbing to see that the emphasis is to be alone these days. As a family you learn so much from each other.

I mentioned growing up in a family that like to sing. I remember songs that told stories. When I was dating my husband I can remember the love songs I sang to him because it was so easy to do. The words in the song said what I really wanted to say only I could sing them.

When you are young everything is a crisis. When Carl had to work I can remember singing to myself a song “ All alone by the telephone waiting for the ring a tingle ling, and the rest of the words were just as apropos. Now everyone carries a phone. Did you ever feel lost yet you were surrounded by people. That is the way I feel sometimes with all the easy to carry telephones and no matter where you are someone is talking on the phone.

People do not even realize they are being rude when they carry on conversations where they can be heard by anyone in the vicinity. What in the world can be so important to tell someone that you just left a few minutes ago. Oh I realize people use it in a way for their work but I think it has gotten to be a habit of talking all the time. Sitting quit is a lost art. Maybe we should instill a time out chair.

When you wanted children quiet did you use a time out chair I don’t mean a room because they can go play in their room and not be still. I don’t think a computer allows a child’s mind to be quiet in fact I think it keeps it going at a whirlwind pace. I know at this age I get overwhelmed as to what I can learn and sometimes without even trying. With all these amazing tools at our fingertips.

It use to be you could tell what someone did when you saw the tools of his trade. Now between telephones and computers its a good guess. Carl had an aunt who was a genealogist and I remember her saying the computer seem to put books at her fingertips making it easier to trace people’ heritage. It was amazing what she turned up for Carl who was told a lie about his parents while growing up. The Law thank goodness was changed about not telling orphans about their parents. Opening up the books allowed for many a family to be found for the child later in life.

My DIL has mentioned some heart wrenching stories about divorcing parents and how the kids are used as pawns. Where is until the death do us part? They are so self centered that they only think pleasures for themselves. They bring kids into the world and think nothing of discarding them. I think this is sad.

I was talking to a teacher at a church function about the school where she teaches. They are trying to get the parent or parents involved in their progress at school so they can give home support. It was a surprise to me to hear they do not teach penmanship in school. It seems that children learn on the computer keyboard quicker than they can from a book. Even in the younger grades they have these tools in easier programs. In my wildest guess I cannot imagine what can be introduced as some thing new to the next generation.

Something that I use is a cane and even those come in various shapes and sizes. They are not just a plain straight stick any more they have double crooks so you can rest your elbow. Some collapse so you can put in a large purse and come in all colors.

When my sister came to visit me she came without her cane because it was and old wooded crook that she thought they wouldn’t let her take aboard the plane. Of course that’s nonsense so we made sure she had a collapsible one going home. I see looking over what I wrote it is a mishmash of thoughts.

But I must say I feel great and so thankful I can use this new tool God had given me to write with and especially thankful to you who read it. Until Next time I am Immigrant Daughter from way down yonder.

Immigrant Daughter 52

2010-09-01T18:49:00.001-07:00

This is a day I remember clearly because three years ago I lost the best thing I ever had, my husband. I am thankful the Lord gave me good memories of our 58 years together. Here is a picture of his funeral and the presentation of the flag:

I am aware that we had times that we both had to struggle through that’s the way marriage is it takes equal effort because n0 one is perfect. I can offer one word of advice do not say any thing in anger because that causes you to say words you really don’t mean. When you speak them you meant them and you can’t take them back. I was so glad I learned that growing up. That is one reason my one sister got along so well, we could get mad at each other and leave each other alone and after about fifteen minutes it would be over and could pick up right where we left off.

Oh I thought I could just pick up and go on but a mental block caused me to not write. I didn’t think this would happen because I know he is in a better place and it’s where I want to be. I have to say I am existing and when I read Stick horse Cowgirls today it jolted me back to reality. Yes I am still here and I better get on with the task that the Lord’ given me, I have daughters and DIL that love me and have never seen me this despondent so I had better take hold and walk with God and not on my own.

There is a Broadway play made into a movie call “The Student Prince” where his life is drastically changing because his father dies and now he will be king and he sings a song “I’ll Walk With God From This Day On”, because he knows he could never do it alone. I guess I have been trying to do it myself. I know this must seem to you as rambling but I want you to know where I am coming from. I have to tell you that it is not easy but I am sure of the results.

Some years back Carl wrote this word he received when he was alone with God:

Our youngest daughter had a friend that put it in this form and had it framed for him. I want to thank Vee for her comment to my DIL it was a help to me.

I will get back to the part of my life that was a busy time in our lives. With kids going to school brought back memories of Toms River, N. J. when the schools were so crowded the schools had to stagger starting time. We had three children and they each started school at a different time. They had to ride the bus making the schedules start earlier because of the bus ride which took longer to get to school, because of the territory they had to cover picking up kids. Much like it is today.

I make sure I am not on the road during the going to school time and the coming home hour. The dogs always let me know when the kids are walking by from the school bus drop.

I remember when our kids liked to come home and play outside until supper. We lived in a small development, Carl car pooled so I was able to have the car so go to work when the kids were in school. I worked for a dentist who let me work short hours. The base at Lakehurst was not too far away. We purchased our first home for $16,500. It was a new 3 bedroom ranch with carport attached resting on a full basement placed on a corner lot. The egg farm owners sold part of the land for the development and they were next door to us one small block away. We were able to purchase fresh eggs all the time. That was a plus side to living there.

Our children grew up here until the oldest was about to enter the 9th grade. Those were good years for us with just the normal problems of a growing family that all parents go through. I will say this in comparison to today I am so glad we are not raising kids in today's’ world. Between the television and the internet I am not sure which robs our kids more of the innocence of youth.

Thank you for caring. Immigrant Daughter

IMMIGRANT DAUGHTER 51

2010-08-19T12:05:00.001-07:00

Here I am sitting at my new computer trying to get this post started without help. So far so good but I must tell you I tried first to play a game and could not do it. Oh I got into the game program but did not know how to start the game even though it said start here by clicking here. As you can see I am not very computer savvy but I am willing to learn slowly. Sometimes I expect too much out of myself.

I want to thank those of you who responded and hopefully more will do so in the future. My stores are about me and my family. I have had a long full life and so much has happened in my lifetime that I hope it inspires you to keep a journal because it will make remembering easier for you as time passes.

I can remember my father telling me I will see for myself about this when I am older and sure enough he was right time seems to pass quickly. It is thundering and C’s dog is on the porch looking in wanting me to open the door. I just can’t do that as yet because she still brings in dirt and bugs from her roaming in the woods.

We use to collect antiques which I only have the memory of them, but yesterday I was looking through a metal box Carl received from our daughter that was filled with German cookies. To my surprise I had stored an old carpenters tape measure that was 50ft long that pulled out of a leather bound reel that had a small handle that folded down to roll in the tape. The sewed stitches are separating in spots because of age.

I also found an instrument that would cut off the tips of cigars that has a piece of ivory in the handle. I can remember my father having one of these, but most of the time he just bit the tip off. I understand it makes the cigar draw better when trying to light it.

I do not have anything that belonged to my dad except a small spy glass that is about 5 inches long and it extended out about 2 inches more and it fit into a soft sleeve so you can put it in your pocket. It is not much but it is a sense of satisfaction knowing he held this in his hands and now I am handling it in mine many years later.

I tried to take a break and save this and it told me I posted and I certainly didn’t intend to please bare with me and my mistakes. I can better understand the mistakes Carl use to make on the computer and not knowing how to bring it back and my lack of patience of helping him makes me a bit ashamed. My DIL came home and straightened out my error and informed me I didn’t post and that was a relief so I am continuing .

Getting back to antiques Carl collected ink wells and at one point he had 75 of them. They were unique and out of 75 only one was duplicated. They were so different some were just the glass well and others has the glass wells resting in ornate silver or brass stands that sat on the desk in the center where it could be reached easily. When he traveled and worked in different towns he always went to the antique shops to see if they had any he didn’t have. It really reminded me how times change because the ink wells today have filled ink pens and pencils in the holders instead of ink.

I can remember having had penmanship taught in school and yes I did write with a wooden pen you had insert the writing point in the handle to dip it in ink to write. I was a happy camper when new inventions came along like the ball point pen.

It took some time to to market a ball point pen that didn’t leak. I remember Carl’s white shirts always had ink stains in the pocket and it was a chore trying to make a white shirt white with no ink spots. Over the years ballpoint pens flooded the market because the Bic pens were cheap and colorful. They made pens with all colors of ink because they catered to the schools that purchased in big lots.

Ink filled fountain pens started to make a comeback and I remember giving Carl a pen and pencil set for Christmas one year. There is an expression; What goes around comes around again and a good example of this is the style of automobiles over the years. It was always easy to tell a Cadillac it didn’t change style year to year and became a status symbol.

When I was a young child of about 8 or 9. A friend of the family took the four of us girls for a ride in his Model T. Ford , it was like a big box with four wheels that had windows that rolled down with a crank handle. If I remember correctly the doors only had one big window in them and not two like we have today. He called his car a tin a lizzey. We had lots of fun going for rides in the country that the only cost was petrol (as he called it). He was a big Irishman who like to laugh and make others laugh too. I mentioned what was will be again, and don’t we have automobiles today that are shaped like a square box called SUV’s?

I hope you found some humor in this post because I enjoyed remembering, Until next time, I am Immigrant Daughter having fun.

Immigrant Daughter 50

2010-08-17T16:25:00.001-07:00

Hooray for new learning tools and for the blessing that I am able to still learn new things. The new tool is a new computer so I can do my blog and not having to go through all the process I had to with my MAC. Blogging turned out to be a too many steps with the MAC. With this HP with windows I can just type post on live writer and just insert picture making it more fun for me.

My DIL wrote down the steps for me and is making me do the work so I will learn faster. I can remember when my best half had a computer and would always foul it up because he couldn’t remember how to undo some of his goofs. I people who came in to fix it would say to me you should learn computer and I said no sir re. They of course did not know the whole story about C’s illness and I stayed as far away as I could from computers. In fact when C passed on I gave the computer to family members.

Now here I am learning computer things I never dreamed I would ever use. I am learning how to open and go to live writer and start typing. May I tell you I am proud of myself that at eighty I can and want to learn new things. My Lord is good to me.

I went and had a new will drawn up because each stat is a little different on how things are handled. I drew up what I wanted it to say and the attorney put it in the proper legal setting. Now I know when the Lord takes me home my wishes will be dispersed.

When our living continues we see it in a new light as we get older. I remember when I needed something I put it on a list or if it was needed sooner I would just jump in the car and take off, but now I have to consider the time of day because at certain times the traffic is busier and it does not need older people on the road. I admit there seems to be a bit more traffic on the road these days.

I want to mention that I am now on my 50th post and think this would be a good place to add the occasion of our 50th wedding anniversary. We always celebrated alone because our kids were far from us and they knew that we celebrated by going out to eat at a fine restaurant and had a nice bottle of wine well we had this and more.

We were attending a small non denominational church in the country called Agape Ministries. The Pastor was a special individual who was a great preacher and friend. His wife was top notch. It seems that my girls contacted the Pastor without our knowledge and arranged a party at the church with a beautiful cake and punch.

But that’s not all they arranged for a fabulous dinner at Foxfire Restaurant and arranged for the whole family kids and all to come for the celebration.

Foxfire was owned by the cartoonist that created Garfield the Cat. At the time he lived in Muncie and supported Ball State University that was located in the area where we lived. We had a super time, as you can see from the pictures it couldn’t be better.

I see I am at a good stopping place so I will say until next time I am Immigrant Daughter.

Immigrant Daughter 49

2010-08-15T11:10:00.001-07:00

My girls asked me when I was going to mention some of the funny incidences that happened with some of the pets we had that weren’t so funny at the time.

One story when the kids were in school the girls had to start supper for me when we were having Carl’s boss over for supper. Carl was a salesman and had a territory that covered so many doctors and his boss came at least once a month to check up on his progress.

The girls would see what we were having and start it for me. This particular time I left chicken in the sink to thaw so they could begin to roast it. They came home all set to start their chore and couldn’t find the chicken. They ran to our friends across the street to tell her and ask her to take them to buy more chicken. She did this and then they started to look for the chicken that I had put out to thaw.

We had a roll away dishwasher that was positioned next to the sink and when they checked back there they found the remains of the chicken. It seems the cat as fat as she was jumped up to the counter without the help of a chair and tore into the chicken wrap. I can just picture the cat trying to tear into the outer wrap dragging it all over with the dog helping. They had a feast. The kids said they were not as playful as they usually were. I guess not. Like I said not wasn’t funny then, but we have laughed about it many times since then.

I worked for the Church in the Diocesan Office as a secretary and believe me I wasn’t a secretary, but as I mentioned before I learn quickly. I have to admit with all the new jobs I had to learn in my lifetime I still like cooking in the luncheonette the best and most rewarding. Being around people whose life crosses mine I some time can see why the Lord let them cross my path.

My husband was a smoker and he worked around others that smoked also. From early childhood he started by picking up butts that men threw in the streets. I never smoked and we sold cigarettes in Dad’s restaurant and our Luncheonette . Oh I tried it and couldn’t understand why people spent their hard earned money only to burn it.

Getting back to Carl and his boss who also was a chain smoker and when he came for supper he filled many ashtrays that I always waited until the next day to empty. I never complained about the mess and then one day while he was helping me clean up he was emptying the ashtrays he made up his mind to quit “cold turkey”. He bought a new carton of Mallboro and put them in the house where he usually kept them. When he finished the pack he had opened he never smoked another cigarette again. We ended up giving them to his boss one pack at a time.

Carl moved up the corporate ladder and was so glad he had quit smoking because when their day was over they ending up relaxing with smoking and spirits. It was easy for Carl to say goodnight because they would honor his wishes by saying goodnight. His boss died a very young man.

One day our dog that was in his pen in our fenced yard. We had this dog as a puppy that was part Doberman and part who knows. Our neighbor claims we let this happen when we were dog sitting their dog that was a pedigree Doberman so we had to take one of the litter and we kept her in the outside pen and called her Sukie.

This pen lined the fence on the side of a couple with no children. The other side had five kids that were mean to animals. They couldn’t reach Sukie and that was good. As time passed I noticed Sukie was growing tall but fat and I couldn’t imagine why because we only fed our dogs once a day. Then one day I saw the sweet neighbor lady throwing white bread over the fence for the dog. She was doing this with regularity, no wonder poor Suki was getting fat. We didn’t have any trouble of the kids trying to get in the yard because Sukie could clear the fence in nothing flat.

M any times we left her fence opened into the yard but she just stayed in her pen. One night our son was sneaking in after he was told he go out. We had a wood box that filled up from the outside and we could get wood for the fireplace without going out. He painstakingly emptied the wood box so he could come in without waking us up only to find Sukie came up behind him and stuck her nose in his back and growled not letting him finish getting in. We heard Dad, Mom, help! He never did that again. Aren’t pets wonderful. I know ours were and I see I wrote a long time so Until Next Time, I am IMMIGRANT DAUGHTER.

IMMIGRANT DAUGHTER 48

2010-08-09T16:25:00.000-07:00

There was a show on both the radio and TV that was very entertaining called Name That Tune and the band just played a few notes and the contestants were supposed to name the tune. It was a show the whole family could participate. Every once in awhile I wonder what in the world will the kids of today have to remember that is fun participation. My mind is blank on that subject. People just don’t play games much. It seems that our values have changed and I must admit not for the better.

We never did know what the future held but we were sure there was a future that we would be allowed to make t choice for our selves, good or bad because we know our God won’t forsake us. God has been taken out of the lives of many which has left this nation and the world falling into the pit. This business of being afraid to offend someone because of our belief in God has gone too far. This business that there are many gods is b….. There is only one God and people better start speaking up because whether you like it or not, believe it or not, there is a heaven and a hell and when you die, and you will, you will spend eternity in one place or the other. People that believe when you die and you will be buried and it’s over is hogwash. Not for me, and my loved ones. I know where my loved ones are and I know when I die where I am going. My God is a gracious and loving and He said we all, will be judged when we die. We all will stand before Him at the Throne for judgment not because of our works but because that is what He said will happen when we die.

