My Motherhood Memories



           Each person's memories are unique, colored by emotions and viewed through the prism that is his or her own perspective.  A family experiences many of the same events in life, and yet each member of that family takes away vastly different memories.  It took many years (and more than a few heated debates) for me to realize that.  So as I embark on this exercise of looking backward, I share with you the only memories that I can - my own.  

            When my daughters were young, we didn't have a lot of extra money, but we still managed to have a comfortable life.  We had just bought a home, and their father and I had agreed that I would give up my job in order to be a stay-at-home mom, and although it may have been an easier financial decision in the 1970s and 80s than it is today, it still meant some sacrifice.

Melissa's Favorite Meal

          For a few years, we had only one car.  A meal at a restaurant was a rare occurrence.  Paychecks came once every two weeks, and sometimes by the end of the second week, the pantry shelves were getting bare. 

          I can recall on more than one occasion when the cousins came for lunch, we served macaroni and cheese and hot dogs.  I believe they all grew up thinking it was all Auntie knew how to cook, but it was one of the meals we could afford (and thankfully, Melissa's favorite). 



Mandy with Christmas Dress, Baby Doll and Cradle



I remember once, on the day before payday, my sister called to inform me that she was stopping by with out-of-town relatives . . . in half an hour . . .  for lunch.  If only I'd had a box of macaroni on the shelf that day!  What was left in the refrigerator? A loaf of white bread and a pound of bacon.  I wish I could report that it turned out well.  Alas, BLTs for everyone, minus the lettuce and tomatoes, of course, and more relatives wondering about my culinary skills. 

           The 1970s and 80s were an era of do-it-yourself, back-to-basics, and recycling.  We weren't ashamed to accept hand-me-down clothes, and for only a few dollars, I could buy fabric and sew items to fill out the girls' wardrobes:  flannel pajamas, sunbonnets, dresses, jumpers and pants. We also saved money by making some of the girls' Christmas gifts.  One year I sewed them red corduroy Christmas jumpers, baby dolls with quilts and their dad made each doll a cradle.  

      

 

The Evil Rose Bush



    Having only one car was sometimes a bother, I'll admit, but it also meant lots of time spent at home.  That gave me time to plant a garden, with herbs and vegetables and flowers.  I was so proud of the rose bush that I finally trained to climb on the chain link fence next to our sidewalk.  It never failed to bloom, with dozens and dozens of fragrant red roses each year.  But what do the girls remember?  Falling into the thorns while they learned to ride their bicycles along that sidewalk. 

 



Melissa Swinging in Front of the Vegetable Garden



            With time spent at home, I could learn to bake my own bread and cook meals from scratch.  Is that a saying that's even used anymore?  Cooking from scratch?  Anyway, it's a good feeling to be able to look at what's left in the freezer and the staples in the pantry and make a meal out of what you find.  No special ingredients, no fancy recipes.  I may not have realized it at the time, but these were all methods through which I could express my creativity, and they gave me a great deal of satisfaction, as well as the skills to ensure that I could throw together a tasty meal at a moment's notice (and finally be rid of the reputation as a failure in the kitchen).



    



At the Zoo



In the Pool





            Needless to say, travel was more of a luxury than we could afford while the girls were small.  Instead, we put up a swimming pool and spent our vacations together in the backyard.  As warm weather approached each year, I would put together a box filled with inexpensive but fun things to do on the long summer days:  sidewalk chalk, playing cards, jump ropes, bubbles, crayons and Play-Doh.   

          There were play-dates with friends, birthday parties, Fourth of July parades, fishing derbies.  There were outings to the zoo, Santa's Village, Great America.   And books, of course, lots of books and craft projects.  The girls never lacked for things to do, and I'd like to think that the types of entertainment we provided helped them to develop into the independent young women with bright and creative minds that they are today.  



Mandy Reading