Monday, June 1, 2009

Anniversary's

Ok, so where were you on Nov. 22,l963? (If you were alive then.) How about 9-11-2001? Those are anniversarys that many of us have in common. June 2,2009 is a more personal one for me, and one that I share with a handful of people. It is the 1 year anniversary of my twin sister's death from lung cancer gone wild! The day will pass with most folks not remembering it's importance, even if they do remember that my sister died last year. I've always had an uncanny knack for remembering dates, and numbers. I won't bore you with how much trivia floats through my brain! I worked for AAA for 36 years and still remember most of my agents numbers that identified who they were! Anyway, one of the persons who remembers Arlene's departure is her former boss, Teri. We have adopted her as a sister now, and keep in touch via email. So this is the note I received yesterday:
Hi my Sisters; I am surely thinking of you and hope you're okay. I wanted to share how we are remembering Arlene on the 2nd; we are putting on lipstick and eating ice cream at 8:00am, in her memory. I am not sure you know all the history about that and the significance. Arlene loved ice cream, often between classes we would make an ice cream run and then "hide" hers under something so we could sneak it past the afternoon class kids as we went through the classroom. She said only get her a small chocolate dipped cone-but we always went for bigger and bigger is better with ice cream! We had some funny things happen trying to sneak in a chocolate dipped cone! Secondly, even when Arlene felt crappy, she would put on her make-up and her lipstick. We always admired her for putting on a happy face. So, if you care to join us, 8am is the time. I just wanted you to know how we are planning our day and how very much she is missed.
I have a picture that sits on my desk of Teri;Debbie;Becky and me holding glass bottles. Last year on a visit home to Washington, we got together, wrote good-bye notes and memories of Arlene, sealed them in the bottles, and Teri and her daughter threw them in the ocean along the coast. It was to bring closure-and yet we all still remember.
So tomorrow morning, June 2nd, at 8:AM, we will have an ice-cream cone to celebrate Arlene and the anniversary. If you know me at all, you will know that I'll skip the lipstick! I used to watch Arlene putting on her make up and told her it was a "paint-by-number" process.
You have to be old to remember that, also. So, that's it for this first anniversary!

3 comments:

EDWIN H. PEART said...

On November 22nd 1963 I was working for the Manitoba Telephone System where I had been employed for two years in the Accounts Payable Section of the Purchasing Department. I was sitting at my desk during the lunch hour when somebody came in and said that President Kennedy had been shot. We all thought they were just joking but somebody got hold of a transistor radio and sure enough it was for real. Even though he was not our President, most of the Radio Stations here at the time switched to a more subded kind of music for the balance of the day out of respect for him. On September 11th 2001 I was sitting having breakfast at home with the wife. CJOB which is our big News and Information Station all of a sudden told us a plane had hit the World Trade Centre in New York. At first, I thought back to 1945 when a military plane got off course and struck the Empire State Building and thought it was just history repeating itself. However when word came a few minutes later that the second tower had been hit by another plane, I knew it was no accident and ran to the living room and switched the TV on to CNN to hear and see all the sad details.It was a day I will long remember. June 2nd is a day I remember because it was on that day in 1953 when Elizabeth II was crowned Queen. We still pay homage to her here in Canada and as a Canadian citizen I'm considered to be a British subject. She is represented here Federally by the Governor General whose name is Michelle Jean and in our Province of Manitoba by the Lieutenant Governor whose name is John Harvard. For a Bill to become law in Canada it must go through the formality of receiving Royal Assent by the Queen's Representative.
Speaking of ice cream, the thought of it takes me back to the days of my early teens in the 1950's. There was a place here called the Dutch Maid which used to serve fabulous milk shakes right in the metal container in which they were made that was filled right to the top. They only cost 20 cents and were worth every penny. My favorite flavour was chocolate. Unfortunatley Dutch Maid is now out of business and 20 cent milkshakes have gone the way of a dime for a cup of coffee. Today it's more like, can I have Three Dollars for a cup of coffee.

EDWIN H. PEART said...

I remember November 22, 1963 very well. I was 22 years old and was working in the Purchasing Department at the Manitoba Telephone System in Winnipeg Manitoba Canada where I had been employed for over two years. It was lunch hour and I was sitting at my desk chatting with some of my coworkers when one of the workers whose name was Valerie walked in and told us that President Kennedy had been shot. We thought for a moment that it was just a joke but someone turned on their transistor radio and sure enough, it was for real. That radio stayed on until we heard the news that the President had been pronounced dead. Even though he was not our President, most of the Winnipeg Radio Stations switched their musical programming to a more subded form of music for the rest of the day out of respect for John F. Kennedy.
On September 11, 2001 I was 60 years old and had been retired from my job at the Manitoba Telephone System for 6 years. I was sitting having breakfast with my wife when CJOB which is Winnipeg's big news and information station came over the air with a news story that a plane had hit the World Trade Centre in New York City. At first, my mind went back to 1945 when a military plane got off course and struck the Empire State Building so at first I thought it was just history repeating itself and another unfortunate accident. But when it came over the news a few minutes later that the second tower had been struck, I knew it was not an accident and I ran to the TV and put on CNN to see what was happening. The wife and I were both in a state of shock and spent quite a bit of time that day in front of the TV.
June 2, 1953 was a red letter day for me. I was 12 years old and in Grade 6 at school and it was on this day that Elizabeth II was crowned Queen of England and the British Commonwealth. TV was not to come to Winnipeg until 1954 so I had to content myself listening to a shortwave broadcast from the BBC which was carried on our local CBC Radio Station. Even if TV had been available it would have been on a delayed basis as satellite communications were not around then. If Prince Charles ever becomes King in my lifetime,I will get to see him crowned as it happens and in full color HDTV.Canada is a Commonwealth country and we still pay homage to the Queen even though we are a self governing nation. The Queen is represented by the Governor General Federally and the Lieutenant Governors in the Provinces.
Speaking of ice cream, my mind goes back to the 1950's when I was in my teen years. There used to be a great place in Winnipeg for ice cream called the Dutch Maid. What I remember most about this place is the great milkshakes that they used to make. They used to serve them right in the can they were made in which they filled right to the top and they cost only twenty cents. My favorite flavour was chocolate. Unfortunately, the Dutch Maid is now out of business and twenty cent milkshakes have now gone the way of ten cent coffee. Instead of may I have a dime for a cup of coffee it's more like may I have three dollars.
It's always great to look back at the past but considering all the great progress that has been made over the years, I'm still happy to be living in times like these.

John from Poland said...

I'm reading your blog sometimes
I wish you strong memories about your sister, it is very important to have memories of people who we love because in this way they will be immortal for us.
lots of hugs for you

p.s. greeting from Poland :)