Lee had extended his tour of duty in Europe by 6 months. We would have had to uproot the girls from school in mid year as we should have returned to the states Dec. 1980. I had promised the girls that if their dad extended, We would go back to the states for a visit in the summer
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Friday, June 3, 2011
LOSING A FRIEND
Losing a friend does not get any easier as one ages. In reality, I think it gets more difficult to relinquish these treasured individuals whom we have allowed into our lives, and moreover, they have reciprocated in kind by accepting us, and loving us with all our imperfections. One definition of friend is a close acquaintance, someone whom we become fond of and share our inner most thoughts with. We may know a lot of people, but most of us have precious few "real" friends. I feel privileged to have made some wonderful friends over my lifetime, friends who have been there for me in good times, and friends who have been with me during some of the darkest hours of my life. My eyes well up with tears as I recall the numerous times I have felt the unconditional love and support of close friends when I desperately needed it.
I met Sister Consuela in 1987. She was a diminutive "old school" Sister of Mercy who chose to wear the modern version of the habit and wimple, black in winter, and white in summer. She had beautiful blue eyes which twinkled with her knowing smile. Her grace and silent presence commanded respect to all those who knew her. I knew the first time that I met Sister that I would grow to love her.
In 1987 my husband Lee had recently retired from the U.S. Army after 23 years and accepted the position of Director of the Anesthesia School at Mercy Hospital in Portland, Maine. Sister Consuela was his supervisor, he thought the world of her, and respected her opinion. He was always impressed by her involvement in so many different projects. She was extremely knowledgeable and highly respected by all that she touched over the many years. Her high standards are reflected in the hundreds of nurses who received their training under her tutelage.
Lee and I had planned a trip to Ireland in 1989. Sister Conseula asked if we planned on going to Dublin, she then gave us a little history lesson about Catherine Mc Cauley (the woman who founded The Sister's of Mercy) who was born near Dublin in 1778. Sister asked if would we visit the small museum in honor of Catherine Mc Cauley. I surmised from her enthusiasm that it would mean a great deal to her. I promptly told her that we would be happy to do that for her. As we walked away Lee refreshed my memory that our itinerary did not include Dublin! WELL, of course we went to Dublin! It was a cold rainy, dreary day, really not conducive to finding a tiny shrine to Catherine Mc Cauley half way round the world in Dublin, Ireland. Remember that you drive on the opposite side of the street in The U.K. and now it is literally pouring rain. Thank God that Lee has the patience of Job. He also knows that I am like "a dog with a bone" when I am looking for something. I had him making u-turns after which he would forget and get on the wrong side of the street. It was not pretty, there was not a lot of conversation, BUT we found it! It was a tiny chapel,there was no one in attendance. The only prove that we had been there was a pamphlet with Catherine Mc Cauley's picture, and information about her life, and Lee took a couple photographs. We also purchased some linen handkerchiefs for Sister which we gave her along with the pamphlet. She was absolutely "tinkled pink" and so grateful that we had done this for her. Her eyes were brimming with tears of gratitude as she hugged us. A small gesture which meant so much to her and reminded us once again, that sometimes it doesn't take much to make someone happy.
In 1991 I was contemplating graduate school, however, I was not confident that I could achieve my goals. As Lee said, I kept throwing up "road blocks" for myself which prevented me from applying to Boston College. One day at work he mentioned my dilemma to Sister Consuela. She said "tell Carol to be in my office at 0900 tomorrow morning. Lee said, "it wasn't really a request, it was more like an edict!"
So I was in her office at 0900 sharp the following morning. We talked for 2 hrs, and we talked about everything under the sun. When I left her office that morning I was so "psyched," I felt like I could achieve anything. I did matriculate at Boston College and earned my MSN in Psych/Mental Health, and I shall always be grateful for her encouragement, and support. Actually, I felt that she was my guardian angel and it gave me the strength and determination to stay the course. Sister had a very persuasive way about her, and she also had a wonderful way to convey her caring and love as well, she and I hit it off immediately. Periodically, I would call and ask Sister Consuela if she would care to go out to lunch, she never refused. I always took her to a restaurant along the water which we both thoroughly enjoyed. She always ordered Salmon which she loved, and her dessert consisted of one scoop of vanilla ice cream. When I asked here if she would like dessert, she would always get this little mischievous look in her eyes and smile.
One year, the week before Thanksgiving I asked Lee to invite Sister for dinner, I prefaced my request with "I'm sure at this late date she will already have plans." As luck would have it, she did not have plans and she was ecstatic that she was coming to our home for Thanksgiving dinner. Lee said she announced to everyone she encountered that she was having Thanksgiving dinner at Lee's house. I was honored that she accepted our invitation, and it appears that she was honored to be invited.
When Sister Consuela retired from her position at Mercy Hospital we went to her party. The huge room was packed with people from Sister's past, they all had a story to tell, be it when they were a Nursing student or later when they were employed at Mercy Hospital. She was loved by all whose lives she touched. She was incredulous that so many, many people had come to honor her, and she genuinely did not "get it!" She was just doing her job in the best way she knew how, and did not see what all the fuss was about.
Sister appeared in the halls of Mercy Hospital for several years after her retirement, visiting, encouraging, and praying with patients. She loved seeing old friends and co-workers, some seeking her advice, which was free, but only if it was solicited. Personally, I think she is still roaming those hallowed halls at Mercy Hospital, the place she loved so much, and I think she always will.
Two years ago in July 2009 Lee and I were in Maine on vacation and decided to try and find Sister Conseula. I had written a few notes to her, but for whatever reason, did not hear back from her. It took a couple phone calls and we found her at The Frances Warde Convent on Stevens Ave. She was frail, but bright and alert, and happy to see us. Those beautiful blue eyes still radiant and shining, full of love. We visited for about an hour, she hugged and kissed us both and we said "goodbye. " We all had tears in our eyes silently knowing that this would be our final farewell to Sister Conseula. She walked us to the door and waved to us as we drove away. I can still see her there in my mind's eye.
Sister Conseula passed away last week. I was devastated upon hearing the news, and felt such a loss, however on reflection I was being selfish. This wonderful "saintly" woman has influenced and enriched my life beyond belief, and she has inspired me to be a better person, and a better Christian. I am blessed and priveleged to have known such a woman and to call her my friend.
I'll bet St. Peter wisked her through the heavenly gates so fast when she flashed that ever present twinkle in her eyes. At long last Sister will have the rest with our Heavenly Father which she so richly deserves.
I met Sister Consuela in 1987. She was a diminutive "old school" Sister of Mercy who chose to wear the modern version of the habit and wimple, black in winter, and white in summer. She had beautiful blue eyes which twinkled with her knowing smile. Her grace and silent presence commanded respect to all those who knew her. I knew the first time that I met Sister that I would grow to love her.
In 1987 my husband Lee had recently retired from the U.S. Army after 23 years and accepted the position of Director of the Anesthesia School at Mercy Hospital in Portland, Maine. Sister Consuela was his supervisor, he thought the world of her, and respected her opinion. He was always impressed by her involvement in so many different projects. She was extremely knowledgeable and highly respected by all that she touched over the many years. Her high standards are reflected in the hundreds of nurses who received their training under her tutelage.
Lee and I had planned a trip to Ireland in 1989. Sister Conseula asked if we planned on going to Dublin, she then gave us a little history lesson about Catherine Mc Cauley (the woman who founded The Sister's of Mercy) who was born near Dublin in 1778. Sister asked if would we visit the small museum in honor of Catherine Mc Cauley. I surmised from her enthusiasm that it would mean a great deal to her. I promptly told her that we would be happy to do that for her. As we walked away Lee refreshed my memory that our itinerary did not include Dublin! WELL, of course we went to Dublin! It was a cold rainy, dreary day, really not conducive to finding a tiny shrine to Catherine Mc Cauley half way round the world in Dublin, Ireland. Remember that you drive on the opposite side of the street in The U.K. and now it is literally pouring rain. Thank God that Lee has the patience of Job. He also knows that I am like "a dog with a bone" when I am looking for something. I had him making u-turns after which he would forget and get on the wrong side of the street. It was not pretty, there was not a lot of conversation, BUT we found it! It was a tiny chapel,there was no one in attendance. The only prove that we had been there was a pamphlet with Catherine Mc Cauley's picture, and information about her life, and Lee took a couple photographs. We also purchased some linen handkerchiefs for Sister which we gave her along with the pamphlet. She was absolutely "tinkled pink" and so grateful that we had done this for her. Her eyes were brimming with tears of gratitude as she hugged us. A small gesture which meant so much to her and reminded us once again, that sometimes it doesn't take much to make someone happy.
In 1991 I was contemplating graduate school, however, I was not confident that I could achieve my goals. As Lee said, I kept throwing up "road blocks" for myself which prevented me from applying to Boston College. One day at work he mentioned my dilemma to Sister Consuela. She said "tell Carol to be in my office at 0900 tomorrow morning. Lee said, "it wasn't really a request, it was more like an edict!"
So I was in her office at 0900 sharp the following morning. We talked for 2 hrs, and we talked about everything under the sun. When I left her office that morning I was so "psyched," I felt like I could achieve anything. I did matriculate at Boston College and earned my MSN in Psych/Mental Health, and I shall always be grateful for her encouragement, and support. Actually, I felt that she was my guardian angel and it gave me the strength and determination to stay the course. Sister had a very persuasive way about her, and she also had a wonderful way to convey her caring and love as well, she and I hit it off immediately. Periodically, I would call and ask Sister Consuela if she would care to go out to lunch, she never refused. I always took her to a restaurant along the water which we both thoroughly enjoyed. She always ordered Salmon which she loved, and her dessert consisted of one scoop of vanilla ice cream. When I asked here if she would like dessert, she would always get this little mischievous look in her eyes and smile.
