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1:41:00 PM PDT
Feeling Happy
M.O.M. Monday
After my dad died, of course my mom was devastated; she did not expect to be a widow at the age of 38 with 3 young children under the age of 5. Thankfully, she still lived in the town that she had grown up with her extended family of sisters and brothers and mother and nieces and nephews all around her so they were of immense support to her. Since my mom was the youngest in her family and married later in life, a lot of her sisters and brothers had married in their early 20s and had teenage sons and daughters who could babysit us or help with things around the home as well as my mom's own brothers helping too.
My mom was fiercely independent though and did not want to ask others to do things for her, she didn't want to take them away from their families or their work.
Life was challenging for her and the weather of Pennsylvania made it more challenging in the winter months with snow and cold weather, something she would grow to dislike strongly as each passing year went by after my dad died. She didn't like driving in the snow, didn't like the ice on the road, having to park the car in the detached garage at the alley then shovel snow out to it in the morning or if she left the car on the street, have to allow time to remove the snow from it. I remember the city had lots of hills in it and I remember my mom always worried she wouldn't make it up a hill and start sliding down it on ice/snow. I remember her learning what hills were good ones to drive up and down even if it took her a few extra blocks out of her way.
In 1963, she had enough of the weather and started thinking about moving to California where I had an aunt live. My mom and me made a trip out there to visit my aunt and check out the area. We were gone for about 2-3 weeks; I was the lucky one to go because I was in kindergarten at the time and wouldn't miss that much school. My brother and sister stayed with one of our aunts and her children.
During that time, when my brother was at my aunt's house, a china plate fell on his second toe on his left foot and cut it so deeply it almost got detached. He ended up being in the hospital for a whole month while they allowed it to heal after surgery. I think it was a major procedure but because of the time (over 40 years ago) I think they were just more cautious about people going home so soon after an operation and because of the neurovascular nature of attaching the toe back on, I think they wanted to make sure he healed okay with no complications and/or infections.
My aunt didn't tell my mom what happened when my mom would call to check in and my mom kind of wondered if something was up with my brother since he never seemed to be around to talk with her, but she had to have faith in my aunt taking the best care she could of my sister and brother. When we did make it back home, my mom was grateful my aunt hadn't said anything because she wasn't sure if she would have jumped on the next train home or what she would have done.
Two years later my mom was ready to make her move to California and on August 10, 1965 we arrived in San Diego via train. Three days and three nights on a train across country with 3 children now 7 years old, 9 years old and 11 years old. On top of that, I had broken my ankle the week before at a going away party our church group had for us so we traveled across country with me in a cast and crutches and I'm sure my mom over-stressed, but thankfully, thank you Lord, we got there in one piece.
The train station in San Diego is close by to the airport. After we got off the train and collected our baggage, our aunt met us. As she didn't drive, she had a friend pick us up to take us to where we would be staying at a local motel until my mom found a place for us to rent.
As we got into the car and started driving away, a loud airplane went right over our car. You never saw three kids so scared by that loud noise. Eventually, of course, we would get used to the sounds and sights of living in a large metropolitan area.
Side note: Due to our upcoming move and a mini-vacation my husband and me are taking this next weekend into early next week, M.O.M. Mondays will be on a brief hiatus until May 19th.
Written by lv2trnscrb Blog about this entry |
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I love you sharing these memories... thank you! Such a gift for each of us who read them! And, for you...
be well,
Dawn
http://journals.aol.com/princesssaurora/CarpeDiem/ -
Wow that is an amazing story of how your family and you survived those traumas and made it out to CA. I do admit even though I missed the snow, sometimes not having any in the southern states is a refreshing change.
Lisa -
Your mom was very brave moving off to California and away from all the family! I think I would have gotten along very well with her :-)
Martha -
Living in the same area of Pa., I can't say I blame your mom one bit for wanting to get away from the winters here. I hate them more each year. What a trip you had. I'm wondering if your brother's accident would have been so serious nowadays. Enjoy your mini vacation. Chris
4/30/08 4:28 PM
Deb