My husband had an unexpected promotion to the Pentagon leaving me in Hampton with the children in school and the house to sell. The first few weeks went well as expected. Then a strange thing began to happen although it started so innocently.
One afternoon about 5 PM a phone call which was a wrong number. The woman had asked to speak to George. The following afternoon she called again and we went thought the same dialog. We checked the number and she was dialing our number. Still, why would I think anything of this? Just a mistake on her part, right?
I couldn't have been more wrong. Only a few days went by before the same woman would call AGAIN. This time, she took a different tone when I asked her why she was calling back. She became rude, irritated and demanding,"I KNOW he is there and you tell him to come to the phone and talk to me.
""Look, I don't know what more I can tell you but George doesn't live here. What's your problem?"
"You're lying, you tell him I know he is there....." she insisted.
"Sorry, I don't even know a George. He gave you the wrong number." and hung up.
The phone rang right back and she told me not to hang up on her and repeated "I know he is there WITH YOU....."
"I don't know why you can't understand there isn't a George living here, so please don't call again, " I told strongly informed her.
Now I was irritated and being alone with the children, it sort of unnerved me a little too, to have a confrontation of sorts with a stranger, but no calls came in for a full week. That was good, however, when the next call came, it set me reeling.
This next call she came on strongly. Her words were quick and to the point. She said she was calling to tell me she knew where I live and that if George didn't call her, she was coming over and would kill me when I answered the door.
A detective responded to my official complaint by coming to the house, which they do when a death threat has been made. I explained to him I was fairly sure she didn't know who I was or where I lived and/but I can't imagine why she would continue calling.
We discussed a phone tracer I agreed to immediately. On my part I had to agree to bring charges when the person was located AND I could tell NO ONE at all that the phone was tapped for a trace. Not even my husband.
They put the tracer on the phone immediately. I was to keep records of all calls to pin point a call from this wacky woman.
Interestingly, she stopped calling. Two full weeks went by. I kept my phone log. Nothing happened. How did she know, I thought? It was sort of embarrassing to me. I kept thinking...HOW DID SHE KNOW NOT to call? That truly puzzled and concerned me.
The house sold and now a move out date was imminent. I called and talked with the detective. It was decided the tracer would be removed the day before we left the house.
The last night we were to be in the Hampton House was a night to remember. My husband was there, of course. Everything was in order. The tracer was off the phone and the movers would be there at 8 AM...and the phone to be disconnected and we would leave the next day. We would be off to your next adventure. We had all gone to bed that night and all was quite.
It was almost midnight when the ringing phone broke the silent darkness of the our pretty little Hampton house. I reach for it in the dark.saying 'hello'....I was greeted by the unforgettable voice of the mystery woman caller.
This time, she was different. She had a soft sadness to her voice as she said softly, "Mrs (real name)",
I bolted upright ~ She had called me by my NAME My heart seem to skip...as now I knew she really KNEW who she was talking to all this time.
She continues, "I know George is there with you tonight," she was calm and sounded so, so sad. "Would you please tell him that if he won't talk to me, I am going to put my head in the oven and end it all."
I was sitting up hand over heart...my mind racing. SHE KNEW MY NAME...SHE DID KNOW WHERE I LIVED....I had truly been in the wake of a psycho. "Who are you?" was all I could think to say.
In the saddest tone that made me believe her ... she said, "Good Bye."
I sat there looked into the buzzing dial tone. My husband had no sympathy. He said, "Maybe she will carry out her threat and end the world of one whacko woman."
Sleep didn't come to me the last night I spent in the Hampton House.
June
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Hampton House Story
We moved to Hampton, Virginia from Sumpter, South Carolina where Katherine had been born at Shaw AFB.
She was 8 mo old when we made this move. The house we bought was under
construction therefore we were there in time to select all the carpeting and flooring.
She was 8 mo old when we made this move. The house we bought was under
construction therefore we were there in time to select all the carpeting and flooring.
We loved the little Cape Cod style home as it was near the Chesapeake Bay which offered so many fun things for the children. We learned to crab which was always entertaining. The area has beautiful waterscape views in almost any direction.. It was there that I overcame my fear of crossing bridges...why? There were bridges to cross many times each time we left home. They were everywhere, so the fear just went away.
We were there only 18 months when my husband
got an early promotion to the Pentagon. This cut short our time in this wonderful area. I regretted that, of course. The house sold quickly to two women who were in the Air Force, and we moved on with our lives.
Over
the years, any time we were traveling, we always enjoyed driving 'down memory lane' and seeing houses we had once owned and
lived in
...and especially this one.
At one point, years and years went by before we were in the area to visit the Hampton House...
An aging Volvo was sitting in the driveway. The house was sort of sad looking. The lawn unkempt. shrubs growing wild and flowerbeds empty. It was apparent that no one was there and of all things, the house looked totally abandomed.
Another few years went by before we went back...and there...of all things, the same car was still there in the same spot, rusting and the tires were flat from rot. This was too much for me as clearly something had happened in our once beautiful and lively home.