One year, the week before Thanksgiving I asked Lee to invite Sister for dinner, I prefaced my request with "I'm sure at this late date she will already have plans." As luck would have it, she did not have plans and she was ecstatic that she was coming to our home for Thanksgiving dinner. Lee said she announced to everyone she encountered that she was having Thanksgiving dinner at Lee's house. I was honored that she accepted our invitation, and it appears that she was honored to be invited.
When Sister Consuela retired from her position at Mercy Hospital we went to her party. The huge room was packed with people from Sister's past, they all had a story to tell, be it when they were a Nursing student or later when they were employed at Mercy Hospital. She was loved by all whose lives she touched. She was incredulous that so many, many people had come to honor her, and she genuinely did not "get it!" She was just doing her job in the best way she knew how, and did not see what all the fuss was about.
Sister appeared in the halls of Mercy Hospital for several years after her retirement, visiting, encouraging, and praying with patients. She loved seeing old friends and co-workers, some seeking her advice, which was free, but only if it was solicited. Personally, I think she is still roaming those hallowed halls at Mercy Hospital, the place she loved so much, and I think she always will.
Two years ago in July 2009 Lee and I were in Maine on vacation and decided to try and find Sister Conseula. I had written a few notes to her, but for whatever reason, did not hear back from her. It took a couple phone calls and we found her at The Frances Warde Convent on Stevens Ave. She was frail, but bright and alert, and happy to see us. Those beautiful blue eyes still radiant and shining, full of love. We visited for about an hour, she hugged and kissed us both and we said "goodbye. " We all had tears in our eyes silently knowing that this would be our final farewell to Sister Conseula. She walked us to the door and waved to us as we drove away. I can still see her there in my mind's eye.
Sister Conseula passed away last week. I was devastated upon hearing the news, and felt such a loss, however on reflection I was being selfish. This wonderful "saintly" woman has influenced and enriched my life beyond belief, and she has inspired me to be a better person, and a better Christian. I am blessed and priveleged to have known such a woman and to call her my friend.
I'll bet St. Peter wisked her through the heavenly gates so fast when she flashed that ever present twinkle in her eyes. At long last Sister will have the rest with our Heavenly Father which she so richly deserves.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Our day of awe in Rome as John Paul ll takes our hands in His
In the fall of 1980 Lee and I decided to take a trip to Rome, Italy. We had visited Venice in 1979, and it is beautiful. The boat ride to Venice was a little hairy because even though the boat has a plaque that states the maximum number of passengers, they just keep piling more and more people in the boat. Pretty soon there was only a couple inches of boat visible. Thankfully, it was only a short ride, and we all survived. We walked all around Venice with its narrow passageways and magnificent architecture. Saint Mark's Square which is the undisputed symbol of Venice, and of course Doge's Palace and the Bridge of Sighs. The Bridge of Sighs that houses two overlapping corridors was built at the beginning of the 17th century and used to serve as a link between the Old Prison, in the Doge's Palace, and the New Prison's situated beyond the Palazzo River. Legend has it that one could hear the sighs of the condemned as they were being lead to prison.
When we had decided to go to Rome, I had casually mentioned our plans in a letter to a close friend of ours who lives in New York. Florence wrote back and informed me that she has relatives still living in Rome. Fortuitously, for our family, one of her cousins was Pope John Paul ll personal secretary . Florence proceeded to write a letter for us which enabled us entrance into the Vatican. As you might imagine the instructions were very specific. There is a cadre of Swiss Guards in front of the Vatican who guard the entrance, they are the guards who wear the "Pie man Hats" which are purple and gold colored. I approached the guards and showed them the letter which Florence had sent us. It was incredible, within seconds we were escorted into the halls of the Vatican, and within a few moments a diminutive elderly Monseigneur appeared and greeted us.....in Italian! For an instant I was disappointed that we may not gain entrance into the Vatican. However, there was no need to worry because the situation was quickly rectified, a middle age Irish priest was summoned to give us a tour of the Vatican. He took us through the archives which are located in the recesses of the basement of the Vatican. There were several scholarly looking young men scattered around the Archives engrossed in research. Then Father Flanigan took us to some rarely used, sort of "secret or concealed" stairways up to the top floor of the Papal Residence. There was a window at the top of the stairs which when opened revealed a breathtaking view of the private, beautiful, and serene Vatican Gardens. The gardens are lovely and completely devoid of any electrical wires or other encumbrances. Father Flanigan invited us to take as many photos as we wished. Ironically, the best picture I have retained all of these years is the imprint on my brain of these lovely private gardens. (I will explain after I discuss the absolutely wonderful experience of being touched by Pope John Paul ll)
Our tour of the Vatican culminated with a blessing from Father Flanigan with all of us joining hands. His final word to us was "take care of each other and love one another." It was a special moment, I shall never forget. We exited the Vatican with our feet not quite touching the ground, with the knowledge that we had experienced and witnessed something special, and unique, something that few people get the opportunity to experience
Next on the agenda was the Papal appearance in St. Peter's Square at 1300 that same afternoon. Another friend of ours had suggested that we visit the USO which was not far from The Square. The USO was originally a place for the American soldiers to go to on their time off. Sometimes there would be some sort of entertainment there, cigarettes, stationery, and conversation were available as well as the camaraderie of other young men who were also displaced from their families and their country. The lady who ran the USO was an elderly woman who had a tale to tell, she was actually in her mid 80's. She really seemed to enjoy our daughters, who at the time, were ages 11 & 13 yr. old. She proceeded to tell us that she had lived in Italy during the fascist dictatorship of Mussolini. The woman explained how she and her family had escaped from Italy and the brutality of Mussolini to Switzerland, unfortunately not before they witnessed many atrocities, and acts of cruelty to their fellow countrymen.
The woman asked us if we were going to St. Peter's square to see the pope, and we of course answered in the affirmative. She said "I will tell you exactly where to stand, and you can pretty much be assured to see Him up close." We got there early and stood precisely where she suggested. There were very few people in St. Peter's Square at the time. As the time for the Pope's appearance grew closer, the people appeared in throngs and the Square filled up to the point that I became anxious, and somewhat fearful. Lee and I and the girls were in the front row and the crowds behind us started to press against us. This indeed was scary. Just about the time when I felt like I was going to be pushed to the ground the Vatican police commenced to using their "Billie clubs" on the people who were shoving from behind us. These police were forceful and hit hard, they meant business, there was no doubt about it. Therefore, it did not take much time at all for the crowds to be under control. I for one was very grateful. It was not long afterwards and the Pope appeared in his Pope mobile, they drove slowly up and down between the various rows of the people. Lee and I were taking pictures like professional shutter bugs. I took 2 rolls of the Pope myself. My hands were trembling in anticipation of seeing the Pope, especially so physically close, it was an exciting, wonderful experience in my life. As the Pope mobile approached us, for some reason they decided to stop directly in front of us. The Pope asked us where we were from, and of course we stated we were Americans. He took our hands in His and cupped our hands together, and blessed us before He continued on through St. Peter's Square. My eyes filled with tears, to have been touched by the Holy Father, this "little ole Catholic girl" felt truly blessed. The lady in the USO was spot on with her directions and I will be forever grateful. For me it was the thrill of a lifetime, one I shall always savor. After we returned to Heidelberg, we packed up all of our film in a large envelope and sent it to the processing company which we had used for the entire 2 years we had been in Germany. About 10 days later we received a letter from the photo processing company stating that our film never arrived there. According to the company they only received a torn envelope and the check which we had enclosed intact inside the envelope. You can draw your own conclusions of what you think happened. Every time afterwards when I saw a closeup picture of the Pope, I'd say to Lee "There is one of our photos." I will always believe that someone saw an opportunity and took advantage of it.
Luckily, I do have a few pictures of Pope John Paul ll which were on the end of another roll which I did not send in for developing. The beautiful Vatican Gardens are but a memory though since those pictures were among the ones which were sent in the mail. I will always have the vivid memories of that beautiful blessed day, they belong to me alone.
While in the Rome area we decided to take a bus tour of Sorrento, Pompeii and Naples. Sorrento is beautiful with its lovely houses built into the cliffs along the Mediterrean. It seems that no matter where we traveled in Europe we were always surprised and charmed at the beauty and quaintness we found.
We continued along on our bus tour ate a delicious lunch of fried calamari and salad, and of course Lee and I enjoyed a lovely glass of Italian wine.
As an aside, the people of Italy, especially the male gender, were very fascinated by our two daughters, both who are very fair skinned, one with very blonde hair, the other a strawberry blonde. A man sat next to our almost 14 yr old daughter on the subway, he proceeded to tell her several times, how beautiful she was, etc. Unbeknownst to him, Lee and I were sitting directly across from him. When the subway stopped at the next station, Lee and I stood up, and our daughter took a hold of her dad's hand as we disembarked.
