Mother and Dearie

Mother and DadBig smiles, both look so happy. Would this have been the year Mother gifted herself with a mink stole? She wanted one, he said no, she bought one, wrapped it up, opened it Christmas Eve and let everyone think it was from him. He didn't say a word otherwise.

They met when she was divorced, had three children and was supporting her family by working for the telephone company while living with her sister (Amy) and her family. When Mother met dad, she laughingly told Amy, "He's short, bald and I'm going to marry him." Before she accepted his proposal she made him promise we three kids could continue going to parochial school. He kept his word even when things were tough financially.

I didn't hear that story until after both Mother and dad had passed away and it helped me better understand their relationship. They were so different. She was very open-minded and he was the opposite. Their arguments were intense. She could and would go toe-to-toe and nose-to-nose with him. But he was a good provider and her choice. I recently read letters she had written to him when they were newly married. He worked out of town and came home on weekends and it looks like she wrote him nearly every day. In the letters she calls him "dearie." Dearie. I'm discovering something new every day!

Re Mother's comment about dad being "short, bald": according to her sister, because their brothers were tall the sisters all preferred short men. Only one sister (the tallest) out of five married a tall man. And dad wasn't bald but he did have a lot of forehead. ;-)