I went knocking on doors to find the answer.
They neighbors didn't really know. They said the two women stayed for only two years and sold the house to a young couple. They were there a few months and then
packed for a Florida vacation and never came back. Over the years, the neighbors had pitched in to keep the grass cut for their neighborhood appearance and picked up any random mail, etc... for now about twenty years.
"Did you report this to anyone?" (I would have.) They said that they had not.
I wanted to call "Unsolved Mysteries"...but alas, once we left, I stopped fretting over it...until the next time we were down that way after yet another few years ...
got an early promotion to the Pentagon. This cut short our time in this wonderful area. I regretted that, of course. The house sold quickly to two women who were in the Air Force, and we moved on with our lives.
Over
the years, any time we were traveling, we always enjoyed driving 'down memory lane' and seeing houses we had once owned and
lived in
...and especially this one.
At one point, years and years went by before we were in the area to visit the Hampton House...
An aging Volvo was sitting in the driveway. The house was sort of sad looking. The lawn unkempt. shrubs growing wild and flowerbeds empty. It was apparent that no one was there and of all things, the house looked totally abandomed.
Another few years went by before we went back...and there...of all things, the same car was still there in the same spot, rusting and the tires were flat from rot. This was too much for me as clearly something had happened in our once beautiful and lively home.
I went knocking on doors to find the answer.
They neighbors didn't really know. They said the two women stayed for only two years and sold the house to a young couple. They were there a few months and then
packed for a Florida vacation and never came back. Over the years, the neighbors had pitched in to keep the grass cut for their neighborhood appearance and picked up any random mail, etc... for now about twenty years.
"Did you report this to anyone?" (I would have.) They said that they had not.
I wanted to call "Unsolved Mysteries"...but alas, once we left, I stopped fretting over it...until the next time we were down that way after yet another few years ...
Again, I would talk to the neighbor...
The years rolled by and the situation went unchanged for a total of 30 years. Can you believe it? THIRTY YEARS !!!
We had left Hampton some 32 years ago, the women lived in the house only 2 years and then the young couple bought it and drove away, never to return.
The years rolled by and the situation went unchanged for a total of 30 years. Can you believe it? THIRTY YEARS !!!
We had left Hampton some 32 years ago, the women lived in the house only 2 years and then the young couple bought it and drove away, never to return.
Now, we couldn't wait to see if anything had changed as we were down that way again on our way to Nags Head Beach.
WELL! This trip, we were happily surprised...someone was there...workman...they were working on the little house.
I couldn't wait to see what was going on.
The new owner was there and had the house underway to be restored, inside and out. He invited us to go inside....
My~ the house was small. I couldn't remember the foyer and rooms being so small.
He had not taken up the flooring and carpet yet...all I had selected was still there. Visions of my babies being there flashed through my mind.
For sure, my hand was over my heart by this time and I uttered my thoughts...but only to and for myself. I was walking through a dream...or nightmare. It was weird. there are no words to represent the feeling I had. I could see my furniture there and my, my...what a small kitchen where we even had a family table. I was amazed that the same appliances were there and looked brand new. Of course, they actually hadn't been used since we were there.
WELL! This trip, we were happily surprised...someone was there...workman...they were working on the little house.
I couldn't wait to see what was going on.
The new owner was there and had the house underway to be restored, inside and out. He invited us to go inside....
My~ the house was small. I couldn't remember the foyer and rooms being so small.
He had not taken up the flooring and carpet yet...all I had selected was still there. Visions of my babies being there flashed through my mind.
For sure, my hand was over my heart by this time and I uttered my thoughts...but only to and for myself. I was walking through a dream...or nightmare. It was weird. there are no words to represent the feeling I had. I could see my furniture there and my, my...what a small kitchen where we even had a family table. I was amazed that the same appliances were there and looked brand new. Of course, they actually hadn't been used since we were there.
My camera came alive but I didn't know what to shoot. There was no way to photograph my thoughts and feelings...my memories.
The best part is...
He had the rest of the story ~ he had bought the house from an elderly couple ( the people who had abandomed it 30 years ago when they were young.)
He had the whole story.
He had the rest of the story ~ he had bought the house from an elderly couple ( the people who had abandomed it 30 years ago when they were young.)
He had the whole story.
...First photo is how the house looked when we left it 33 years ago....then the rest were taken the day we were asked inside....
The new owner told us THE END OF THE STORY~:
The couple who abandoned the house went to Florida where he had another job and also had another house there and just left this one to return to one day. Why they never, ever came to check on it remains a mystery. They even left the furniture.
The new owner told us THE END OF THE STORY~:
The couple who abandoned the house went to Florida where he had another job and also had another house there and just left this one to return to one day. Why they never, ever came to check on it remains a mystery. They even left the furniture.
We have to assume or guess life went by too quickly for them....
when they returned, (30 years later) she had cancer and lived the
remainder of her life in one of the upstairs bedrooms in a wheel chair and had only a hot plate and small refrigerator...and bed. She took care of herself and died in that room.
