The day she was born was much like today, weather-wise. But the world is a vastly different place than it was almost a century ago.
When she was very young, much of the travel was still done by horse and wagon or horse and sleigh. But the Model T Ford was available from the time her Dad was a young teenager.
My grandparents used a kerosene lamp to light the home at night. Wood was used for heat and cooking. There was no indoor plumbing. Their farming was done with a pair of horses, Rowdy and Chub. Families in Aroostook County were pretty self sufficient except for a few staples that were purchased twice a year, or so: flour, molasses, sugar, salt, and such. Lard was sometimes purchased to use as shortening, but sometimes even that was made at home.
Yesterday Mom was truly the life of the party at our house in Glenburn. Before the day was over, 30 family members had attended the open house in her honor. She enjoyed the food, the gifts, the cards, the cake, the singing of "Happy Birthday" (and she even directed the choir). But most of all she enjoyed the people. At one point she told us that she was in her second childhood. "Now that I am ninety, I can do whatever I want to and get away with it", she said. Then she modified that declaration by saying that when she was young she had to listen to her parents but now she has to listen to her kids.
Today she told me she loves being 90 because she is feeling better than in a long time. And she is looking so WELL. She was in the hospital for a week before the party day and we thought she would be very weary after the festivities, but she had a ball. Usually after a busy day, she is exhausted. But not this time! I think some of her newly found stamina is directly related to the iron therapy she had in the hospital. But I think part of it was from the joy she felt, just being with the family that she loves -- having so many of us together.
You can see pictures of Mom and some tidbits of her life at a site I am working on: http://imageevent.com/bbuza/familypictures/mymom . This is a work in progress, so you might want to check it from time to time and look at the other images I have there so far if you would like.
In July I will be 69. What an amazing thing to still have my Mom at this age. I thank the Lord for that blessing, and hope to not take it for granted. She told me today that she will still be here to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary in August of 2013. I believe her.
February 20th: Grammie Ruth just told me that you should know that Grampie Ellery had the first truck in Littleton. It was a Model T. He bought the "innards", seat and steering wheel and built it into a truck. He crafted a wooden cab and body. Other than a windshield, it had no windows. Mom remembers that she and Uncle Lawrence would sit on old car seats on the back of the truck and ride to Bangor.
Because there were no sideboards on the body of the truck, Mom and her brother sat with their backs against the driver's seat and passenger seat. Aunt Iola sat on Grammie Muriel's lap. The trip took many hours, she said. I personally remember that Gramp's driving speed was 35 mph, whether it was posted 25 or 45! His concept of a left turn was to angle across the pavement from several yards away (I was horrified).
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