Thursday, May 29, 2008

Souvenirs

While writing my post for the 45th edition of the Carnival of Genealogy, I looked for a picture of this car but couldn't find it then. In the background is our 1956 Nash Rambler Super Sedan, like the one pictured at Old Car and Truck Pictures, about halfway down the page.

My parents had just returned from a fishing trip to northern Minnesota with Dad's sister, Fern, and her husband and daughter. Doug, Jack, Terry and I are showing off the souvenirs they brought us. It was August 1957.

In July that year, Doug, Jack and I had gone on a trip to the Wisconsin Dells with Grandpa Vic and Aunt Shirley. It was the first time that we had been away from our parents and little sister. We were only gone for a few days but we still got homesick, or at least, that is what I've been told - many times!

When Mom and Dad were planning their trip to Minnesota they decided to split up us kids and parcel us out to several aunts and uncles. Doug went to Columbia City to stay with Aunt Phyllis and Uncle Walt. Jack and I were sent to Pierceton to stay with Aunt Jessie and Uncle Toby. Terry went to Goshen to stay with Aunt Leah and Uncle Shocky. I don't remember how long Mom and Dad were gone, probably a week. But at some point during that time someone decided that we kids needed to see each other. So Doug and Terry were brought to Pierceton since that was somewhat the "middle" distance between Goshen and Columbia City.

When the time came for Doug and Terry to go back to their respective temporary homes, apparently we all started crying and quite simply couldn't be separated. Each time one of them would get into the car the crying would resume. I'm sure there is some exaggeration on the part of the adults regarding the extent of the hugging and crying ;-) at least there are no pictures of that! Bottom line, we all ended up staying with Aunt Phyllis in Columbia City for the few remaining days until our parents returned. Hers was a full house with her own four children and the four of us, but comfy. And we were together. And it didn't matter that we had to sleep on the floor!

3 comments:

Jasia said...

I love the photo Becky! It's good shot of the car but an even better shot of the souvenirs. What a Kodak moment!

Steve Danko said...

Your story of being sent to stay with relatives brought back memories of the summer of 1964 when my sisters and I were sent to stay with relatives in Massachusetts while my mother recuperated from an illness.

That summer was the only time that my sisters and I were separated from our parents for any length of time.

My memories of that time include swimming in the reservoir during the day, assembling jigsaw puzzles in the evening, and one fateful supper when my sisters and cousins conspired to unscrew the lid from the saltshaker before handing it to me to salt my corn on the cob!

Becky Wiseman said...

Thanks Jasia. As far as I know that is the only picture we have of the car. There are a couple more shots of us kids with the souvenirs but this was the 'best' one. I doubt that the trinkets lasted very long, but we had fun with them while they did!

Steve - there was only one other time that I was separated from my siblings before I graduated high school. Sad to say we were only all together for a few times after that event. Sounds to me like your sisters and cousins were pickin' on you! At least no real harm was done ;-)