Her husband did nothing to the house and as soon as the wife died, he sold it, which turned out to be the month before we were there. He returned to Florida ...
The new owner said he left behind on the kitchen counter an album of photos the woman had taken pf the house the one and only summer they were there...He showed the album to me.
when they returned, (30 years later) she had cancer and lived the
remainder of her life in one of the upstairs bedrooms in a wheel chair and had only a hot plate and small refrigerator...and bed. She took care of herself and died in that room.Her husband did nothing to the house and as soon as the wife died, he sold it, which turned out to be the month before we were there. He returned to Florida ...
The new owner said he left behind on the kitchen counter an album of photos the woman had taken pf the house the one and only summer they were there...He showed the album to me.
The photos were of nice beds of tulips she had planted in front and back flower beds. They also had painted the shutters red...was so cheerful and pretty ~
to me, it was so sweet to see that she had actually loved the house and brought life to it before leaving it to the elements.
What in this world would make them leave their furniture and house unattended for thrity years? What were they thinking? Or is there part of the story we don't know?
to me, it was so sweet to see that she had actually loved the house and brought life to it before leaving it to the elements.
What in this world would make them leave their furniture and house unattended for thrity years? What were they thinking? Or is there part of the story we don't know? These last three photos are the house under construction.
~How fortunate we were there at this very time in history as a month earlier or later, we would have missed this heartfelt experience.
Was bitter-sweet.
June
June
Friday, May 16, 2008
Pratical Joke~The Piano Story
It seems a hundred years ago now, when freshman in college, we learn many very useful things~
We learned that after long hours of study and classes it was PLAY TIME After a string of funny practical jokes, we decided we were masters at the art of premeditated humor. We also learned that not all jokes end well. That was a hard lesson to learn as when a practical joke goes bad, it can takes a turn leaving the players in the role of victims.
On a bright and sunny Saturday morning, while sitting in the dorm waiting for Ann’s mother to come to drive us home for the weekend, we became bored. This was when my roommate and I cooked up what is known today as “The Piano Story.” That day and the Piano Story lives in infamy.
Our joke was well planned~ it had a beginning, middle and an EXPECTED ending. This was just something to do to pass the time ~ being young; we even thought our plan quite clever. I really can't remember thinking it would be funny...just clever. We never imagined the situation would take a life of its own ~ becoming worse with each passing minute that turned into hours and into our worst nightmare.
THE BEGINNING~Being a stranger to Ann's young cousin who had just moved to the big city from a small town in the state, I was the one to call her to set up the joke.
"Miss Smith? I am Ms. Wright from (name of a well known) Piano Co calling to let you know you have just been named the winner of beautiful (name brand) Piano you registered for at the 19?? State Fair." She was excited beyond words.
I went on to add the conditions she had to meet in order to claim the piano. She was to present the stub of the ticket from the drawing (we thought this impossible as the Fair was eight months ago. She happily told me she still had it...(RATS, I thought and quickly came up with something I thought would be totally impossible... she would have to have someone pick it up that very day by 3 PM...the store could not deliver.
That gave her only a few hours on a busy Saturday morning for most truck owners...Thought we had the perfect stipulation….and WHO keeps stubs for eight months???
THE MIDDLE~We learned that the reason we sat waiting longer was because Joy had to find a person with a truck to pick up her prize piano before 3 PM that day.
We learned the horror of having to sit in the back seat of Ann's mother's car to witness our victim's joy, knowing we had our hands on the rug that soon would have to be pulled out from under her. After an hour of circling for a parking place, while we kept kicking each other to "TELL"..."NO"..."YOU TELL" "NO"~~~
We were finally just dropped off as no parking spot was found and it was almost 3 PM. One of the stipulations was that she had to claim the piano prize by 3 PM. We walked with Joy into the Piano Store, whispering to each other to "Tell" ~ "You tell." We went with her up to the Manager who had been called to talk with her. We stood there, wide-eyed as Joy happily introduced herself in a tone that implied her name was well known and added "I am the winner of the piano." The manager looked puzzled. He read the stub and then explained it wasn't his store that had the piano prize, it was the OTHER store on the other side of town. AH...another hour in that back seat.
The entire day was almost over and there we were...awaiting execution for sure when Ann's Mother found out we were behind this.
The only way to end this nightmare would be to confess; we were mortified at the thought. In utter fear, we allowed it to run....and longer it went, the more horrified we were to admit it was meant to be a joke. We were in a Catch 22.
In the second store, we decided the jig had to be up...trying to stop her and explain that it was a joke was impossible. That sad news had to come for the manager when he said, "Honey, we gave that piano away the day after the State Fair closed.
"THE ENDING~
We were scared silly that we were going to have the daylights beat out of us. (Actually, we deserved just that.) Had we been really smart, we would never have admitted knowing anything about it. We were not so smart.
When we told Joy it was US who called, it was a joke...She burst into tears and ran out of the store as we ran after her, lamely attempting to explain how funny it was, "wasn't it? HA, HA HA," we said over and over.
