Tag Archives: Family Memories

Karen and the Optometrist

12 Jan

 

SUNDAY MEMORIES

 Judy Wills

Judy Wills

                                                     

Unfortunately, Fred and I both wear glasses – or contact lenses at this point in time.  And also unfortunately, our oldest daughter, Karen, has needed glasses for a very long time – since she was in first grade.

When we were in Germany, and Karen was about 14 years old, the base optometrist thought contacts might slow down the rate of her astigmatism, and suggested contact lenses.  She wasn’t so sure at first, but after she got the hang of it, she was pleased with the results – no more glasses!!

After we returned Stateside, we were living a bit away from the base, but still did most of our “doctor stuff” at the Air Force base nearby.  When it was time to have the girls’ eyes checked, we went to the base optometrist.  Karen went in first for her exam, then sat with me while Janet had her exam.

When Karen came out of the exam room, she sat down and I could tell she was holding something in – she REALLY wanted to break out in laughter.  After Janet left us, she just let it out.  She said the doctor did the exam and told her that she might “eventually need to get glasses or contacts.”  When she told him that, not only did she have contacts already – but that they were in her eyes at the moment – he was dumbfounded!  She said she really had to “bite her tongue” to keep from laughing in his face!

After Janet finished up her exam the doctor came out to talk to me.  He looked really chagrined and said, “she really fooled me there.”  He had the most sheepish look on his face, and it made me grin at him.

I suspect that he was just a touch more careful with his examinations after that!

Just one of those hilarious memories that stay with us – and we laugh about over and over

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Aunt Jessie~Part 3

1 Dec

SUNDAY MEMORIES

 Judy Wills

 

JUDY                                               

 My Aunt Jessie…..

Jessie was born in 1910, and died in 1990.  As you can see, she lived to be 80 years old – one of her goals in life.  As it turns out, she, her sister (my mother), and their mother (my Granny) all THREE died when they were 80 years old!  She had only one sibling, my mother.  I really enjoy these pictures of them as children.

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This one is one of my favorites.  When I showed it to a friend, her comment was, “Look at that – she’s mad as a wet hen, but still has a bow in her hair!”  Seems like Granny liked for her girls to look feminine – with bows in their hair a lot.

 This is also one of my very favorite pictures of Granny, Jessie, and Mother.  Someone must have said something really funny!

 

I’ve mentioned before her love of antiques.  This is an antique drop-leaf table that she treasured.

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For Christmas in 1955, one of her friends “wrought” a tapestry for Jessie that is truly amazing.  She had it framed and hung on the wall between the dining room and living room.  This picture shows just how huge it is!

Jessie had a really unique house in Albuquerque.  This window corner is in the kitchen.  When Granny was alive, she had pots and pots of African Violets in that East window.  She loved to tend to them.12  After she died, and Jessie couldn’t keep them up, she placed some of her knick-knacks and beer steins there, so she could enjoy them.

The upstairs bathroom was a neat room – the tile work 13was fascinating.  Actually this same theme was throughout the house wherever there was tile – kitchen (white with black), downstairs bathroom (green with black), etc.

The wall between the dining room and the living room was a “stair-step” affair, and she used it to advantage.  At Christmas, she would make candles, using waxed cardboard milk cartons.  She would literally whip some of the melted candle wax to make a foamy outer layer, and she would sprinkle sparkles in it before it hardened.  When the candle was burned, it glowed through the foam (and sometimes color) to make a delightful ambiance in the room.  I really loved those candles. (If you look in the background, you can see the “cove” ceiling I mentioned last week)

She had a real talent for decorating.  She loved Christmas and went all out to decorate the house for her – and our – enjoyment.

She was a delightful lady, and I’m glad she was in my life.

Philippians 1:3

 I thank my God every time I remember you.

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Aunt Jessie

17 Nov

SUNDAY MEMORIES

 Judy Wills

JUDY

 My mother’s only sibling, a sister, was my Aunt Jessie.  She never married, and was what we might consider an “old maid.”  My Granny lived with her.

They lived in San Antonio, Texas for many years, and moved to Albuquerque in 1952.  They moved into

2a neat old house that I loved.  It had a sunken living room – with an even more sunken fireplace.  It had what is known as “cove” ceilings – where the wall joins the ceiling in a smooth curve – no sharp angles.  Makes for a really nice effect.

Because she never married, and was responsible for herself as well as her mother, she worked all her life.  She was an accountant/bookkeeper – and a very good one.

Interestingly enough, that’s not all she ever did.  While living in San 3Antonio, she owned and operated a small diner in downtown San Antonio, called The White House Lunch. She had a cook, but I know that Granny made the pies – I still have some of her recipes.  They were so good that people would come in just for a slice of pie – or to purchase the entire pie to take home!

That little diner was even written up in the newspaper 4as the place to go for some of the “best beef stew what am.” While working the diner, Jessie met an Army Nurse, stationed at Fort Sam Houston, and they became very close friends.  This nurse would work the counter at the diner in her off-times.  This same nurse was stationed in Korea and was the one who brought a pearl ring back for me.  They remained life-long friends.

Also while in San Antonio, Jessie, Granny, and my mother all worked at the Rochester Handkerchief Factory.  The owner of the company found that she could make more profit if she purchased the fabric in Ireland, and had the “cut work” done in China, than if she did it all in the U.S.  In order to do that, she traveled to those countries to set up all she needed.  She brought back Chinese mementoes for Jessie – a China doll (which I was NOT allowed to play with!),and three camphor chests.

5Two of the chests are what we would call “foot locker” size, and the larger one is “steamer trunk” size.  All are ornately hand-carved with Chinese scenes on them.  And the inside wood is camphor wood, which is deliciously aromatic, and guaranteed to keep critters away from woolens and other fabrics.

I was always intrigued by those chests, but never had the nerve to look in them – until after Jessie died.  But when we opened them up – we were in for quite a surprise!

 

 

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