Going on 80

Let you tell you about my niece, Leanne Frances Gorman Dudas.  Otherwise, wait till the book comes out.  Somebody’s bound to write one about her eventually.

It’s not possible to describe this girl in the kind of time I have today, but I plan to try someday.  I’ll just give you a hint. If Leanne decides to do something, no matter how monumental or seemingly impossible, either pitch in and help, stand back in awed amazement,  or run for cover. Any of the above.

Today is Leanne’s 43rd birthday.  She lives in Washington D.C. with her husband John the Archangel, and their seven year old twins, Gigi and Jack.

Leanne has to be one of the most interesting people I know, to put it mildly. For one thing, she’s fearless.  As a quivering coward myself, I can’t help but admire people who aren’t afraid to stick their neck out.  Leanne is not only not afraid to, but she invariably manages to get results.  

As an example, one time when she was about 22 years old, she lived in an apartment building here in Seattle.  She owned a maroon colored car – an old one but it was serviceable, and she depended on it for her transportation.One day, she went out to the car to go somewhere, and she found along the driver’s side, a long scratch almost the length of the car.  Leanne was upset especially when she found out from a neighbor that the scratch had been made by a Yellow Cab which then proceeded to continue driving without stopping.

Leanne called the cab company, and was frustrated by the runaround she got.  So then she marched down to the head office.  This is not a recommended activity for young ladies in my considered opinion.  Some Seattle cab companies appear to be operated by large hairy men wearing turbans who suddenly can’t remember how to speak English when presented with a complaint. Personally, I would never pay them a visit unless I was heavily armed.

Nothing would deter Leanne, though. She descended on the cab company’s main office only to discover that she was apparently the only person there who could speak a word of English.

Fuming, she came home and called me.  She explained what had happened, and then said, “Aunt Gwenie, could you bring a video camera and come with me at 6 o’clock tomorrow morning?  I want to go to the big parking lot where the Yellow Cabs are parked and see if I can find one that has a long streak of maroon paint along the passenger side.”

I was sure she had lost her mind.  Was she was kidding me?  Was she really suggesting that we were going to “investigate” under cover of near darkness, some kind of a mafia-style business looking for a streak of maroon paint?  Unfortunately, the answers were no and yes.  No, she wasn’t kidding, and, yes, she had decided to investigate the nefarious deed herself.

Well, what else could I do?  I couldn’t let my innocent young niece go on this worrisome quest by herself.  And so there we were the next morning, me with my big video camera, and Leanne with her flashlight and pad of paper. It was still dark when we stealthily entered through the gate into the lot where rows of cabs were parked.

I was a nervous wreck, terrified that somebody would see us.  Not Leanne though.  She marched up and down the aisles furiously looking for the evidence.  And wonder of wonders, she found it!  One cab clearly had a long, brand new scratch of maroon paint all along the passenger side.  

As Leanne was writing down notes and as I was videotaping the telltale side of the vehicle and its license plate, we noticed a bad sign.  A police car had pulled over to the curb outside the lot and the police officer inside it had been watching us. 

“Omigosh, Leanne”, I stammered, as the policeman was getting out of the car. “Now we’re going to get arrested for trespassing.”

Outraged by what she had found, no police officer was going to stand in the way of Leanne’s crusade for justice. She stormed over to him and told him the whole story.  I just stood there in disbelief and watched as the policeman handed her something.  Then he got back in the car and cruised around waiting for us to get done and leave.

“What did he say? What did he give you?” I asked.   “Well, he gave me his card”, said Leanne.  “He said that if I had any trouble getting satisfaction for the damage now or later, to call him.” 

I couldn’t believe it.  After we got done videotaping the cab, we went home.  Leanne had to take the videotape to court as evidence, but the judge awarded her full payment by the cab company for the damage to her car

I’d say that Leanne sure knows how to maintain Law and Order.  Anybody who doesn’t believe that should try scratching her car sometime.

Have a happy birthday, Leanne, but please stay away from cab companies in the future.  Or else, call me.

1 / 8

Sixty-one years ago today, my sister Joan Darlene Gorman and Thomas Arlan Fitzpatrick were married.  Friday, June 16, 1950 – was a beautiful June day in Iowa.

We still lived at 605 Tenth Street in Cedar Rapids on the day of the event.  The wedding took place at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church.