As you can see I am bothered by what our government is promoting by implying we are not now or ever have been a Godly Nation. We are being fed this Islam garbage both in the media and in our teaching institutions because we have a man trying to make this another Islam. If parents that are believers in God don’t speak up they will lose their family making it difficult to live. Where ever you turn we are being intimidated with the government knows what is best for us and they intend to take over and make our decisions for us. Christians wake up!

I am sorry I got away from fun writing about my life but I Ill get back on track and tell you more things that happened in my family. First I will say I am glad my immigrant father is not living to see what is happening to his beloved America. Back then people that were lazy and did not work did not eat. Although anyone that was down on their last few bits could always get soup and bread in dad’s restaurant. In fact active hobos’ had a route they followed through the year. In the winter they went south and the summer they were back passing through.

There was one in particular that I remember who rode a three-wheel bicycle that he made himself out of several old pieces that were thrown away. His route extended from Maine to Florida selling pencils and trinkets. We would see him every year and after the first handout he would buy his own soup and sandwich. These people never forgot a kindness. My dad had a kind heart because he remembered all the people that helped getting him here.

My sister told me of stories about our dad and is family that he continued to help when they got to America. My dads’ brother Charles was a rascal. He and dad looked very much alike but not in temperament. Charlie would not stay put he always was on the go. I told you about the Mexican border skirmish over prohibition and now that I am older I can picture in my mind just how uncle Charlie took the stand that he did. Here is a picture of Dad, Electra and uncle Charlie. Both like their cigars and smoked until they died, but not from smoking.
She also told me that after mom died Dad had women chasing him. This was all new to Dad. The world was changing and women came out of their shell of being seen but never heard. They attended church meetings and were elected to serve on vestries and were quiet no longer quiet. Well one of the women that was chasing Dad was a widow who attended our littlechurch who was not poor and she would invite my Dad over to watch TV with her. She always had coffee and Teacakes that they nibbled on watching while television. She did not mind his cigar because she smoked using a long filter. Our town was small and walking anywhere was no problem. They became friendly and went many places because she had a car and drove until for some reason couldn’t. This is where my sister came into the picture because Mrs. L would ask my sister E to takethem places driving Mrs. L’s car.

My sister E said the first time she saw and heard Mrs. L giggle and say oh Tom and pat his knee, she said to herself this is my father. You have to realize that growing up with a strict father and then seeing him in a different light was quite a shock. In a sense we never saw our father act young and hu.man. One day she asked Dad, “Why didn’t you act this way when we were growing up?” and he said because I had four girls I was responsible for. I know now why we grew up okay and blessed to know my father’s pressure of loosing his spouse, my mother and having to raise his family alone. His belief in God carried him Like I said I know where my family is and I too shall see them again.

Until next time, I am a proud IMMIGRANT DAUGHTER.

IMMIGRANT DAUGHTER 47

2010-08-07T12:52:00.001-07:00

I have to tell you I fell into a slump of not wanting to write or do anything or go anywhere. It seems as though my mind went completely blank. So rather than push myself I just stopped even trying. Well several of weeks have passed and my mind has kicked in and I have a story to tell you.

I was so eager to get up and get started that I spilled a full glass of orange juice that ran down the cabinet and splashed all over the floor in my small kitchen. I still do not have complete mobility of bending and walking without a walker or cane so clean up for me was quite an ordeal. I must have used a whole roll of paper towel and then had to wipe down the cabinet between the stove and the sidewall. Thank goodness for the use of a yardstick. After wiping the front of the cabinets I then used the yardstick with a dishcloth dipped in soapy water to get between the stove and cabinet. I then had to mop the floor. That itself was a chore for me, just picture the Tin Man trying to mop a floor and you will get a good laugh. If I could have taken a film of my self I would have because I know I laughed at my movements at that time. It took me several hours because I had to mop it twice because it was so sticky to walk on when it was dry. I usually have someone come in to clean the bathrooms and kitchen floor for me every two weeks and the phone rang at that moment saying she couldn’t come in that week. Oh well!

This is a new day and I called my doctor to find out if there was some kind of therapy I can get to help me walk and do my housework better than what I am doing. They happen to have had a cancellation that morning and offered it to me and I yelled yes I will, be there. The visit took a lot out of me and that only proves I do need help. It seems my right leg is a half - inch shorter than the left. That is the leg with the hip replacement. They gave me a few exercises to do at home until Medicare okay’s the program they issued for me. I will keep you posted on my progress. I feel better knowing there is something wrong with the progress of my healing and it not just me.

Another day passed and here I am again. I let both dogs in today feeling sorry for them because of the heat. We have a record heat wave going on. All week has been in the 100-degree range and more. Well I gave them fresh water which they gulped and food to help with all the water. And as I was sitting at the table watching they them plop on the floor after they ate I noticed a lot of dirt on the floor that they tracked in. Their paws usually are dirty but this was unusually dirty, it looked like poppy seeds all over the floor. I got up to get the broom and noticed that those I stepped on seemed to pop and then I got concerned. I never saw so many bugs come to life that quick in all my life. As I started to sweep them up I used my dustpan, which is white to pick them up and all of a sudden all the black seeds started to walk. As I said they looked like poppy seeds and would roll. Poor Scout and Chili got thrown out so fast that the poor dogs didn’t know what hit them.

I had to close the blind on the window that faces the porch because the dogs can see inside and if they see me they scratch the screen wanting to get in. I felt bad but not as bad as I would if I let more of all those little critters in.

I did not think they were ticks because usually you can’t pop ticks by just stepping on them. Does anyone have any idea what these critters are? I sprayed the whole carpet because they had to walk on it to get to the kitchen. My kitchen floor looks like a war zone with blood spots all over it. My DIL came in and wondered why I had a sign on the door saying don’t let the dogs in. I told her my tale of woe with what I went through with the dogs and she said without even seeing them; ”Oh they are seed ticks”, so now I know. I did not know that seed ticks were soft and would roll.

I am not a squeamish individual but I am glad to know what I am up against. I saw an article in a magazine about hotels being infested with bedbugs and without realizing it people are carrying them home and it left me feeling yucky thinking of all the motels we were in recently.

Each new day has its’ own surprises and I will keep you posted on this and other surprises that occur in my life, until then I am Immigrant Daughter

IMMIGRANT DAUGHTER 46

2010-07-29T16:44:00.001-07:00

This is a family picture taken 1931. I believe this might have been my first picture taken in N.J. in house we lived in for a short while until dad got established with the bank. Remember we were the only Greeks in the town of all Italians. This was a rental house.

Later Dad bought a house on Pleasant Street. I have no idea how dad was able move us a few streets over and buy the big grey house we lived in growing up.

It had three floors and three bedrooms and a bath on the second floor. There was a small dormer over the entrance hall that we always referred to as the “icebox”. We all took our turns claiming it as a bedroom just to have our own room. It was big enough for a single bed and a very small chest of drawers. The only heat upstairs was one large register in the hallway from a coal furnace in the basement. In the downstairs there were registers in every room and that kept it nice and warm. I can remember standing on the register to get warm before jumping off to get dressed.
My dad and my uncle George made two rooms up in the attic using cardboard boxes that bicycles came in for sidewalls. Then they wallpapered over it. One thing good about it the rooms stayed warm and none of us minded the additional steps to go to bed. That old house holds many stories of our family and at times I will reveal some of the more humorous ones.

My sisters’ recent trip came to an end last week, and I am having, to make the adjustment of being alone again. I now realize what an adjustment she had to make just to come visit. I feel like I must tell you something about changes in life that happen that we have no control over. Age does take its toil.

I remember when as a child I was wishing to be older before time and after I was it turned out not to be at all like I imagined it would be. When we are younger we think we are invincible and can do anything. I am going to tell you my thoughts about coming to this age.

I better understand what a feat my sister accomplished coming out for a visit. I know it won’t sound so profound to you but to me it was. Getting older has its’ stages that have many milestones we have to pass through that we don’t even think about until we actually do. Having just reached and starting to pass through the eighties I can only use me, and my sisters about what I am talking about.

We do not have any control over our physical bodies. Oh we think we do and to a point I will agree but we alone control our own actions and choices to what goes into our mouth and what we say. But just stop and look back at, your own family and you will see what I am trying to say. At this age I find myself looking back to when I was able to do more than what I can do now.

We were a family of six growing up and each one of our personalities that are so different that it makes you wonder how could this be. Each one has a mind that develops differently under the same set of rules. One child is smart and eager to learn and another not as smart and could care less, and still another wondering why do I have to learn all of this. We realize sometimes too late that it was for our own good.

When we were younger we all wished we were older at different ages. At eight I can remember wishing I were 12. Little did I know that at 12, I would have to finish growing up without my mothers’ love. When I became, as they say, sweet sixteen, I found out there is nothing sweet about growing older. It meant you had to live up to more responsibility. The one thing about being the youngest you had many bosses ahead of you and you found out that the only thing you could boss around were the pets. I know that my personality today is one you would classify as being a very bossy person. It is not intentional it is just that if I see an easier way to do the job I will speak up. In doing so I have been put down many times but that’s okay I chalk it up to a learning experience. God is always teaching me and sometimes I try to get ahead and have to be held back.

My sister and I had many conversations about my childhood. All I can tell you I must have given my sisters fits. It is no wonder I was an outdoorsy person I was always shooed out to go play. On the outside then I had my two brothers boss me and but I always like to follow them and got in trouble many times for doing what they did because I always got caught. Isn’t it fun to remember family happenings of years back? My sister and I laughed so much remembering people and incidents that we hadn’t thought of in years.

Here is a picture when I was 18 and she was 25 years old.
We talked about our working in the restaurant together and how we dressed alike and confused people because they couldn’t tell us apart. Some of the customers that didn’t know us to well use to remark boy you sure put in long hours, thinking my dad was an old ogre. After a while dad sort of joined it because we had morning, noon and night covered while the restaurant was open and he was there all the time.

We both agreed that the years we were married were the best and most memorable for us. Even with the repeating and repeating of stories it didn’t deaden our memories.

When we played pinochle my sister had so much trouble keeping her cards in order and many times in the midst of the same hand she would change trump on me depending what high cards she had in her hand. I made her laugh by kidding her. Short-term memory was a problem for her.

One of the problems of living along is not having any one to talk or discuss things with. I encouraged her to listen to the radio more because if she puts the TV on she will sit down to watch. I put Rush Limbaugh on the radio to learn what is going on in the world. He talks fast and she had problems understanding what he said. I tried to tell her not to keep herself so sheltered from what is going on around her. I believe she is doing quite well for 87. Stickhorse Cowgirl in a blog back called “Pampered to Death” did a great job to mentioning somewhat of how we get in this stage that my sister is in.

Here we are recently celebrating our birthdays!
I guess by now you can imagine getting old is a stage we must go through like it or not. But there again we have a choice to either, count our blessings and thank God or just become a grumpy old lady never to enjoy the sunshine He brings in my life. Until next time I am, Immigrant Daughter

IMMIGRANT DAUGHTER 45

2010-07-19T16:41:00.000-07:00

My visit with my sister is winding down to just 3 days left. We had a lot of catching up to do. Our lives are so different but the same if that makes any sense and I will try to tell you why.

First there is seven years difference in our age. I have always been an energetic out door individual. She on the other hand is an inside person who likes to sit and do crossword puzzles out of the newspaper and definitely does not like to do the New York Times puzzle. She married late in life and did not have the opportunity to have any children. I married at 19 and had three children right away. You would say I grew up with my children so I shared my children with her and her husband who was ten years older than she was. They enjoyed doing things for and with my kids. My kids loved the attention being with them because they did and show them many places they would not have seen.

One year they took the two girls to New York shopping. The style of long skirts with loose knit sweaters and boots were in and the girls came back looking like they stepped out of a Vogue Magazine. One had a complete gaucho outfit with boots and one had a long down to the ankles wool skirt with a long sleeve blouse with a long black sweater vest and wore funky shoes. The girls loved it because they knew mom and dad could not spend that kind of money for clothes that we didn’t think practical . I’m afraid we had to be a bit more frugal on our military pay.

My two sisters that are living are 7 & 8 years older but when we were younger it didn’t make a difference. At that age the sevenyears between us didn’t make much difference and it was easy to do thing together but at this stage in later life I find she runs out of steam quickly and sleeps a lot even when sitting up. Living on EST she stays up late watching movies and goes to bed late. Come ten o’clock and I am ready for bed because I still get up early because of having to keep a rigid schedule of having to eat three meals and maybe a snack daily. Taking insulin daily two times a day keeps me living without complications. I am so blessed.

sister reminded me of some family stories growing up in the restaurant. We learned to handle knives and keep them sharp and when my sister married her husband was a stay home worker when he retired from the T-Men and opened an office as an accountant. He was always keeping people out of trouble with the IRS knowing the ins and outs of how the IRS worked and what they were looking for from cheaters. So being home he took over all the household chores. My sister only had weekends when she did the planning and cooking.

One day when we were invited over for a meal and when I saw that her husband would not let her handle any knives because she might cut herself. I laughed myself silly because here is a gal that grew up handling knives in the restaurant all her life and he worried she might cut herself. He spoiled her rotten to the point that now that she is older and being by herself it is a bit difficult for her to do anything because he is not there help her and she has difficulty remembering. I have to remind her of things to do to help around the house because I can’t do it all being a bit handicapped and kidded her that she is not company. We laugh at all our shortcomings at this age. We still can get along without hurt feelings and that’s good. I love my sister.

When she was born she had weak ankles and didn’t walk until she was four years old.
I use to have picture that shows how they had to prop her up to stand. She couldn’t run out to play like the other two sisters. With being under foot all the time after hearing some of the stories I guess dad was harder on her and when she did something wrong and had to do penance by getting on her knees and bowing (which is called “Metanyas,”) to my dad as the Arabs do to Mecca and saying under her breath, “I am not an Arab.”

One day a regular customer came in the restaurant and saw her doing this he asked her, “What she was doing down on her knees scrubbing the floor?” Before she could answer my father answered the man and told him to leave her alone, “She is doing penance.” And this customer made such an issue over this that he kidded my father and didn’t give him any rest. Dad never made her do this ever again. Like I said, my father was very strict and proud and we never questioned him, others could but not us kids.

sister got to know dad very well because she and her husband looked after him and took him many places he had never been to or knew existed. For instance they took him to see the stage play “Around The World In 80 Days” and he just couldn’t believe it. They took him to many different restaurants and the one he like the best was the Hawaiian Cottage. On the way out one evening he met one well-to-do man from town who knew him and as the man said, “Hello, Tom how did you like it.” Dad said “I can recommend it to you”. Now here is a man that probably eaten there, so many time before but was kind enough to my dad by never to implying that and that he had and just said thanks Tom.

The people knew my dad never had time for such enjoyment raising six kids without the help of his wife and to enjoy the luxury of pleasurable things in life. I can see how my sister got a glimpse of the father none of us had ever seen because by this time the rest of us were married and gone. She and her husband did many things for him. I tell you all this because I want my family to know just how much she affected my growing up which was good for me.
We are playing a lot of cards, two-hand pinochle that we both enjoy. She messes up a lot by not remembering what is trump but we are having fun and I will miss her when she leaves on Wednesday. It has been a good seven weeks and I am nearing the end so until next time, I am Immigrant Daughter

IMMIGRANT DAUGHTER 44

2010-07-06T16:26:00.001-07:00

I can remember when cameras were a luxury. Pictures were something you were proud to show your friends and anyone who would sit through your long drawn out stories about them. As a child I can remember dads’ camera that was long and flat that had the flat side drop down so the you could slide the pleated bellows out to be able to look down in the lens to see what you wanted to take a picture of.

This picture is my older brother and I taking a picture with the bellows camera while someone took a picture of us.

