Foot prints in the past

Mom.................

Sylvia Lucette Abrams Jones

circa 1945, New York

It was always a curiosity to me that she had a middle name of Lucette. I never thought to ask her how she got that name.

But if it is true that Lisetta Stern, a widow born in Darmstadt in 1831, was in fact the mother of our Ida Stern, born in 1862 in New York, whom we know for sure becomes the mother of our Michael Abrams, who was born in 1890, who was, we know for sure, the father of our Sylvia Lucette Abrams, who was born in 1920, well, it all makes perfect sense!

Did I lose you?

You see, in the Jewish tradition of naming your child with a name that begins with the first letter of a dead relative, Sylvia Lucette may have been given the middle name of Lisetta Stern, her grandmother!

It's just all too cool!

Stay tuned............

Pieces of a puzzle

I've always loved puzzles, savoring moments: finding that corner piece finally, the last piece of the tree in the lefthand corner, like that.

And I've always been nuts about genealogy, looking for the pieces of our own genetics puzzles.

We are the heirs of generations of unnamed folks. By naming them, one by one, putting together pieces of their stories, fitting them into world history events........Well, I don't know how to finish that sentence exactly. It just tickles me to find a new generation.

So, here's a census page from 1880, New York, New York. On the line numbered 18 98 is a widow, Lisetta Stern, with her kids, and the 18yr old girl Ida I believe to be my great-great grandmother!

Because in 1910, I find "Lizzie Stern",79, as "mother-in-law" living with Nathan Abrahms and his wife Ida. Nathan and Ida we know to be our ancestors. All the birthplaces, ages, names match! Pretty good clues.

We'll see what else I can dig up!

1880 United States Federal Census about Lisetta Stern

Name: Lisetta Stern Home in 1880: New York City, New York, New York Age: 50 Estimated birth year: abt 1830 Birthplace: Darmstadt Relation to Head of Household: Self (Head) Father's birthplace: Darmstadt Mother's birthplace: Darmstadt Neighbors: View others on page Occupation: Keeping House Marital Status: Widowed Race: White Gender: Female Cannot read/write: Blind: Deaf and dumb: Otherwise disabled: Idiotic or insane: View image Household Members: Name Age Lisetta Stern 50 Isaac Stern 24 Solomon Stern 22 Ida Stern 18 Minnie Laurens 23

The pleasure of their company

Very little in life is ordinary

The gift of a daughter,and of an old friend,

with time to share a meal together is

precious time..........
The ratings? A 10 for company, a 10 for atmosphere..............

and the pronouncement: "Momma, if I could, I would give you a star on

your chart for this meal!"

I guess those star charts of 20 years ago made more of an

impression than I realized!

But, finally, the dragon flies are back..........

Usually these red dragonflies appear the first week of June. This year , though, this one and its companion arrived the first day of summer. I had a few minutes of photography time with them, and then they were off soaring over the pond, dipping in and out of the pond. Their afternoon appeared to include conjugal activities, so I look forward to future years of dragonfly visits!

Gotta love her smile!

"Farewell to Spring" is still flourishing in the garden......................

30 Father's Days later

Several of my friends have lost their dads recently.

They are experiencing their first Father's Day without a Dad in the world.

This is my 30th.

The man on the left is Arthur Eugene Jones, born 1918, died 1980. He's my Dad.

This is our 1960 family, with wife/Mom Sylvia, and with me, Celeste, Mitchell.
Art was far from perfect, and he died way too soon.

But I learned about hard work from him, from watching him work hard, with his callused hands and sinewy muscles. He was physically small (his WWII Navy uniform fits me!) but quite strong. He would stretch out his arms, let a child hang on each wrist, and hold us up,feet dangling, turning and spinning like a human merry-go-round. Quite a way to impress one's 10 year friends!

Art was a janitor in a public school system, and ran the boilers that heated the school. I learned from him that there was no job I was 'too good for'---that all work was good work, and work was our purpose in this world. To work hard and be of service.

I did have to learn to run when he put his hand on his belt buckle.

But I also learned:

"Be prepared",

"Maintainence costs less than repairs"......

and "Don't draw to an inside straight".

I never did learn that idea of 'keeping a poker face'.

And I'm in uncharted territory now, being older already than he had the chance to be.

Art was far from perfect, and he died way too soon.

Nonetheless, 30 years later, Dad, Happy Father's Day, and thanks, and I love you.

Love always,

Your daughter, Renee

44 years now.......wow, that went fast!

Going to work as a nurse brings unexpected experiences. Even when you think you've 'seen it all.

Two patients touched my heart today, two completely different stories of two men's lives. Our 25 year old patient, who suffered a heart attack after using crystal meth. No coronary artery disease, but a good old-fashioned heart attack. No English. A brother and a girlfriend and a toddler. Discharged him, with Narcotics Anonymous literature in his language, and medication instructions, and saying a silent prayer as I wheeled him to the car, for his life, and those whose lives he affects with his drug use. And off he went, smiling.

And our young ALS patient, who absolutely was done with this life, being completely unable to move or talk or breathe or eat on his own. He wanted everything turned off. So with family, social workers, doctors, and nurses, and pastoral care crossing all the T's and dotting all the 'I's" legally, with Morphine IV for comfort care, today was his "good day to die."

I reflected how we often choose the dates our children will be born into the world, with scheduling C-sections, but scheduling our day of passing out the other side is not something common. Or comfortable.

The CD player played big band and marching band music, he wore his VFW hat, the room filled with people and prayer. With all the machinery off, and with full knowledge, he breathed slower and slower. Then he smiled. And closed his eyes.

And off he went, smiling.

Truly, there's no other job I would have wanted in this life but to be a nurse.