Granddaughter reporting for duty!

Hi, this is Jaime Aldrich reporting for duty. I am the proud granddaughter of Ellen Aldrich. She is taking the day off from writing, having a day of rest, so I thought I would share some pictures of my beautiful grammy and our wonderful family!IMG_1081Alan, me, Grandma and Alyssa celebrating Christmas!

IMG_1067Grandma always throws the best birthday parties!

IMG_1377Dad and Alan representing the family business, AEROCAD, which Grandma is working hard as always!

IMG_0917Grammy with our favorite pup, Chloe!

IMG_0910Grammy and Alyssa showing us some dance moves!

 

She is the best grandma in the whole world! I love you so much grammy!

God Bless now and always,

Jaime Aldrich


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Florida Memories Pg.7

Here’s a picture that I will have to get on this site for all to see.  Like they say a picture is worth a thousand words  and this is sure a thousand word story.  Sometimes Poor Little Lee had to  go through so much correcting  –  sometimes I guess it could be just a little more than  he wanted to take  at one time.  So here’s the proof of the pudding’.

So the picture is of  “Little Lee” maybe fifteen steps coming out of the front door, and he is on the side walk on his way to the street, there were  no side walks in front of the houses om the blocks at that time. Little Lee had his older brother Donald’s  boy scout shirt on, his cap, and neckerchief.  Donald  would be age  (9) nine years old and Little Lee at the time of this photo would be a couple months short of becoming two years old. Also, Little Lee is carrying one of his shoes , one ‘high top baby shoe’ in each hand.  The look on his face  –  is a look  of  ‘forlorn’  – a look  that makes you think that he is awfully  ‘sad.’

I sent this picture and others to my  Aunt Irene Riley,  in Saint Louis, Missouri so she would know how we were doing.  Well, I sure received a few words back from her.  She took a look at this picture and  let me know that Little Lee should be treated better, his face told her he was so sad  and mistreated  that he was leaving home.  Now!


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Florida Memories pg.6

When  Little Lee  was  able to get around on his own  –  he was always out the door, to the great outdoors.  If we thought  we locked   the door knob,  and then he tried to open the door and it did not open  –  he was ready to find out how I got out?  At the time I was not aware of what he was doing, but now that I am older and wiser I am able to put two and two together and get four. This is what we joked about for family and friends to laugh  at,  how Lee stidoed us  – and then find the secret to get he doors open.

After Little Lee figured how to unlock the door knob and get out we had to put a spring loader type lock about (6) inches from the top of the kitchen door. The reason for this was because Little Lee would be the first one up  in the morning  and out the door he would go. Our next door neighbor, Mrs. Morgan was the  first house for him to go. She enjoyed his company as she  was a widow and he had had that type  of friendly  personality that every body liked.  Little Lee’s next stop would be the neighbor across the street. I can not remember their name but they were from  Michigan, and were always at their home during the “season”  that would be sometime from December to May. Then   for the summer  – back up to Michigan.

After putting the new spring-loader type opener at the top of the door.  Do you think that kept Lee in the house. Heck No.! Lee would get the red high stool and put that  on top of a foot rest  –  then he carefully climbed up. Guess he thought he was climbing a tree.  Careful and quite he was .  Down and out  again to his   friends.  All I can add is   – Thank You   Almighty God  for sending Your Guardian Angels to care for our children!


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Florida Memories pg.5

Learn a lesson about “Day Care”places for your  very active young children from us. Little children will stay  at the  “Day Care place” if they are being well care for.  But. if there is something wrong or they feel  miss treated   –  they sometimes are not able to  put into   words what  is  happening  to them ,  so that  their parents  will understand  –  so they can only do,  what they feel they  must safely do, to correct the situation.

We took  “Little Lee”   to this  “Florida Day Care”  and then  headed to our  “Drive-In Restaurant” on the Sunshine Boulevard.  I did not always go the the restaurant , but evidently I was needed this day and so that’s why  Lee was dropped off.   Next,  my husband’s  brother  Al, was coming over to  our restaurant    – he also  had a restaurant in the Wilton Manor area   – and   now, it was very early afternoon.