Ciao,
Carol
When we had decided to go to Rome, I had casually mentioned our plans in a letter to a close friend of ours who lives in New York. Florence wrote back and informed me that she has relatives still living in Rome. Fortuitously, for our family, one of her cousins was Pope John Paul ll personal secretary . Florence proceeded to write a letter for us which enabled us entrance into the Vatican. As you might imagine the instructions were very specific. There is a cadre of Swiss Guards in front of the Vatican who guard the entrance, they are the guards who wear the "Pie man Hats" which are purple and gold colored. I approached the guards and showed them the letter which Florence had sent us. It was incredible, within seconds we were escorted into the halls of the Vatican, and within a few moments a diminutive elderly Monseigneur appeared and greeted us.....in Italian! For an instant I was disappointed that we may not gain entrance into the Vatican. However, there was no need to worry because the situation was quickly rectified, a middle age Irish priest was summoned to give us a tour of the Vatican. He took us through the archives which are located in the recesses of the basement of the Vatican. There were several scholarly looking young men scattered around the Archives engrossed in research. Then Father Flanigan took us to some rarely used, sort of "secret or concealed" stairways up to the top floor of the Papal Residence. There was a window at the top of the stairs which when opened revealed a breathtaking view of the private, beautiful, and serene Vatican Gardens. The gardens are lovely and completely devoid of any electrical wires or other encumbrances. Father Flanigan invited us to take as many photos as we wished. Ironically, the best picture I have retained all of these years is the imprint on my brain of these lovely private gardens. (I will explain after I discuss the absolutely wonderful experience of being touched by Pope John Paul ll)
Our tour of the Vatican culminated with a blessing from Father Flanigan with all of us joining hands. His final word to us was "take care of each other and love one another." It was a special moment, I shall never forget. We exited the Vatican with our feet not quite touching the ground, with the knowledge that we had experienced and witnessed something special, and unique, something that few people get the opportunity to experience
Next on the agenda was the Papal appearance in St. Peter's Square at 1300 that same afternoon. Another friend of ours had suggested that we visit the USO which was not far from The Square. The USO was originally a place for the American soldiers to go to on their time off. Sometimes there would be some sort of entertainment there, cigarettes, stationery, and conversation were available as well as the camaraderie of other young men who were also displaced from their families and their country. The lady who ran the USO was an elderly woman who had a tale to tell, she was actually in her mid 80's. She really seemed to enjoy our daughters, who at the time, were ages 11 & 13 yr. old. She proceeded to tell us that she had lived in Italy during the fascist dictatorship of Mussolini. The woman explained how she and her family had escaped from Italy and the brutality of Mussolini to Switzerland, unfortunately not before they witnessed many atrocities, and acts of cruelty to their fellow countrymen.
The woman asked us if we were going to St. Peter's square to see the pope, and we of course answered in the affirmative. She said "I will tell you exactly where to stand, and you can pretty much be assured to see Him up close." We got there early and stood precisely where she suggested. There were very few people in St. Peter's Square at the time. As the time for the Pope's appearance grew closer, the people appeared in throngs and the Square filled up to the point that I became anxious, and somewhat fearful. Lee and I and the girls were in the front row and the crowds behind us started to press against us. This indeed was scary. Just about the time when I felt like I was going to be pushed to the ground the Vatican police commenced to using their "Billie clubs" on the people who were shoving from behind us. These police were forceful and hit hard, they meant business, there was no doubt about it. Therefore, it did not take much time at all for the crowds to be under control. I for one was very grateful. It was not long afterwards and the Pope appeared in his Pope mobile, they drove slowly up and down between the various rows of the people. Lee and I were taking pictures like professional shutter bugs. I took 2 rolls of the Pope myself. My hands were trembling in anticipation of seeing the Pope, especially so physically close, it was an exciting, wonderful experience in my life. As the Pope mobile approached us, for some reason they decided to stop directly in front of us. The Pope asked us where we were from, and of course we stated we were Americans. He took our hands in His and cupped our hands together, and blessed us before He continued on through St. Peter's Square. My eyes filled with tears, to have been touched by the Holy Father, this "little ole Catholic girl" felt truly blessed. The lady in the USO was spot on with her directions and I will be forever grateful. For me it was the thrill of a lifetime, one I shall always savor. After we returned to Heidelberg, we packed up all of our film in a large envelope and sent it to the processing company which we had used for the entire 2 years we had been in Germany. About 10 days later we received a letter from the photo processing company stating that our film never arrived there. According to the company they only received a torn envelope and the check which we had enclosed intact inside the envelope. You can draw your own conclusions of what you think happened. Every time afterwards when I saw a closeup picture of the Pope, I'd say to Lee "There is one of our photos." I will always believe that someone saw an opportunity and took advantage of it.
Luckily, I do have a few pictures of Pope John Paul ll which were on the end of another roll which I did not send in for developing. The beautiful Vatican Gardens are but a memory though since those pictures were among the ones which were sent in the mail. I will always have the vivid memories of that beautiful blessed day, they belong to me alone.
While in the Rome area we decided to take a bus tour of Sorrento, Pompeii and Naples. Sorrento is beautiful with its lovely houses built into the cliffs along the Mediterrean. It seems that no matter where we traveled in Europe we were always surprised and charmed at the beauty and quaintness we found.
We continued along on our bus tour ate a delicious lunch of fried calamari and salad, and of course Lee and I enjoyed a lovely glass of Italian wine.
As an aside, the people of Italy, especially the male gender, were very fascinated by our two daughters, both who are very fair skinned, one with very blonde hair, the other a strawberry blonde. A man sat next to our almost 14 yr old daughter on the subway, he proceeded to tell her several times, how beautiful she was, etc. Unbeknownst to him, Lee and I were sitting directly across from him. When the subway stopped at the next station, Lee and I stood up, and our daughter took a hold of her dad's hand as we disembarked.
Ciao,
Carol
Monday, May 23, 2011
"Volksmarching" our way through Germany
One of the most popular pastimes for families on the weekends was to go on a "Volksmarch." It actually translates into "people walk," and is not only a wonderful opportunity for families to spend time together, but also a great way to stay physically fit. I am not sure how many of these walks our family participated in, but sufficed to say at least 50. There were 2 choices for the distance which we could traverse. One choice was 10 kilometers (6 mi.) or 20 kilometers (12 mi.) Wherever the march was laid out, it was always breathtakingly beautiful. It could be serene farm land with grazing contented cows and babbling brooks, or lush green forests with the melodious songs of the indigenous birds of that area serenading us in the background. The reward for completing the walk was a medallion which were made of bronze, silver, or gold. The one we received depended on whatever we registered and paid for. There was a fee to participate in these walks, it was a method of raising monies for the individual clubs. The Americans had a club as did the Canadians, etc. and the fees were used to purchase medals for future walks, and various other expenses. Usually, we participated as a family, but once in a while if I really liked the medal which was given at the finish, I would go alone. One Saturday in particular Lee was on call and I decided to do just that. It was a 20 kilometer or 12 mile walk, or in my case, run. I initially started walking, but found it rather boring so decided to run through. If my memory serves me correctly it took me 2 hrs to do it.
Another weekend when Lee was on call the girls and I went on a walk with a friend. Actually, she was also a CRNA and Lee's supervisor. She had no family to accompany her on her assignment to Germany therefore we included her in many of our family activities. On this particular Saturday, she drove. After the walk and refreshments we were ready to start for home. My friend could not find her car keys, we looked high and low with no luck. There were lots of people of various nationalities milling around, I decided to try and converse with someone to see if they had found a set of car keys. The German word for key is "schlussel," so I started asking people in German if they had seen the keys. One man acted like he had found the keys, "Die Schussel, die schussel" he shouted. I said "yes, yes!! He said "Nein", so after a few minutes it was clear that he had not found the keys. However, this middle age German man whom I did not know, and had never seen before, handed me his car keys to a brand new 5 speed Ford Fiesta. He even showed me where the registration was located. We were incredulous! I mean how many times does someone offer their car keys to a total stranger, from another country?? I explained to him that I lived in Heidelberg and it would take me over 1 hour to get there and then of course the same to return. It was fine with him he said, so I drove to Heidelberg and back with the keys for my friend's car. By the time we returned with his car, he had raised the stein more than a few times, and was in a very jovial mood. We were truly grateful for his generosity and we went on our merry way back home. I really don't know what we would have done with out his generosity. He told me his name was "Johnnie," I saw him many, many times after that at the "Volksmarches. "The first time I saw him again after I had used his car, he told me, "My wife, she was so-o angry that I gave my new car to an American woman." He laughed and laughed when he said it"and I knew he would do it again if the occasion arose. There were other instances where Lee and I were the recipients of German hospitality, simply because the individual told us that "they liked Americans."
Another instance of German hospitality occured when Lee and I attended the famous celebration of the "Ocktoberfest" in 1979, but that is another episode.
Auf Wiedersehen,
Carol
Another weekend when Lee was on call the girls and I went on a walk with a friend. Actually, she was also a CRNA and Lee's supervisor. She had no family to accompany her on her assignment to Germany therefore we included her in many of our family activities. On this particular Saturday, she drove. After the walk and refreshments we were ready to start for home. My friend could not find her car keys, we looked high and low with no luck. There were lots of people of various nationalities milling around, I decided to try and converse with someone to see if they had found a set of car keys. The German word for key is "schlussel," so I started asking people in German if they had seen the keys. One man acted like he had found the keys, "Die Schussel, die schussel" he shouted. I said "yes, yes!! He said "Nein", so after a few minutes it was clear that he had not found the keys. However, this middle age German man whom I did not know, and had never seen before, handed me his car keys to a brand new 5 speed Ford Fiesta. He even showed me where the registration was located. We were incredulous! I mean how many times does someone offer their car keys to a total stranger, from another country?? I explained to him that I lived in Heidelberg and it would take me over 1 hour to get there and then of course the same to return. It was fine with him he said, so I drove to Heidelberg and back with the keys for my friend's car. By the time we returned with his car, he had raised the stein more than a few times, and was in a very jovial mood. We were truly grateful for his generosity and we went on our merry way back home. I really don't know what we would have done with out his generosity. He told me his name was "Johnnie," I saw him many, many times after that at the "Volksmarches. "The first time I saw him again after I had used his car, he told me, "My wife, she was so-o angry that I gave my new car to an American woman." He laughed and laughed when he said it"and I knew he would do it again if the occasion arose. There were other instances where Lee and I were the recipients of German hospitality, simply because the individual told us that "they liked Americans."
Another instance of German hospitality occured when Lee and I attended the famous celebration of the "Ocktoberfest" in 1979, but that is another episode.
Auf Wiedersehen,
Carol
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Life in Germany, and Europe
Our life in Germany was rather magical, for me, anyway. Maybe that is because I was just a farm girl at heart. Actually, the American compound where we lived was just about five miles from the commissary and Military Post Exchange. So we were out in the country with lots of farms all around us. Some people chose to stay on the compound exclusively. It really had everything a person could want. There was the 130th Station Hospital which was a 100 bed hospital. This is where Lee worked, and it also has some history there, it is the place where Gen. George Patton passed away. It was also where I ultimately found gainful employment. If military personnel or their dependents needed a specialist we referred them to Landstuhl Air Force Base. The military compound had churches, youth centers, movie theaters, snack Bars, Bowling alleys, the Enlisted Clubs, the Officer's Club.
