A Generational Journey. . .
1954. . .I had just entered the family picture when my parents bought a big old house in the Lake Heights neighborhood in Carbondale. Story and a half, hardwood floors, a basement, on an acre of ground. In the back yard there was a wonderful old shed, which in our imagination became a house, a store, a ship, a ranch. The mulberry tree beside it shaded us as well as boasting a tree-house of sorts.
My sister Doris was 12 years older than I. My brother, Ed. 9 years older.They were ideal in many ways, introducing me to numerous wonders in the world. My sister tried to make a lady of me, a mega challenge. My brother was my defender, and also my tormenter, whichever suited him at the time.
Doris married when I was about 7 years old. I felt she had abandoned me. In a few years Ed joined the Navy, and then it was just the three of us, Mother, Pops, and me. When I was in 7th grade, I became an Auntie, and that was really teriffic! All total, Mother and Daddy ended up with seven grandchildren and, as of now, 8 great grandchildren.
In the early 60's, Daddy built us a house in the lot next to our old house. Then in the late 60's the neighborhood began to change. Some families moved away and the houses often became rental properties. By then I was in high school. It was sad to see many of my childhood friends leave while I stayed behind. Mother and Daddy remained there until their deaths in the late 90's. Now, there are only a few of the old neighborhood friends left.
Heritage Notes
My Grandfather, Theodore, was a professional photographer. See this pose on the left of my Grandmother Daisy and baby Cecil, my dad, that he captured. Grandfather Theodore died in 1920 during a devastating Swine Flu epidemic. My Grandmother, Daisy, was left to raise their three little children. In later years we were delighted to learn that she still had a large number of photos that Theo had taken of her and the children. Some of these are included in my family heritage album, as well as some post cards he sent to her in 1914 while he was in the Navy stationed on the East Coast.
There seems to be a Navy tradition in our family. My grandfather Theodore served (WW I), his three children, Cecil (my dad), Marjorie, and Mike (WW II). My brother, Ed, and brother-in-law, Larry (Vietnam).
(Thanks to my sister Doris for the geneaology work she has done and the photos she preserved for us.)
Treasures along the Journey
If you've lived as long as I have, you know that Valentines just "ain't what they used to be". I remember wonderfully cute cut-out valentines from the 1950's, all decorated with sugary sparkles, flocking, and glitter. Darling little people and animals and every beautiful thing you could imagine. Kids today are really cheated with the mass produced super-hero and trendy cartoon print outs on thin cardstock.
These fabulous valentines in the slides below are about 85 years old. They were given to my Dad by his school friends when he was a little boy. His mother had saved quite a collection of them for all these years. I was thrilled when my Aunt Marjorie let me choose a few for myself. They are some of my most precious keepsakes and I keep them framed and on display in my home.