Cameras kept improving and taking pictures was a way of keeping memories. The Kodak Company kept improving their cameras and producing color film. We were even given a choice of pictures or slides. Slides were the rage especially for scenery. You can take a multitude of slides and producing a story to show on a
screen. They took up less room than albums but I have to tell you I like picture albums best. There is nothing better than looking at old pictures of family by taking an album off the shelf and not having to put up a projector to show pictures on the wall or screen.

Here is a picture of my family as I was growing up as the youngest in the family. My father loved taking pictures. As you can see we made a graduating line from the smallest to the oldest being able to tell years later who was who.

and I carried on the tradition of taking pictures of our kids at different ages and putting pictures in albums. One year for Carl’s birthday I gave him an Argus C3 that took 35millimeter film. He became quite adept at taking pictures. I mentioned as he traveled all Arkansas he took pictures of barns old and new. I was never very good about advancing the film and I took many double exposures and I have one that I just didn’t have the heart to throw away because it is the only picture I have of that little couch that opened up to be our bed in the little 28 foot trailer we called home in Rhode Island. I tried years later to buy one of these that were armless couches so small that openedto make a bed and was told they just don’t make them that small any more.

While living in this little trailer we had purchased a set of Guardian Service that was waterless aluminum cookware. Our trailer was so small we could only sit four to eat. So we invited one couple as guests for the people selling the pots. They did all the cooking and cleaning up stressing how easy it was to use even in close quarters. This set of pots and pans with glass lids were heavy. I barely could fit them in the cupboard. We had this set a long, long time. When I finally sold them because stainless steel pots became available that was easier to clean and were as not heavy. I had the complete set intact with all the glass lids. This cookware even cooked a pineapple upside down cake on top of the stove that looked delicious.

We had such fun taking pictures that the older child had a Brownie Box camera. When we came to Arkansas the first time we made a day of going to dig for diamonds. There is a diamond mine in Murfreesboro called the Crater of Diamonds. It’s the only Diamond Mine in the U. S. and they allowed you to dig for diamonds. You had to pay to get in and you walked anywhere in the field to dig. It is a great place for family fun. The kids got dirty and had fun digging. It was the blackest dirt I had ever seen. It wasn’t too long go that some one found a good size diamond.

Getting back to my story about cameras, my son left his camera in the car when we went to the Diamond Mine and after all day in the field we went back to the car and he went to get his camera to take a picture and started to cry. We couldn’t imagine what happened until we saw the camera. The sun was so hot it melted the camera to a grotesque shape that we all started to laugh and the harder we laughed the louder he cried. I don’t think I will ever forget that day. We bought him a new camera and all was forgotten that he even laughed when he saw his camera again. One thing for sure he never put his camera or anything plastic up on the back seat ledge again. Here is a picture of his sister with her camera.
I do not have many of our pictures anymore because of the warehouse fire where we stored our furniture to go to Germany for the birth of our second grandchild. I think one of the saddest things about that ordeal was being paid five cent on the dollar for our household goods of antiques we collected. The only clothes we had left were the clothes we traveled with. That brought home what the Lord said, “Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven when neither moth or rust destroy…” Mt 6:20.

What that did for me was realize what we collect are, just things the Lord gives us to use to enjoy in this life and things can always be replaced but what’s in our heart is secure in the Lord. And things can’t replace Him. Until next time I am Immigrant Daughter

IMMIGRANT DAUGHTER 43

2010-06-28T16:29:00.000-07:00

Well I am a year older and wiser and still learning that I have much to learn. But also learned I have much to give. I am so blessed to be in a church family that wants me there. I know it is hard to fit in when there is not much you can help with because of not being able to move about easily and running out of steam quickly. They accept me in spite of all my shortcomings.

My sister and I played pinochle one evening and I lost all three games but enjoyed it immensely. My DIL has been very busy with her nie
ces this weekend. She took them to the River Market and walked herself tired. She picked up some sugarless wheat bread with flax seed for me and of course I had to taste it before supper. It was delicious.

I will get back to my story about my life with Carl. The first 25 years we moved about to so many places that home was, where we were at the present time. We lived in so many homes that the mortgage companies owned. We never stayed long enough to end up owning it because we always had to sell it to use as our down payment on the next house in a different place. At one point my oldest sister told me she wished could able to travel about living in different places. And I told her to be satisfied you and your husband own your home and no matter what inflation does you have your own place and no one can end your lease on short notice and you actually own it lock stock and barrel. Why is it the other side of the fence always looks greener. I just wanted her to know what she had was a blessing a lot of people wished they had in their later years. She and her husband are 88.

Carl did quite a bit of traveling in our military life and he always had extra jobs to supply funds for what our kids needed. The governments’ pay scale was always lower than civilian pay especially way back he received $99 dollars a month and room and board
But looking back I can say that kept us closer together. We never were bored with each other. He told me one day one of the things he thoroughly enjoyed was that when he came home the kids were bathed and clean up running up to him and screaming daddy. He also knew supper was ready and on the table. After we ate he always helped clean up the mess in which I was thankful for.

Our children always had their jobs to do around the house. As they got older it went from picking up their toys to keeping their rooms clean to really helping with other chores of cleaning. They got an allowance according to job and their age. It is interesting to me how the personality of children, are different in the same family. We had one thrifty and neat and willing to please; one happy go lucky and not wanting to work and always looking for ways to get out of it leaving work undone most of the time and at times having a balance of the two different personalities before becoming capable to handle anything that comes their way. I continue to pray for my children as they face some of the hard choices in life that has yet to come that they respond according to the Lords teaching.

When we celebrated our 25th anniversary in 1974 our kids were not at home and Carl was working for Glidden paint doing all sorts of jobs. This is a picture of how we looked then.Shortly after that he took a job working as a representative for Strasenburg that required him to wear a suit and tie because he had to call on doctors to sell his wares. Eventually this company was bought by Pennwalt and then merged with a French company and all through these changes Carl climbed up the ladder of responsibility of having others working for him. This required him to travel out of the state managing his men calling on doctors and making out repor
ts to turn in to the home office. He had the responsibility of hiring and firing in his territory. Eventually he became National Sales Manager of the Eastern half of the U.S.

Remember I mentioned this was the orphan boy that was thrown out with the dishwater because money ruled the roost, in the male household where the money belonged to the grandmother who told everyone what they can or can’t do.

Any job Carl had he excelled to the highest limit in spite of the odds against him. I was, extremely blessed having been married to him.

As my sister and I sit and reminisce about both our husbands having passed on and wonder at this age what is left beside sitting around not really doing any thing.

So, what we do is count our blessings. I am Immigrant Daughter.

IMMIGRANT DAUGHTER 42

2010-06-17T16:43:00.001-07:00

When we lived in Muncie Carl and I did quite a bit if volunteer work with collecting food from the various churches to give away at the Food Center. This created a job offer to set up and run a Food Pantry that would screen families in immediate need. The city had an item in their budget with a paid employee trying to combine how to spend the money allotted to new comers that needed immediate help.

We were asked to open and organize the collection of food and stock a pantry for immediate distribution as needed, and we call it the “Food Pantry”. We had to buy fresh items like meat, bread and eggs that required the center to have its’ own building with refrigerators and freezer so that we could lock the center when we were closed. Carl and I had full control of the food pantry and answered to Sally who was paid by the county. She one girl working for her that screened the families in need. It is amazing just how many free loaders show up to get food they don’t have to work for. That is why the screening was necessary because they had to realize they couldn’t be on the constant take. After so many days the source would dry up and theycouldn’t get any more free food until a month had passed. Sally trusted us and gave us lots of leeway. Once we were set up it was easier to arrange donations of food and monies from individuals and organizations. The Council of Churches in the area was a big help.

This was something Carl and I could work at together because we really were not ready to retire. The churches did a great job of collecting food in their congregations on a monthly schedule. This was rewarding in many ways while it was also work.
Every year a Crop Walk was scheduled. This was a 5K walk thru the city from 9am to 4pm and anyone can sign up to walk by paying an entry fee to compete for the prizes donated by business in the area. How this worked was walking the required route in the best time after you signed in. Of course there was an entry fee. This was fun and good exercise. I have several pictures of Carl and I in our German outfits, knickers and knee socks that were wool. Muncie weather was definitely cold enough to wear these. We did this pantry work for five years always giving back the small fee they gave us.

This article and picture was in the local newspaper and it was the last time we were involved in this project.
There is always a time to step down and let someone else come in with new ideas. We always said no one is irreplaceable and it best you learn that in any endeavor. It is always the better when you choose the time to step down and leave on good terms. No hard feelings that way.

At church this past Sunday for coffee time they surprised me by helping me celebrate my birthday, which was the 15th. For refreshments they had 80 cupcakes stacked up in a tier. The kids loved it because it was easier to take one and eat it on the spot.

Holland America sent me this wonderful card. I thought it was pretty enough to share.

The last two days have been outstanding. Since my sister Electra arrived we haven’t stopped talking except to sleep. She has filled in many of the different times of my childhood. It is something special about being the baby of the family. There are many stories I was involved in and have no knowledge of that my sister kept hearing that I looked like my mother more than any of the children. We both had dark hair like moms, my oldest sister had light two-tone hair, with one eye dark and one light. The way girls color their hair today with a mixture of shades Sophia’ would have been be in style. My next sister Marie had auburn hair with brown eyes. My two brothers had dark curly hair and my sister Electra and I had dark brown straight hair that looked black. But when I was younger as a little girl I had light brown hair. It’s amazing how our growth changes in intervals. Once we pass puberty we really change constantly.

In our immediate family the children are all with different color hair and complexions . After my family I am not surprised. In the summer I just get dark and Carl had to cover up because he burned easily. When he was aboard ship he told me that he was a constantly burned sailor even with a shirt on all the time. And as he grew older that didn’t change so he just suffered with sunburn and being red all the time.

I see I am near the signing off point, so until next time, I am Immigrant Daughter.

IMMIGRANT DAUGHTER 41

2010-06-10T17:14:00.001-07:00

There was a time when it didn’t matter to me what day it was or the hour. But I have to mention I want time to pass quickly these first two weeks in June. My sister Electra is coming to stay a month and I am excited because June is our month and this will be the first time in a long time that we will be together with no schedule to rush us anywhere. I am so looking forward to her visit. She will arrive on the 14th of June any stay until July 21st. Someone asked won’t you get tired of having company that long. I said you don’t tire of family. Because if something is not quite right you can say so and correct it before feelings are hurt. There is nothing like a bond between sisters. I am truly blessed having a sister like Electra.

I want to add here that it still doesn’t matter what day or time it is I just know that I am older and really don’t have any one to worry about but me and sometimes that scares me a little. My DIL calls me every morning to make sure I am awake and more often than not I am. Sometimes I wish I could sleep later but my body just doesn’t let me. My daughters call often one of them at least every other day in the evening.

I have a picture of my two sisters that are living and they are seven and eight years older than I am. Out of six of us three of us are left. My oldest sister and her husband live close by my sister who is coming to visit this month and she called me the other day sounding down in the dumps. She told me she calls me because she knows I won’t let her stay that way because I won’t listen to her complaining. I keep telling her she has lots to be thankful for she and her husband are alive these many years together. They have two boys one living in the same town and the other a couple hours away. The one takes such good care of them and is always putting them first even though his mother gives him a hard time. I call him often to get the scoop on my sister. Her personality is hyper all the time and sometimes it causes problems because she can’t remember what she has said.

I miss not being able to cut my grass I will be happy when I can move about more freely. My hip is healed but balance is still beyond my reach. I can drive well enough and have the sense to stay off the streets at the busiest times. I hope the car wash will be open today when I am in town because my car is so dirty on the outside. That’s another thing my honey use to keep up by taking it through the car wash regularly. You know the more I talk about life in general the more I realize how many things we did together. I then realize I need to wake up and take charge of my day because if I don’t life will just pass me by and I will get nothing done.

I am trying to arrange some projects my sister and I can do together. I love to do puzzles and can pick one for us. It has to fit on a card table 30 x 30 otherwise I won’t be able to leave it up. Usually 1000 piece will fit. My granddaughter bought me one that I couldn’t keep because it was bigger than any place I had. Does anyone else like to do puzzles? I did take a picture or two of the ones I finished. Carl and I took a trip to Lake Powell and I purchased a puzzle and after I patiently struggled putting it together 2 pieces were missing. That can be frustrating when I wrote the makers of the puzzle they just sent me a new one. It’s been long enough in time so I can now attempt to start that one. It will bring back many fond memories of the trip and places we went.

It is 92 degrees today and there is a nice breeze. When I got back from going to the doctor to pick up a script for this cough and whatever is making noises in my chest the dogs were waiting under the porch just to come in where it is cool on my floor. They are both stretched out right by my feet in the passageway where I couldn’t make a move without them knowing about. I am always amazed at the size of the small dog’s bladder. When I move to get up or the next room I have to make a bathroom stop. I use to imagine the dogs had to go too. I put them outside and they sit near the door never getting off the porch just looking at the door and just waiting to come back in. Animals are amazing.

We always tried to have the family together for Thanksgiving whenever we lived close enough to the kids. Carl and I never insisted they spend Christmas with us because they have another side to consider. So it may it easier if they could spend Thanksgiving with us. The last one they spent with us was while we stilled lived in Indiana. I had them all together and we made a trip to the mall and had a picture taken. The photographer said He never took a group picture of 15 and said we willbe scrunched together and I said that is okay just as long as we are all in it. The only goof was I wanted a blue background and trying to get us all to fit the backdrop turned the dark falling down over the blue curtain.
But I can see all the faces and that is what was important. I enjoy looking at that picture often and remember what a good time we had. I never had another opportunity to have them all together again.

Later I will tell you of our 25th and 50th anniversaries but there was always someone missing. Until then I am Immigrant Daughter.

IMMIGRANT DAUGHTER 40

2010-06-02T16:59:00.000-07:00

Here is another new day and with each one I am thankful. I left you in the last publication talking about my second daughter and family. I will try to pick up more stories about their growth into a busy family. I didn’t get a chance to continue and here it is after Memorial Day and I will try to get this part of my story down so that I can post.

Oh my, it’s starting to rain and I have a metal roof on my porch that is attached to my Mobile home and I love to hear the sound of the rain. We have had our share of rain. I watched the Indy 500 race off and on until the end. I always am amazed when I see a race car crash and disintegrate before my eyes and then the driver gets out alive. I am still in awe. They are all good drivers that’s for sure.

Kim ‘s family, were debaters in the home school circuit and were good quite. There is only one left at home now and he just completed finals. I haven’t heard the results of the past weekend. The next few pictures show the their kids at different ages.

The twins graduated from high school last June and I had an opportunity to attend the Home School graduation. It’s interesting how the graduation was held and there were about 16 seniors in their group.

I must tell you my life really has changed since Carl died. I get remorseful at times and have to work hard at shrugging it off. We did so many things together that it’s very hard sometimes to be alone. I can’t imagine all the cases that Cindy has that have so much turmoil going on between spouses. There just isn’t enough respect and consideration for couples to make the marriage last. My son is an example of not honoring his marriage vows, as he should. We all have to make the choice between right and wrong for ourselves and I am sad to say his choice was not the right one.

Television and access to the Internet has really hurt the family togetherness. There aren’t any family rules and the parents fail in their responsibility in raising their children according to the ten commandants but I guess I just lived too long because my family was raised by Godly rules and still my son made the wrong choice and he turned 60 Memorial Day, I cried for him. As an adult he is a juvenile delinquent.

His son my first grandson is a joy to be around, just listening to him talk about nature and tracking the wild life. I am fascinated of all the things that the earth reveals that I never noticed before. This is a picture of him and my sister. He is building a wigwam in the woods that he could stay in to be protected from the elements. He is trying to learn all he can about living off the land. It’s not something his mother or I would rough it to sleep in unless we absolute had to. Our idea of camping out is a Holiday Inn that serves breakfast.