There were several stores or kiosks which specialized in German products as well as products from several other countries which could be purchased at a less expensive rate than outside stores. They had a separate store where beer, wine, liquor, and soft drinks could be purchased, also at a reduced cost, and of course no tax. By this time we had established a good relationship with Herr Hartman and purchased most of our wines from him. Lee and I certainly did use the facilities for grocery shopping etc. however outside of the boundaries of the military posts was a whole other world which beckoned to us. Besides having privileges to the American facilities, we also had the availability of the French commissary, and the Canadian facilities as well. So you can understand how easy it was for us to develop our palates to include some of the delicious breads, cheeses, wines and other delicacies such as foie gras which were prepared daily and available to us. Besides all of these military facilities, of course we had the countries themselves to explore, savor and enjoy. As I stated earlier the American dollar was not strong during the 3 1/2 years that we were assigned in Europe, consequently we tried to stretch our money as much as possible. One thing that we always did however while visiting a different country was to sample the cuisine from that area. I was amazed at how much our daughters loved snails smothered in garlic and butter, and deep fried squid. I remember vividly one trip to Switzerland we all cross country skied 12 miles, then took a cable car to Murren which is a small town nestled in the Swiss Alps. It was snowing heavily, a beautiful winter wonderland. We were ravenous by the time we arrived in the small town which is accessible only by foot or cable car. A small cafe beckoned to us with the wonderful aromas of Swiss and French fare wafting through our senses. Our lunch consisted of hot steamy bowls of french onion soup and a quiche Lorraine which was hastily devoured. The meals are always accompanied by petite loaves of the most heavenly crusty french bread, and if you choose, a nice glass of french red or white wine. Just recalling these wonderful gourmet meals brings me back to those dimly lite cafes where fine dining was the norm. This is just one of so many hundreds of vivid and delicious memories of our experiences in Europe. When we moved back to the states Lee and I tried and tried to replicate the wonderful breads of Europe to no avail. Our breads are delicious, but I am certain that the romantic ambiance of Europe no doubt enhanced the foods even more.
I could go on and on, as you may appreciate I absolutely love traveling, fine dining, and meeting new and different people. Actually, I was in the best physical condition of my life while we lived in Germany. I ran 6 miles religiously every day so I could eat what I wanted, believe me it was worth it. That coupled with the fact that we resided on the third floor of our apartment bldg which by the way provided laundry rooms in the basement, kept me physically in great shape.
Au re voir,
Carol
There were several stores or kiosks which specialized in German products as well as products from several other countries which could be purchased at a less expensive rate than outside stores. They had a separate store where beer, wine, liquor, and soft drinks could be purchased, also at a reduced cost, and of course no tax. By this time we had established a good relationship with Herr Hartman and purchased most of our wines from him. Lee and I certainly did use the facilities for grocery shopping etc. however outside of the boundaries of the military posts was a whole other world which beckoned to us. Besides having privileges to the American facilities, we also had the availability of the French commissary, and the Canadian facilities as well. So you can understand how easy it was for us to develop our palates to include some of the delicious breads, cheeses, wines and other delicacies such as foie gras which were prepared daily and available to us. Besides all of these military facilities, of course we had the countries themselves to explore, savor and enjoy. As I stated earlier the American dollar was not strong during the 3 1/2 years that we were assigned in Europe, consequently we tried to stretch our money as much as possible. One thing that we always did however while visiting a different country was to sample the cuisine from that area. I was amazed at how much our daughters loved snails smothered in garlic and butter, and deep fried squid. I remember vividly one trip to Switzerland we all cross country skied 12 miles, then took a cable car to Murren which is a small town nestled in the Swiss Alps. It was snowing heavily, a beautiful winter wonderland. We were ravenous by the time we arrived in the small town which is accessible only by foot or cable car. A small cafe beckoned to us with the wonderful aromas of Swiss and French fare wafting through our senses. Our lunch consisted of hot steamy bowls of french onion soup and a quiche Lorraine which was hastily devoured. The meals are always accompanied by petite loaves of the most heavenly crusty french bread, and if you choose, a nice glass of french red or white wine. Just recalling these wonderful gourmet meals brings me back to those dimly lite cafes where fine dining was the norm. This is just one of so many hundreds of vivid and delicious memories of our experiences in Europe. When we moved back to the states Lee and I tried and tried to replicate the wonderful breads of Europe to no avail. Our breads are delicious, but I am certain that the romantic ambiance of Europe no doubt enhanced the foods even more.
I could go on and on, as you may appreciate I absolutely love traveling, fine dining, and meeting new and different people. Actually, I was in the best physical condition of my life while we lived in Germany. I ran 6 miles religiously every day so I could eat what I wanted, believe me it was worth it. That coupled with the fact that we resided on the third floor of our apartment bldg which by the way provided laundry rooms in the basement, kept me physically in great shape.
Au re voir,
Carol
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
More tales about Ireland
Lee and I have had so many wonderful and memorable experiences in Ireland. Every place we have visited has given us memories which are priceless, and memories that I shall always cherish. On one visit Lee and I had stopped in a small seaside town . It was getting close to lunch time and we needed to exchange some U.S. dollars for the Irish Punt. As I said "it was a wee town" with only a bank, a hotel and a few other small businesses. When exchanging money the bank requires a passport which I quickly supplied. While in the bank I inquired about a place to eat lunch. The hotel in town was recommended, and Lee and I finished our business and proceeded over to the hotel for lunch. While we were enjoying our lunch, which by the way was a lovely and delicious chowder, I heard my name called out. The bank had called the hotel to see if we had taken their advice to eat there. Apparently, while exchanging money and engaging in some chitchat at the bank I had forgotten my passport. After lunch Lee and I proceeded towards the bank to pick up my passport and be on our way. We should have known better, things just do not happen quickly in Ireland. The bank was closed for lunch which we had completely forgotten is a European custom. The bank would reopen at 1400 for business. Next to the bank was a Video store and we decided to inquire over there, well the lady knew who we were, and told us the woman who works in the bank had informed her in that an American couple would be stopping in to retrieve a passport. The Video store lady actually had the key to the bank, but we said we would wait. No point in creating a fuss about it, she came back shortly and we headed to the West of Ireland. Lee and I were just amazed at how casual everything was there, and further more the trouble they went through to get my passport back to me. It is just one example of the generosity and honesty of the locals.
Another time, Lee and I were celebrating our 30th anniversary, we had no particular plans, no room reservations,etc. Twenty years ago this was easy to do, there were always B & B's or maybe a small hotel to stay. We were pretty spontaneous in those days, the days of our youth. If we stumbled upon something interesting we would just get a room and stay a few days. Well, Lady Luck steered us right to a B & B called Ardmore House in a small town called Clifden in the West of Ireland. The woman who ran it named Kathy Mullins is just a delightful, generous, and hardworking hostess. Behind their house their land spread out all the way to the Mannin Bay which runs off the Atlantic Ocean. The Mullins dog, a large "Old English Sheepdog" named Sam followed us everywhere. When we returned home and were reviewing our photographs "Sam" appeared in nearly every shot. Lee and I took many, many, long walks along the bay which was deserted albeit for the two of us. Actually, it was just the way we like it, Lee and me. We walked out to the bay early one morning and felt fortunate to be able to enjoy watching the dolphins frolicking in the morning sun.
Kathy's husband Padraig played the fiddle at one of the local pubs, we are not much for drinking, but decided to go, especially since they had invited us. We had lots of fun, singing along with the music, and enjoying the local scene. Thank heavens we didn't imbibe much for the road back to the B&B is a very narrow and twisty road which is dangerous even when one is stone sober.
We recommended Ardmore House to several friends who also thoroughly enjoyed their stay, and the accommodations and generosity of the Mullins family.
I will stop for tonight, thank you to all my readers for your support. I appreciate it.
Carol
Another time, Lee and I were celebrating our 30th anniversary, we had no particular plans, no room reservations,etc. Twenty years ago this was easy to do, there were always B & B's or maybe a small hotel to stay. We were pretty spontaneous in those days, the days of our youth. If we stumbled upon something interesting we would just get a room and stay a few days. Well, Lady Luck steered us right to a B & B called Ardmore House in a small town called Clifden in the West of Ireland. The woman who ran it named Kathy Mullins is just a delightful, generous, and hardworking hostess. Behind their house their land spread out all the way to the Mannin Bay which runs off the Atlantic Ocean. The Mullins dog, a large "Old English Sheepdog" named Sam followed us everywhere. When we returned home and were reviewing our photographs "Sam" appeared in nearly every shot. Lee and I took many, many, long walks along the bay which was deserted albeit for the two of us. Actually, it was just the way we like it, Lee and me. We walked out to the bay early one morning and felt fortunate to be able to enjoy watching the dolphins frolicking in the morning sun.
Kathy's husband Padraig played the fiddle at one of the local pubs, we are not much for drinking, but decided to go, especially since they had invited us. We had lots of fun, singing along with the music, and enjoying the local scene. Thank heavens we didn't imbibe much for the road back to the B&B is a very narrow and twisty road which is dangerous even when one is stone sober.
We recommended Ardmore House to several friends who also thoroughly enjoyed their stay, and the accommodations and generosity of the Mullins family.
I will stop for tonight, thank you to all my readers for your support. I appreciate it.
Carol
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Ireland, Oh Ireland!