Joan’s white satin gown had a mandarin collar and an apron peplum, with two large bows in the back above the train which was “bustled” for the later festivities in the evening.  I wore Joan’s gown at my wedding a year later.  One or more of our daughters should have worn it in years to come, except Joan stored it in the garage where a family of mice took up residence, raised their family, and demolished the gown for future use.

I was Joan’s maid of honor, and the bridesmaids were Mrs. Al Morris, and Tommy’s sisters, Shirley and Barbara.  I wore pink, and the other girls wore blue.  The dresses and sweetheart bonnets we wore were home-made of cotton percale and each outfit cost six dollars!

Tommy’s best man was his brother Leo Fitzpatrick.  His groomsmen were Al Morris, his brother, Ed, and his brother-in-law Larry Driscoll.

In those days, Catholic weddings could only be performed in the daytime. Instead of a reception following the wedding, Joan and Tom hosted a dance that evening at the C.S.P.S. Hall.

My friend Louise Mackey and I thought it was the most glamorous event we had ever witnessed, but eventually, the glamor deteriorated when somebody introduced us to Pink Ladies.  I don’t know how Pink Ladies are made but I think they had gin in them along with something that made them frothy and pink.  I can testify that no matter how tasty they may seem at the time, Pink Ladies are designed to kill you without mercy, or barring that, to make you deathly sick with a hangover and a steely resolve to never again indulge in their company under any circumstances.

After the wedding Joan and Tom spent their honeymoon in Chicago, Illinois, and when they returned home to Cedar Rapids, they set up housekeeping in a little apartment at 1201 First Avenue S.E.  I’ll never forget that tiny abode.  Joan and Tom painted the walls a deep red color, of all things, and the woodwork a pristine white. Joan decorated the windows with sheer white Priscilla curtains.  It looked spectacular!  Today, their little apartment has been replaced with a gas station.  And no, it’s not nearly as attractive.

Tommy worked for Leck Construction at the time they were married but he later entered the concrete construction and finishing business with his brothers.

Tom and Joan retired to Sun City West a few years ago and they love it!  Both have some health problems, but they still find time to launch and carry on interesting activities and good visits with family.

They have six children, 17 grandchildren, and 9 great-grandchildren.

.

Have a happy 61st anniversary, Joan and Tom.  Try not to get in trouble while celebrating up a storm! Skip the Pink Ladies.

.

.

Another wedding anniversary today – their 16th – is that of my nephew, James Michael Ford and his wife Sandra Jean (Buchel).

I don’t have a picture available yet, but my niece Christy is going on a quest to find one when she comes to visit her dad, Don Ford, next month.

Jim and Sandie have four children (from previous marriages) some of whom you’ve read about earlier in this blog; Jeff, Scott, Kaylee, and Katie.   Jim is president of a bank in Medford, Oregon.  Both Jimmie and Sandie love to travel, and actually they’ve had to through the years in order to keep up with the adventures of the kids.

I hope Christy can fill us in more when she gets here..  In the meantime, I’ll look forward to hearing what they did to celebrate their 16th.  Happy anniversary, Jim and Sandie!

2 / 8

Unless I’ve got the dates mixed up, June 14th is the 25th wedding anniversary of my nephew David Louis Ford and Melinda Knutson.  The nice thing about going on 80 is that nobody’s surprised when I get stuff muddled.  In my case, people expect it!

Anyway, whether it’s the 25th or the 26th marking of the day they got hitched, here’s the handsome couple for your viewing enjoyment.

You may have read about them on their birthdays.  (Click here to read about Melinda. or here to read about Dave.)    

Melinda is a world class environmentalist with a curriculum vitae a mile long; and Dave is a modern Renaissance Man – an outdoorsman, a building-trades contractor, an award-winning wine-maker, and a real-life clown entertainer. 

If you’re wondering what they do on weekends in La Crosse, Wisconsin where they live, – just look for the nearest dance floor.  Melinda and Dave are master-class ballroom dancers, to put it mildly.  If you have any doubt about the joy to be found in ballroom dancing, just ask these guys.

Melinda is one of those saints who sends us Christmas letters chronicling the activities of their year.  I, for one, not only read such documents but I savor and save them. They help defeat the frustrating lack of time and distance that separates us from family and friends!  

I can’t wait to find out how they celebrated their 25th anniversary yesterday (if it IS yesterday), but I’m counting on finding out at Christmas-time.  Whatever they’re doing, I hope it involves some sort of “tripping the light fantastic” on the dance floor.