I am enjoying the warmer weather. They predict it will be in the 90s this next few days. The thing that bothers me the most is spiders and just now as I am typing at spider ran across the table behind the computer but I try to keep things that I need close so I just reached for my fly swatter hanging close by and got him before he got away. Is there anyone else who does not like spiders? I guess I will have to go buy that Ortho Defense spray that you put along the outside windows and base board inside to keep bugs out. There again is another thing I never had to worry about because my better half used to take care of that for me. I can see I was spoiled being loved and cared for.

I am trying to get back to oil painting again. I started to do another lighthouse on the waterline to nowhere in particular. I seems as though I forgot quite a bit about painting with oils. I gave all my paintings to my girls when I moved here to asmaller space and they took pictures of them for me and here is one I did many years ago.

I will keep you posted as to how I am doing, so until next time, I am Immigrant Daughter.

IMMIGRANT DAUGHTER 39

2010-05-25T17:17:00.000-07:00

I am back in full swing with my health being back to normal. My DIL has her hands full with the sickness of her sister and family. Her sister works in her office and not being there really puts an extra load in the office because she keeps her office running well. But thank God all is back to normal.

I want to tell you something about my 2nd daughter and her family. She has four children two of the children are twins one boy and one girl. These are the grand children that are all tall and I have to keep looking up to talk to them. This information is now and I want to tell you something about then, back to her beginning.

My daughter sent me a card for mothers day that had a little chubby face holding a spoon in her mouth and when she called to ask me how I liked the card I laughed because she had no way of knowing this looked like her at the same age. She was my third child and in the last month of my pregnancy they kept me in the hospital for the whole month because they were trying to hold down her weight because I was diagnosed diabetic. They said she would be larger than the first two children which were 7lbs 1&3/4 oz and the 6 lbs 3 oz and sure enough she was 9 lb 4 oz.
When born she was like holding a doll because it took months for the other two to get to her birth weight. I had to wait until she was 8 months before I could travel to Guam with my three children so I stayed with my father in the house I grew up in. My 2 sisters were married and one wasn’t she still worked for dad in the restaurant. My brothers were married and didn’t live home so there was plenty of room for the kids who loved the steps and the banister in dads house.

She grew up to be a fine young lady and married a young man that wanted to be a priest.

The next picture is the rehearsal for her wedding. Here she is with Carl walking down the aisle and the next is with her sister helping her dress. This is in Virginia.

They came back to N.J. and my sister and husband had them stay on the boardwalk in Atlantic City where they wined and dined them for the weekend.

We visited in Ambridge Pa. where he was attending seminary and when he graduated from seminary we attended the service when he was admitted as a postulant. Carl read the scripture in the service. Then took a job in Alabama as an intern. Alabama was a beautiful place and there they learned how to prepare for st
orms coming off the ocean to the mainland. They stayed there several years and the Episcopal Church was going through a storm of its own with women priest and ordaining homosexuals. Carl and I left the Episcopal Church because that was more than we could stand. We joined a bible believing Assembly of God that did not believe in women anything in the priesthood.

Then they moved up to Tennessee and we went to see them dog and all supporting their decisions. We always traveled with our dog that loved to travel and most times she just stayed in her cage in the car.

As you can see the children are growing by leaps and bounds. We enjoyed our travels going to see them. I told you about one son in law in the Army and now one in the priesthood in the Anglican Communion.

My son attended the Baptist Church and I thought he was truly ensconced in that demonation. They were bible believers and he had a home group meeting at his house. We couldn’t be happier than to have all our children connected with believers. But sin crept in and broke our family bliss.

My girls home schooled their children and did exceptionally well with their schooling. I will tell more about that at another time. I have so much I want to say and trying to keep it in order is a bit perplexing. So until next time, I am Immigrant Daughter.

IMMIGRANT DAUGHTER 38

2010-05-17T17:04:00.000-07:00

I believe I am back to normal and can go on with my story about my life. Carl and I spent most of our time in Arkansas at different times in our life. I talked about the first time move here to raised our children to go thru High School. They graduated and each went on to higher education. Only one completed the higher education getting a Masters Degree from TCU in Texas. She was our third child.

Carl was going to school also and when the kids started their higher education Carl felt he had to take a job and give it up his schooling for the second time. The 2nd child went to Monterey, Calif. For languages and instead of a degree she met her husband who was in the military. Now child number one went to school in Fayetteville, Ark. And he was so busy chasing girls, that he had to go to summer school and still never completed any part of school past high school and one year of college courses.

He always was a dreamer and jumped from idea to idea. He was the first to marry and she was the best thing he ever did for himself and he did settle down for a bit. She was supportive and she completed and continued her education to the finish. Shegraduated and went on to law school. He still is unstable because he committed adultery and has no feelings of regret. He told me I couldn’t have anything to do with his wife and I said oh really since when was he in charge of what I did. I told him he brought her into my family and because he wanted to drop out he couldn’t tell me what I could do. Consequently he chose to drop himself out of my life. I am convinced he is sick both physically and mentally and I encourage C to rid herself of him completely.

Getting back to my mate Carl, I attended many destroyer sailor’ reunions with him and Carl was asked at different times to lead them in the prayer service while tossing a wreath in the water in memory of those who died. I have pictures of the last reunion of the U.S.S. Howorth, DD 592 that was held aboard the U.S.S NORTH CAROLINA, OCT. 18, 1994. There were not many living at that time of the original crew. Here is a picture of the five originals including Carl. Carl was on the Howorth when the torpedo hit.
They always had tours on ship for the visitors that day the only thing wrong with that the young men had never served aboard ship and couldn’t answer the questions of the visitors on the tour. This was right up Carl’ alley. He enjoyed talking about the ship to whom ever would listen. As this was this last reunion so I remember it well.

Here are pictures of Carl giving information of the ship to the guide and others of the inside if the ship. Carl loved answering questions. I think what impressed me the most was the semi fore flags and Carl knew each one and could read and give messages so fast. He said that is something you never forget. The next time you see a ship with flags on show them are saying something.

Short but sweet about my sweetheart. Until next time, I am Immigrant Daughter

IMMIGRANT DAUGHTER 37

2010-05-12T16:40:00.001-07:00

It has been over a week since you’ve heard from me. I am still under the weather and have gone to the doctor to see if they can tell me why my ankles stay double in size and why I can’t get rid of the cough I have. I do not have a fever I am just uncomfortable and sort of ache and just wish I felt better. The sun is shining today but not too warm as yet. I want to thank all my blogging friends for wanting me well.

Well this has been too long even with going to the doctor. My DIL drove me because I did not trust driving myself with my blood sugar being so erratic going on swings I couldn’t handle. I know having lived with this disease 56 years not to put myself in a car driving. When I get out of wack it takes a long time coming back.

The doctor gave me an antibiotic that lasts five days. Boy whatever it is doing I am getting rid of quite a bit of phlegm that is relieving the vise grip from around my chest.

They took blood for other tests that I will have to wait until next week to hear. Later a call came through that I did not recognize the number so I didn’t answer it and when it wouldn’t quit I finally picked up the phone but they hung up before I could say hello. After what seemed like a couple of minutes the same number called and I answered to find out it was the doctor's nurse wanting to tell me my blood sugar was 47 while I was there. Now you have to realize that I went to the doctor because my blood sugars were erratic, I had a cough with tightness in my chest, no fever, but felt lousy and she calls to tell me my blood sugar was low at 1:30 in the afternoon when they did the test. I really felt like hanging up on her but I listened as controlled as I could by telling her yes I knew because I had my machine with me and knew it was low. We went looking for a fast food after leaving their office this was about 3 in the afternoon.

I have to tell you I never get colds or headaches and hardly ever welcomed a day in bed so to speak, so when I tell you I felt lousy you can just look at me and tell. I get my flu shot every year and I am fairly healthy, except for being an insulin dependent diabetic for 56 years. So when a nurse calls to tell me my sugar was low six hours earlier it was hard not to be sarcastic to say oh REALLY. You can tell by my writing I am feeling much better and I know for sure I am on the mend because I can think and type. Now you know more about me than you probably care to.

I will pick up telling you more about Carl and my life together that lasted 58 years.

It doesn’t look like at this point I will be going back to N.J. for my birthday in June because my third sister wants to come here to see me. My DIL is too busy to take time off at that time anyway and E (my sister) and I have birthdays five days apart in June. We had to work together in the restaurant and are on the same wavelength and it will be good to have her here. I have to tellyou I attribute her long life (87) to having herself a Manhattan every day at four p.m. She and her husband never missed a day and many times we shared our birthdays together, husbands included, in New York City seeing some stage show and eating out in a nice restaurant.

One such restaurant was a small place run by all retired, out of work, opera singers. And as they worked they would be singing and when it came to their time to sing they would stop serving and sing it was wonderful. The place was called Asti’ in N.Y.C. Carl and I had many such surprises given to us by my sister and her husband. I am so thankful the Lord has given me many such memories of his love for me.

Getting back to my sisters’ visit it will be good for me in other ways when she comes we can play pinochle and talk at the same time. Two-hand is not as much fun as three or four hand playing but it is better than none. I like to play cards.

Carl taught me how to play cribbage a game they played aboard ship with a deck of straight deck cards and a long board with holes in it that goes all around the board twice that is called a pegging board that is used to keep score. It is a lot of funbecause it makes you having to count the cards from your hand that count up to fifteen and laying them down for two points for score. Its complicated but fun. Carl was easy on me so that I could learn. I never won in the beginning but after I learned I was able to challenge him and won my share of games and then he wouldn’t want to play any more.

I really never read novels much but when they started to made movies out of some of the stories by James Michener. Carl peaked my interest with a part not mentioned in the movie and wouldn’t tell me the rest of the story, but directed me to read it for myself. I then got hooked in reading. I only read what I had to in school because I had sports to keep me busy. Carl learned early in life to read everything in sight and was knowledgeable about many things. He taught me many things about reading to form my own opinion and not just rely on what others say about something. I can tell you for sure our children received their smarts from their father. He knew how to spell words without looking them up. I use to tell him he was my walking dictionary and so thankful the Lord gave him to me.

Carl was a shy introvert and I was just the opposite. When he worked for pharmaceuticals companies and had to attend conferences that had parties we had to attend he use to say he hated to go because he never had anything to say. I alwaysencouraged him to start the conversations by asking people what hobby interested them or something about themselves then he could just sit back and listen because people love to talk about themselves. Sure enough he told me that really worked because he didn’t need that crutch anymore. In his later years boy did he like to talk and it was hard to drag him away.

I see I carried on a bit much about CM but for me that is easy, so I had better end it here until next time, I am Immigrant Daughter.

IMMIGRANT DAUGHTER 36

2010-05-04T15:59:00.000-07:00

I talked about our living in Arkansas. We lived in Arkansas more than any other place in our married life while our kids were growing up. We moved from New Jersey when our kids were still in school. We our moved South because of the problems New Jersey was having in the school system, with kids sniffing glue and smoking pot. New Jersey was considered going to the shore when the people came down to their summer cottages on the weekends from Philadelphia and New York City.

My brother was working for IBM Service Bureau in Little Rock and told us Arkansas was at least 2 years behind the New Jersey Schools. He was having a hard time filling his employee rooster with capable people. In the East everything moved at a fast pace and in the South everything moved at a slower pace. I myself had to learn to slow down. I was always the last person to get my food and the first person to finish eating. My family use to kid me about eating too fast. They had a name for me gobble guts. But when you had to wait on customers while trying to eat you learned to eat fast to eat it while it was warm.

I was one that could look at something to be done and do it no matter what the job within reason. I could do it, always wanting to be kept busy. The job that sales people hated to do was putting the merchandise back in stock but I sort of liked it because it kept me busy. I was not a person that would stand around just participating in small talk. When I worked in the Chicago area for Motorola at coffee breaks and lunch most of the time I walked instead of sit and talk. They use to love to talk about their husbands and one day one of the ladies remarked that I never said anything about my husband. I told them I didn’t have the problems like those women at the table did, my husband loved me and I loved him and our private life was just that… private. They revealed too much of their private lives and rarely said anything good.

1982 this was our second move to Arkansas, our children were grown and the picture above was taken on our porch that was attached to our Mobile home. We uprooted our life to come down to Arkansas from Chicago because our son asked his dad Carl to come and help him in the produce business manning the office keeping things in order. But my son was not really meaning that and his dad was most unhappy because every time he questioned a transaction our son would comment; “you just don’t know the business”. So it was easy for Carl to say goodbye.

Carl loved to ride the lawn mower and he enjoyed tinkering with it to keep it running. He put in vegetable garden and a smallorchard of fruit trees. I had to learn how to can once again and I have to admit that is not my thing and I like the canned fruit in the store better only because I grew up with it. He had more than enough to keep him busy and we watching our grandson grow up. Here is a picture of our grandson as a little farmer.

I am taking a pause here because I am having a bit of difficulty thinking and writing it down. I have a terrible cough it a good thing you can’t hear my voice it is very raspy and sort of hoarse and I think every bone in my body hurts.

This is the next day and its not much better. I am not one who can lay in bed. I hate it sometimes but that is the way it is. My DIL calla me every morning to let me know she is leaving and to make sure I am awake, most times I am. I will end this here so she can post for me. I know the Lord won’t give me more than I can handle but I do feel, enough now. Until next time, I am Immigrant Daughter.

IMMIGRANT DAUGHTER 35

2010-04-27T16:05:00.001-07:00

There was one time when we were living in Arkansas out in the country and C decided to raise chicken so we could have fresh eggs and if we had too many we would sell some to friends. We did not have close neighbors.

Now C did not do anything hap hazard. He did research and read up on chickens and layers and knew exactly what he was going to buy and how to house them. First we built the chicken coop for the chickens and then we purchased a group of 50 chicks and had put them in a large cardboard box and kept them under a large light to keep them warm.

We had to wait until they got a little larger to find out what the sex was. This batch that he purchased had 2 roosters in it and we had to eliminate one and before we knew it we didn’t have to worry about which one. You cannot have more than one rooster in the roost. One rooster rules in the chicken coop. One morning Carl came out to feed the chickens and the hens made their own choice and eliminated one rooster by pecking him to death. I now can understand what they mean when they say, “ he’s hen pecked."

When Carl with my help built the coop he had to make it rodent proof, so he dug a trench three feet deep and two feet wide putting in the trench cement blocks against the chicken wire then coming up high enough to built the wooden structure above ground on the cinderblock base. To me it was like a fortress. It had large plexus glass windows that opened from the bottom by attaching the window to a chain hanging from the top in a way it couldn’t rain in and the screen on the inside kept everything out but air. We were never bother by rodents in our chicken coop. These windows were on three sides to give the inside light. There was no outside run for the chickens they just stayed in the coop that was a long rectangle.

Inside he built roosts where the hens laid their eggs. They were white and some brown. We ate fresh eggs every morning andthey really do taste different than the store bought. Our grandson loved to go in the coop to help collect the eggs.

On the inside of the coop the floor was a dirt base that was covered with straw that was very deep for the chickens to scratch and peck keeping their place clean. Believe me there was no odor at all and we never had to do any cleaning out of the coop. If I didn’t actually see it I would have had my doubts like I am sure some of you reading this are having. Like I said Carl always read up and planned before every undertaking.

Oh yes there was one hen that did not want me collecting her eggs and she actually chased me several times. She definitely liked Carl and when he got in the pen she strutted around like a peacock. It was one of the funniest things to see. People who know chickens I am sure have their own stories that are similar about the personality of chickens and how funny they can be.

We also had several dogs and cats because people use to drop off their unwanted pets in the country thinking they can fend for themselves. I can tell them that liters from domesticated pets cannot make it. One person dropped off a litter of newborn kittens and before we ever found them they we in bad shape that we had to have the vet dispose them. It is a shame what some people will do to animals. When I say we lived in the country it was really a place just out of the town’ business section on five acres near the access road. So the veterinary doctors were close bye and the people had the same access to them as we did. Those that just dropped off animals were I guess too cheap to donate to the Humane Society. You will have to excuse me I really get riled up about what some people do to discard their pet they no longer want. To us pets are members of the family.