After we spent a few days in and around Killarney, and visiting "The Blarney Castle" where I might add I kissed the "blarney stone," which if you have been there, you are aware that it is no small feat. You almost have to stand on your head, and of course need assistance to accomplish this. I had made reservations for us to go horseback riding through the "Gap of Dunloe." It was a beautiful ride, but it took over 4 hrs. which I am sure you can imagine, became rather uncomfortable. It was absolutely lovely, and eventually our saddle sores faded. We then started North West to "Dingle Peninsula," it is one of the most beautiful places in the world, and we were very fortunate to see the Peninsula when it was relatively virgin land. In 1970 while Lee was in Viet Nam, a movie called "Ryan's Daughter" was filmed there on the Peninsula. After I saw that movie I promised myself I would one day go to Ireland to see this beautiful landscape. Since we first visited the Peninsula there have been many houses built there, the land was purchased by residents of Germany, France, and U.S. citizens as well, for summer homes, and it has changed the personality of the once wide open spaces, and beautiful, breath taking views. We stopped in Tralee along the way which is a lovely, typical Irish town. While we were there I noticed a flyer which advertised Irish dancing, admission was by donation. It was a lot of fun, and really "show cased" some of their traditions. After the dancing, various residents of the town stepped up after their talents were requested, and sang familiar Irish songs. Our journey continued towards Galway which is a lovely more rugged area, with a rocky coast. This is also the area where the beautiful Connemara Pony originated, we were fortunate to see many of these beautiful animals while driving through the area. As we traveled up the west coast of Ireland and north of Galway, Lee asked me if I really wanted to go to the North of Ireland to visit the young couple we met on the ferry. I was elated, and reaffirmed my interest in visiting our new found friends. We crossed from the south into the north without incident. The British soldiers waved us through just as Clive told us they would. It was rather intimidating however, since the soldiers who were stationed along the border were armed with automatic weapons. We just kept our eyes straight ahead and drove right through. We had a lovely meal with Hazel & Clive, and there was no lack of conversation. Hazel is a math teacher, she is very educated and interested in everything. Clive worked for a company called John Player which sells tobacco products. At that time they both were very heavy smokers.
Hazel told me later that her mother was quite upset with her to bring strangers in to their home, and Americans at that. It did not take long for us to win her over, and we have laughed about it over the years. While we were at Hazel's our girls became friends with some of the neighborhood teenagers. On the day we left Northern Ireland one of the boys gave our oldest daughter the flag of Northern Ireland which is the orange flag. The Orange flag is associated with the Protestants. At that time the conflict between the IRA and the British was still going on, the year was 1979. About a week after we left Northern Ireland the young boy was shot and killed in an incident with the British. Our daughter still has that flag, over thirty years later. We headed south towards Dublin, our vacation drawing to a close. Ireland is a beautiful country. This was the first of many visits to this place, this place of my forefathers. When we first arrived in Ireland I was impressed with how much the people resembled some of my own relatives, it was uncanny. As we boarded the ferry bound from Dublin to England, It was like I had taken a walk back in time, I felt like I belonged, and I knew I'd be back again.
Goodnight Carol
Hazel told me later that her mother was quite upset with her to bring strangers in to their home, and Americans at that. It did not take long for us to win her over, and we have laughed about it over the years. While we were at Hazel's our girls became friends with some of the neighborhood teenagers. On the day we left Northern Ireland one of the boys gave our oldest daughter the flag of Northern Ireland which is the orange flag. The Orange flag is associated with the Protestants. At that time the conflict between the IRA and the British was still going on, the year was 1979. About a week after we left Northern Ireland the young boy was shot and killed in an incident with the British. Our daughter still has that flag, over thirty years later. We headed south towards Dublin, our vacation drawing to a close. Ireland is a beautiful country. This was the first of many visits to this place, this place of my forefathers. When we first arrived in Ireland I was impressed with how much the people resembled some of my own relatives, it was uncanny. As we boarded the ferry bound from Dublin to England, It was like I had taken a walk back in time, I felt like I belonged, and I knew I'd be back again.
Goodnight Carol
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
We continue on our trip to Ireland, my dream come true
By the time Lee and I and the girls boarded the huge ferry, we lost track of the Irish family. The ferry boat had several levels, and we had no idea where the young couple was seated. After about 1 1/2 hrs into the trip, the girls and I decided to go for a little stroll to find some snacks. On our way back to where we had been sitting we passed by Hazel & Clive and the baby. I heard someone call my name, what a pleasant surprise to meet up with our new found friends. This was certainly a serendipitous reunion of sorts, and I am eternally grateful for it. The girls located Lee and brought him back so that we could all sit together. Actually, Lee was a little skeptical, I mean we just met these people, he said. I have always considered myself a good judge of people, and I had absolutely no qualms whatsoever about these people, and besides they're Irish! The baby started to get fussy and Hazel had nothing left to put in her bottle. I carried snacks and juice routinely in those days, as those products tended to be expensive to purchase in local stores. Our stock was pretty much depleted for the day, except for 1 small can of apple juice. Alison drank the juice without hesitation, even though her "mum" was a little leery about it. She had never put juice in the bottle before. The baby quickly settled down and went off to sleep, and Hazel was very grateful. Our journey was almost complete, and we would both go our separate ways. The Irish family would head North towards Belfast, and we were South bound. One of our first stops was the beautiful town of Killarney. Even back then, which is over 30 years, it was quite touristy, but it is a lovely place non the less. Before we separated, Hazel invited us "to take a meal" with them at their home, and we said our goodbyes. I was very pleased, and honored by the invitation to their home, but since they lived in the North of Ireland, Lee did not think it would be prudent for us to go there. Keep in mind that this was 1979 and Belfast, and the town where Hazel lived, Omagh were especially hot spots, and Lee was active duty in the U.S. Military. I was disappointed, but I certainly understood. However, Clive explained to Lee that the border crossing from the South to the North would not be a problem for us because were are Americans.
When we arrived at the Wexford landing, a middle age man approached us to ask for a ride into town. His name was Paddy O'Brien, and he had imbibed heavily in his favorite alcoholic beverage. He was harmless enough, we dropped him off in the middle of the town square. "Paddy" offered to show us around the City of Wexford, and the local sights. We thanked him, and then headed off to start yet another wonderful adventure. This was over 30 yrs, ago, and it was common at that time to offer a ride to someone who was stranded. This was done without fear of harm. In fact, many teenagers hitchhiked their way through Europe without incident, and have many stories of generosities bestowed upon them by the Europeans. My emotions caught me off guard as we landed in Ireland. My eyes filled with tears as we disembarked from the ferry, I felt a kinship with this country. It was as if I was coming home. This was the place my father's mother, Elizabeth was born, and loved. Here was a woman who in her late 30's had to abandon her mother country, and many family members as well. She set out on a voyage with other relatives, and friends to America to begin a new life, filled with hoped and dreams for a more prosperous life. Living in Ireland had been a terrible struggle, there was so much poverty, and no jobs, a bleak picture for the future, all of which contributed greatly to a mass exodus for many Irish families. , When I was a small child, my grandmother used to reminisce about Ireland and how beautiful it was. She sang Irish songs, one of her favorites was "I'll take you home again Kathleen." She married my grandfather in 1903 at the age of 40 and gave birth to 6 sons, she was 52 years old when her last child was born. When I was born in 1940, she was delighted, not only because I was a girl, but because I had bright red hair and bright blue eyes as well. She called me her little "chatterbox!" with her thick Irish brogue!
Goodnight for now, Carol
When we arrived at the Wexford landing, a middle age man approached us to ask for a ride into town. His name was Paddy O'Brien, and he had imbibed heavily in his favorite alcoholic beverage. He was harmless enough, we dropped him off in the middle of the town square. "Paddy" offered to show us around the City of Wexford, and the local sights. We thanked him, and then headed off to start yet another wonderful adventure. This was over 30 yrs, ago, and it was common at that time to offer a ride to someone who was stranded. This was done without fear of harm. In fact, many teenagers hitchhiked their way through Europe without incident, and have many stories of generosities bestowed upon them by the Europeans. My emotions caught me off guard as we landed in Ireland. My eyes filled with tears as we disembarked from the ferry, I felt a kinship with this country. It was as if I was coming home. This was the place my father's mother, Elizabeth was born, and loved. Here was a woman who in her late 30's had to abandon her mother country, and many family members as well. She set out on a voyage with other relatives, and friends to America to begin a new life, filled with hoped and dreams for a more prosperous life. Living in Ireland had been a terrible struggle, there was so much poverty, and no jobs, a bleak picture for the future, all of which contributed greatly to a mass exodus for many Irish families. , When I was a small child, my grandmother used to reminisce about Ireland and how beautiful it was. She sang Irish songs, one of her favorites was "I'll take you home again Kathleen." She married my grandfather in 1903 at the age of 40 and gave birth to 6 sons, she was 52 years old when her last child was born. When I was born in 1940, she was delighted, not only because I was a girl, but because I had bright red hair and bright blue eyes as well. She called me her little "chatterbox!" with her thick Irish brogue!
