Sunday, February 27, 2011

OLD FASHIONED FOLKS


Lois
WE WERE YOUNG together 60 years ago. On a chartered Amtrak train to a football game in Oxnard, the guys were together the night when Mr. Bob and I met. I was 17. Years later, we all became parents around the same time. We women were all influenced by June Cleaver (Beaver's mom) and were model housewives of the 1950s. The men became a policeman, a fire captain, a mathematical genius; Mr. Bob was already a printer. Missing, as usual, when they visited the Manor yesterday, was the car salesman.


Jane & Fran
Jim & Judy
We were the first couple to enter a retirement facility and there was curiosity about our living quarters. In the dining room a table had been set up for 8 and the food was especially good. The kitchen at the Manor excels in preparing tender pork spareribs and on occasion, garlic bread. 4 of us ordered the ribs, 2 ordered eggplant parmesan, 1 had fish from the alternative menu and Judy loves hamburgers. Her wish was fulfilled. Judy's the only one I know who takes as many pictures as I do. She does not, I repeat, does not like her picture taken. From her last trip, she took 188 photos and didn't appear in any of them, as opposed to moi. I've been known to take my own picture in the bathroom mirror. She won't like it when she reads this, but here she is:
Judy


She and her mathematician husband lived in Cuba when Castro was still a guerilla in the mountains. These days they enjoy cruising as often as possible and would welcome revisiting Cuba when that becomes a possibility.




Bob, Jane, Fran, Don, Judy, Dick, Lois, Jim

Don, Jim, Dick
Cindy, the dining room manager, suggested a group picture.

After eating, we stopped in the library. I don't think the ongoing discussion is particularly literary, which is why we moved along to the Friendship Lounge where the seating is better than it is in our assigned quarters.

There we continued to catch up on each other's lives and before they went home, I insisted on a group picture. Everyone moans and groans at that suggestion, but it serves as a record later.

Fran, Don, Dick, Lois, Bob, Jim, Judy
We get together about once a year. Once I gathered us in front of a mirror.........

This was before Don, a widower,  married Fran.

and the last time we met, we visited first at Judy & Jim's house near San Diego, then piled into two cars to drive the ten minutes to the chosen restaurant. Once there, I thought I'd get the requisite group photo out of the way, then realized that Lois was missing.

Bob, Dick, Fran, Don, Judy, Jim

I mean really missing. Nowhere to be found. We'd left her back at the house. What follows next is a picture of mirth, personified, but I didn't dare post it at the time until Lois's justified ruffled feathers were smoothed. Now, even she can laugh about it.

I suspect Dick spent some time in the doghouse after this. When Lois called Dick's cell phone, she heard it ringing upstairs.
Interesting, in this day and age, that none of us has been divorced.
Just call us old-fashioned folks.

8 comments:

  1. That's hilarious, Jane--the poor woman!! but it's funny. :) To have caught a photo of that moment of realization makes this even funnier. :) You've been blessed with such good friendships, you all.

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  2. I keep laughing over this and just told Mike about it. Ahhhh, how often do you guys retell THAT story to each other? :)

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  3. HI JANE AND BOB,

    DICK AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR A MOST ENJOYABLE DAY YESTERDAY WITH BOTH OF YOU, AND ALL OF OUR "OLD" FRIENDS AT YOUR NEW HOME.

    WINDSOR MANOR IS SPLENDID! THE DECOR IS BEAUTIFUL AND THE EMPLOYEES AND RESIDENTS WERE SO HELPFUL AND FRIENDLY. HOW LUCKY YOU TWO ARE TO LIVE THERE. WE WERE ALSO IMPRESSED WITH THE FOOD AND STAFF WHO SERVED US. THANKS FOR A GREAT GET TOGETHER -ONE WE'LL REMEMBER FONDLY. I REALLY APPRECIATED THE BRIGHT LIGHTING IN THE PUBLIC ROOMS. THAT MADE IT VERY EASY FOR ME TO SEE THE MENU AND TO ENJOY THE SURROUNDINGS. YOUR APARTMENT IS VERY HOMEY AND COMFORTABLE, WITH GREAT VIEWS. WHAT MORE COULD YOU ASK FOR?

    IT'S ALWAYS FUN TO HEAR THE OLD STORIES AND THEY'RE JUST AS FUNNY AS THE FIRST TIME WE HEARD THEM. IT'S GOOD TO KNOW THAT WE ARE STILL CREATING MORE FOND MEMORIES. READING ABOUT THE MISSING PERSON (ME) AT THE RESTAURANT DURING A PREVIOUS GET TOGETHER WAS HILARIOUS IN RETROSPECT. THE PICTURE OF JIM'S REACTION WAS SO FUNNY, I COULDN'T STOP LAUGHING. ALTHOUGH WE COULDN'T SEE DICK'S FACE IN THE PICTURE, I'M SURE HE WASN'T AS AMUSED AT THE TIME (NEITHER WAS I AS I RECALL). THANKS FOR WAITING A WHILE BEFORE POSTING IT ON YOUR BLOG.