We went to the Pennsylvania Amish to purchase a dog that was advertised it was just a mutt but C liked the dog because it reminded him of the dog he had in one of the foster homes he lived he called sport. So we gave fifty dollars for this dog he named Sport. It was suppose to be Australian shepherd and part mutt but Sport grew up and looked like a beautiful Collie with the sweetest and laziest disposition. It sure didn’t look like an Australian shepherd and C loved this dog.
At that time we had a smooth hair fox terrier that was one of the bossiest dogs ever. She led poor sport along like he was on a chain. He would wait to see what Perky would do then he did the same except get on the furniture. Love would be mighty dull with animals as part of the family.

I see I am getting lengthy so until next time, I am Immigrant Daughter

IMMIGRANT DAUGHTER 34

2010-04-23T16:42:00.000-07:00

This is a continuation of our time Germany with M & K. Did you ever read something and didn’t grasp what it said. Some times that happens when my mind is working quicker than my what comes out of my mouth. I had a response to my last post that was offering me a way to send flowers to Germany. I am still pondering if they really understood that I am talking of the past and not the present. Really that is the only thing I am qualified to talk about is what C and I did together. The future only holds expectations of what the Lord has in store for me. The one thing I do know it is going to be better than I can ever imagine.

I wanted to mention that in Garmisch-Parkenkirchen was the home of the grandson of Johann Strauss. This is a picture of the family house that was large and stately. When we walked to town we always passed their lovely house.

KL had her first child we were there with M and K staying with them and C is putting sign on the door of the house in Germany saying it it’s a boy. Next picture is proud dad holding his son. Grandson J.M. was a delightful handful and it was great to be there to give my daughter the kind of help mothers do. This picture shows C and I at the table taking turns holding the baby.

I did forget how quickly babies grow up from the rock-a-bye-baby stage to the carriage stage and then to the stroller. C & I were definitely in our place at the right time. We thoroughly enjoyed being Opa and Oma walking pushing the carriage down to the square. This picture shows mother pushing the stroller.

The people would stop us to see the baby and say; “Opa, das good and of course C would enjoy the comments. C always pushed because he was the proud Opa. We never did get a chance to do this with our first grand child because they we live in a Mobil Home in the country that had dirt roads and grass plus it was dusty most of the time. We did have a nice large screened porch that we enjoyed with grandson number one.

If we happened to be down at the square at that time we would always planned to stop with the baby to have our tea and cake. It was a good and joyful time for us. We were truly living a life of many blessings with being able to be with our grandchildren growing up. We were not there in Germany for their 2nd child a little girl and just to enjoy seeing the pictures.

Here is a picture of their other grandmother enjoying their children. I am not sure if this was in Germany or the states.

When they received a transfer back to the states to the War College in Pennsylvania and had to wait some time before the family could settle in Pennsylvania. We came to help Kl with the children while waiting for their household goods to arrive. We stayed at the RED CABOOSE INN that was actually a caboose. We had quite a time with the kids and the train. I did find some pictures of that stay.

Our second daughter has 4 children that, includes twins one boy and one girl, and the other two boys. Now that’s a handful to say the least and to add to that they are all very tall. When standing next to them I am definitely short. I will tell more about them later.

I have a birthday coming up in June and my daughters are trying to plan a celebration from afar with the help of DIL from this end. They are trying to plan a trip to N.J. where my two older sisters live. One just turned 88 and the other will be 87 the same week I will be 80. All I can say at this point is we are from strong genes. As I said before I don’t know what the Lord has planned for me but I keep telling him I am eager and ready. C and I always talked of our passing so it wasn’t a shock when it actually happened to him being first to die. I know he is in a better place and I am waiting to join him.

Trying to stay busy is a new experience for me because I was always kept busy. I stop and look around in my home and say to myself junk and more junk as it accumulates. I am not a saver I throw out easily. Nothing, as far as I am concerned, is worth saving or holding on to for future use. If I am not using it maybe someone else can.

Some years back when we put everything we owned in a commercial storage warehouse the warehouse burned down to the ground and we got paid 5 cents on the pound for a grand total of $5,000 dollars. The furniture that was destroyed was valued much more than that but that is all the warehouse would pay us. On that note I will say what did survive the Lord multiplied many times over. So on that note until next time, I am Immigrant Daughter.

IMMIGRANT DAUGHTER 33

2010-04-17T16:25:00.000-07:00

Our son-in-law was stationed in Garmisch-Parkenkirchen, Germany in the Bavarian Alps that was beautiful here is a picture of it. Our stay in Germany was both good and not so good. We enjoyed being there for the birth of our grandson and seeing places of beauty we would not have ever been exposed to. This is a picture of Garmisch taken from our path to town we walked quite a bit and you can see the Zugspitz Mountain when it was clear, it’s a breath-taking site. He had several tours there and we were blessed to visit them on their first tour. Both of their children were born in Garmisch-Parkenkirchen.

The people love flowers and dressed up their houses like this one, up down the streets we never sa like this in our journey in Germany but Bavaria. Their houses were built on like postage stamps lots
compared to ours in the states and they used up every inch with a vegetable garden in the back and flowers in
the front. They enjoyed the color when they could because winter is long and cold with lots of snow. Not much color but white and dirty white from the traffic of street cleaning equipment.

We loved riding the trains in Germany and one day when we where going to a Volks March (like our 5-K walk) in a nearby town we rode the train there and the train stopped before our destination and the conductor came through and shouted off off. Before we new it we were stranded in a town we never heard of and C spoke very little German, just enough to get by and the people around us spoke no English. There were people in the train station that we asked for directions to no avail and then I yelled, “does anyone speak English and one man said he did. We explained our situation about the train dumping us because it didn’t go any further and we were trying to get to the Volks March in the area. Lots of Germans walk in these and he knew where we were going and helped us get the right train.
The people had cows and sheep that man would walk them out of town leading them up to the mountain to graze in the morning and then at the end of the day he would bring them back down and the lead animal always had a bell that all the cows and sheep would follow the leader. At that time traffic took a halt and as they approached the different houses the animals would peel off and go to where they belonged. It was fascinating to see.

We did a lot of train traveling to take part in the marches. C had a German hat that he would put the pins on that you were given when you completed the march. It usually took 2 or 3 hours for each march over hill and dale in the beautiful countryside. I still have his hat and will try to find a picture of him in it and us wearing our knee socks and knickers.

One of the customs we did enjoy was their 4 pm tea and pastries time in the bakari (bakery) shops. Some times at the marches at a halfway point they would have a place to stop so one can use the water closet (toilet) and buy a beer if you wanted one. You needed a Pfennig’s to use the water closet. The coin was little smaller than a penny in looks and we always made sure to have one for such stops when we were out.

They do not scrimp when serving beer. The first time C ordered a beer they brought a glass that I’m sure was a liter. With both of us sipping it we never could finish one. The one thing I thoroughly enjoyed was their large soft pretzel they would serve warm. I still like pretzels better than chips.
The Germans eat a lot of bratwurst and cabbage and their potato soup is delicious. They also use a lot of apples, veal and pork and I must say there wasn’t anything we didn’t like of all the food we tasted.

We also liked how the Germans treated their dogs that were welcomed in the restaurants with their masters. All the animals were well behaved and usually were large and alert. In one place we ate lunch the table next to us had a large black dog sitting under the table at his masters feet. We didn’t even know he was there until his master gave him some food off his plate. This dog ignored us and we were so close to his tail that was in the aisle next to us we could have stepped on it. When we were through eating we asked to pet the dog and the man gave a command to his dog and the animal moved closer to us and allowed us to touch him. We were certainly were impressed because the dog just scooted over without standing up. Also you never saw dog messes in the streets and walks. People picked up after their dogs.

Now the part of the visit that was not so good; one morning my daughter and I heard a loud thump from upstairs. We were in the kitchen just talking having our tea. I ran upstairs to see C flaked out on the floor sort of coming to his senses. He said he passed out and hit his head on the dresser. I helped him get dressed and took him to the military infirmary and he determined C had a mild heart attack. He suggested we go to the German hospital for a particular series of tests the military didn’t have the equipment to do. While in the German hospital C made himself known with the other retired military that were patients at the same time. C was about to be let out of the hospital when the doctor and an orderly came in on routine rounds. The
orderly had a beverage in his hand, and when the doctor asked C if there was anything he wanted and he said yah and pointing to the beverage. The doctor put in his request and before he left he had a beer he was enjoying a nice cold beer.

Well after a few months C felt fine and decided to come back to the states and check himself in at Bethesda Naval Hospital in Maryland. I stayed with my, the parents of 2nd daughter’ husband who lived in he area. They were very nice to me taking me back and forth to the hospital while C was a patient.

They couldn’t find anything that indicated he had a heart attack. When a doctor indicated they wanted to do invasive surgery C called a halt to that and said no. The head of that department came into his room to talked to him and said he didn’t blame him for saying no because if it were him he also would say no. He was cutting his career short because being a doctor in the military wasn’t what he wanted to do anymore.

We found out then they just wanted to make up their surgery quota. We enjoyed our stay in Germany and would do it again if the kids needed us. This is a good place to say to be continued, and until then I am Immigrant Daughter.

IMMIGRANT DAUGHTER 32

2010-04-12T17:32:00.000-07:00

I am going to bring you stories of our immediate family. We have three children, one of which switched from loving God to becoming a lost soul. It hurts for a mother to see this happen but realizes it hurts our Savior more. One who has turned his back from right and doing wrong without a repentant heart is truly lost.

As I mentioned before I was the youngest and the first to give my dad his first grandchild that was given his name and C’ name that I will refer to as CT. As best as I can figure my dad was in his late 60’. He was truly a proud grandfather that was sort of afraid to hold him but it didn’t take long to get over that. CT had colic and cried quite a bit. The mid wife nurse that had the nursing home next door called me over and said leave the baby there and go home and get some sleep. She could hear all his crying and couldn’t stand it.

She switched my son from breast milk to a bottle using canned milk because he was hungry all the time. She said all my nursing was of no help because my milk was not nutritious enough. I was blessed to have her next door to tell me the things I needed to know about the baby. Not having a mom to tell me these things had me handicapped.

I had to learn many things by trial and error and I am sure I looked haggard from loss of sleep. Being just 20 years old allowed me to bounce back, and it’s a good thing because 11 months later our daughter KL arrived. Then three years after that 2nd daughter KA arrived with complications for me. In the last month of my pregnancy they discovered diabetics and was put in the hospital until delivery.

My 2nd sister took care of the kids for a month while I was in the hospital with a new baby learning how to give myself insulin injections. Back then they did not have the long lasting refined insulin as they do now and I had a rough time trying to get a good level from high to low. My oldest sister having it was not a very good example because she did not follow the rules and had many low blood sugar incidents. But then on the other hand my father developed diabetics and was a much better example. I need to tell you some of what I learned from my dad was: I was in charge of what I ate and drank and no one else. This disease will never, never go away so I had better learn to live with it.

I have lived with this for 56 years and while in the hospital last September with this hip replacement they were over medicating me with insulin and after listening to me complain and refusing injections the doctor threw up his hand and told the medication nurse to let me treat myself on when and how much insulin I would take. And before I was released from the hospital some of the nurses told me the doctor was impressed at how I was doing with my method. When diagnosed I was almost 24 years old and weighed about 122 pounds and in all those years I had stayed under 145 pounds. The nurses in the hospital encouraged me to write a book and I said no way each patient has to learn their own body and how it responds to their way of eating, living and exercise. The only thing I can tell a diabetic is stay regimented eating three meals a day and approximately the same time. If I miss a meal or eating late, believe me I am in trouble. I really miss C who just had to look at me and would say go eat something or just give me

a glass of orange juice and make me drink it because he use to tell me I sure could argue when my sugar was too low. Living by myself is scary sometimes. Lord does alert me especially in the middle of the night He will wake me and instills a thought in me to get up and check my blood and sure enough I need to eat. God is so good to me.

My girls worry about me being by myself since I moved down here in the country in Arkansas. I tell them I am not alone my Lord is with me all the time. My DIL calls me every morning to make sure I am awake and stops in the evening after work. I am so blessed having her and her dogs Chili and Scout that she wants me here.

I had dabbled in oil painting many years ago because C encouraged me to find a hobby. This is my first picture after a few lessons at the art center. I learned how to knit and made a turtleneck sweater without a pattern my waitress taught me, for my first project. I think my daughter still has it. It was red and white and I thought it looked nice. But that just wasn’t my thing.

Then I tried collecting Postage Stamps. I bought three very old stamp books albums from a girl that worked in the insurance office where I was the mangers’ secretary. She had received them from a family member and didn’t want them. The albums contained quite a few of early American U.S. stamps in them. After reading and learning more about saving stamps I found out the stamps I had in the albums I purchased for next to nothing were worth some money. The American Philatelic Foundation that offers quite a bit of free information about stamp collecting. I was fascinated and bought everything I needed. At one time I was offered several hundred dollars for one of the albums and refused.
Our daughters’ husband was in the U.S. Army and stationed in Germany. They were expecting their first child and invited us to come and stay with them. We were retired and it sounded great because it was opened ended. We could stay as long as they wanted us to. C wanted to go because he felt his ancestors were part German. C being retired from the military made it easy for us to travel at a reduced fare.

We packed up all our belongings and put them in a commercial storage facility. We packed a large trunk for shipping and a large suitcase with clothes for each of us to use while traveling until the trunks arrived at our destination.

They informed us to bring winter clothing because even their summers are not as warm as we were use to and would probably wear them year round. Fortunately we still had our winter coats, C a leather sheepskin and I had my sheared beaver and it’s a thing because it really was cold in Germany. The only thing we had to buy, were warm boots.

I see I am nearing the end and have so much more to say about our living in Germany for a while that I better wait until next time. Until then I am Immigrant Daughter.

IMMIGRANT DAUGHTER 31

2010-04-06T16:41:00.001-07:00

Had a great day yesterday. The weather was and is beautiful, it’s the way I like it, not too cold and not too hot its just right as the little bear said as he ate the porridge.

I am finding eating alone has it’s drawbacks one of which it is hard to cook for just one and if you have left over’ you just never want to eat it and it gets freezer burn and out it goes. I use to love to cook because I was cooking for a good eater who would eat whatever I put in front of him and tell me it was delicious.

On Easter I ate at DIL’s, it is just down the driveway with her family. I always look forward to the Easter service and singing “Jesus Christ Is Risen Today”. I am glad I was raised in a singing family who loved to sing. This probably won’t be posted until after Easter but my heart is singing now and I wanted to tell you.

C was always up with what is going on in the world and there was a time back in the 1990’ that they were promoting food shortages. Howard Ruff use to publish where to buy food that was stored in number 10 cans that was sold to people to have food on hand. We purchased one of those plans that would feed a family for six months. Well the time passed and we never had to use it for what it was intended, a shortage of food. We did eat it and gave most of it to mission project that fed the hungry and gave food to families that needed help.

Dried food and vacuum packed food loses it nutritional value after so many month of storage. The one food that lasted the longest and best was oats. I do like oatmeal and still eat it the morning, Quaker does a good job.

The Y2K push on the public prompted C to purchase a 4-wheel bicycle that we rode around the neighborhood, here is a picture of us many years ago. I was much younger then. We had lots of fun.

When C found his long lost family, in the information we came across something humorous and interesting. It seems that Aunt VM’ husband “the Colonel” was seventeen years older than she was, and she knew this before she married him. She was determined he was going to marry her like it or not. He was at one time a Gubernatorial Candidate for Indiana. He was called back to do duty in the Army to serve at the Mexican Border fighting for Prohibition. Here's Alfred's article:

At the same time my fathers’ brother Charles, back in Pennsylvania, was a private in the Army as an Engineer doing his duty fighting against Prohibition. In fact his flyer said “I plan to give my whole time to the campaign down there to the organizing bartenders in many places; to hit hard and make every lick count, at every train stop between Pennsylvania and the Border, and even in Mexico: He said he was doing his part with his comrades while being shot at.