Goodnight for now, Carol
Saturday, February 12, 2011
The miracle of life, her name is "Saoirse" pronounced Sayr-sha, of Celtic origin, meaning FREEDOM
I have been remiss in announcing to all my blogger friends that Lee and I are presently in Portland, Oregon to meet our newest granddaughter. Her name is Saoirse, it is a Gaelic name which means "freedom." Her name is pronounced SAYR SHA, and she is absolutely beautiful. She has lots and lots of auburn hair, blue eyes which when she is awake are bright and alert. They say that when baby's smile it is gas, but this baby appears to smile appropriately. This is a completely unbiased opinion, of course, from a grandmother who has loved this infant from the time I knew of her existence growing in the recesses of her mother's womb. Lee and I now have 5 grandchildren, 2 boys and 3 girls and we are elated to welcome this little girl into our family. A new baby is a sign of hope, and new beginnings, expectations, and dreams of a bright future. An indication that life goes on and the future is bright. These children are part of a new generation, a generation full of fresh ideas, broad horizons, and endless opportunities. I have heard comments such as "I wouldn't want to bring a baby in to this world with all of the turmoil going on." Those of us who have lived through national tragedies, disasters, and periods of grave sadness may become jaded at times, but we must not allow ourselves to dampen the spirits of young couples. Couples who are eager and may I dare say even passionate to create a family of their own. All of us who have children have created a legacy which will live long after we are gone. It can at times evoke strong emotional feelings for me when our family is all together. Regardless of whatever problems and/or troubles our family has experienced in the past, it is very obvious that we all love each other very much. Recently, we had a house guest and we had a family get together so everyone could visit with our guest. After everyone had left, our guest commented that we had such a wonderful family, and that he was impressed at how they all hugged and kissed one another. It was a long time coming, but as we grow older I think we become more generous and more tolerant in our assessments of people in general, and family in particular. Life has a way of moving along at a swift pace and we begin to realize what is really important to us. When we were going through the heartbreaking and painful problems of our addicted son, there were times when I felt that life was not worth living. Thankfully, I was able to rally, and keep putting one foot ahead of the other. I never gave up hope that our son would return to be reunited with our family. As I told him, I always knew that "my son" was inside that body somewhere. It is easy to give up and walk away, and at the time his sisters were fed up and ready to do just that. As his mother who had carried him for 9 months inside my body I was not prepared to do that.
I was not aware at the time, but our son unfortunately was a symptom of other problems in our family, he was a scapecoat really. I was a very angry woman at that time. My relationship with Lee was strained, I felt like I was raising the children alone. It was several years later before I began to see a Clinical Psychologist on a regular basis, and to discuss with her the events of my childhood which influenced my adult life. I may be redundant in saying this, but I feel that therapy gave me a new life, a life that I enjoy much more.
In some ways I feel that I have made it my life's work to educate myself, and attempt to understand the dynamics of a healthy family. It has definitely paid off and I still consider it a work in progress. Our son has told us many times how fortunate he is to have such a supportive family. While he was in rehab he had to participate in group discussions. These discussions can be difficult, especially for individuals who have difficulty expressing their feelings. He told us some of the stories he heard from other clients. Stories of abuse, abandonment, and neglect, and our son told us "I was not brought up like that, my family never treated me like that." The important part for me is that we are all together now, helping one another, and being present for each other. Lee and I moved to Arizona solely to be closer to our children and grandchildren. We frequently take the 2 older kids (15 & 16) to various appointments, and then we usually try to squeeze in lunch so we have a chance to chat with them.
As usual, I have veered off the track. I am aware that I am doing it, but I feel compelled, it seems, to put my thoughts down on paper as they come to me. Certain areas of my life are difficult, and painful to recall, and sometimes when I set out to write exclusively about these painful experiences, I seem to "freeze up," and be unable to write at all. When this occurs I may feel a sadness, or a darkness come over me as a result of delving into the past. At this point, I will do my best to weave together these thoughts and stories to make some sense for my readers.
This edition started out with the news of our beautiful granddaughter, and how this birth has renewed our spirits, hope, and sense of enthusiasm for the future. When I hold a new baby, there is such a sense of awe and amazement. I have always considered it a privelege, to be able to witness the miracle of birth again, and again, as I have done over a period of 25 years. It goes without saying that my sense of happiness, and elation, are heightened considerably when the baby I am holding is one of our own grandchildren. As I held this tiny little replica of not only her mother and father, but all of the blood relatives on both sides of her family. I see little facial expressions, and glimpses which remind me of our beautiful daughter as an infant. The baby has fair hair and skin as her mother does, and every day it seems there are changes in her appearance. Having worked as a OB/Labor & Delivery nurse for many years, I never lost my enthusiasm and energy to work with couples to have a good, happy, and safe experience. Many times, I would still get teary eyed when the baby was born. The delivery room, usually filled with family, and friends who demonstarted a myriad of emotions, tears, laughter and hope. Over the 25 years of assisting patients in labor/delivery I have seen many, many babies who were not born perfect, and had some sort of anomaly. I also have seen babies who did not survive for one reason or another. Therefore when couples had their heart set on the sex of the baby, I have tried to gently remind them that the most important thing is for you to have a "healthy baby."
Having had so many years experience was a detriment for me with our daughter's pregnancy. Coupled with the fact that we live about 1300 miles away from her. From the time I found out she was pregnant, I worried and ruminated about the possible problems which could occur, especially since our daughter is an "older mom." But just as God worked his magic to create, and mold each intricate feature and bring forth this beautiful perfect baby girl, He also guarded and protected our daughter and kept her healthy during her pregnancy.
In closing this episode , let me say if you are privileged to have a new baby, a toddler or young child in your life as I do, you will quickly appreciate and enjoy, the energy, optimism, and the complete innocence and exuberance that they possess. Lee and I returned this week after traveling to meet our grandaughter, we were gone almost 1 month. When we arrived at our oldest daughter's home unexpectedly, what a warm and wonderful welcome we received from our 2 1/2 yr. old grandson, Ben, and our 6 yr.old granddaughter, Olivia. They make it all worthwhile for me, and I really did miss them as we are accustomed to seeing them almost every week. They are part of my being and my every fiber. I thank God every day for the gifts He has given me. If I died today I would die a happy and fulfilled woman. Live life to the fullest, "take the bull by the horns and enjoy every minute of it."
Enjoy your weekend and have fun.
Carol
Sometimes when I am watching our children interact with each other, I marvel at this group of eight individuals. People who with God's assistance were brought into this world because of the love which Lee and I share. here is
I was not aware at the time, but our son unfortunately was a symptom of other problems in our family, he was a scapecoat really. I was a very angry woman at that time. My relationship with Lee was strained, I felt like I was raising the children alone. It was several years later before I began to see a Clinical Psychologist on a regular basis, and to discuss with her the events of my childhood which influenced my adult life. I may be redundant in saying this, but I feel that therapy gave me a new life, a life that I enjoy much more.
In some ways I feel that I have made it my life's work to educate myself, and attempt to understand the dynamics of a healthy family. It has definitely paid off and I still consider it a work in progress. Our son has told us many times how fortunate he is to have such a supportive family. While he was in rehab he had to participate in group discussions. These discussions can be difficult, especially for individuals who have difficulty expressing their feelings. He told us some of the stories he heard from other clients. Stories of abuse, abandonment, and neglect, and our son told us "I was not brought up like that, my family never treated me like that." The important part for me is that we are all together now, helping one another, and being present for each other. Lee and I moved to Arizona solely to be closer to our children and grandchildren. We frequently take the 2 older kids (15 & 16) to various appointments, and then we usually try to squeeze in lunch so we have a chance to chat with them.
As usual, I have veered off the track. I am aware that I am doing it, but I feel compelled, it seems, to put my thoughts down on paper as they come to me. Certain areas of my life are difficult, and painful to recall, and sometimes when I set out to write exclusively about these painful experiences, I seem to "freeze up," and be unable to write at all. When this occurs I may feel a sadness, or a darkness come over me as a result of delving into the past. At this point, I will do my best to weave together these thoughts and stories to make some sense for my readers.
This edition started out with the news of our beautiful granddaughter, and how this birth has renewed our spirits, hope, and sense of enthusiasm for the future. When I hold a new baby, there is such a sense of awe and amazement. I have always considered it a privelege, to be able to witness the miracle of birth again, and again, as I have done over a period of 25 years. It goes without saying that my sense of happiness, and elation, are heightened considerably when the baby I am holding is one of our own grandchildren. As I held this tiny little replica of not only her mother and father, but all of the blood relatives on both sides of her family. I see little facial expressions, and glimpses which remind me of our beautiful daughter as an infant. The baby has fair hair and skin as her mother does, and every day it seems there are changes in her appearance. Having worked as a OB/Labor & Delivery nurse for many years, I never lost my enthusiasm and energy to work with couples to have a good, happy, and safe experience. Many times, I would still get teary eyed when the baby was born. The delivery room, usually filled with family, and friends who demonstarted a myriad of emotions, tears, laughter and hope. Over the 25 years of assisting patients in labor/delivery I have seen many, many babies who were not born perfect, and had some sort of anomaly. I also have seen babies who did not survive for one reason or another. Therefore when couples had their heart set on the sex of the baby, I have tried to gently remind them that the most important thing is for you to have a "healthy baby."
Having had so many years experience was a detriment for me with our daughter's pregnancy. Coupled with the fact that we live about 1300 miles away from her. From the time I found out she was pregnant, I worried and ruminated about the possible problems which could occur, especially since our daughter is an "older mom." But just as God worked his magic to create, and mold each intricate feature and bring forth this beautiful perfect baby girl, He also guarded and protected our daughter and kept her healthy during her pregnancy.
In closing this episode , let me say if you are privileged to have a new baby, a toddler or young child in your life as I do, you will quickly appreciate and enjoy, the energy, optimism, and the complete innocence and exuberance that they possess. Lee and I returned this week after traveling to meet our grandaughter, we were gone almost 1 month. When we arrived at our oldest daughter's home unexpectedly, what a warm and wonderful welcome we received from our 2 1/2 yr. old grandson, Ben, and our 6 yr.old granddaughter, Olivia. They make it all worthwhile for me, and I really did miss them as we are accustomed to seeing them almost every week. They are part of my being and my every fiber. I thank God every day for the gifts He has given me. If I died today I would die a happy and fulfilled woman. Live life to the fullest, "take the bull by the horns and enjoy every minute of it."
Enjoy your weekend and have fun.
Carol
Sometimes when I am watching our children interact with each other, I marvel at this group of eight individuals. People who with God's assistance were brought into this world because of the love which Lee and I share. here is
Monday, January 31, 2011
"We go rolling along"
It was not very long before I found myself with too much extra time on my hands. Remember, we only had a 1000 sq. ft apartment. The girls were both in school all day, and of course, Lee worked most days, albeit short days. Compared to Lee's last assignment, the 130th station hospital at Heidelberg was a "dream" job. While Lee was assigned at Walter Reed Army Hospital, he routinely worked 10-12 hour days.
