HAPPY THANKFUL THURSDAY!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh my mind does some meanderings at times like this…..
This week has a LOT of special events in it for me. I’m thankful for them because without them, I wouldn’t be here today. My grandmother and mother’s birthdays, my anniversary of meeting my late Michael, my late brother-in-law’s birthday and the passing anniversaries of my middle brother Moe, as well as Michael’s passing anniversary date. Talk about a LOADED week!
Then we can add to it all of the extra holiday energies.
When I was shopping the other day, Dad dropped me a dime as I was checking out. I had to smile. We just had our days too about two weeks ago. Yesterday morning there was one by my bed on the floor. It hadn’t been there the previous night I’m pretty sure.
As my mind wandered its magical meanderings I remembered her story of mum’s birthing. I had asked had they lived in the little house by the river and she said “No! That was the Mid-wife’s house!”
Before Aunt Eva passed she relayed all of this to me. That was 15 years ago now. She told me of how hard their labours had been. How they were so relieved to have their babies safe in that time. I’m smiling when I think of how she said “A baby’s gonna come when it wants ta” in her solid New England accent. She had 4 babies all told and 3 of them crossed before she did at 94.
Thinking back to the 91st anniversary of that time today…. My grandmother and her older sister, my Aunt Eva, walking almost half a mile to the midwife’s home. Gran in full labour with my mum on her way. Snow everywhere and the Great Depression full on. No one in the family could afford either horse or car for their journeys, only on foot did they do things. The next day this newly 17 year old young woman birthed a wee tiny baby girl. Staying in the midwife’s home for no telling how many days. No doctor to do things. Only the old midwife in her 1906 cottage that still stands.….
This was a time where a woman wore skirts and dresses only. There were no pants or trousers for women in that era in general. IT was a rare event for women to wear such things and even rarer in a public place. December in New England back then was COLD. Coats, hats and the rest walking up the road from where my great grandparents and family lived to that little house in fresh snow. They lived in what we’d call the “bottoms” then, river bottoms near the factory, the old Tannery. Snow for water melted on the wood stove.
These were 2 young women of what would eventually be over 10 children from their parents, my great grand parents. Just starting their endeavors of being wives and mothers. My Gran only 1 day into her 17th year. My Aunt Eva her sister just 19 and already had birthed 1 child. Sisters going along together, one my gran, a tiny petite lady of maybe 5 feet tall and her slightly older sister almost 5’10”! How they must have looked walking up those roads…..
Their mum, my great grandmother, was taking care of HER youngest at home and in diapers. Probably praying her heart deep with a safe delivery for her baby and grandchild on the way. Possibly wondering how the food would stretch and did they have enough preserves and more on hand. She would have her last child in just 4 short years and her hair would be white as snow when she did. I have a picture of her just so.
Momma had her problems in life. Her mental illness – was it nutrient insufficiency or more? Momma didn’t walk well until she was nearly 3 years old. Then again, the family was impoverished and it was the Depression. Ready food, milk and more were hard to come by for ones that had little available money. Thankfully there were farms a plenty around and they worked their own bottom land for food.
Had anything not happened well, I wouldn’t be here today. Thankfully what they needed they were able to come by.
Ah the meanderings of my mind as I think about it and honour these many women today <3
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