I guess the Army put out a flyer “A Message From The Border” and it was from Camp Liano Grande, Texas. I have two flyers one for each man and the flyer indicated the same date September 15, 1916 for both men. I don’t know if they knew each other. The big difference being one was an Officer in the Army and one a Private and that were from different states. Pennsylvania and Indiana fighting on the Mexican Border. Talk about a small world. They had pictures of the men on the flyers and I would have recognized my uncle without seeing his name. He looked just like my dad cigar and all only much younger. I guess if we really knew all of our family history we would be amazed at how the Lord brings our lives together in some way.

C and I came to the conclusion that the Colonel was a stuffy sort of fellow that took the Army protocol seriously that officers didn’t associate with enlisted personnel. We came to this conclusion because C’s aunt was sort of snooty herself. She believed if you didn’t further your education you were low on the list of importance. She barely tolerated me because I hadn’t. She didn’t have much choice because she wanted to get to know my BIL better and she was C’s aunt. She lived to be 90 years old.

I want to get ready, to watch the final game of college basketball, I am rooting for Duke. I like all sports but the March Madness is top of the list.

I believe this is a good place to stop, until next time, I am Immigrant Daughter.

IMMIGRANT DAUGHTER 30

2010-03-29T15:22:00.000-07:00

In the last post I mentioned the boardwalk in Atlantic City and I didn’t mentioned the Easter Parade the way it use to be. Hollywood made a few movies about the Easter Parade and the song in Your Easter Bonnet was quite popular. As the holiday approaches you will see on the movie channel some of those vintage movies back in those days when ladies wore new outfits with new bonnets and to parade on the boardwalk showing off their outfits. Ladies wore hats to church so it wasn’t a waste of money with a onetime wear. My oldest sister loved big brimmed hats,

This all changed because the media has taken the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ out of the holiday. There were no family gatherings anymore and that is too bad for them because like it or not going to church, to worship as a family cannot be replaced.

The Easter Parade was a big event on the boardwalk in Atlantic City, people from all over the state and elsewhere came just to off the new bonnet on that day. This is me on the boardwalk one Easter. Photographers from the newspapers all over were there snapping pictures for their papers. Now people don’t rely on newspapers anymore. They didn’t take my picture. In N.J. it was still coat wearing weather and especially on the boardwalk than ran along the coast.

There was a shop on the boardwalk that served fresh strawberry shortcake. After our restaurant closed at night we use to go down to Atlantic City just for shortcake I think the place was called Lindys. At that time I was in high school and my sisters’ friend use to drive the four of us there just for shortcake because their family owned a house they used in the summer. Theyowned the ladies millinery Shoppe in town that sold silk stockings, under garments, hats and purses. The few pictures here are the four of us girls in my family in different hats.

Here is a picture of C in his hat just hamming it up. Also this is earlier in our life and our kids were very young and we are visiting dad. This picture is of dad playing solitaire in the kitchen. I just have too many pictures I would like to share so I will bunch them together because I know my girls would enjoy having them showing me oh so young.

This Easter is going to be really quiet from past ones. Living out in the country makes it difficult for the girls to visit. My DIL is cooking dinner for her side of the family and me so I won’t be entirely by myself. I will attend Church by myself and come home and read the paper and then go down the driveway to eat with DIL and her mom and family.

Greeks make bread at Easter that is delicious and my youngest can really do a fine job at making it. I will attempt to make my Koulouris cutting the original down to fourths because it takes so long to make them. These are the holiday cookies that are very popular in our family. I guess the most famous dessert is baklava even the large grocery chain are selling it. That is one thing I never made it is too hard.

I am so thankful to be able to remember some of these times I lived through.

One of the jobs I had was selling expensive ladies shoes in a large privately owned department store in Little Rock. I had a lot to learn about the different brands of shoes and how to measure the feet and get the right size for the customer. Learning was how to fit in with the old timers who resented new sales people, was the biggest challenge facing me. The one thing in my favor was the manager who hired me told me of what I had to overcome. They would have customers come in that didn’t ask for them and if anyone sold them shoes they would raise a ruckus. Or if you sold shoes to them they tried to bully you to get the commission they thought they deserved. I work there I year and one day my pastors wife came in and while I was fitting her with shoes he came in and sat down to talk. He offered me a job to be his secretary. I said your joking and he said no he meant it. I said I am no secretary oh I took typing in school but not shorthand and said again I’m not and office worker. He said he too would be new because he was assigned as an archdeacon and this job was in the diocesan office under the bishop.

The main part of my job was to get along with the bishops’ secretary who already ran off two, receptionist. He felt she wouldn’t run me off. And he was right she couldn’t. She was felt she owned the place and would give orders to anyone. I just wouldn’t obey because she wasn’t my boss.

One day she told me you are no secretary and you can’t even type. I looked at her and said “you are right” and it shocked her. I told her she was so good at her skills no one could match her shorthand or typing besides I wasn’t hired for those skills. I was the front office receptionist answering the phone besides being the archdeacons’ secretary. I was so kind to her she didn’t know how to handle me because no one ever said nice things to her. She left after her vacation that year.
That was the best job I ever had, not money wise but people wise. I nice met people from all over the State and when I asked how could I help to direct their call. They reported that it was such a pleasure to be asked how I could help them and not trying to find out their business by asking, “What do you want to speak with the Bishop?” The business that comes to the Bishop is personal and no body’s business and before me the people use to have a hard time getting through just to talk to him.

I listened to Greg Laurie this morning and he said a friend heard two atheists talking that said the Christians have Christmas and Easter to celebrate and Jews have Yom Kippur and Hanukah and we don’t have any special day. Some one close by heard said yes you do its’ April 1st, that’s the day fools celebrate.”

I see this is a good place to close so I will say Happy Easter from Immigrant Daughter.

IMMIGRANT DAUGHTER 29

2010-03-22T17:20:00.000-07:00

All three of our children married and started their own families and we never insisted that they spend all their holidays with us. They had to establish new relationships with their in laws and we tried to encourage this because they had to start their own holiday rituals within their families.

C and I were always going to dads as long as he was alive. My dad became a grandfather late in life and we taught our children their grandfather was an important part of our family. We spent many Christmas’ at dads and if we live too far away C always made sure he was off at that time so we could get home and back in time for work.

My third sister was home with dad because she worked in the restaurant and didn’t marry until dad gave the business to my brother. She had decided she needed to get out on her own. My brother’s wife could work by his side being the restaurant was part hers’ now. My sister was seven years older than her and she did not take it to lightly at her younger brothers wife being her boss. After all when she worked for dad he really did not pay her much because it was an allowance in his mind and she knew the amount probably wouldn’t change unless she just left.

She got a job in Philadelphia working for the government in the Treasury Department division. I mentioned before that CB was a Treasury agent for the government and he arranged for her to take the government test. She passed having the highest grade of all those taking the test. Of course she wasn’t married to him at the time. He was a family friend and one of our customers in the restaurant. So she got the job and rode the train to work and back. This was the first time she ever worked anywhere away from the family business. Back then the bus and train, catered to workers by having their schedules coordinating their time going to and from work between Philadelphia to Atlantic City stopping at all the little towns in between.

My oldest sister who was nine years older married an army man and moved to Boston where he was a commercial fisherman after the service. That was one of the places dad had me drive him when I got my drivers license. We surprised her and we sure did. Her husband was out fishing so we didn’t get to see him. My sister had taken a job in the factory and at night she like to party and her place looked like a hurricane hit it in the inside. After we visited a little while she offered to make us supper, her specialty was meat loaf I know she didn’t like to cook much. We left for home that evening because dad had enough traveling.

I can remember the first Miss America Pageant that was held in the convention center on the Boardwalk in Atlantic City. It was a big deal and brought lots of people to N.J. from all over. Business was good for everyone because then the pageant lasted longer than it does today. People enjoyed the pageantry of competition between the states of the girl that was representing them. It was the swimsuit division that was actually held on the boardwalk. The judges were local dignitaries who supported the pageant with dollars.

One year my third sister and I got to attend the last night because CB the man she married got us tickets. He was in local politics in N.J. and was able to get favors. We never did pick the winner in all those years we lived there. I can still remember Parks singing: “There she is Miss America” and after he died the Pageant seem to go down hill because he was the only one that could sing that song with meaning and his personality was the Miss America pageant. This is a picture of Yolande Betbeze, who won the year we attended.

There was one attraction N.J. had that will never be seen again in person and that was the Diving Horse on the boardwalk. At the end of the Labor Day weekend every year people would see a horse and rider climb a large scaffold to a high diving board and jump off into a large round tub of water. It wasn’t until years later the people were told that the rider had become blind. Some years back our son and his wife gave us a video of this attraction that I still have.

N.J. is famous for its’ blueberries and we lived right in the middle of the area where they are grown. Home made blueberry pie made with fresh berries can’t be beat. My one daughter still remembers the pie her aunt made for the kids when they stayed with my sister. She learned from my mother. The other fruit that N.J. is famous for is peaches.

One year when C and I lived in Rhode Island my dad sent us a bushel of peaches. Unfortunately they arrived on the weekend and the the railroad people didn’t work on weekends in the office so we weren’t called until Monday and by the time we received them they were a bit too ripe. When C picked them up and brought them to me I had to sit outside to peel them. Of course there were quite a few we had to throw away.

As you can tell I am reminiscing and feel like the kids growing up today are missing something. We were allowed to use our imagination and today nothing is held back. The kids have the “internet” that opens up everything and anything to their eyes without ever having to leave their home.

One of the most delightful things I remember was going to the Saturday afternoon matinee at the theater that always hadcartoons and a western; The Lone Ranger, Tom Mix, Hop Along Cassidy and with a Hi Ho Silver and Away,

Until next time, I am Immigrant Daughter.

IMMIGRANT DAUGHTER 28

2010-03-17T17:20:00.001-07:00

C loved animals especially cats and I came across these pictures of a cat we had called Ralph. Ralph was a beautiful cat we picked out at the Humane Society. We had this cat less than a month when we changed its name to Rotten Ralph because it had a mind of its’ own he was plain rotten. He would climb on things he shouldn’t and into things to sleep such as hide in the closet.

One of C’s men that worked under him liked to do wood stuff from wooden crates that were thrown out from beverage companies and he would collect them and make wooden mangers. We had a large floor model television and I asked for one to fit on the top. Rotten Ralph would climb up the Christmas tree and jump from the tree to the manger and lay down in it knocking the figures down. These are a couple of pictures of Rotten Ralph in the manger.

The next picture is C holding a cat my DIL had at her house that loved to be on your lap curled up to be petted and C would provide. It seems the cats would migrate to him and he would oblige even though he would suffer with allergies. I loved cats too and I didn’t have allergies but they didn’t like my lap.

When we lived in Muncie and C was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and it lasted for ten years. His doctor had a good rapport with C and that was a big help to me. I had many crying visits to the doctor because he was my doctor too. It is so frustrating to have your loved one deteriorate in front of your eyes and there is nothing you can do about it.

C’s whole life he knew just vanished. Night time was the worse time he use to tell me people were looking in our the windows, and one day he was convinced the sheriff moved this young couple in this rental across the street from us just to spy on him and no matter what I did or say could not convinced him otherwise. He couldn’t remember anything but the present ten minutes or so.

In the early years of this disease we moved south and attended an information meeting about Alzheimer and C was interested in attending because of his knowledge of pharmaceuticals. The doctor was excellent and I learned then what faced me in the future because the disease starts at the base of the brain on the right side and works its way up until it destroys the brain. He had a plastic model of the brain and was taking pieces out as he spoke. C was fidgety and couldn’t sit for very long and just stood up in the back. In the early stages the patient seems normal but argumentative and this was C to the tee.

One of the hardest things for me to do was to ask the doctor to tell him he shouldn’t drive anymore. He said he would notify the proper authorities and he would have to take a test to make sure he shouldn’t drive. C has an excellent drivers record never having had an accident all the years he was driving.

Now I have to tell you all of our married life I was content to sit back and let C drive all the time. We always had a large van and I did not particularly like to drive it. Oh I could if I had to but preferred not to. I always had my car C bought for me to go to work when I worked. He had purchased my daughters Volvo for me while we were car sitting it for them when they were in Germany on another tour of duty. It was a great car and I felt safe in it because I was able to see out all the windows easily. The van had a lot of blind spots for me because I was too short and the van didn’t have many windows.

When C didn’t pass his test, he had to go to court for the judge to explain why his drivers license was revoked. The judge asked him if he understood and he said yes and they took his license and gave him a identification card. When we got him home he ranted and raved that they plotted against him and blamed our DIL that it was her fault.

When he came home he took his keys and put them in his nightstand where they didn’t belong and then couldn’t find them. Talk about the good Lord watching over me because I knew he was going to blame me. Before they took his license we always took an hour to find his keys, wallet and glasses before we were able to go anywhere.

Because I was going to be the driver from now on I traded the 12 year old Volvo on a year old Chevy Malibu. I took C with me to pick it up and I made arrangements ahead of time with the company that I wanted him on the title with me so he wouldn’t feel left out. I had to constantly remind him he couldn’t drive because he didn’t have a license and he would argue and show me his identification card as his license. He got so bad whenever we had to go town he would ride in the back seat and tell me it was safer there. So it was like driving Mr. Daisy whenever we went anywhere

We had a large dog what was part Australian Shepherd and part Collie that he wanted he named him Sport. We still had our smooth hair fox terrier called Perky that would follow him around when he was outside cutting the grass. We had a riding mower that w as not too powerful but he kept stripping the gears because he tried to shift the gears without the clutch. If you have never been around anyone with Alzheimer’s believe me its heart wrenching. I felt I just couldn’t take away those things he thought he could do.

C wore hearing aids and he was always loosing then because he would take them out and couldn’t remember where he put them. One day when I sat him at the table for supper I gave him water to drink while I was fixing his plate. I looked over at him and he was looking in his water glass where he had dropped his hearing aids in because he thought they were ice cubes. I couldn’t just put food down in side dishes like I use to because it overwhelmed him and would tell me “I can’t eat all that” he had forgotten how to serve himself.

Thank you for listening to this sad part of C ‘s life. He had such a rough beginning and a very hard ending. But now we know it is hereditary because his mother died from the same thing. But I am convinced that the Lord brought us together and blessed us making his life in between great and I was an instrument he used. C was a good man and until next time I am Immigrant Daughter.

IMMIGRANT DAUGHTER #27

2010-03-12T17:00:00.001-08:00

I am trying to figure just where to pick up the story of our life together. The brothers wouldn’t have anything to do with us at that time but C was satisfied with that and it was okay with me because my family loved him and filled the gap that was missing. This is a picture of C with his newfound aunt VM in front of her house in Indianapolis.

The aunt that brought this about was set in her ways and was used to bossing people around and she had never been up against anyone that had to fight for whatever he needed. In other words she just couldn’t boss her nephew around. We had moved to Muncie after she had suggested Indianapolis to be close to her. We wanted to be close but not that close.

As she grew into our family she experienced many things she hadn’t done before. She had never tasted lobster cooked at home. C had always had a New England boiled dinner shipped to us from a fish house from the east coast in the spring because we liked fresh seafood. The company would package it with seaweed and all. If you never tasted seafood from Maine then you are missing something delightful.

This is a picture of aunt VM holding a cooked lobster waiting to see how to start in to eat it. Didn’t take long for her to learn. C did this periodically because he liked to cook them outside on the pit he had built.

That pit was something we will never forget. C had arranged for it to be built with the mason man who was working on the house. He just couldn’t be there to start it but would have his workman put the foundation down so it could set and he would get back to it.