I enjoyed playing golf and tennis, however I really did not care for a lot of the "ladies" activities. I attended when I needed to, but it wasn't really my "cup of tea", no pun intended.
I talked to Lee about it, and as always he was supportive of my new interests. The hospital, as well as many other facilities on post, always needed volunteers. Actually, as an officer's wife there was an expectation to help out and volunteer. While Lee was stationed at Fort Devens I volunteered at the Thrift Shop, and both of us taught Religious Education which I enjoyed. The hospital was the place I was most interested in, and subsequently made an appointment with the Director of Volunteers. As I remember, I barely stepped foot in the office, and was "hired," so to speak. They needed a volunteer for the OB/GYN clinic, I was excited, and planned to work one day a week. Since a large number of the military were young, and childbearing age, the clinic was extremely busy. As I said, I planned to work one day/wk. The staff would call me almost every day to come in to help out, and many times I did answer the call. At one point I was working in the hospital 4-5 days a week. I did that for about i year. It was a wonderful experience for me, and I learned a great deal. In the months that I had volunteered, I had noticed that there were many positions open for employment in the hospital. I decided to apply for a position in the hospital's central appointment office. Keep in mind, this was 1980, and I had not been gainfully employed since 1966 when our second child was born. Needless to say, I was rather anxious at first. I had been out of the work force for over twelve years. The position entailed manning several telephones, and remembering the order of the calls. Appointments were made for all of the various clinics, and we also made referrals for Landstuhl General Hospital for the various specialties. My 40th birthday was looming in the fore front. Most of the girls I worked with were in their early twenties. They accepted me quickly and I enjoyed the work, and I really enjoyed receiving a pay-check. In retrospect, this position in the hospital did wonders for my self esteem. Lee was on the staff and therefore I knew many people immediately, and felt accepted and valued. Now, I could contribute to our travel fund, and we could actually travel more with the extra income. Monetarily, it was not the best time to be living in Europe. The dollar was weak against the German Deutsche-mark. On our arrival in Germany, the exchange was 2 marks per American dollar. It proceeded to get weaker and weaker, and I believe at one point it dropped to 1.65 German marks to the dollar. When we arrived in Germany, many Americans told us that it was very expensive to travel. They told us if you travel, you can't afford to purchase European products, so it is either/or. Therefore,based on this information we purchased a camping travel within the first couple weeks of being in the country. It turned out to be a wonderful purchase for us, and allowed us to do much more traveling. Our daughter's were at a perfect age for travel, 9 and 11 years old. When we left Germany at the end of Lee's tour, we sold the trailer for the exact same price we had purchased it 3 1/2 years earlier. While living in Germany we were exposed to products all over Europe, and the United Kingdom. One of our first purchases was Waterford Crystal, made of course in Waterford, Ireland. In 1978 we purchased water goblets for $18.00/stem. In 1998 I had to replace one which was broken by a friend while helping me with the dishes. The replacement was $75.00/stem. They will be passed on to our daughters, therefore I wanted them to have 6 stems each. As an aside, ever since that happened I delay washing the dishes until our guests leave. Actually, it is two fold, I want our guests to relax, and I like to visit with them after the meal.
Returning to the purchase of the travel trailer, one of our first trips was to Ireland. The trailer was packed with provisions for an entire month. Fortunately, we had shipped our Chevrolet Suburban to Germany, and it was the perfect vehicle for us, albeit large and not economical. The girls had lots of room to play and were comfortable, and had plenty of room to sleep. That car was a conversation starter every where we traveled. At that time, European cars were all compacts pretty much. However, many Europeans loved the large American autos! Once in Wales, we were stopped at a traffic light when pedestrians began to crowd around our car. They were exclaiming what a "lovely" automobile it t'was, and it even has a third seat in the rear. I can still hear that Welsh accent as they marveled over that car.
Our voyage to Ireland was one of the most wonderful, and memorable for me, being of Irish heritage. We drove from Heidelberg to Belgium where we boarded an enormous ferryboat which took us to Dover, England, a trip of approximately 3 hours. That evening we all wanted to have a nice hot shower. We soon discovered that the facilities were somewhat antiquated, compared to what we were accustomed to. Our oldest daughter came out of the shower with a quizzical expression on her face. The shower was sort of like an upside down tin trash can cover with holes in it. There was a chain to pull to let the water down, and it seemed a bit complicated, therefore we took a shower together. I pulled the chain for her while she soaped up, and then vice-a-verse. We were laughing and having a good old time.
It was our first visit to England, therefore we trooped around London to see as many sights as we could on foot. We also used the subway, (called the Tube,) and the red doubledecker buses. It was all great fun, and we were in awe of this beautiful city. The one down side was that it poured rain, and even with slickers and umbrellas, we were all soaking wet. In retrospect, it turned out to be fortuitous for us. Since we were trying to cut corners on expenses, we had planned to eat in restaurants as little as possible. Lee and I talked about it, and decided that we wanted the girls to get warm, and perhaps dry out a little. The last thing we wanted was for them to get sick, especially just starting our trip. So we went into a restaurant and enjoyed a lovely meal of English fare, albeit expensive. Everything on the menu is alacarte, therefore it can be pricey! This was my first experience of eating Plaice (a mild, delicious white fish) The girls really enjoyed everything as well, especially the "fish n'chips" and "licked the platters clean", so to speak. The reward for which was a wonderful dessert of raspberry trifle, and of course their first experience in an English Pub.
The next day we were scheduled to board another giant ferry from Fish guard,Wales which would transport us to Wexford, Ireland. Little did we know that the Sea Links Ferry was experiencing what they referred to as a "slow down." Consequently, the line to embark the ferry was very long. Our family was the last to board the ferry, this was related to unhitching our travel trailer so that the crew could maneuver it into a corner of the ship. It was a beautiful sunny day in Wales and we were informed that due to the slowdown it would be several hours before we would be boarding the ship. As time went on the weather turned warmer, and we all began to get out of our automobiles and mingle with one another. There was a young Irish family ahead of us, they had a beautiful baby girl, and she was just such a delightful, happy baby. She had black curly hair and bright blue eyes, with porcelain looking skin. I talked to the baby and she had the most beautiful smile, and a sweet disposition. I commented to "Alison's mum that her baby is beautiful. Thus, started a wonderful relationship which has endured over 30 years. >
This offering for my blog sort of took on a life of it's own, therefore it is continued on the next blog.
Thanks,
Carol
I enjoyed playing golf and tennis, however I really did not care for a lot of the "ladies" activities. I attended when I needed to, but it wasn't really my "cup of tea", no pun intended.
I talked to Lee about it, and as always he was supportive of my new interests. The hospital, as well as many other facilities on post, always needed volunteers. Actually, as an officer's wife there was an expectation to help out and volunteer. While Lee was stationed at Fort Devens I volunteered at the Thrift Shop, and both of us taught Religious Education which I enjoyed. The hospital was the place I was most interested in, and subsequently made an appointment with the Director of Volunteers. As I remember, I barely stepped foot in the office, and was "hired," so to speak. They needed a volunteer for the OB/GYN clinic, I was excited, and planned to work one day a week. Since a large number of the military were young, and childbearing age, the clinic was extremely busy. As I said, I planned to work one day/wk. The staff would call me almost every day to come in to help out, and many times I did answer the call. At one point I was working in the hospital 4-5 days a week. I did that for about i year. It was a wonderful experience for me, and I learned a great deal. In the months that I had volunteered, I had noticed that there were many positions open for employment in the hospital. I decided to apply for a position in the hospital's central appointment office. Keep in mind, this was 1980, and I had not been gainfully employed since 1966 when our second child was born. Needless to say, I was rather anxious at first. I had been out of the work force for over twelve years. The position entailed manning several telephones, and remembering the order of the calls. Appointments were made for all of the various clinics, and we also made referrals for Landstuhl General Hospital for the various specialties. My 40th birthday was looming in the fore front. Most of the girls I worked with were in their early twenties. They accepted me quickly and I enjoyed the work, and I really enjoyed receiving a pay-check. In retrospect, this position in the hospital did wonders for my self esteem. Lee was on the staff and therefore I knew many people immediately, and felt accepted and valued. Now, I could contribute to our travel fund, and we could actually travel more with the extra income. Monetarily, it was not the best time to be living in Europe. The dollar was weak against the German Deutsche-mark. On our arrival in Germany, the exchange was 2 marks per American dollar. It proceeded to get weaker and weaker, and I believe at one point it dropped to 1.65 German marks to the dollar. When we arrived in Germany, many Americans told us that it was very expensive to travel. They told us if you travel, you can't afford to purchase European products, so it is either/or. Therefore,based on this information we purchased a camping travel within the first couple weeks of being in the country. It turned out to be a wonderful purchase for us, and allowed us to do much more traveling. Our daughter's were at a perfect age for travel, 9 and 11 years old. When we left Germany at the end of Lee's tour, we sold the trailer for the exact same price we had purchased it 3 1/2 years earlier. While living in Germany we were exposed to products all over Europe, and the United Kingdom. One of our first purchases was Waterford Crystal, made of course in Waterford, Ireland. In 1978 we purchased water goblets for $18.00/stem. In 1998 I had to replace one which was broken by a friend while helping me with the dishes. The replacement was $75.00/stem. They will be passed on to our daughters, therefore I wanted them to have 6 stems each. As an aside, ever since that happened I delay washing the dishes until our guests leave. Actually, it is two fold, I want our guests to relax, and I like to visit with them after the meal.
Returning to the purchase of the travel trailer, one of our first trips was to Ireland. The trailer was packed with provisions for an entire month. Fortunately, we had shipped our Chevrolet Suburban to Germany, and it was the perfect vehicle for us, albeit large and not economical. The girls had lots of room to play and were comfortable, and had plenty of room to sleep. That car was a conversation starter every where we traveled. At that time, European cars were all compacts pretty much. However, many Europeans loved the large American autos! Once in Wales, we were stopped at a traffic light when pedestrians began to crowd around our car. They were exclaiming what a "lovely" automobile it t'was, and it even has a third seat in the rear. I can still hear that Welsh accent as they marveled over that car.
