I grew up in 1960′s Illinois. Mom was, of course, a stay-at-home mother and took care of the house until we were old enough to do it. Every day was an adventure spent outside in the yard or on the large farmhouse porches. We would swim in the above ground pool when permitted and would go to the Sweet Corn Festival every fall after the harvest. For some reason, we never did get to eat any of the sweet corn, though. I cannot ask to find out why, my parents are together in another place now.
I was the middle child, surrounded by boys on each side. My older brother taught me to read, to sing, to do simple math, my younger brother taught me other things, like how to whine to get your way, and delay your chores so someone else would do them. I cannot say I ever chose to go to those levels to keep from doing things. I like a clean home.
My mother was perfect to me when I was a child. She did not spent much time with me, but since I had no comparisson I did not know that was odd. She chased me outside to play with the boys while she cooked and baked all day long. She canned our vegetables from the huge garden in the yard and she would get deliveries of beef from some freezer place every week, and would bake a huge chocolate cake nearly every day.
We had holidays that were so fun and full of joy and happiness. Our father was the greatest. He worked for Del Monte. In the summer he worked in the fields and in the winter he worked in the cannery. That lasted until December 1969 when he was found slumped over on a tractor in a field. He had a heart attack, and died 19 days before Christmas.
Mom was sad of course, but my father was my world. I was practically 8 years old when he died and my heart got ripped out from my chest. We no longer ate home cooked meals, and instead ate from boxes of TV dinners. Some so disgusting that they were unpalatable.
I remember whipped cream salads at the holidays. Pimento cheese, whipped cream, pineapple, fruit coctail and chopped walnuts was a favorite of mine. It was creamy and tasty and beyond compare. I have forgotten how to make all those salads and the two who I could have asked the recipes from are also gone, my mother and my oldest aunt, my mom’s sister. They did not die old, nor did they die alone although I was unable to be there for the end of either.
I enjoyed my childhood because I did not know any better. I had want for nothing, and learned a great deal. I did not even know how much I was able to learn, or how much I was ahead of everyone else. I just knew things. Thanks to my brother I learned what I had to in school a year before I had to know it. That was my advantage. I learned to spell because my brother needed help so I would read the words for his study. I consider all the lessons I learned. Some I practice, some I still need to practice on.
My temperment could be better, more like my mother’s from when I was a child. My life could have gone another direction. I have two degrees currently and am working on my graduate degree. Hopefully I will have my PhD before I am 50, but since that is in just two years that is doubtful as I do not yet have my MS degree.
Back to home, the big red house, my first home, was a fun place. The house was in the middle of nowhere and close to fields of corn. The second house we lived in stunk–literally. It was cold, and uncomfortable and it was not like a home at all. My father died shortly after we moved into that house. We then moved into the city, Mendota, and had a great home with a gas fireplace, upstairs and downstairs bathrooms, and a huge garage. The house was Olive Green, the address was 504 12th Street, Mendota, Il 61432. I do not know why I remember that address, but there it is. Sometimes I think I’ll write to the current owners and see how my home is doing, but then I do not.
I have memories that are mixed up and have recollections I wish I did not. I am what my life has created from the mother who was not as attentive as she could have been to the brother who is now living in Spain, too far for me to reasonably talk with. I miss my family but have created my own now and I am now the matriarch. I am looking forward to many more years with them.