Happy anniversary, Melinda and Dave. Cha, Cha. Cha! 

The year 1952 marked the birth year of my nephew, Jeffrey Alan Ford and my son, Mark Peter Ford.  

.

Today is Jeff’s birthday!

Jeff is the son and eldest child of my brother-and-sister-in-law, Bob and Arlis Ford.  Mark was the son and eldest child of my husband Gene and me.  The boys were born two months apart, but they were only to meet and play together once.

In 1964, Gene and I decided to test our true grit, pack up all seven of our children – ages 3 to 11 – and travel by train to Cedar Rapids, Iowa to visit our families there.  It was a monumental experience, to put it mildly, but I’ll always be eternally grateful we did it.

It was the only time Jeff, Mark and most of the other cousins were to meet, and while they may not remember much about the visit, I’ve always been glad Mark got to get acquainted with Jeff and all his other cousins.  Mark died on December 21,1970, following a car-pedestrian accident a few blocks from our home in Seattle. He was 18 years old.

Jeff grew up the oldest of five other siblings – Patrick, David, Jenny, Eddie, and Liz. He did his undergraduate work at the University of Iowa, and won his law degree at the University of Texas in 1977.

He married Vicki Taylor on March 24,1979, and they’ve lived in Dallas Texas ever since.  Their two sons still live in Texas, too. Son Bennett was married last year to Lauren Smith, and Andrew is still “batching it”.

Jeff has really distinguished himself in his chosen field.  The Dallas community rates him as a “Super Attorney”, which relieves me no end.  Octo-woman is counting on him in case her life of crime is ever revealed.  She’s going to need a good lawyer, for sure. All those overdue library book fines are finally going to catch up with her. Maybe a reasonable dollar amount can be negotiated..

Jeff and Vicky just got back from a trip to France.  They like to travel, and do it whenever they can. I hope someday one of those trips is going to bring them to the Pacific Northwest where they have about 40 relatives who would like to see them.  Jeff’s Uncle Don has a group in Medford, Oregon, and I’ve got 26 or so in Seattle, Washington. I mean, it’s not Paree, but, hey, forget the moist weather — we’ve got great coffee . . .

Have a happy birthday, Jeff!  Live long and prosper!

.

Today is also the birthday of my niece, Leslie Ann (Ford) Sully.  Leslie is the youngest daughter of my brother-in-law Don Ford.  Her mom, my sister-in-law, Lorraine, died in 1999.

When Leslie was little, I thought she wanted to grow up to be a fish.  In fact, she really excelled in competitive swimming, and Lorraine was drafted to serve as the driver and ever-resourceful mother-in-waiting for competitions all over the state of Oregon.

Leslie grew up in a military family.  Her dad Don was a full colonel in the Air Force, and brother Danny had a twenty year career in the Air Force as well. Leslie was just a baby in this photo.  Danny is holding her, her dad Don is on the right.

This photo shows big sister Christy holding baby Leslie as a “big surprise”.

In college, Leslie enrolled in ROTC, and later served in the army as a lieutenant in Desert Shield/Desert Storm. She was responsible for the deployment of medical supplies to the troops. Her duty there was a time of great anxiety for all the family, but that changed to justified pride when she made it home safely. 

Leslie now works as the civilian Public Information officer for army recruiting in Columbus, South Carolina.

Henry Sully (Leslie’s husband) had a lifetime career in the U.S. Army.  While in the Reserves, he was called up to serve as medical logistics officer in Iraqi war.  He is home now and teaches at a university in South Carolina.

Leslie and Henry both love horses.  Repeat that. They. Love. Horses.  I think they usually own at least two horse right now, and they’ve become quite competent in the care, feeding, and handling of their four-footed fast-hoofing friends.

This is Leslie’s only “cousin-in-law” in my family born in the same year she was – 1967.  He’s Michael Delancey Gorman, born 7/19/67. 

Michael works for a newspaper in Phoenix, Arizona. He’s the talented and “can do” son of my brother and sister-in-law Leo and Peggy Gorman.

.

So, along with your cousin Jeff, I hope you have a very happy birthday. Leslie. 

Hang in there and write if you get work!

3 / 13

My sister Joan sent this to me this morning and, even though she may have sent it to you already, or even though you may have seen it somewhere else, I want to post it on the blog just because it’s so astounding.