Her tears won't stop as she now ran trying to get away from us. We let her go. The jig was up and this wasn't good, it was awful. Now we had to face Ann's mother who had wasted a day and a tank of gas..and some man by the name of Mr. Jones was on his way to get the piano at the wrong store. WHAT A MESS. We were dead for sure, we thought.
Joy was in the front seat crying hard when we got to the car. Ann's mother was looking at Joy and then looked at us...guilt, no doubt was written all over our faces I assume or motherly instinct, she knew~...
"WHAT HAVE YOU TWO JACKASSES DONE TO THIS CHILD???" She yelled.
She drove shame into our hearts with her words as she continued. "She was home, hand washing her sweaters to be ready for work on Monday when you called. This child works hard all week and has almost not time off and the two of you have nothing better to do but sit and dream up something like this", she went on. "Ann, when I get you home, I am going to tear the hide off you and June, if you don't tell your parents, I am going to call them."
I worried the rest of the weekend that a phone call would come. If not, for sure, I wasn't going to tell.
When we got back to school Sunday night, Ann reported her mother didn't punish her and I felt off the hook.
We didn't talk about this for a long time; however, the incident remained very much alive in our memories. Of course, it was destined to surface. That came many, many years later.
When in Vegas on a girl trip and driving over to in Death Valley, for entertainment, I decided to tell the story. The story brought roars of laughter; Ann's laughter brought tears that streamed down her face. Why? Because the idea was so downright stupid.
We have since told the story perhaps a hundred times~ laughing each time as stupid stunts are funny
The lesson learned?
We learned how to turn an otherwise boring weekend into a very memorable event. Right? We also learned the value of a friendship.Here we are, some thirty years later...Friends forever~
June
We learned that after long hours of study and classes it was PLAY TIME After a string of funny practical jokes, we decided we were masters at the art of premeditated humor. We also learned that not all jokes end well. That was a hard lesson to learn as when a practical joke goes bad, it can takes a turn leaving the players in the role of victims.
On a bright and sunny Saturday morning, while sitting in the dorm waiting for Ann’s mother to come to drive us home for the weekend, we became bored. This was when my roommate and I cooked up what is known today as “The Piano Story.” That day and the Piano Story lives in infamy.
Our joke was well planned~ it had a beginning, middle and an EXPECTED ending. This was just something to do to pass the time ~ being young; we even thought our plan quite clever. I really can't remember thinking it would be funny...just clever. We never imagined the situation would take a life of its own ~ becoming worse with each passing minute that turned into hours and into our worst nightmare.
THE BEGINNING~Being a stranger to Ann's young cousin who had just moved to the big city from a small town in the state, I was the one to call her to set up the joke.
"Miss Smith? I am Ms. Wright from (name of a well known) Piano Co calling to let you know you have just been named the winner of beautiful (name brand) Piano you registered for at the 19?? State Fair." She was excited beyond words.
I went on to add the conditions she had to meet in order to claim the piano. She was to present the stub of the ticket from the drawing (we thought this impossible as the Fair was eight months ago. She happily told me she still had it...(RATS, I thought and quickly came up with something I thought would be totally impossible... she would have to have someone pick it up that very day by 3 PM...the store could not deliver.
That gave her only a few hours on a busy Saturday morning for most truck owners...Thought we had the perfect stipulation….and WHO keeps stubs for eight months???
THE MIDDLE~We learned that the reason we sat waiting longer was because Joy had to find a person with a truck to pick up her prize piano before 3 PM that day.
We learned the horror of having to sit in the back seat of Ann's mother's car to witness our victim's joy, knowing we had our hands on the rug that soon would have to be pulled out from under her. After an hour of circling for a parking place, while we kept kicking each other to "TELL"..."NO"..."YOU TELL" "NO"~~~
We were finally just dropped off as no parking spot was found and it was almost 3 PM. One of the stipulations was that she had to claim the piano prize by 3 PM. We walked with Joy into the Piano Store, whispering to each other to "Tell" ~ "You tell." We went with her up to the Manager who had been called to talk with her. We stood there, wide-eyed as Joy happily introduced herself in a tone that implied her name was well known and added "I am the winner of the piano." The manager looked puzzled. He read the stub and then explained it wasn't his store that had the piano prize, it was the OTHER store on the other side of town. AH...another hour in that back seat.
The entire day was almost over and there we were...awaiting execution for sure when Ann's Mother found out we were behind this.
The only way to end this nightmare would be to confess; we were mortified at the thought. In utter fear, we allowed it to run....and longer it went, the more horrified we were to admit it was meant to be a joke. We were in a Catch 22.
In the second store, we decided the jig had to be up...trying to stop her and explain that it was a joke was impossible. That sad news had to come for the manager when he said, "Honey, we gave that piano away the day after the State Fair closed.
"THE ENDING~
We were scared silly that we were going to have the daylights beat out of us. (Actually, we deserved just that.) Had we been really smart, we would never have admitted knowing anything about it. We were not so smart.
