Windhorse Honors a Courageous Woman

My Mother

89 years old today!

(she's actually 89 years young.

MY HER-O

My Mother has shown her courage and abilities in so many ways.

She taught herSELF how to drive; because she needed to.  To this

day I marvel at her ability to follow a map; backtrack if lost,

sit by the side of the road reading road maps...the kind from

 Cave Man days...lol.  There were no signs, no traffic lights most

places...when we got to upstate there were few landmarks,

fewer gas stations...no supermarkets; they weren't invented yet.

As a little kid, I was too much in awe to feel frightened that

we didn't know exactly where we were going.

My Mom handled a business alone while Dad served overseas.

She took better than excellent care of him in his illness.

Mom taught me, and repeated many times:

"NO one is better than another person."

THE SILENT WARRIORS

WWII HER-Os

We've heard of Josephine the Factory Worker, and many 

tales of Nurses who saved Spirits as much as bodies.

This story talks about the Women who stayed at home and 

learned all kinds of work formerly considered only for men...

Mom became a Butcher and Bookkeeper; Store Manager and 

sandwich maker, icecream scooper.  She opened and closed 

the store, closed out the daily earnings records, reported 

them, swept, went to market for meat, ordered vegetables, fruit and 

staples (staples used to mean the basics: milk, butter, eggs and

flour for baking, beans ... and Spam ... )  Mom

stacked the shelves ... and even voted for Miss Rheingold.  

Mom had to keep track of tokens and ration stamps ... 

and sometimes say no to neighbors, and exercise integrity.

Aunt Ronnie helped Mom in those days.

February 15, 2010

this page is about the Women who worked, supported and helped

each other, and watched out for each other at

the Front called HOME, in WWII. 　

Mainly, it's about YOU, Mom.

I remember when Hill's Supermarket came to town, and business

fell off for Dad and you...but the comments were steady:  Pete's

the best butcher with the best meats.  And Ethel makes the most

amazing potato salad! ... and serves the best icecream!!

So I remember around that time you enrolled yourself in Secretarial

School and learned to use the Comptometer.  Then you got

yourself a job at Parks and Recreation.

You are amazing, brilliant and gutsy!!!
I love you,
Irene