To April (my youngest granddaughter), what you’re reading below may seem like it was part of life back in the Stone Age, but, trust me, when you’re going on 80, some of it still seems vaguely familiar.

Another thing I like about the list Joan sent is that it reminds me of how, in many ways, much of the “Good Old Days” have been out-performed by “Today’s Days”.

Most of all, though, this reminded me of the father of one of our producers at Ford Video, Linda Lewis.  Her dad, Al Opdenweyer, is one of those super-powers we all wish we could be. You’ll be hearing more about him on this blog because he’s going to be 100 years old this summer.

.

.

According to Joan, this is the way it was in the country the year Al was born:

THE YEAR IS 1911

**********************************
The year is 1911  — One hundred years ago. What a difference a century makes! Here are some statistics for the Year 1911:

**********************************

The average life expectancy for men was 47 years.
Fuel for this car was sold in drug stores only.
Only 14 percent of the homes had a bathtub.
Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone.
There were only 8,000 cars and only 144 miles of paved roads.
The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.
The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower !
The average US wage in 1910 was 22 cents per hour.
The average US worker made between $200 and $400 per year.
A competent accountant could expect to earn $2000 per year, a dentist $2,500 per year, a veterinarian between $1,500 and $4,000 per year, and a mechanical engineer about $5,000 per year.

More than 95 percent of all births took place at home.

Ninety percent of all Doctors had NO COLLEGE EDUCATION! Instead, they attended so-called medical schools, many of which were condemned in the press and the government as “substandard.”Sugar cost four cents a pound.

Eggs were fourteen cents a dozen.
Coffee was fifteen cents a pound.
Most women only washed their hair once a month, and used Borax or egg yolks for shampoo.

Canada passed a law that prohibited poor people from entering into their country for any reason.

The Five leading causes of death were:
1. Pneumonia and influenza
2. Tuberculosis
3. Diarrhea
4. Heart disease
5. Stroke

The American flag had 45 stars.
The population of Las Vegas , Nevada was only 30 people.
Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and iced tea hadn’t been invented yet.
There was neither a Mother’s Day nor a Father’s Day.

Two out of every 10 adults couldn’t read or write and only 6 percent of all Americans had graduated from high school.

Marijuana, heroin, and morphine were all available over the counter at the local corner drugstores.

Back then pharmacists said, “Heroin clears the complexion, gives buoyancy to the mind,regulates the stomach and bowels, and is, in fact, a perfect guardian of health!” (Shocking?)

Eighteen percent of households had at least one full-time servant or domestic help.

There were about 230 reported murders in the ENTIRE USA !

Al, try to imagine what it may be like in another 100 years! 

Please try to stick around for many more!

Roll out the champagne and roses.  Today’s the 45th anniversary of my brother, Leo Francis Gorman and his bride, Margaret (Peggy) Althouse Gorman.

I wish I couldda been at their beautiful wedding.  At the time, keeping a roof over our heads in Seattle won first place in priority over traveling to New York. It’s always been a mystery to me how they managed to conduct the wedding without any help from me. From everything I’ve heard, though, it was a storybook wedding.   

Peggy and Leo were married in St. Alphonsus Church in Auburn, New York on June 11, 1966.  My Mom and Dad and sister Joan were there, and among those in the wedding party were my brother Richard Gorman, my teenage niece, Chris Fitzpatrick, and my brother-in-law Tom Fitzpatrick. 

Peggy and Leo worked as teachers in Auburn, New York State till their retirement, and then they moved to Sun City, Arizona.  

Their children, Michael, Leanne, and Beth (and their spouses Niki, John Dudas, and Bob Brown) have so far managed to produce five grandchildren –  going on six this month when Beth delivers her third child. Leanne and her husband, John, and twins, Gigi and Jack, live in Washington D.C., but everybody else lives in Arizona.

Most of them are shown in the photo below except for Bob who was clicking the camera, and Leanne and John and the twins who were in Washington, D.C. 

. . .  I hope they’re all whooping it up today!

Happy anniversary, Peggy and Leo.  Live long and prosper!

.

.

Our next wedding during this June calendar month was that of my nephew Michael Delancey Gorman and Nicole Elizabeth Crook Gorman.  Today is their 16th wedding anniversary.