As  Al was driving his convertible , and he is fairly close to the “Drive-In”  he  can hardly believe  that our son,   his nephew  “Little Lee” is walking  the same way as he is driving.  Al  pulled over to the curb and helped Lee  get in his car  –  Lee was all scratch up and bleeding  –  but  somehow he knew the way to the “Drive- In.”   When Al  and  little Lee walked in the back door – we couldn’t believe how terrible Little Lee was cut  and scraped.

So my husband calls the “Day Care” and ask the owner ,   ” how’s my  son, Lee  doing?”  She said,  ” Lee is doing just fine    – he’s playing in the back yard with the other children.”   My husband replies  in  only the way a man will,   ” then, what the   ‘ h    ”     is he doing  here?”   She started explaining that they have a  (6 foot) fence  topped with spikes at the top to keep outsiders out.   Needless to say that was the end of that place for us!

What I feel  in my heart  –  Mothers   –   if at all possible stay  “home” with  your small children   –  their need for you is more important than anything else in this world!


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Florida Memories pg.4

Living a mile from the Ocean, and across the street from Lake Melba,  my son Lee always had his swim trunks on. I do believe he was  part fish.  Lee was ready to go swimming anytime any one would take him.  He never had to say,  “I’ll go and get ready”  –  because no one had time to wait  on a small child.

When Lee was around (2) years of age  and I’m guessing  – could have been younger, his friend Arthur down the street  would take Lee across the street and they would get into one of the neighbor’s small boat’s. Arthur was about (3) years older and was more familiar with the neighbors and their boats and who would be home and  so the two of them would get in to a boat and play like they were out on the  “Ocean” and doing whatever kids do

One day, the boat became untied to the dock, and they drifted on to the center of  Lake Melba, which is (70 feet)  deep. I’m outside calling Lee to come home and not getting any response, start to walk closer to the edge of one of the neighbor ‘s backyard to see out on the  “Lake” and I see a small boat  – just floating.  One of the neighbors came over where I was and said that she saw two small boys playing as they usually do  – in and around that boat.

I ran back home across the street and called my husband Lee, Sr., told him I thought Little Lee was out on the “Lake” to come home immediately!  In the 1960’s there were no “Cell Phones” so I had to wait patiently  –  while I was losing my mind!?

As soon as Lee Sr., got to the area where I was, he got permission to take out another neighbors boat with a friend, and immediately pulled up to where the bays were and brought the boats  back safely. Little Lee was trying to tell all about the getting loose and how it was moving and they didn’t know how to get it back to the neighbor’s dock. We knew that we had to do something so that this would not happen again.

We knew Lee could swim but to be sure  –  we signed him up at the YMAC for swimming lessons   –  that was the best investment.

 


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Florida Memories pg.3

This picture is of Lee, sitting at the organ, in our living room at 1503 N.E. 18th Avenue. We  were  a partner of the  Topper’s Lounge, at  the bend in the North Federal Hwy., Florida.

The company in charge of the music,  at Topper’s ,  had a salesman who knew we had children and suggested  we get an organ for them to learn music.  He wanted to bring an organ   to our house  and see how it works out with the kids,  if any  will take an interest  and would   take lessons?  Naturally,   there is no charge for having an organ brought over and set up. The lessons must have  been free also, since I do not remember writing any checks for any charges   –  and if it was not  “FREE”   or at  a very little charge  –   I do not think I would go along for   the ride?

Lee was about (5) years of age and was all enthused in the music that he could make by  just running his fingers up and down the keyboard. His waking up earlier than anyone else in our house and in  fact   in the neighborhood and starting to play  –   I mean make a lot of loud noise  –  was more than most of us could take.   After a while , Lee finally got the message   –  take lessons  – practice  –  then perform!

Lee did very good   and  did  perform in recitals  years later , when we moved to Saint Louis!

 


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