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!Alan, me, Grandma and Alyssa celebrating Christmas!
Grandma always throws the best birthday parties!
Dad and Alan representing the family business, AEROCAD, which Grandma is working hard as always!
Grammy with our favorite pup, Chloe!
Grammy 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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