Good day

 Today we went on a real adventure and left the house!  Ron said Gam hasn't left to just go out in over two years.  Her stomach was a little uneasy before we left, because she was a little nervous and hesitant to go somewhere.  We went to a park and watched some random little league games, walked around a farmers market and checked out the library.  She really enjoyed herself, and wants to go out again tomorrow.  She loved the little league game because she said it reminded her of all her boys when they were younger and going to their games.

I also gave Gam a manicure today, She really enjoyed having her nails clipped, filed and painted.

She always needs encouraging going outside (the ramp makes her a little nervous), but she is slowly becoming more comfortable.  Yesterday we went up to Ron's and he opened up the doors and played us some of his music he has been working on.

Today when we got back from farmers market, Bob was there with his dog "Spencer".  We all made Tacos for dinner, which Gam really enjoyed and then played bananagrams.  I won both games.  Gam was the judge to tell us if our words counted or not.  She was getting a kick out of Ron who was making up all sorts of words thinking they were real words.  Gam said today for her was a really fun day, and she was beginning to feel more like herself.  

Meeting the General.

We met at kelly field in San Antonio, Texas where I was teaching military correspondence.  I taught the girls how to write military correspondence and make copies.  It was a goverment job, I was a CEF 2.  He came in to watch one of the films all the guys had to watch to be able to recognize enemy planes.  He came in and spotted me sitting in the back corner.  He kept looking at me and looking at me.  The second time he came in and introduced himself and said we were going to be trasferred to hondo, and he said you have to go first.  All the girls had to go two weeks before to set up everything.  He said, "I will be following you in about two weeks, you mind if I look you up and we go out on a date and what would you like to do?"  I said I would like to go swimming, because I wanted to see what kind of body he had. Because I knew I could get serous about this guy, he had a nice smile and was good looking.  So we did that, we went swimming in the river, and we would go there several times.

 

  Eventually I had my own car, so he and I would drive my brand new oldsmobile into town and from then on we dated anytime we could.  We had breakfast together, he had privlidges because he was an officer.  We would go to movies on the weekends and then come back.  We both stayed in barracks.  We dated from then on, never stopped.  Four months later we were married.  That was pretty quick but I was worried he would go over seas, and I at least wanted to have a baby if something were to happen to him.

December 19th 1942 we got married in Cleveland Ohio.  We took my mother and dad with me so my dad could perform the wedding.  It was a heavy snowstorm the day we got married.  We all got on the train and headed for cleveland ohio.  The night we got there we had a wedding rehearsal, and then in the coming days we had the wedding.  After the wedding we went to NYC for our honeymoon.  We spent five days in NYC, we saw everything.  NYC was good to the soldiers, they rolled out the red carpet for you anywhere you went.  We went to all the famous clubs, and were treated like a king and queen.  The big bands were playing everywhere, there was so much entertainment during the war.  So we went dancing everynight.  Then we went back to Hondo, and I kept my job until I got pregnant.  

Walking down San Antonio when we were engaged.  We were so Happy.

What was your favorite thing about your husband: His personality.  He had a tremendous personality.  Very intelligent.  He liked to sing, play the piano and dance.  One thing I loved was going out dancing with him.  It was so much fun.  He was a beautiful dancer. He did fancy moves, but he was a good leader.  He was easy to follow and all of my friends that ever danced with him, none of them ever had any trouble dancing with him.

One of our weekends in San Antonio after we were engaged.  I remember that was a two piece dress and everyone thought that was a really fancy hat.  And I knew that Bill really loved me.  He let me know that over and over.  If it hadn't had been for world war two I wouldn't have met him.

Favorite date you went on: Well when we would go into San Antonio we would pick the biggest band that was out playing and we would go out to dinner and go dancing.  I loved dancing, those were my favorites.  I liked the bands that played good dancing music, Woody Hurman, Glen Miller.  There was so much music and entertainment because of the soldiers going over seas.

We've been home three days.  Gam is sleeping much better at home than she was in the hospital.  All of the home care nurses and therapists who have come in the last few days are so amazed at how capable and "with it" she is.  She has been a little nervous to use the ramp and go outside.  Yesterday I tried it in her wheelchair first and assured her I could help her go outside.  Once she was outside she came right to life, zooming around on her wheelchair.  I told her she should probably move to the shade so she didn't get sunburned.  She began wheeling toward the shade and then zoomed right through it to the sun again.  I told her she had missed the shade and she responded, "I know, I like the sun on my face.  I will just stay here."  She is always sweet, but definitely stubborn.  :)

Gam has a bell next to her bed so that she can ring for me in the night.  Her physical therapist told her she didn't want her going to the bathroom in the night alone and to ring for me, Gam agreed that she would.  Ron and I both looked at each other knowing she would never ring the bell.  Sure enough I woke up this morning and hadn't heard the bell all night so went to check on her.  Gam said she had gone to the bathroom twice in the night all on her own.  I asked her why she hadn't rung the bell and she said, "because I didn't have any problems."

Today I helped Gam in the bathroom and told her like usual to holler when she was done so I could help her out.  A few minutes later I hadn't heard anything so I walked back to check on her, and she met me at the door in her walker. She said she had already done everything and washed her hands.  I asked her why she didn't yell for me, because that was dangerous.  She said, "I did."  I said I didn't hear her and she responded, "well maybe I didn't try to say it that loud." I've gotta keep my eye on that girl! 

Ninety-Five

 Gam Celebrated her 95th Birthday on Monday.  She loved getting all of the flowers, cards and phone calls. None of her nurses or therapists can believe she is 95, they keep thinking she is in her 70's.  Today her Occupational Therapist asked how old she was and when Gam told her 95, she was literally in shock.  She said, "Oh my gosh, for some reason I was thinking 70's, I never would have guessed 90's.  You are my new hero!"  

 She said she has really enjoyed her, roommate (who she became good friends with, and they really enjoyed each others company) doctor and all of the nurses in the hospital (except for this one "bad apple", but she took care of that)

Beth with her two oldest sons on her 95th Birthday

Ron sang a few songs for her, which everyone in the hospital enjoyed!

On Tuesday after meeting with all of the nurses and Physical Therapist, she was able to finally come home!  She was really excited, but I could tell she was nervous to go home.  As we were driving up the road she said, "I think you took the wrong way, none of this look familiar."  But as we came up the driveway she began to recognize everything.  Her first day home she just kept saying how small her house looked, and how much smaller everything seemed than she remembered.  Although she seemed a little nervous you could tell she was excited to be in her home.  When I asked her what she wanted for dinner her first night she said, "Oh they fed me so much in the hospital, I think I will be good for a while."  She never really has an appetite, but when I remind her that she needs to eat at least three meals  a day to stay strong she will say, "Oh all right, I guess I should eat something."