Today is Mom's Birthday

I know this may not seem important to you but for our family it is. Mom is 102 years old today.

That's quite a milestone in most people's book. It is for me. Let me be clear that I don't want to reach that milestone for myself. I'm much too tired already to think of holding out for another 30 years. I'll be happy making it past 82. Of course the closer I am to that date I may change my mind. We humans are prone to such behavior!

Anyway today's post is about Mom and milestones. Not me.

Born in southeastern Minnesota on a farm, mom joined her family of one half-brother and four siblings (a brother and three sisters). She remained on the farm until she ventured out to St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, where she suffered a terrible case of home sickness. She returned home, later enrolled in some classes at Mankato State for a short time, and eventually wound up in Minneapolis at a secretarial school.

She met my father while home in Freeborn. Dad was the minister's kid who went off to St. Paul and the University of Minnesota to study aeronautical engineering. Later their dates proved convincing and they married after Dad graduated with his degree. His first job was for Swift & Company in Chicago where they moved in 1936.

Chicago was home to a lot of our family – at least my father's side – and Mom adapted nicely to her large city community and the expanded family. My brother was born in 1938. Dad's career shifted to southern California in 1940-1941 where he switched employers finally settling on the US Navy as a civil engineer. He worked to perfect the torpedo weapons system.  The family lived in Altadena, California, a suburb abutting Pasadena to the north in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains.

My sister joined the family in 1942 and I arrived in 1943. Shortly thereafter we moved to the Naval Ordinance Test Station base on the Mojave Desert located near Inyokern. We remained for nearly 3 years and returned to our home in Altadena.

Mom was a stay at home mother for all this period in California. We built a new home in Glendora to the east of Altadena. However, we were there only six months when Dad got a job in Massachusetts. He reported there soon after while Mom remained behind with we three kids and sold the house. On my 11th birthday we moved to Pittsfield, Massachusetts. The moving van left the house with all of our worldly goods. The date was June 18, 1954 and the family began the long car journey across country. We traveled at night across the desert as we had no air conditioning then. We traveled the major western canyons – Zion, Grand, Bryce – and made it to the Chicago area to visit family and friends. We eventually meandered east across lush green landscapes (to us!). We arrived in Pittsfield in early July and soon after witnessed our first New England 4th of July. We lived temporarily in a large old home where engineers from General Electric billeted for months as a bachelor pad. Dad lived there awaiting sale of our California home and our move east. Mom cooked for us and all the resident engineers!  It was an interesting introduction to New England to say the least.

Dad had bought a house and the real estate closing was scheduled for July when we joined Dad in Massachusetts. The home was west of town on a hill top on Roslyn Drive. A cape cod large for its style, we lived there for six full years. Mom was active in church, various auxiliaries, and Goodwill Industries. She was interested in antiquing in the wonderland of New England. Small villages and old barns and mansions with frequent estate sales. It was a time Dad worried about what she would bring home with her from a day long outing in the country! But then she would dutifully refresh, rehab and alter her 'finds' and decorate the house accordingly. For her it was fun and profitable.

Later, she took up braiding rugs from new and then used woolen materials. At that time in history woolen mills still dotted the New England landscape although they were disappearing. At any rate, we explored countless communities with their woolen mills and brought home her treasures. Soon they were converted to beautiful, multi-colored woolen rugs. Art really to adorn the floor.  She made rugs for every room in the house and then for friends and family in need of such art. She began to sell some of her wares but that phase of life was interrupted with yet another move of the household.

In January, 1960 we moved to Syracuse, New York. It was a blizzardy day and the moving van was delayed by a mishap but no damage to our household goods. We were 'marooned' in a motel near our new home, however, awaiting arrival of the van two days later.

The week before moving in Syracuse had had a snow storm with 24 inches of snow, and on our move in weekend we had another 18 inches of snow. All I remember was shoveling the driveway so the van and crew could more easily empty the van and move us in. Our real estate agent met us at the house and bought us a snow shovel as a house warming gift! Talk about useful gifts!

At any rate Mom made the adjustment to yet another home in another state following Dad's career in the defense industry. During this phase of life Mom took a full time job as I was the last of the kids living at home and soon to begin college. We lived across a large field from the world headquarters of Carrier Air Conditioning. She found a job working there as secretary to the purchasing manager.

Five years later my folks relocated again to Gales Ferry, Connecticut near the New London submarine base. They remained there for 3 years and then returned to Syracuse for another stint before retiring in 1971. By then they had had enough snow and cold and built a house in Arizona near Phoenix.   There they remained until today. Dad died in 1991. Mom continues in good health but now living in a nearby assisted living center with friends and colleagues she has known for many years.

It is amazing to think back on all the homes and communities my mother has lived in. And the family and friends she has connected with over the decades. Think of it in terms of your own life of whatever length. Years and years go by and each with a different focus of interest and people and locale.

Mom has seen a lot. And she has endured even more. But at 102 what would we expect?

Happy Birthday, Mom!

February 24, 2016