“Another Photo…SAME LOCATION…
This is the SAME LOCATION… but that is my MOTHER… now… she is holding our baby sister Karen… the twin that was a survivor!
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“Life Changes in… SEPTEMBER…”
In SEPTEMBER of 1945… LIFE as I knew it …came to a big change.
Since my MOTHER would be having twins in FEBRUARY of 1946… my two brothers DENNY and TOMMY and ME – would need a place to be taken care of …for a short time… so my MOTHER was told that the paper work that she was signing …was just a formality …but that was not the truth.
There were three locations – that children could be placed on a temporary basis. The first one that we all went… for a visit with a social worker – doing the driving and giving us all the details – as to what she thought would be a good place for each of us… first, Saint Mary’s Home for Girls – in the South Saint Louis area. This place – made a real impression on me – it was a very tired and worn out place – and not as all friendly and not really a place that I was wanting to go – and no amount of telling me – it would only be for a short time.
The second place would be for boys only… Saint Joseph Home for Boys… and since I was not to go there – well nothing at all was very appealing to me My two brothers – well they just were too young to know what they wanted – and I do not think that they had any idea …of what was really going on. When each of my brothers were to be born… well I was the one that had to go somewhere for a short stay – – and even the bag of candy did not set too well with me. That is one time – I’ll never forget!
In the above photo… My FATHER is holding the one surviving twin KAREN – then there is DENNY – Mary Ellen – – TOMMY – are we HAPPY… – – NO!
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“Start School… SEPTEMBER…”
This is what I looked like… on my way HOME…just left school – “Perpetual Help Grade School” – – on Linton Avenue, Saint Louis.
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“Another BIRTHDAY…Another YEAR Older…”
We moved in here… in AUGUST – – and SEPTEMBER follows… and another BIRTHDAY… for ME – – and in the photo is TOMMY and ME!
Would you believe that in just looking at the above photo – – I remember what I like doing most… and that was to do “Cartwheels” – – I would just do one after another… and the way that I am standing,,, it looks as if I will be doing a “Cartwheel” right out of that photo!
These were the beginning years of WWII and we were doing our part. As you can see TOMMY is wearing a white “Sailor’s cap” – – – there wasn’t a military song that he didn’t know – – and could sing it …with all the ‘gusto’ of a movie star – – hands and legs moving – especially when we were on the bus or street car… going to and from the downtown Saint Louis area. Of course…I would be right by his side – to keep him going – – Tommy just had a natural knack for entertaining – you might say …he stole the “show” – – and I knew most of the songs – because when we were on our swing-set and swinging for hours — we would sing so loud and for hours…I’ll bet that – they could hear us singing …way on down to GRAND AVENUE!
If you are looking at my face…you can see that… I have the “MUMPS” – and this was TOMMY’s fault! Tommy got the MUMPS – – and gave them to me. Tommy is keeping his “eye” on DADDY – – because we know that DADDY is going to CALIFORNIA to do welding on battleships in “Vallejo” – the “San Francisco Bay Area” California.
If things would have worked out the way that I thought… I was the one… to get to go to CALIFORNIA – – but this is another learning lesson in the game of LIFE… “Live and Learn” – – when you are on a journey – – that is all you are doing! You will go somewhere – that you have never been before… and you study the situation out – determine exactly what needs to be done… for you to arrive where you want … and maybe get to enjoy at least “FIVE” minutes more of this new LIFE experience. You heard that old song… “Give Me Five Minutes …MORE…” well – that is how they came to write the words for it – – just another one of “LIFE’s” experiences!
Just so everyone will know…TOMMY went to CALIFORNIA…
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“With BIRTHDAYS – YOU get OLDER!”
With a fancy “black velvet dress”- on… that calls for a BIRTHDAY – my 4th!
In the above photo – that is my brother, DENNY – and what was good about us KIDS – having a BIRTHDAY – was that – that would call for a very big PARTY for the ADULTS! My FATHER was the type that had to have a lot of “SHOW” going on – – when any event or occasion came along to celebrate.