When we told Joy it was US who called, it was a joke...She burst into tears and ran out of the store as we ran after her, lamely attempting to explain how funny it was, "wasn't it? HA, HA HA," we said over and over.
Her tears won't stop as she now ran trying to get away from us. We let her go. The jig was up and this wasn't good, it was awful. Now we had to face Ann's mother who had wasted a day and a tank of gas..and some man by the name of Mr. Jones was on his way to get the piano at the wrong store. WHAT A MESS. We were dead for sure, we thought.
Joy was in the front seat crying hard when we got to the car. Ann's mother was looking at Joy and then looked at us...guilt, no doubt was written all over our faces I assume or motherly instinct, she knew~...
"WHAT HAVE YOU TWO JACKASSES DONE TO THIS CHILD???" She yelled.
She drove shame into our hearts with her words as she continued. "She was home, hand washing her sweaters to be ready for work on Monday when you called. This child works hard all week and has almost not time off and the two of you have nothing better to do but sit and dream up something like this", she went on. "Ann, when I get you home, I am going to tear the hide off you and June, if you don't tell your parents, I am going to call them."
I worried the rest of the weekend that a phone call would come. If not, for sure, I wasn't going to tell.
When we got back to school Sunday night, Ann reported her mother didn't punish her and I felt off the hook.
We didn't talk about this for a long time; however, the incident remained very much alive in our memories. Of course, it was destined to surface. That came many, many years later.
When in Vegas on a girl trip and driving over to in Death Valley, for entertainment, I decided to tell the story. The story brought roars of laughter; Ann's laughter brought tears that streamed down her face. Why? Because the idea was so downright stupid.
We have since told the story perhaps a hundred times~ laughing each time as stupid stunts are funny
The lesson learned?
We learned how to turn an otherwise boring weekend into a very memorable event. Right? We also learned the value of a friendship.Here we are, some thirty years later...Friends forever~
June
Monday, May 12, 2008
Swans on Molly's Lake
Mother's Day on the Farm was fun. Visiting the farm these days means to have an encounter with the swans. 
Our Swan story begins two years ago when Molly and I were shopping in Southern Virginia where she purchased a wonderful life-sized plastic swan for the lake at the farm.
The plastic swan was meant only to add interest to the lake, never imagining to attract real living swans as we are a little far north for swans.
Everyone who visited thought at first the floating swan was real as it was weighted in place to keep it centered and lifelike. It was removed for winter as the lake freezes over...and replaced the second spring.
Now~ this year, the unimaginable has happened. The plastic swan had attracted a pair of real live swans that have landed and apparently made the lake their home. We keep hoping they will nest, but thus far, no signs of a nest. They do leave, taking flight to fly away but so far, have returned after only a couple of days. We love having reports they are back. Of course, they are fed which is perhaps what brings them back.
The swans are interested in people~ hoping for food, however, are not agreeable for up close encounters. When they feel a person has come a little too close, they throw out their big wings and hiss a warning.
Our Swan story begins two years ago when Molly and I were shopping in Southern Virginia where she purchased a wonderful life-sized plastic swan for the lake at the farm. The plastic swan was meant only to add interest to the lake, never imagining to attract real living swans as we are a little far north for swans.
Everyone who visited thought at first the floating swan was real as it was weighted in place to keep it centered and lifelike. It was removed for winter as the lake freezes over...and replaced the second spring.
Now~ this year, the unimaginable has happened. The plastic swan had attracted a pair of real live swans that have landed and apparently made the lake their home. We keep hoping they will nest, but thus far, no signs of a nest. They do leave, taking flight to fly away but so far, have returned after only a couple of days. We love having reports they are back. Of course, they are fed which is perhaps what brings them back.
The swans are interested in people~ hoping for food, however, are not agreeable for up close encounters. When they feel a person has come a little too close, they throw out their big wings and hiss a warning. They totally trust only one person...it is Molly who has won their confidence. They come to her, one at a time, and feed right out of her hand. How do they know and decide? Amazing and a most beautiful site.
We had a delightful Mother's Day on the farm. The highlight of the day for the grandchildren is the ride in the small farm truck. They ride miles through the fields and woods looking for the eagle nest. We have many nesting eagles in Virginia. With all the rain over the past week, what usually is only a trickle of a stream was flooded and one to be forded this year, much to their delight.
We had a delightful Mother's Day on the farm. The highlight of the day for the grandchildren is the ride in the small farm truck. They ride miles through the fields and woods looking for the eagle nest. We have many nesting eagles in Virginia. With all the rain over the past week, what usually is only a trickle of a stream was flooded and one to be forded this year, much to their delight.
They are so cute as they share extraordinary experiences. They are making memories to carry through their lives. Wonder how they will edit them.
Have you stories of swans? Or floods this Spring?
June
Have you stories of swans? Or floods this Spring?