We were closing in our carport to have a great room. It was a 20 by 26 room with a fireplace and his men were to do the mason work. They did a fairly good job with the fireplace that C decided to have them do an above ground pit. Well the day they were to start, they had first stopped along the way to quench their thirst and brought their refreshments along. When they finished the pit it looked liked an opened circle leaning that if you pulled a brick out from the bottom it would topple. Of course the men wanted to be paid and C suggested to the boss he had better come and see this job before he paid. C asked if he the boss would be satisfied to cook on it. He made them tear it down and do it right the next day.

Many years later and many different houses lived in we were ready to settle down in one place. By then C was retired 20 years from the Navy and 16 years from a pharmaceutical company. We came back home to the south where the climate was more agreeable and the boating excellent.

In each job he excelled rising high up the ladder he could go. C just lacked confidence in himself because the lack of encouragement growing up. He was led to believe that a diploma on the wall was magic and even though he passed whatever test given to him. In each job he held when someone needed help they use to say go ask C. At times even his bosses to ask for help. He arose to National Sales Manager that had many workers under his supervision and required much traveling.

Our son called him one day after he heard his dad had retired and asked him to come and give him a hand in the produce business delivering to small markets and eating places. He said he needed someone to stay in the office while he was out checking on his trucks. It seemed as those trucks were always breaking down. One day while getting all the fresh produce in the warehouse preparing for a holiday weekend that night the warehouse caught fire and burned down to the ground. It was a tragic loss and put our son out of business and many unpaid bills that added to the loss. His wife was working by his side all through this. She could have gone on her own but chose to support him in all his decisions. She was and is an attorney.

I am sorry to say that my son erred and strayed like a lost sheep and had an affair, while in El Paso on business and turned his back on God. I am crushed and I am thankful my C isn’t alive to see what our son has done. He brought a wonderful girl into our family and then he tells me I can’t have anything to do with her. Oops since when are you telling your mother what I can do or can’t do. He is still in this adulterous affair and has a bastard child and tells his sister God wants him to be happy. Since when does god condone sin?

And here I am; never one to miss out on lobster!!!

I see I should stop and this is a good time in my story. Until next time, I am Immigrant Daughter.

IMMGRANT DAUGHTER #26

2010-03-09T16:43:00.001-08:00

I left off with the third brother meeting the oldest for the first time and turning white. He excused himself and went to another office to call his wife. After a bit he came back and apologized and said it was lunchtime and invited the three of us to lunch and said he wife would meet us. He wanted his wife to meet us. She was a Miss Florida at one time and very attractive and very nice. The lunch went well and she invited us out to their home for coffee and dessert. They lived in a wooded area in a fabulous that was like a hunting lodge with all the modern conveniences. It had the heads of various animals that B shot on the wall. B was an avid hunter. I want to mention here B was a Vietnam veteran that was exposed to Agent Orange and still being treated for it.

B wanted to apologize for not attending the dinner for all the cousins to meet C. He said that he respected his brothers’ decision but wanted C to know they knew their parents had a unspoken secret. But they never really new what it was and admitted it was quite a shock when C showed up while the wills were still in probate because the mother just recently died. He told C that his dad and mom were into the community in charge if this and that. It was like he owned everything. In fact his dad raised Arabian horses and rode in the local parades, and the other brothers wife was quite an equestrian. It seemed to me there was a strain between sisters in law. The brothers were entirely different.

One brother wanted us to go away and the other brother opened up his heart and felt bad when he heard how C had to grow up knowing that his parents had an opportunity to claim C. I am not sure of all the particulars how but his mother was notified by the Children’ Aid Society that they had C in their care again. C told me a story that he remembered being sitting in a chair in this large empty room and a lady came in to see him. C asked her “are you my mother?” she nodded her head yes and then left the room.
That is the only remembrance he has of his mother. He never did see his father.

This meeting probably happened between foster homes. When I mentioned that the fathers’ part of the family did not have anything to do with the mothers’ side of the family. Remember the parents got married after the baby was born so he had his mothers maiden name. Back then in early 1920 these towns were small even Fort Wayne where his cousin L lived. You can better understand why the 2nd brother wouldn’t come and meet C. They were snooty and like he said there is nothing in it for me to come to meet C. Now both of the parents were dead and he did not want C rocking the boat. After all they were up standing people in their own eyes.

But I mentioned third son felt so bad the way his brother acted the when he and his wife took us to their house they gave pictures to C of the family he came from. That is how C was able to have any pictures at all. That brother did not live too long after that. The Agent Orange took its toll and we never did get to see him again. His wife called us after the fact and said the reason she didn’t was she did not want any problem with B brother because the two brothers had harsh words and she just couldn’t take any more.

That is the first part of the orphan boy’ family that leaves a lot to be desired. The first son that’s us had both girls and boy, the second son had just two girls, and the third son had one of each. I think it is ironic that the most stubborn of the two brothers had just girls no one to carry on their precious name. And B’ son sort of fell off the deep end because he left home and ended up marrying a much older lady that had children of her own. The last we heard they went to Arizona.

You can better understand now how I know that we are blessed and I have the best of the three sons. C also knew that yes he had a crummy life but found out the Lord was never leaving him alone. I remember Paul Harvey use to say he never saw a u-haul behind a hearse going to the commentary. What I used to tell C yes they had money but what he had money couldn’t buy. At least he knows now he had a mother and father and two brothers and the boys are all five years apart.

I am thankful for my BIL who was diligent in the search to put C’s mind to rest. I can now continue with more about our life together. Until next time I am Immigrant Daughter.

IMMIGRANT DAUGHTER #25

2010-03-05T17:20:00.000-08:00

When I ended my last post I mentioned the orphan boy found out he had family close by that came to the surface. I need to tell you my brother in law is a persistent and detailed person. He was a certified public accountant and a T man for the government. So you can imagine when he dug into finding information about C he did not take “records closed” too well and knew the steps he had to take to find out the information without offending the local people.

He told us about the humorous incident of going through the genealogy department of Indiana. They had a list of eight and he picked one with the same last name that C was using only pronounced differently. When he called her and explained what he was doing for a child, now a man that was trying to find out the truth about his background. She was very polite and listened. Then she said she was his aunt by marriage and knew about the situation. You can imagine the delight BIL had on the first phone call hitting pay dirt on his hunch of talking to someone with the same last name. Here is a picture of VM.

I want to tell you something about his aunt that we taken with, when she told us of how she married her husband. A was a Colonel in the Army fighting in the Mexican war and was seventeen years her senor. His first wife died and he was out of the army and aunt VM was set on him marrying her. He had eyes for her cousin but did in fact marry C’ aunt. I don’t know how she did it but I will call it perseverance. Years later when my fathers’ brother died my sister found in his belongs a document stating he was fighting against the prohibition in the same area the Colonel was, only he was for it. The Colonel is the man standing on the far right in this photograph.

After a few letters back and forth she arranged a get-together with the many cousins that were still living for C to meet. But here is the best part C had two brothers that a different last name than his and you would think that all turned out for the best, but it didn’t. The cousins that said they would come with their spouse totaled 12 including the aunt and us. The brothers did not respond they said there wasn’t anything in it for them. They had nothing to do with that half of the family and I will mention that later.

We met at a small eating place somewhere in Indiana I never heard of and met part of C’ family. They were all big and hardy people and C looked very lean next to them. They were very friendly and loving all talking at once with their version of what they thought happened. C was beside himself of finally knowing he did belong somewhere and why he wasn’t there now. They were a bit older than he and unfortunately many of them passed away before we see them again because they were scattered out in northern Indiana.

Aunt VM lived in Indianapolis and we lived only an hour away so we had many visits to her home. In the meantime we gave us the story of C’ brothers and the background of the different last name. Remember when I mentioned about the money or the baby and they chose the money. Well we are now piecing together C’ life because he is now a grown man finding out he has two brothers that are five years apart in ages. C was first, then after five years the second son and five more years the third son. Now you know the desolate existence of C’ birth, and now I will tell you about his brothers. en.eceived great wealth from the great grandmother. His dad bought the fairgrounds to build their house and incidentally it is still there. The boys grew up lacking nothing. They lived in Indiana in the winter and in Florida on the inland waterway in the summer. They lived luxuriously where ever they lived. When we got married in 49 this is what his family looked like then.

When C arrived on the scene looking for information many years had passed. Everyone was grown and the father had passed away and his mother had just passed away. So when C arrived on the scene the older of the two at home thought C’ was looking for some way to get money and indicated as much to him. He couldn’t understand that C wanted to know about his parents and that’s’ all. We knew the Lord and didn’t need money because we had more than money. But you can’t tell this to anyone that does not know the Lord. They way they reacted about money they were the losers not us.

One day the cousin in the first picture asked C to come up to Fort Wayne where he was living and said he wanted to take him to the office of his brother. They had the corner market of bottle gas and oil business in the area. If I mentioned the name of gas stations you would be aware of the amount of money they were worried about. Cousin L took C to the office and the secretary said the brother was not in. Now she knew cousin L and said other brother was in and would see us.

We went in to the office and he recognized cousin L and shook his hand and asked what he could do for him. Cousin L said he came to do something for him and said I want you to meet your older brother. It got so quiet you could hear a pin drop and that is something because Cousin L was loud and boisterous most of the time. Brother B shook C’ hand and excused himself and left the room.
Here is a picture of the brothers with their mother.

His mother and father where living in northern Indiana and had r
I need to stop here just to let you catch your breath because there is a more to tell you about my husband who is no longer an orphan boy. Until then, I am Immigrant Daughter.

IMMIGRANT DAUGHTER #24

2010-03-03T17:11:00.000-08:00

I started my story telling you about my immigrant father coming to a new life and having to learn new things. I believe I could parallel C.s’ life and the determination he had to do much of the same thing. The course of C’s life made it easier for him because he only had himself to worry about.

Picking up on his life where the court made him wait until he was 17 years old to join the U.S. Navy, he reported to the chow line checking in to eat. When he saw all the food and all the different varieties he knew he was going to like the Navy.

At that time they had to buy their own uniforms. After completing this chore he immediately went to sea aboard a destroyer. He was still growing and he out grew his clothes in no time and was ordered to buy Dress Blues for the upcoming inspection. He didn’t have the money plus aboard ship did not have any to fit him so he had to stand inspection in “high water pants”.

This was before Pearl Harbor and he was out to sea. That made it possible for him to learn quite a bit about life he knew nothing about. He told me he was the youngest man aboard ship and the old salts took him under wings because they saw he was willing to work and learn at the same time. They taught him many things good and not so good.

In the navy individuals had always started at seamen and then worked their way up the ladder from seaman to first class then to the rank to Chief Petty Officer. This of course took many years to accomplish because they had to hold each rate so many years before they could apply for the next. Also to be appointed to each rank it took a recommendation from their superior officer.

The lower rank started at seaman to third class and C held this lower scale many times because he would accomplish one and switch to another. He was like a sponge to water soaking up learning everything he could about his job and everyone else’. He found out very soon different rates put you at different places on the ship for instance he wanted to be topside and not in the engine room. Being topside involved d kind of responsibility more appealing to him. Doing lines and keeping them in ship shape came as second nature. Now to you and I this doesn’t sound like much but coiling line and keeping it flat takes some doing. The lines on ships are thick in diameter and will lay flat when coiled so they will not tangle when they are needed. All this and more is in the Blue Jackets Manuel that each seaman receives when enlisting.

When Carl bought us the motor sailer and the line was too large and heavy for me to handle for tossing the line to the dock so he had to purchase nylon line that was strong and easy to handle because it wasn’t heavy like hemp line. When we were docking our sailboat in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, I stepped off the boat with the line in my hand and slipped when I jumped to the dock breaking my clavicle. Carl was yelling for me to drop the line, which I didn’t and the fall yanked my arm so hard my collar bone broke.

When we did finally dock and the boatyard people called a cab for us and he took me to the hospital where they separated us wanting us to explain more than once what happened. They wanted to make sure it was an accident. Because they said they had to report it to the police.

The clavicle does not heal together like other bones to this day all these years later I still have the bone sticking up. I was just finishing my two week vacation from my job working for Motorola that I couldn’t go back to work for another week because my arm was in a sling. My boss was not happy about that and kidded me about the tough way I am extending my vacation.

Carl was still in search of records of who he really is and my 3rd sisters’ husband loved to help people dig in their past and asked C if he could help. He made phone calls and by writing letters to various departments in Indiana because his birth certificate was issued at Fort Wayne. He was a big help and this picture shows him with some of the family he found (and my No.2 daughter!)

There is so much to say that the orphan boy I married turned out to have a family and then some. Until next time, I am Immigrant Daughter

IMMIGRANT DAUGHTER #23

2010-02-27T12:20:00.000-08:00

To grow up and never hearing loving words or any one caring what happened to him, you can understand why he was so rebellious most of his life thinking no one loved him. All through school he displayed he was not dumb. Not having any one to encourage him made him a loner. He had been in more than 14 foster homes both in Indiana and Michigan. This was his life all through school.

To graduate the eight grade he was to make a current events booklet with newspaper and magazine cut-outs. Where he was staying there weren’t any. Needless to say he did not make one and when he was told he wouldn’t graduate he got up and left the class and never went back. The foster parents did not even try to find out what really happened and rather than stay there Carl left home running away from that home.

He stayed with a lady who had a son and also named Carl who was two years older and he too had quit school. Her husband had died and she was struggling to manage the food and bar business alone. Carl had pick up some odd jobs to have spending money. He worked in the bowling ally and one day while walking to town he met someone he new and asked him where he was going? As they talked his friend said he was going to join the army. That didn’t appeal to Carl but the navy did. Carl was living in Michigan while in grade school and used to look out the window seeing the large ships on Lake Michigan and wanting to be on a ship. His friend and he headed for Detroit to join the Army and Carl the Navy.

When Carl got to the recruiting office he found out there were a lot of things he did not have that he needed to join the Navy. First he needed a birth certificate that showed his date of birth. He did not know for sure what that was. The recruiters told him it is a certificate proving how old he is and where he was born. He had to go through the Children’s Aid Society and the court to produce a document birth certificate so he could join the navy. When he found out he was 6 months shy of being 17 the needed age to join the navy, he had to wait until then.

Now the judge asked him what his name was and he said Carl M. and the judge said that is not what the paper he was holding indicated. Carl was given a different name at every foster home he lived so who knows what the judge had in front of him. The courts between Indiana and Michigan gave him a birth certificate from Fort Wayne, Indiana where he was born. It read his mothers name as Elsta M. and Father as Henry H. S. and a male child given mothers last name M.

The mother and father were not married at the time of his birth, and they did not marry until a month later not giving the child his birthright name. In fact he grew up thinking he was an orphan and that his parents were killed in a car accident. He did not learn any of this until he was grown. He lived in many foster homes and realized no one cared what he did. While in foster care they were obligated he went to school because they were being paid by the state. He went to school where you stayed in the same room all day with the same kids some of which were very well dressed and had a mother, father and brothers and sisters.

In his mind he began to question where was his family and why if he was born in Indiana, he was now in Michigan. Needless to say he became restless and bored as he approached his 17th birthday he sat in school staring at the boats on lake Michigan going out of sight. He decided he would leave school and join the coast guard. The next stage in Carl’s life was a period of growing up and learning that there was so much more to learn. He enrolled in every school the Navy had to offer and when I met him he was in the waiting process for yet another school and now I begin my story in how I became his wife for 58 years. Until then, I am IMMIGRANT DAUGHTER.

IMMIGRANT DAUGHTER #22

2010-02-24T16:28:00.000-08:00

As I write this story with the Lords’ help I hope to convey that we are nothing without depending on Him.

"Without love, we are nothing." 1 Cor. 13

I want to tell you a story about a man who grew up thinking he wasn’t loved. Perhaps when you hear his story you too may think he wasn’t. This story takes place in the early 1920’s when two people conceived a child out of wedlock. Now your probably thinking so what that happens all the time and nobody cares. But at that time good names were not to be tarnished. I will explain more about is as the story progresses.