    SORRY WE TOOK UP SO MUCH OF YOUR DAY, BUT THE TIME JUST FLIES WHEN WE'RE ALL TOGETHER. WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEXT GATHERING IN HUNTINGTON BEACH (NEXT SUMMER ACCORDING TO FRAN). DICK AND I WILL BE HAPPY TO HAVE YOU GUYS RIDE ALONG WITH US IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO. BUT WE'LL TALK ABOUT IT MORE WHEN WE KNOW THE DATE, ETC. IT'S GOING TO BE AN EXCITING SUMMER FOR OUR FAMILY, BUT HOPEFULLY, WE'LL BE ABLE TO DO IT ALL :-)

    LOVE,
    LOIS & DICK

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  4. HI JANE AND BOB,

    DICK AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR A MOST ENJOYABLE DAY YESTERDAY WITH BOTH OF YOU, AND ALL OF OUR "OLD" FRIENDS AT YOUR NEW HOME.

    WINDSOR MANOR IS SPLENDID! THE DECOR IS BEAUTIFUL AND THE EMPLOYEES AND RESIDENTS WERE SO HELPFUL AND FRIENDLY. HOW LUCKY YOU TWO ARE TO LIVE THERE. WE WERE ALSO IMPRESSED WITH THE FOOD AND STAFF WHO SERVED US. THANKS FOR A GREAT GET TOGETHER -ONE WE'LL REMEMBER FONDLY. I REALLY APPRECIATED THE BRIGHT LIGHTING IN THE PUBLIC ROOMS. THAT MADE IT VERY EASY FOR ME TO SEE THE MENU AND TO ENJOY THE SURROUNDINGS. YOUR APARTMENT IS VERY HOMEY AND COMFORTABLE, WITH GREAT VIEWS. WHAT MORE COULD YOU ASK FOR?

    IT'S ALWAYS FUN TO HEAR THE OLD STORIES AND THEY'RE JUST AS FUNNY AS THE FIRST TIME WE HEARD THEM. IT'S GOOD TO KNOW THAT WE ARE STILL CREATING MORE FOND MEMORIES. READING ABOUT THE MISSING PERSON (ME) AT THE RESTAURANT DURING A PREVIOUS GET TOGETHER WAS HILARIOUS IN RETROSPECT. THE PICTURE OF JIM'S REACTION WAS SO FUNNY, I COULDN'T STOP LAUGHING. ALTHOUGH WE COULDN'T SEE DICK'S FACE IN THE PICTURE, I'M SURE HE WASN'T AS AMUSED AT THE TIME (NEITHER WAS I AS I RECALL). THANKS FOR WAITING A WHILE BEFORE POSTING IT ON YOUR BLOG.

    SORRY WE TOOK UP SO MUCH OF YOUR DAY, BUT THE TIME JUST FLIES WHEN WE'RE ALL TOGETHER. WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEXT GATHERING IN HUNTINGTON BEACH (NEXT SUMMER ACCORDING TO FRAN). DICK AND I WILL BE HAPPY TO HAVE YOU GUYS RIDE ALONG WITH US IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO. BUT WE'LL TALK ABOUT IT MORE WHEN WE KNOW THE DATE, ETC. IT'S GOING TO BE AN EXCITING SUMMER FOR OUR FAMILY, BUT HOPEFULLY, WE'LL BE ABLE TO DO IT ALL :-)

    LOVE,
    LOIS & DICK

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  5. What a great life story of friends being friends!!! wow!

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  6. Hi Jane....your blogs always warm the cockels of my heart....whatever that really means....but they usually really touch something in me that I can relate to or smile over. Yup....there is NOTHING like long-time friends....How fortunate you are to be able to get together.....Rusti

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  7. Marvelous! Fantastic photo,you nailed the moment.

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  8. How wonderful. Again I want to thank you and Dad for your decision in moving to the Windor Manor. So many of my friends are struggling with failing folks, don't know what to do or how to do it. Don't know the wishes of their parents. You are happy, healthy and enjoying life! I don't worry. Tim and Chris may have received some material things when you moved there I received the best thing, 'peace of mind'
    Knowing that when needed you will be well cared for! I don't remember any of those friends, hmm at what age can I move to the Windsor? love, love, love - Susan H

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