In the basement – – we had several of those large round galvanized tubs – – each filled with ice and beer and some soda. Since… my FATHER took charge of the cooking – these occasions called for food – and lots of it as only he would like to do – – and – to do it up – – so that everyone could take home plenty of good eats – – that would last them days. I always marveled at how he could cook and bake and never needed a recipe for anything – just knew what and how much – – and everything …was fit for a KING!
My MOTHER told me… that when we were little…we were placed in the “play-pen” in the center of the PARTY – and all the adults would blow those noise makers – that would extend right into our faces and make a loud noise! Guess… those adults thought that they were entertaining us kids – or maybe trying to scare us into keeping quiet – or maybe… they just didn’t have any other way of acting silly???
This …is in the WWII early years… my PARENTS decide to sell that nice house we had in PINE LAWN – and it sold so fast – went like “HOT CAKES” – and… if you wanted a house – they just were not to be found … just not available…but – we had to rent for a month or two – everything packed – since we knew – we were looking and finally …they found this 85 year old house in NORTH SAINT LOUIS – – and fairly close to the the above “Fair Ground Park” – – you can see us in the above photo near the lake in the PARK – where my brothers DENNY and TOMMY and I would go quite often to play.
Since we are – each a year… apart in age…it looks like we are at least – 3 – 4 – 5 – years old – Isn’t it nice to be so close together in age in the family??? DENNY has red hair – I have brown hair – and Tommy has blonde hair – – and in so many of my photos… I am wearing a multi-color ribbon- bow in my hair – the reason for the remark – is that I still have one of my favorite bows – just had it in my hair this week – for my BIRTHDAY pictures – – some things that you like – well… they just last forever and ever.
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“What a Beautiful Day…for a BIRTHDAY?”
“This would be …Mary Ellen!” – and would be seventeen months old!
When I look at this old PHOTO – I can see why my MOTHER wrote on the back of another PHOTO of me… when I was eight months of age…everything that I could do! On the other PHOTO… she said …”she tries to put her socks on… and she knows where the shoes go – at least she tries to put them where they belong!”
Evidently…what my MOTHER was writing on the back of that PHOTO – was that I wanted to be going somewhere… to do something… and the only way that – that would be happening …would be for me to be dressed and ready to go! (And am I glad that I knew that , too!) All of what my MOTHER – – took the time to write…was true! Even – TODAY – if you are not dressed and ready to go… or at least ready to get to work… or, when I was small – to be ready to play… there would be the possibility – of “ME” not getting to go and do something – – especially when everybody else is ready and they are not in the mood to wait for a “slow-poke” – – or even wait for a lazy “MARY” – – as that is one name that I would not want to be called!
Here I am… a little older… and doing what I would do so well… rock in my rocker – until I could get it to turn over backwards and upside down… must have been in a big hurry to get somewhere – – and the waiting would be too long – and the rocker got me somewhere – – where I do not know – – but may just have lost a brain or two – – on my way to “no-where” and fast!
At this age …. “Children” “have it made in the shade!” All you have to do is ask… and someone is running to you – as fast as they can… handing you something – and if that is the wrong thing – – well…then they pick you up – carry you here and there – and then sometimes… they hold you so nice and tenderly in their arms…. while they sit in the grown-up’s rocking chair…and they sing to you… and now… you feel like you are back in HEAVEN with all the ANGELS…listening…to all of your favorites songs.
This is in…Aunt “Irene Brady Riley’s” – back yard on Ashland, in North Saint Louis.
As you can see – I was dressed and ready to go… and I sure do like to go… It seems to me – – while looking at these PHOTOS – – that the adults – – might have thought I would run away – or fall – or something else – on the drastic side, would happen – as – I have other PHOTOS – and Aunt Irene has her hand – – behind me – – as if I would fall or break any minute – – but – as you can see… those legs… were made to run as fast as I could… and I did!
If you enlarge this PHOTO – – you will see the big grin on my face – – I know that I am getting out of the reach of “Aunt Irene”…My legs are running as fast as they can – – and she is not able to catch…ME!!!
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