The two young people came from opposite sides of the tracks socially. One family was rich and one, poor dirt farmers’ who worked the land to provide for education past public schools. How the two met is anybody’s’ guess. It was a very small community. The farmers knew the importance of furthering their education in life that many of their offspring went on to become teachers and professionals in other fields.

Now the daughter of one of the farm families had ideas and dreams of her own and was determined she was not going to be stuck down on the farm for the rest of her life. She wanted some of the finer things that life offered, servants, car, clothes and all things money can buy. Now you probably figured out the boy was from the wealthy family, and your right. Now here iswhere the story begins.

I will now give the two young people names, Elsta and Henry. At this time their last names are not necessary. It isn’t known whether the families knew the Lord or even raised their children in a Christian environment, but obviously they strayed. The one thing in their favor is that they did not want to abort the child.

When Henry informed his family of the situation I believe they loved each other and wanted to marry, but his family was ruled by the matriarch who was in control of the money. Now she gave Henry a choice he could marry now and be cut off from receiving any money or wait until the child is disposed. I don’t think she cared either way as to how they should get rid of the child.

Now Elsta has seen how people with money live and she did not want to give that up so they decided to go ahead and have the baby and decide what to do with it after delivery. In fact they married one month after the boy was born. Now she new the importance of getting an education and knew how hard her family had to work to make schooling available for her to finish. I’m sure they had many fun times together and making plans as to what to do with the baby and to get married to keep in the good graces of the great grand mother. They move to have the baby elsewhere and hoped the grandmother would change her mind. She did not and this is how they gave him up at birth .

There was a formal adoption by the Millers that had a little girl from Michigan. The baby was a week old when the Millers adopted the boy and had him four years then Mrs. M. got sick and couldn’t care for him. He was taken to the Children’s Aid Society. This began a long list of different foster homes. You can better understand why he felt no one loved him because he never became part of a family having someone celebrate his birthday with cake and ice-cream or even getting a present. The hardest to endure was growing up without hugs or anyone caring about him.

To be continued, until then, I am Immigrant Daughter

IMMIGRANT DAUGHTER # 21

2010-02-20T08:48:00.000-08:00

We were certainly enjoying our Chris-craft on Lake Texoma every weekend. The company that C worked for promoted him again and guess what, we had to move once again. This time it was Chicago and of course C’ territory was much larger that meant traveling the mid-west states. This opened up an opportunity to explore the records of the Children’ Aid Society to find out who his parents were. Each time he tried to find out they would tell him the records are closed. I will tell you more about the outcome a little later.

Going back to Chicago was like going home for C because he lived most of his life in and out of different foster homes in the Detroit area. The water was still drawing him in his free time. If you ever lived in the Chicago area you know that it is spreadout and one township spreads out into another and suddenly you are in and out. For instance we lived in Schaumburg then Roselle, because we trying to find the easiest traffic to drive through to the airport. There just weren’t any.

We finally move a bit south of the city to Geneva, Illinois where we purchased a home.
I was able to get to my job easy enough in Schaumberg. Our back yard was closed in by a chain link fence had an alley that across the back. It was affordable and away from all that traffic and easy for C to get to O’Hare airport.

One day while we were enjoying our coffee on the patio we were watching the lady whose yard was across the alley working diligently in her garden. She had grapevines all across the back fence and you know I just had to ask her if I could pick the grape leaves.
It was then I found out her husband who was long gone was of Mediterranean decent and she knew about stuffed grape leaves.

Eva was 75 years old and still going strong doing all her own work both inside and outside the house. She was very generous with her vegetables with all her neighbors. She taught us a lot about vegetable gardening. She loved to watch soap operas and really didn’t understand they were only make-believe. When I tried to explain it her she would just say, “I know what I saw on the Television”.

C put in a garden and was digging out the grass just taking his time and one day during the week when he was working she came over with her tiller and finished it for him. She told him it was too hard doing it the way he was doing it. Here is a picture of C’ garden. I must tell you I hated to weed and it seemed that job fell on me. It was hard keeping dogs and cats out of it.

The year we moved to Illinois that next winter it had the worst snowfall it ever had. The place literally shut down for a day untilthey could clear the roads. We had a long driveway and Eva called and asked C if he needed her to clear the driveway because she had a snow blower. We both had a good laugh about her offer. C had to get on top of the house to get the snow off the garage because it didn’t have a pitch roof like the rest of the house.

We still had Sandy my fox terrier and we were dog sitting a golden retriever puppy named Camille for our second child and son-in-law, and when the snowstorm hit we had to shovel a path out back for them to go do their bathroom away from the house. The snow was so deep that we couldn’t see the dogs when they were in the path. I happened to have a picture. One of the joys of having animals is to run a catering service when needed.

Lake Michigan just seemed to be calling C and his urge for having a boat was becoming prominent. He wanted to be on the water so we made a trip up to Traverse City, Michigan that is located at the north tip of the lake and we are located at the very base of the lake. We went up the west side of the lake stopping at many marinas along the way and when we got to the Travis City marina C found a used 37ft Gulf Stream that had two cabins one forward and one aft with a galley and head in between. This boat was a motor sailor that had a shallow keel and easy to sail. I did not have any knowledge of sailing so C enrolled us in a sailing school in Tampa, Florida. That was the best way for me to learn because they divided the couples so your spouse was not in the same boat, they found out couples learned easier without the spouses by their side. This was a dream come true for C having his own boat on Lake Michigan.

We made arrangements with church friends who were experienced in sailing up to fly to Traverse City with us and sail down to Benton Harbor, Michigan which is on the East side of the lake where we made arrangements to rent a docking space. It took us several days to sail down and we had quite a learning experience in light wind. This was no racer so we so we used the motor instead of sails to get back in time for C and J not to miss work.
I have more stories but that will have to wait until next time, until then I am, Immigrant Daughter.

IMMIGRANT DAUGHTER #20

2010-02-17T17:47:00.001-08:00

I would like to take this opportunity to tell you something about the family pets that helped raise our children. Some are humorous and this will give you a bit of a break of everything being so serious about our life.

I already told you about dogs: Debbie, Midget and MIssy. There is one more story about Missy. She was a good traveler because she just wanted to be with the kids in the back seat. Going home we had developed a habit of stopping at the end of Radio Road for a frozen custard. Mind you, we could have fixed a cone at the luncheonette before we left, but it's not the same.

Number two child always shared hers with Missy because she was an easy touch. There came a time when Missy would not just lick, but bite the custard, leaving the child with just the cone and crying. So we had to end up buying the dog her own. The people who owed the stand became friends. He drove one of the large back-hoes that dug out the lagoons and was a customer of the luncheonette.

for us at home was a Siamese cat whose name was "Satchmo" that ended up being called "Sam." The Siamese cat is an Oriental breed with short, smooth hair on a large slender light colored body with dark colored paws, ears and face and with bright green-yellow eyes. This cat was ever bit as eccentric as Siamese cats were given credit for. Our cat climbed up the drapes to get to the valance and would just wait for the dog to come by so he could pounce on her. Never a dull moment!

I finally changed the drapes for venetian blinds to keep the cat from assaulting the dog. This was before Missy. When this cat was outside, he climbed up the street lights and found out quickly the light shields were too hot from the sun. She would howl to no avail and finally got down and did not do that again! This cat was not dumb, and for the life of me, I can't remember what happened to Sam. I guess when my kids read this, they will remind me. I guess this forgetting comes on a little with age.

We dog-sat my brother's boxer, named "Baron." He was old for a dog and one day he ran into the hallway wall hitting the wallon both sides. We took him to the vet and the vet said it was a seizure and it would not bet better and that each seizure would last longer. He advised putting him down, which we did. My brother could not be reached at that time, and when we told him what happened, he said he was aware of the problem and was glad we made the decision for him.

C loved boats and the water, so we always had a boat starting with a pontoon boat that had a canopy that we put on the lake. C was always thinking of me, knowing I wasn't too sure of the water, so he was thinking of safety first, knowing if I was scared I just would not go. It was not his choice of a boat, because it was not a boat, but we did well and enjoyed the lake. One night after going to the lake we came home and, lo and behold, no Missy! We had just forgotten her at the lake while we were packing up the car. She had gone off to do her business, and we did not notice she was not in the car until we got home. So I put the kids to bed and C went back for Missy, who was patiently waiting on the pontoon.

C had a ruddy complexion that burned easily even on a cloudy day. I asked him how he survived in the Navy so long aboard ship, and he remarked, "You get used to it and do what you have to do, especially when you like the water."

When he went out he always wore a large brimmed canvas hat and covered his skin with sun shield. In fact, I still have his hat; I just couldn't part with it.

We purchased a Boston Whaler to pull behind the care that made any water available for the kids to water ski. Number three child was the best water skier. She got up in the skis the very first try. I don't have to tell you where I was: When I tried, you guessed it, in the water! I could never get up on the skis! But I loved watching. I never really cared about going that fast in the water or car.

One time when we went to the lake for the day taking food and umbrella to set up on the beach, so Missy and i could enjoy ourselves, too. When C and the kids came to shore to rest and eat, C got the bright idea to pick MIssy up and wet her. She did not like that at all! She swam to shore and came out shaking off the water, walking on the shore line and finding a place where the fishermen left some fish skin and bones. They were smelly and yuckey then she rolled in them. She came back to where we were and found C's clothes and rolled back and forth on them and got up and looked at him as if to say, "No, there!"

One Anniversary while living in Dallas, C came home with a smooth-haired fox terrier as my gift. He figured Sandy would be good company for me because by this time the kids were grown and in college. He had been given a promotion, and his had 12 men who he had to supervise. This caused him to be out of town during the week, and he thought I needed a dog. Sandy was a pedigreed dog with a name that was too long to remember, so I called her "Sandy."

In the next door house a single girl rented the upstairs, and one night she was raped and no one heard a thing, so that is why I was given Sandy. She was a great watch dog as all terriers are yappy. I worked downtown Dallas for an insurance company. I would ride the bus back and forth to work and I left Sandy in the house and she never had an accident. She must have had the largest bladder possible to hold it all day.

One time we had a thirty-foot Chris Craft that we bought that needed a lot of elbow grease to make it presentable. C had to get the engine reconditioned because that needed professional mechanical work. When we put it in Lake Texoma, it served us well. WE had many enjoyable days on it, and Sandy loved to jump off to swim when we were anchored close to shore. Sheloved to get on top of a tire tube while we were in the water. We slept on the boat many weekends, coming home tired but still looking forward to the next weekend. More about that later. Until then, I am Immigrant Daughter.

Immigrant Daughter # 19

2010-02-13T14:46:00.001-08:00

We are still in New Jersey in Toms River and opened up a luncheonette in Mystic Island. From Toms River it took us 45 minutes to get to Tuckerton the town on the map where Mystic Island was being built. That part of N.J. was swamp that was being filled in to make lagoons for water to come back a couple miles to the mainland. The owners were out to make money, selling homes on the built up lagoons to city folks from both Philadelphia and New York. These home were cottages on small lots on the water. And had three floor plans to choose from. When the tide was in you were able to take a boat out to the ocean and to get back you had to wait for the tide to be in again.

The luncheonette did very well on the weekends with the city people wanting to get out of the city and enjoy a home on the water that was affordable. The workmen started early and left around 4 o’clock in the afternoon. I always cooked a noon meal so the workmen would have a choice of buying a hot meal instead of sandwiches.

C worked on weekends selling homes and we were able to purchase one of the three bedroom cottages at a discount. When school was out in the summer time we just stayed at Mystic Island. The kids had chores to do at the luncheonette and then they were able to go swim in the lagoon. They washed dishes, waited on customers, and got to read comic books we sold. We were the first business to open up in the 5-store unit. So we carried a lot of sundry items and milk, bread and luncheon meat.

Hiring good dependable help was a problem of sorts. When I first opened up I had to have someone open early before I could get there. The one waitress I hired was not ringing up all of the money. It would be one for me and two for her. The workmen noticed this and told my brother-in-law who was the accountant for the firm that owned Mystic Island. He got to know the men very well because he made out their paychecks for the firm. I really appreciated their loyalty. When she was let go my sales jump up immediately.

I hired a retired, beautician, who live on the island who was 50 years old. She was an honestindividual and treated the business like her own. She was a slow and methodical and made very few mistakes. She was well like and not afraid to work. The winter days were very slow because the workman had to find work elsewhere to meet their expenses.
I closed the luncheonette between Christmas through New Years. I gave my waitresses a bonus and one of them said she never worked anywhere that gave a bonus.

We were able to spend two weeks at home in Toms River having a grand time attending church and marina functions that were many. We were able to help with the year- end church dinner and just enjoy the fellowship. Our bowling buddies were architects and lived on the river and when it froze they would invite us over so the kids could ice skate on it behind their house. C grew up un Michigan where they skated most of the winter. Our kids took to skating like a duck to water no one had to teach them. I couldn’t even stand up on the skates. I was the spectator.

One day the weather rough was windy out in the ocean off the coast of N.J., which caused the tide to come in and not go back out causing the water to flood the island where the luncheonette was located. We couldn’t get to Mystic Island for a week and when we were able to check the store and we had two feet of water in it that ruined all the compressors. The ice cream and deli boxes smelled so bad they all had to be replaced. The water reached the golf course that was a mile closer to town past us. Our cottage also was flooded but easy to clean up. This was a year of several mishaps.

I always made a bank run before the weekend to make sure we had enough change for on hand. One day while going to the bank one afternoon on the return trip to Mystic Island my falcon was hit broad side and completely wrecked. The police were called to the accident and didn’t issue any tickets because the other driver was the son of a politician who was on the shady side of political affairs. We went to court and the Judge ruled in his favor by dismissing the case. I had the right away and he hit me from a stop street by not stopping. Does that tell you anything about N.J.’ shady politics and who rules the roost. My insurance company was left with replacing my car.

My father was on the town council in the town I grew up in that was just a half an hour away and one day he was approached by one of those favored few wanting to buy him a new Stetson. He was attempting to buy his vote on an issue dad was not supporting in the council meeting. My father told him no thanks when he needs a hat he will buy it himself.

Dad was respected and admired. He was a proud man and raised his family according to American values. Family wise he had a big job of raising four girls and two boys by himself because mom died when she was only 45 years old., I was 12 years old the youngest and the oldest 21 years old.

When C and I opened the luncheonette dad was pleased and would come and see us every chance he could. One weekend C and I gave him surprise birthday party inviting his sisters and moms’ brother and sisters. They came to the party in Toms River to surprise him. He truly was surprised and we all had a good time. C and I had just completed remodeling our basement in an Hawaiian motif that dad had not seen.

My oldest sister gave the kids a small dog that we named midget. The kids loved playing with midget outside and one-day midget ran out in the street and was hit by a car. The lady driver was so upset she offered to replace it with a purebred collie pup from a litter her dog had. We declined telling her it wasn’t her fault but the dog’ running out in front of her car.

That Christmas my other sister gave the kids a buff color cocker spaniel that we named missy that lived in our family for sixteen years. She died when third child was 19 years old who found it hard because she couldn’t remember a day without missy. Someone who had an English cocker spaniel which was multi colored contacted us and wanted to have the dogs mate giving them choice of the litter. Well missy only had two puppies.
And she was not very cooperative giving birth. Missy was near delivery date and we always went to see dad after we closed on the weekend and felt that the trip would be too hard on her so we left her home. We were only gone a couple of hours and when we go back she did not have the puppies in the whelping box that C had made for her, but on the couch. She had two puppies and pushed one off the couch that did not survive. The one that did was a tri color. She was a beautiful pup and the kids named her Debbie. Her disposition did not match her beauty. One day at the cottage we had her on a leash in the grassy area and lady came up and said what a cute puppy wanting to pet it. And the kids said don’t pet her she is not friendly. But she wouldn’t listen and bent down to touch her and Debbie bit her hand. We finally did sell her.

I better close for now because my post is getting too long. Until next time, I am Immigrant Daughter .