Michael is still fighting the good fight for the newspaper industry, and Niki just graduated from Arizona State University with her teaching degree.  Their daughter Kaitlyn Delancey Gorman, 15 years old, is still bopping along nicely in high school where they live in Phoenix Arizona.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Nestled between their industrious day jobs, all three love to find time to travel, and Michael is the Gorman family’s resident geneologist. Next year, Octo-woman is planning to force him into helping her crank out a graphical family tree complete with photos (if he hasn’t already done one.)

Have a happy anniversary, Niki and Michael, and I hope you have at least fifty more!

Today is also the 58th birthday of my nephew Patrick Robert Ford.  Pat is the second son of my brother-in-law and sister-in-law Bob and Arlis Ford.

Pat lives and works in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. I am exceedingly proud of this “kid”, not just because he’s brilliant – he holds a law degree as well as an accounting degree and he’s got smarts to spare – but because of a secret which not many people know.  Maybe nobody else but me knows, but now you will, too!

This is the secret about Patrick.  I think they named him after Octo-woman. 

Some people may think they named him after his Grandpa Patrick Ford, or even his great grandfather Henry Patrick Ford, but huh-huh.  He was named after ME – his Aunt Patty.  Yup, yup, I’m pretty sure of it. Nobody ever told me that, but they didn’t need to.  How could they consider all that talent and not attribute it to his Aunt Patty.

So Patrick, I hope you will continue to carry on my good name. And while you’re at it, have a very happy birthday!

A wedding anniversary is a good time to roll out the barrel and celebrate! Especially when it’s the 60th!

There’s a reason why June is the popular wedding month in Iowa, just as August is in Washington. It’s the weather!  You can usually count on a pretty day in those months in those locations.

A pretty day is the way it was on June 9, 1951, 60 years ago. The storybook wedding of my brother-in-law Robert Edward Ford and Arlis Ann Kirsch was held in Charles City, Iowa, and I can’t remember a more beautiful day or a more perfect wedding.  Or a more good-looking bride and groom.

After being married for 60 years, I guess we don’t have to wonder whether the marriage will last.  

After the wedding, Bob and Arlis lived in Council Bluffs, Iowa.  Their first child – Jeffrey – was born there in 1952, and shortly after, they moved to Cedar Rapids, Iowa where they’ve resided ever since. 

.

Bob opened a law practice Cedar Rapids, and they settled down to raise their family.  Besides Jeffrey, they have five more children – Patrick, David, Eddie, Jenny and Liz.

Adding to the family are their daughters-in-law Vicki and Melinda, and four grandsons – Bennett, Andrew, Joshua and Jacob.  Bennett was married in 2006 to his young bride, Lauren; and Josh and Jake are both engaged.

Bob and Arlis have suffered though a year of surgeries.  Bob had major shoulder surgery, and Arlis had a hip replacement last December. She’ll have the other hip replaced next week.They are definitely looking forward to getting life back to normal and pain-free soon!

Happy Diamond Anniversary, guys.

Today is also the birthday of my niece-in-law, the inimitable Babs Ford.  Babs is married to my nephew, Steve Ford, and they’re the parents of Brian.

When they moved from Eugene to Medford, Oregon last year, Babs had to give up a newspaper job she really enjoyed. Fortunately, she got hired on at the local newspaper in Medford. Babs and Steve survived the move and are now settled in their new home.

She’s going to be a busy lady soon, because Brian is getting married soon.  Being a mother of the groom has a way of keeping one occupied!

.

.

.

.

.

For now, though, settle back and enjoy the day.  Have a happy birthday, Babs! 

Among the treasures God gave me that I don’t deserve is my sister, Joan. If you could only have one sister, this is the one you’d wish for.

I’ve admired her all my life.  Well, almost all my life.  It was a little dicey in school at St. Patricks’ when the nuns seemed to expect me to match my older sister’s consistent straight “A” performance.  Even her handwriting was flawless, fercryingoutloud. Trust me, hers were not easy-fitting shoes to fill.

It wasn’t till I was about 16 years old that I really began to appreciate the character of this generous, competent, and caring female in my family.  If there’s anybody in the world you would compare me to, please, I beg you, let it be her. To add to her talents, she was pretty, always impeccably dressed, and she had a great closet to steal clothes from.

She’s been my best friend all my life, and I expect her to be at my side forever now and hereafter. 

Today is Joan Darlene Gorman Fitzpatrick’s 82nd birthday. She was born in 1929 just before Wall Street crashed and the Great Depression began. 

There’s no doubt in my mind, that she was the best thing that happened to the world that year. She was God’s way of making everybody feel better about the bleak years that followed.

