My-Mom 1976.

A daughter's perspective. 

She sure is pretty, isn't she? A blonde-hair, blue-eyed lady sitting on a red tartan-plaid, oversize sofa looking beautiful even though she looks tired. I always have admired her personal sense of style. She stuck with simple classics and dressed them up as the occasion warranted. Similar to women I often associated in my mind with her, like Jackie O and Elizabeth Taylor.

As a thinking female in the corporate telecommunications world, I imagine an average day at the office wasn't too pleasant. Especially in the role of Statistical Analyst using SAS. She was a very non-traditional role model. One of the bravest women I know. [Yes, Mom. I love you.]

Although we didn't appreciate it at the time, she taught us about culture by taking us on outings. She lived in the suburbs of Pittsburgh, so we spent quite a bit of time in the city. Phipps Conservatory, Buhl Planetarium, Three Rivers Stadium, Fort Pitt, The Incline - not to mention all the shops and restaurants in the area. As little kids coming from a rural farming community, we were often dazzled by the simple, yet seemingly endless variety of goods and people.

Like many companies in the greater Pittsburgh area, her company's annual picnic was held at Kennywood Park. Money was tight in those days and I remember stowing a picnic lunch in a locker and sitting outside the park near the roller coaster and eating lunch in the shade of some trees.

More on stuff like that in a later post.

Blast From The Past. A letter to Mom.

FROM:
SHINN (me)
South Main Street


TO:
MOM
LouJean Avenue

Mom

July 16, 1976

Dear Mom,

How're you doing? I'm doing okay. Went to the doctor Tuesday. The nurse took a blood sample, my arm is still black and blue. The baby is due somewhere around February 13th. We're getting a family insurance policy from Prudential. We will probably need it sooner or later. We've been living in our apartment for about 2 weeks now. It's smaller than your place, but it's big enough for the two of us. Our cat, Pandora, loves it here. I think she misses Jules, but that's the way it goes. Do you think you'll be able to make it up here sometime in the near future? We'd like you to see our new apartment. Judy got a job working at the snack bar up in the hospital. So I'm going to babysit for her now. She starts Monday. Pretty good, huh? Bill and I went to see One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest. Boy! Was it good! Bill's Grandma & Gramp came to Ulysses last Saturday. So naturally we went over to see them. They are doing pretty good. Hey, how do you like your new car now that you've had a chance to drive it for a while? Some day I'm going to get a drivers liscence, but I don't know when. Probably when I'm sixty-five. Bill and I are starting to put money in the bank for when the baby is born. We are trying to put aside $50-75 a month. Think that's enough? I hope so. Any more than that and we'll be living on vegetable soup - yeck! Oh, our address is [removed by editor]. Are you still dieting? Know what? The doctor told me I should gain 20-25 pounds. (I'm going to Dr George.) I hope I don't gain that much though. I haven't gained any so far, but then I'm only two months pregnant. Well, write to me when you have time. Sorry this is so short a letter, but I couldn't find any other paper.

Luv,
Cheryl