March 5, 2001

• Memories - Part II
  Part I
  

  After my dad left my mom, we were stuck in California with just the things in our suitcases. Of course most of this I learned as an adult and was not aware of as a child. My mom managed to find a old 1920's style bungalow for rent across the street from my aunt's house. In exchange for her wedding ring, my grandparents gave my mom enough money to buy a bunk bed with a tundle for the three of us girls to sleep in. I am not sure how she got a bed for herself.

  
  

  Eventually, my dad's parents felt bad over what happened and did pack up some of our things like toys and clothing and sent them to us in California, but they did not send any furniture.

  
  

  I loved that house, with its hardwood floors and root celler underneath. The backyard had a brick patio where I learned to rollerskate (with a lot of falls!) and a big tree that we would play under for hours with our stuffed animals and dolls.

  
  

  School was close enough that I could walk each day, when it was still safe enough to send a six year old to school alone. My sister Sarah would walk with me and I would drop her off in kindergarten, feeling very grown up to have such responsibility. My youngest sister Beth went to head start at the Salvation Army.

  
  

  Mom did not have a lot of job skills. She had been intending to go to college, but my parents had agreed that my dad would do it first and then she could follow. However she was able to find a job typing up courtsey cards for a grocery store. I can't imagine doing that 8 hours a day, but she did. Somehow with her small income and foodstamps she made things work, but I learned later that she went without food often so us girls could eat.

  
  

  One day I came home from school and found a big box on the porch. Inside it was filled with clothing in our sizes. It was like Christmas! It seems the PTA somehow heard of our need and donated it to us. Tucked among the clothing was even fun things like a little purse and some bows for my hair. The best part however was a mint green dress. It was exactly like a dress my best friend down the street had, except a different color. We would plan to wear them the same day and tell everyone we were twins.

  
  

  At the age of 6 and 7, I knew we could not have a lot of the things we wanted, but I never realized how poor we were. We were happy for the most part and my mother knew how to find fun in the simplest things, even tucking us into bed. In the winter, she would tuck the blanket all around us, so we could not even move, then listen to our prayers and kiss us good night. It was not till I was an adult that I learned she did it because we did not have enough blankets and she was afraid we would get too cold at night.

  
  

  In that house I learned to cook and I sewed my first thing on a sewing machine. I learned to rollerskate and ride a bike. I learned to read. We lived there only two short years, but overall, it was a wonderful two years.

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