June
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Little Bobbie Jean
The day on the School bus with my grandson, I encountered the most beautiful identical twin girls, three years old. They were daughters of the bus driver and totally darling with big eyes and bright smiles. They were beautiful, beautiful black children. I sat across and one seat back from them on our trip back from the field trip. One of the twins couldn't take her eyes off me. I wondered what she saw and what she thought. She gazed with a happy expression. I said hello, which opened a conversation.
She told me she liked my hat and after some time of looking, asked my name. She thought about that for a minute, taking me in the entire time. Then she wanted to know how to spell my name. Her next question threw me for a loop.
"Where is your mother?" Since I am of the age, that most people wouldn't wonder about my mother!! Then I realized that must be a question asked of them as they were with their dad each day.
She was a little chatterbox looking at me with her beautiful dark eyes. As we talked a memory began to emerge from long, long ago ...and touching the memory, more it came in focus until later that day, the memory was back to me as clear as day...
As I stood to leave the bus, she asked me if I would give her a hug. There was no way I would leave without a warm embrace...a BIG HUG. She was beautiful, as beautiful as my little Bobbie Jean.
BOBBIE JEAN. I remember her with my heart.
I was a new graduate only 21 years old and made the decision to work with children on a Pediatric Ward of a Private Hospital for my first job. I suppose my dating one of the Orthopedic Surgeons for over a year had something to do with this choice. Actually, I had not been in love with this guy at all, but since "Mr Right" hadn't come along, I loved the prestige of going with him to all the wonderful parties and being seen with this man 15 years my senior. To work with children there would keep me in his world and I did enjoy working and being with him.
The first week of my job, my friend took a case which was an almost impossible situation, requiring the three year old black child to remain hospitalized for over a year. Therefore, he was on the ward every day...but our relationship soon was over when I met someone who stole my heart.
Another person who stole my heart was the little girl who had just been admitted for a long and involved hospitalization.
The little girl had been victim to polio...a disease we don't see today, but she was from a very poor and backward family who lived far from a small town and the child didn't get her immunization. When she developed polio, as she recovered, the family sat her back on folded legs and polio froze her in that position. Her legs were like frog legs, impossible to straighten or move.
She cried as her family left her, naturally. I watched the tearful seperation as they left not to see her for what turned out to be a year and half. The crying child was surrounded by the nurses trying to comfort her.
It was said that the family wouldn't be coming back until she was discharged due to their inability to travel the distance.
I felt the sadness.
Naturally, I being as young as I was, started spending lots of time with her...and soon the surgeries began. I stayed with her after my hours to keep a hand on her little arm as the busy ward whirled by. She had no family and no visitors. On her bad days, she had me.
One day, she told me I was her mother. I was pleased as we had bonded.
I would take her out of her crib and hold her and read to her. I brought her toys.
She adjusted and blossomed.
She was cheerful and happy and had the best spot on the ward to know everything that went on and became very outgoing. She could see me coming down the hallway and yell..."Mama! Mama!"
One day I had her in my lap talking with her and holding her little hand. She looked at her hand in mine...turned her hand over...compared...turned my hand over to compare...and looking for a long time, finally said..."Mama..... my hand is blue." She didn't know her colors...but she knew our hands were different. We started learning colors at this point. She was now aware that we looked nothing alike which made no difference at all.
One night we had a nice snow which was unusual for the Deep South. Bobbie Jean had never seen snow. I had the day off and all I could think about was how I wanted to take Bobbie Jean out to experience the cold and the snow. She had now been in the hospital over a year. I knew she would love it, but I dare not ask as there was no way I could get permission...I knew that was so forbidden and a terrible chance. It was my reckless youth and love for this child that drove me on. I knew what I could do to make it happen. I knew quite times and and how I could carry her down the stairs to the outside for a little while. She was all smiles as I whispered that we were going out to see and touch the snow. I scooped her up into my arms grabbing a blanket and back down the hallway, down the stairs we went ....down, down to the exit and into the snow.
She couldn't get down because of new braces...but from my crouched position, she leaned forward from my lap to touch and smooth out the snow and taste it a little. She didn't shriek with delight. She was very curious and serious with this new experience. She was amazed.
As quickly and quitely as we slipped out, we went back. No one was in the hallway; we made it happen.
I kept her wrapped in the blanket to restore her heat and sat next to her crib to read her a book about SNOW.
I think back about this...
There is no way in this world they could not have missed the child. There was no way Bobbie Jean didn't tell the world that she went outside with me. She was very precocious and outgoing. But the most interesting thing is not one single word was ever said to me from anyone. I, of course, was prepared to say it was a dream, which it was. It was my dream. No doubt that experience brought happiness perhaps more to me than the child.
Bobbie Jean was discharged after 18 months but could walk with braces. She was almost 5 years old. She still had a long road ahead of physical therapy. As soon as I knew she was leaving, I resigned the job as it never would be the same without her. So she and I left the same week. We both left to get on with our lives, a world apart.
I wonder if she remembers me at all. If so, I wonder if she thinks of me too.
June
She told me she liked my hat and after some time of looking, asked my name. She thought about that for a minute, taking me in the entire time. Then she wanted to know how to spell my name. Her next question threw me for a loop.