Our voyage to Ireland was one of the most wonderful, and memorable for me, being of Irish heritage. We drove from Heidelberg to Belgium where we boarded an enormous ferryboat which took us to Dover, England, a trip of approximately 3 hours. That evening we all wanted to have a nice hot shower. We soon discovered that the facilities were somewhat antiquated, compared to what we were accustomed to. Our oldest daughter came out of the shower with a quizzical expression on her face. The shower was sort of like an upside down tin trash can cover with holes in it. There was a chain to pull to let the water down, and it seemed a bit complicated, therefore we took a shower together. I pulled the chain for her while she soaped up, and then vice-a-verse. We were laughing and having a good old time.
It was our first visit to England, therefore we trooped around London to see as many sights as we could on foot. We also used the subway, (called the Tube,) and the red doubledecker buses. It was all great fun, and we were in awe of this beautiful city. The one down side was that it poured rain, and even with slickers and umbrellas, we were all soaking wet. In retrospect, it turned out to be fortuitous for us. Since we were trying to cut corners on expenses, we had planned to eat in restaurants as little as possible. Lee and I talked about it, and decided that we wanted the girls to get warm, and perhaps dry out a little. The last thing we wanted was for them to get sick, especially just starting our trip. So we went into a restaurant and enjoyed a lovely meal of English fare, albeit expensive. Everything on the menu is alacarte, therefore it can be pricey! This was my first experience of eating Plaice (a mild, delicious white fish) The girls really enjoyed everything as well, especially the "fish n'chips" and "licked the platters clean", so to speak. The reward for which was a wonderful dessert of raspberry trifle, and of course their first experience in an English Pub.
The next day we were scheduled to board another giant ferry from Fish guard,Wales which would transport us to Wexford, Ireland. Little did we know that the Sea Links Ferry was experiencing what they referred to as a "slow down." Consequently, the line to embark the ferry was very long. Our family was the last to board the ferry, this was related to unhitching our travel trailer so that the crew could maneuver it into a corner of the ship. It was a beautiful sunny day in Wales and we were informed that due to the slowdown it would be several hours before we would be boarding the ship. As time went on the weather turned warmer, and we all began to get out of our automobiles and mingle with one another. There was a young Irish family ahead of us, they had a beautiful baby girl, and she was just such a delightful, happy baby. She had black curly hair and bright blue eyes, with porcelain looking skin. I talked to the baby and she had the most beautiful smile, and a sweet disposition. I commented to "Alison's mum that her baby is beautiful. Thus, started a wonderful relationship which has endured over 30 years. >
This offering for my blog sort of took on a life of it's own, therefore it is continued on the next blog.
Thanks,
Carol
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Life goes on..............
Our living situation in Germany was different from the way we were accustomed to living in the States. There were long cinder block buildings which were divided by stairwells. Each stairwell had 4 apartments. On one side there were 3 bedroom apartments, and the other side, were four bedrooms with 2 bathrooms. We were fortunate to get a 4 bedroom, and envied by some of the other stairwell residents. Actually, the truth of the matter was that we had 3 children, one of whom is a boy, therefore we qualified and received a "larger" apartment. The larger apartment had a total of 1000 sq. ft. And yes, we were entitled to a second bathroom, thankfully!
Regretfully, at the last minute, our son chose not to accompany us to Europe. He was able to visit, and we enjoyed showing him all of our favorite sights. Needless to say, he also enjoyed many of the German beers. We also talked on the telephone often to keep in touch, and Lee made a couple trips back to the states to check on our son. It was not a ideal situation, but he did stay in touch with us.
We were very fortunate to be able to travel often, most weekends we visited someplace. It could be a weekend in Switzerland, The Netherlands, France, Italy, all of these countries were only a short driving distance from Heidelberg. Our first trip to Switzerland was like a "fairy tale" to me. We reserved a campsite in a lovely campground in a village called Lauderbrunnen. (This was one of the gems which a friend passed on after their visit) The campground is nestled in a beautiful valley, and is surrounded by the Swiss Alps. The mountains were snow capped and magnificent, and left us breathless! We all went for a long walk after we finished setting up our travel trailer. The country side is so picturesque, it was a lovely autumn day, the leaves were crunchy under our feet. The brown Swiss cows grazing in the pasture wore a bell around their neck, just like I had seen them in the travel brochures. Lee and I were both taking photography courses at the time, and this was certainly a "shutter bugs' paradise. We have wonderful memories preserved on film from our various sojourns while living in Europe.
The first thing our daughters did after arriving at the campground was to scope out the bathrooms. They were happy to report that the bathrooms were spotlessly clean, AND the bathroom was warm. Probably sounds a little insignificant to some people, but for us it was important and a lovely bonus! I must interject here, the restrooms in most of the countries of Europe are very clean. This was the first of several trips to Switzerland. Lee and I celebrated one of our anniversaries there, which happens to be in late November. The weather was bitter cold with several feet of snow. We still stayed in our camper. At that time we used a catalytic heater which was very efficient. Years later, we heard of people who succumbed as a result of fumes from these heaters. Lee assured me that he always cracked a window to prevent such an accident. Thank God!
There was a beautiful church nearby and we wanted to attend mass. We walked to the church and there was a sign which directed us around the church, and continued on to the school. Lee knocked on the door, we were welcomed by a flurry of children who could not hide their delight, and excitement at seeing American visitors. They were so sweet, as they proceeded to hang our coats up, and then quickly get chairs for us. No one spoke English, but it did not matter, we were gathered there for the same reason. It was an austere classroom, but something beautiful happened there that evening. The communion was stored in a Tupperware container, the first and only time I have ever experienced that. After mass, we shook hands with many of the parishioners. It was one of the most memorable experiences of my life, and will always be very special to me.
There was a little town called Wengen on top of the mountain which could be seen from Lauderbrunnen. The only access to that town was by cog wheel train, or by foot.
Lee and I decided to go to Wengen, and we made the decision to hike up to the town. In those days, we were both very physically fit, so hiking up to Wengen seemed like a "lark." How difficult could it be? Turns out that it was very difficult. Now-a-days people say it was challenging. Whatever adjectives you chose to use, it was grueling. It took several hours for the two of us to climb up that mountain. The pathways were well worn, rocky and scraggly, making it difficult to get a good foot hold. It was starting to get dark and cool on top of the mountain by the time we reached the summit. Our sweaters were soaked with perspiration, and we were exhausted, but we were victorious.
That's it for tonight friends,
Thank You,
Carol
Regretfully, at the last minute, our son chose not to accompany us to Europe. He was able to visit, and we enjoyed showing him all of our favorite sights. Needless to say, he also enjoyed many of the German beers. We also talked on the telephone often to keep in touch, and Lee made a couple trips back to the states to check on our son. It was not a ideal situation, but he did stay in touch with us.
We were very fortunate to be able to travel often, most weekends we visited someplace. It could be a weekend in Switzerland, The Netherlands, France, Italy, all of these countries were only a short driving distance from Heidelberg. Our first trip to Switzerland was like a "fairy tale" to me. We reserved a campsite in a lovely campground in a village called Lauderbrunnen. (This was one of the gems which a friend passed on after their visit) The campground is nestled in a beautiful valley, and is surrounded by the Swiss Alps. The mountains were snow capped and magnificent, and left us breathless! We all went for a long walk after we finished setting up our travel trailer. The country side is so picturesque, it was a lovely autumn day, the leaves were crunchy under our feet. The brown Swiss cows grazing in the pasture wore a bell around their neck, just like I had seen them in the travel brochures. Lee and I were both taking photography courses at the time, and this was certainly a "shutter bugs' paradise. We have wonderful memories preserved on film from our various sojourns while living in Europe.
The first thing our daughters did after arriving at the campground was to scope out the bathrooms. They were happy to report that the bathrooms were spotlessly clean, AND the bathroom was warm. Probably sounds a little insignificant to some people, but for us it was important and a lovely bonus! I must interject here, the restrooms in most of the countries of Europe are very clean. This was the first of several trips to Switzerland. Lee and I celebrated one of our anniversaries there, which happens to be in late November. The weather was bitter cold with several feet of snow. We still stayed in our camper. At that time we used a catalytic heater which was very efficient. Years later, we heard of people who succumbed as a result of fumes from these heaters. Lee assured me that he always cracked a window to prevent such an accident. Thank God!
There was a beautiful church nearby and we wanted to attend mass. We walked to the church and there was a sign which directed us around the church, and continued on to the school. Lee knocked on the door, we were welcomed by a flurry of children who could not hide their delight, and excitement at seeing American visitors. They were so sweet, as they proceeded to hang our coats up, and then quickly get chairs for us. No one spoke English, but it did not matter, we were gathered there for the same reason. It was an austere classroom, but something beautiful happened there that evening. The communion was stored in a Tupperware container, the first and only time I have ever experienced that. After mass, we shook hands with many of the parishioners. It was one of the most memorable experiences of my life, and will always be very special to me.
There was a little town called Wengen on top of the mountain which could be seen from Lauderbrunnen. The only access to that town was by cog wheel train, or by foot.
Lee and I decided to go to Wengen, and we made the decision to hike up to the town. In those days, we were both very physically fit, so hiking up to Wengen seemed like a "lark." How difficult could it be? Turns out that it was very difficult. Now-a-days people say it was challenging. Whatever adjectives you chose to use, it was grueling. It took several hours for the two of us to climb up that mountain. The pathways were well worn, rocky and scraggly, making it difficult to get a good foot hold. It was starting to get dark and cool on top of the mountain by the time we reached the summit. Our sweaters were soaked with perspiration, and we were exhausted, but we were victorious.
That's it for tonight friends,
Thank You,
Carol
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