You can’t be around Joan long without finding something to start laughing about.  To celebrate the birthday today, my little niece Denise couldn’t resist “leaking” the following secrets.

Mom has a history of talking in her sleep, and on rare occasions she’ll walk in her sleep too. When you get the double whammy, it’s always a treat. 

All of the Fitzpatrick kids remember sitting around the dining room table playing a game while she slept on the chair in the living room. It was an unspoken amongst us that when you begin to hear the mumbling from her, everybody better be quiet or we’ll miss out on a whopper. I’m guessing this particular night her arm must have fallen asleep. Through gritted teeth (she can’t talk in her sleep without gritting her teeth for some reason) she begged us to, “Get this dog off my arm!” 

The real fun begins when you question her and attempt to engage her in conversation. She’s her own dog and pony show. It’s even more fun when non-family members are present. Dinner AND a show!

I don’t think I’ve visited Mom and Dad that Mom hasn’t woken me at least one night with her sleep talking. Most of the time it’s a bad dream so I’ll just go gently wake her and go back to bed. 

A few years ago though, Tommy and I went to Arizona to stay with Mom while Dad was in the hospital for a few days.

On our last night there, at about 2am, the hall light went on. I was thinking that it was strange as she’s usually more quiet and careful than that so as not to wake anyone, especially with Tommy right there in the living room sleeping. She went into the bathroom and did her business, and I was glad to hear her finishing up, as I wanted the lights out, so I could get back to sleep before my brain realized that it would be MY turn to haul into the bathroom next.  

She came out of the bathroom, and came barreling into the guest room where I was, and declared in a disgusted tone, “Well for heaven’s sakes, she left EVERYTHING.” 

So I rolled over and sleepily said, “Mom?” She was sort of startled at that and laughed and said, “Oh! I thought you were gone already, and I saw your contact case in the bathroom….” “No Mom, we leave tomorrow. G’night.” 

She giggled and went into her bedroom without turning out the hall light. *sigh* So I got out of bed to turn out the light for Tom and went to the bathroom while I was at it. I was still pretty groggy, so I left the bathroom door open about half way with the light off and started *ahem* going. It wasn’t ten seconds later, and The Crazies began again. She came barreling INTO THE BATHROOM, while I’m sitting vulnerably, ummm, where you sit, saying “Hey! Hey! Hey! What’re you doing?!”  

Crazy Sleep-Walker-Talker starts laughing again and says, “Oh! I thought I left the water running in here!” (I guess I’m well hydrated). She cackled down the hall, as I dragged myself back into bed, thrilled that after all these years my making water still makes my mother so joyful.

The next morning, I walked out into the living room, before saying anything, I made eye contact with her, and she immediately started laughing hysterically. She said, ” You can’t tell anybody that….they’ll send me to the nursing home!”

______________________________________________________________

Well, yes, Denise did spill the beans, Joan, but don’t worry about being accepted at the nursing home.  You won’t be the first resident there who’s non compos mentis. If the attendants let me, I’ll keep the Lazyboy warm and waiting for you.

Besides Denise-Who-Reveals-All, Joan and husband Tommy have five other children, three daughters-in-law, three sons-in-law, 17 grandchildren, 1 granddaughter-in-law, 2 grandsons-in-law, and 9 great-grandchildren.  There may be more by now but I can’t count that high. 

Most of the cast of thousands that Joan and Tommy mass-produced are shown below.

It may not surprise you that among the crafts Joan took up during retirement is the creation of three-dimensional greeting cards.  It seems like a fitting activity for a woman whose immediate family observes 43 birthdays every year. 

In her earlier life, besides her main gig as housewife and mother, Joan served Tommy’s business as bookkeeper for many years, and she was the proprietor of a gift shop called “Granny’s Attic” on 16th Avenue in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.  

Joan really distinguished herself as a versatile craftsman. I mean like big time.  Doll-making, silk flower arranging, cake decorating, ceramics, embroidery, sewing, tole painting, paper crafts, calligraphy, and an astonishing menu of other crafts. Everything she produces seems miraculous in its perfection. God gave her good eyes, good hands, and an imagination, and she has learned how to make beauty with them.   

Have a very happy birthday, sister-mine. I hope you’ll have a nice piece of cake. 

Then you can put your feet up and turn on the TV.  You need your sleep, dear!

.

5 / 9