The Emerald Rose

At 74 I am beginning to “wind down”, essentially my “life: is done, I’d like to say I am “happily married”, but I would be lying,let me explain a bit further.

Years ago (1967) when I got married, I promised to love, care for and cherish the girl I was marrying. After the vows it was essentially a “crap shoot”. I was in the Navy, and that was over in 1969, (still had two years of reserve duty, until a full “Honorable Discharge”.) It was my impression THAT counted for something, which in 1969 it really didn’t!! Being “Honorably Discharged” used to be a “badge of Honor”, your country, and it’s people recognized that you put YOUR life on hold, and “signed the check” for up to and including your life.

I had to think long and hard as to what to do, but the process was only “minutes” long, by that time we had a son, going on two children,Years old,and a daughter going on one year old. So what do you do?

The right thing to do was lean over, and suck it all up and do whatever you had to do to provide for them! Was it the career or the “pot of gold” at the end of the rainbow, or was it plain and simply,….standing up to the responsibility of having a wife and family. That meant doing whatever it takes to feed, clothe, and shelter all of them, that’s what I did!!

No it was not a “me alone” situation” as my wife went back to work at a local Department Store where she had worked before we got married. Sounds like it’s an easy situation, but there is no way, particularly for me! She had both children since they were born and I was like an “Uncle Da-Da” because I was working so many hours plus a part time job as well. Amidst all of that I was trying to great a bunch of roots and “stepping” stone for growth for my family.

I will be the first one to tell you my wife was a REAL soldier, she handled both kids, made sure they were properly fed, clothed, and turned out as great as they did! (One is now 50, the other 48). She got little sleep the first few years, and “going out to dinner” was a trip to the local MacDonald”s and the ride to and fro’.

As they grew we got into camping, first with a tent, then a “soft-top” pop-up, and then a full pop up with slide out double beds, a pull out kitchen, and a “tent” top to cover all of us from the weather. Was it comfortable and easy after 45-50 hours of work in a city , then the committee home which involved busses, trains , and driving cars. Of course not!!! But I did it, and she “handled” the kids for five or six years as well. I used to take them on Saturday, usually I drove them around and took the to parks over looking the harbors, (Salem and Marblehead, in Massachusetts) to watch the sailboats going out, coming in, and “racing” in the weekend races: despite what Doctor Spock says they did learn, they knew “sloops” from “yawls”, and “port and Starboard”,….but more importantly they grew and LEARNED how to learn about things, life and the important things in your life!

Raising children is a whole different story, for another day, let’s deal with the “What happens when they’re gone” section , assuming you get to that point without killing each other!.

This is where the rubber meets the road and you meet life,…..HEAD-ON!

In fact allow m to continue this next time, ( at 74 it becomes increasingly harder to try and write your “life memories and thoughts” in sequence and totally.

Stay with me, it will all pay off.

Part 1

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April 16, 2019