"Where is your mother?" Since I am of the age, that most people wouldn't wonder about my mother!! Then I realized that must be a question asked of them as they were with their dad each day.
She was a little chatterbox looking at me with her beautiful dark eyes. As we talked a memory began to emerge from long, long ago ...and touching the memory, more it came in focus until later that day, the memory was back to me as clear as day...
As I stood to leave the bus, she asked me if I would give her a hug. There was no way I would leave without a warm embrace...a BIG HUG. She was beautiful, as beautiful as my little Bobbie Jean.
BOBBIE JEAN. I remember her with my heart.
I was a new graduate only 21 years old and made the decision to work with children on a Pediatric Ward of a Private Hospital for my first job. I suppose my dating one of the Orthopedic Surgeons for over a year had something to do with this choice. Actually, I had not been in love with this guy at all, but since "Mr Right" hadn't come along, I loved the prestige of going with him to all the wonderful parties and being seen with this man 15 years my senior. To work with children there would keep me in his world and I did enjoy working and being with him.
The first week of my job, my friend took a case which was an almost impossible situation, requiring the three year old black child to remain hospitalized for over a year. Therefore, he was on the ward every day...but our relationship soon was over when I met someone who stole my heart.
Another person who stole my heart was the little girl who had just been admitted for a long and involved hospitalization.
The little girl had been victim to polio...a disease we don't see today, but she was from a very poor and backward family who lived far from a small town and the child didn't get her immunization. When she developed polio, as she recovered, the family sat her back on folded legs and polio froze her in that position. Her legs were like frog legs, impossible to straighten or move.
She cried as her family left her, naturally. I watched the tearful seperation as they left not to see her for what turned out to be a year and half. The crying child was surrounded by the nurses trying to comfort her.
It was said that the family wouldn't be coming back until she was discharged due to their inability to travel the distance.
I felt the sadness.
Naturally, I being as young as I was, started spending lots of time with her...and soon the surgeries began. I stayed with her after my hours to keep a hand on her little arm as the busy ward whirled by. She had no family and no visitors. On her bad days, she had me.
One day, she told me I was her mother. I was pleased as we had bonded.
I would take her out of her crib and hold her and read to her. I brought her toys.
She adjusted and blossomed.
She was cheerful and happy and had the best spot on the ward to know everything that went on and became very outgoing. She could see me coming down the hallway and yell..."Mama! Mama!"
One day I had her in my lap talking with her and holding her little hand. She looked at her hand in mine...turned her hand over...compared...turned my hand over to compare...and looking for a long time, finally said..."Mama..... my hand is blue." She didn't know her colors...but she knew our hands were different. We started learning colors at this point. She was now aware that we looked nothing alike which made no difference at all.
One night we had a nice snow which was unusual for the Deep South. Bobbie Jean had never seen snow. I had the day off and all I could think about was how I wanted to take Bobbie Jean out to experience the cold and the snow. She had now been in the hospital over a year. I knew she would love it, but I dare not ask as there was no way I could get permission...I knew that was so forbidden and a terrible chance. It was my reckless youth and love for this child that drove me on. I knew what I could do to make it happen. I knew quite times and and how I could carry her down the stairs to the outside for a little while. She was all smiles as I whispered that we were going out to see and touch the snow. I scooped her up into my arms grabbing a blanket and back down the hallway, down the stairs we went ....down, down to the exit and into the snow.
She couldn't get down because of new braces...but from my crouched position, she leaned forward from my lap to touch and smooth out the snow and taste it a little. She didn't shriek with delight. She was very curious and serious with this new experience. She was amazed.
As quickly and quitely as we slipped out, we went back. No one was in the hallway; we made it happen.
I kept her wrapped in the blanket to restore her heat and sat next to her crib to read her a book about SNOW.
I think back about this...
There is no way in this world they could not have missed the child. There was no way Bobbie Jean didn't tell the world that she went outside with me. She was very precocious and outgoing. But the most interesting thing is not one single word was ever said to me from anyone. I, of course, was prepared to say it was a dream, which it was. It was my dream. No doubt that experience brought happiness perhaps more to me than the child.
Bobbie Jean was discharged after 18 months but could walk with braces. She was almost 5 years old. She still had a long road ahead of physical therapy. As soon as I knew she was leaving, I resigned the job as it never would be the same without her. So she and I left the same week. We both left to get on with our lives, a world apart.
I wonder if she remembers me at all. If so, I wonder if she thinks of me too.
June
Dinner Party Menu
Doing a Dinner Party is fun when you try new experiences with a different combo of foods, flavors served with what we believe to be the perfect wines. Last night, we did a small dinner party but later wished we had expanded it to a full room. The menu was much fun to do and was so wonderful to experience. Will most certainly repeat this again and maybe again. Was an over the top Italian night.
My husband did the menu, selected the wines and then...did all the preparation. Me? I spent the afternoon in the Hair and Nail Salon Talk about a perfect situation.
Menu~
Antipasti Starter served with the
Badia a Coltibuono, Chianti Classico (2005)
A beautiful platter of Prosciutto wrapped Melon, tied with thin strip of green onion
top. Delicious!An assorted Italian olives warmed tomato garlic sauce
Shrimp flambe in Limonchello
Dinner started with
Spinach Ravioli (homemade)
Went well with the Ruffino~Orvieto, Classico wine.
Next came
Chicken Parmesan with out of this world homemade tomato sauce which has been perfected by my husband. We paired this with a fantastic red wine. Massanera~ Chianticlassico 2005. We discovered this jewel when we dined at the Grand Hotel, Florence, Italy.
To serve this wine was an Oscar winning production we decided. When a wine steward knows his stuff it makes the wine worth the exorbitant cost. If the gentle swirling of a tiny quantity of this wine in each glass to guarantee the correct ph wasn't enough, the discarding of this bit of wine followed with the art of delivery into each glass held us spell bound with a sense of being pampered and prepared for the meal. We didn't go this far for our dinner party but the empty bottles were taken by the guest to insure they find the right wine for their own tables.
Earlier that day, I selected the melon and berries ~ my only contribution.
Dessert~
A beautiful arrangement of berries and cheese. Blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, Gorgonzola and Gloicoso Provolone Cheeses served with the Port.
Fonseca, BIN'27 from Porto is our favorite.
After dinner, on the deck the guys enjoyed cigars from our trip to St. Maarten surrounded by happy talk which completed a perfect evening although I did bring jackets out and passed around as was only 60 degrees. Didn't chill the afterglow of a wonderful dinner. This was a dinner party with a 'memory tag.'
June
My husband did the menu, selected the wines and then...did all the preparation. Me? I spent the afternoon in the Hair and Nail Salon Talk about a perfect situation.
Menu~
Antipasti Starter served with the
Badia a Coltibuono, Chianti Classico (2005)
A beautiful platter of Prosciutto wrapped Melon, tied with thin strip of green onion
top. Delicious!An assorted Italian olives warmed tomato garlic sauceShrimp flambe in Limonchello
Dinner started with
Spinach Ravioli (homemade)
Went well with the Ruffino~Orvieto, Classico wine.
Next came
Chicken Parmesan with out of this world homemade tomato sauce which has been perfected by my husband. We paired this with a fantastic red wine. Massanera~ Chianticlassico 2005. We discovered this jewel when we dined at the Grand Hotel, Florence, Italy.
To serve this wine was an Oscar winning production we decided. When a wine steward knows his stuff it makes the wine worth the exorbitant cost. If the gentle swirling of a tiny quantity of this wine in each glass to guarantee the correct ph wasn't enough, the discarding of this bit of wine followed with the art of delivery into each glass held us spell bound with a sense of being pampered and prepared for the meal. We didn't go this far for our dinner party but the empty bottles were taken by the guest to insure they find the right wine for their own tables.
Earlier that day, I selected the melon and berries ~ my only contribution.
Dessert~
A beautiful arrangement of berries and cheese. Blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, Gorgonzola and Gloicoso Provolone Cheeses served with the Port.
Fonseca, BIN'27 from Porto is our favorite.
After dinner, on the deck the guys enjoyed cigars from our trip to St. Maarten surrounded by happy talk which completed a perfect evening although I did bring jackets out and passed around as was only 60 degrees. Didn't chill the afterglow of a wonderful dinner. This was a dinner party with a 'memory tag.'
June
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Earthquake in Virginia
On a School but with 50 unplugged first graders, it one could have been said, "If we had an earthquake, we wouldn't ever know it with all this noise."
That statement turned out to be true~ We didn't hear the earthquake that sent hundreds out to see what had happened when the loud "Boom" came as the earth shifted.
That statement turned out to be true~ We didn't hear the earthquake that sent hundreds out to see what had happened when the loud "Boom" came as the earth shifted.
There we were, happily riding along...
that bus was rockin' and rollin' with the little ones who were having a ball as we actually were passing over the epicenter of a rare earthquake which hit Northern Virginia yesterday at 1:30 PM. We were totally unaware.
that bus was rockin' and rollin' with the little ones who were having a ball as we actually were passing over the epicenter of a rare earthquake which hit Northern Virginia yesterday at 1:30 PM. We were totally unaware.
Only an hour earlier we were sitting on blankets having lunch. Was a wonderful field trip; we had just left the Park and were at ground zero ... the "epicenter" of our 1.8 magnitude earthquake according to the news. Of course, that isn't a big one, but the noise from the shift was very loud we were told. Several of my friends rushed out to see what had happened. One even told me she thought of 9/11 when she heard the loud BOOM.
Sort of surreal for me to be on a School Bus full of First Graders at this time in my life and equally surreal that we had an earthquake here in Virginia.
Photos from trip to be added.
June
Sort of surreal for me to be on a School Bus full of First Graders at this time in my life and equally surreal that we had an earthquake here in Virginia.
Photos from trip to be added.
June
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