TBT: I967 Maternity Clothing

Back from Texas in 1967, I was pregnant with my first child, the child who turned 51 yesterday! Oh how time flies. I guess I must be having fun, right?  I do like this photo for many of the things it shows, including the fact that at 5'7 my father is considerably taller than I am with his height. He was 6'4 which seemed kind of normal to me. Somehow I married a 5'9 husband in the first go round.  But that aside, I really like that dress too. It was one of my favorite maternity dresses. All gone, years gone but fortunately we have photos some time. And now there's a scrapbook page to tell some of the story!

TBT: Summer of '67

Fifty years ago I was living in San Angelo, Texas and waiting for my first child to be born. Standing on the entry to our house on West Harris, we must have come from church as we're both dressed up a bit. I loved that maternity dress which my mother made for me. Almost all my maternity clothes were from her work. She worried that the hems were going to be a bit off since she was in Maryland and I was in Texas so no standing on the kitchen table for hemming.

I wonder who took this photo - a friend I guess - but as it's the only one of this day I can't be sure. Of course in those days, a photo meant film and film was expensive and so was the developing and printing. So different today, isn't it!

I also note that here my then husband is wearing the Rolex watch I gave him for our wedding. He later bought himself a digital watch and the Rolex was left in a piece of furniture in Iran. So much for wedding gifts from his bride!

TBT: 1967 The Dog and US

Despite the Dec 1967 tag on the photo, I know this one was taken earlier. We have summer warmish weather clothes on so I'm guessing it's October right after I flew from Texas home to MD. You have to know that when we were using film in those days, we waited until the roll was finished to have it developed and printed. No instant gratification in those pre-digital times.

But here we are with our newborn son and my faithful dog and perhaps she's wondering if she was being displaced. Her name was Mayda as her mother was a beagle who at some time 'made a mistake' in mating with an obviously hairy dog. She slept with me in my high school and college years and then really bonded to my mother when I got married. Ah Mayda...you have it right. You're no longer #1 in my life! This little boy has taken your place!

TBT: Pennsylvania Summer of 1967

These are some of the photos I had not seen for over 30 years. This set surprised me quite a bit as I did not recall coming back to Maryland from Texas before my 1st son was born. Good thing I didn't go into labor here because then he wouldn't be a Texan! I am with my father, my tall father who was 6'4 and I was considered tall at 5'7. Believe me, I never never wanted to be short.

Since the sign up on the right says First Bank of York, one might think it was York but if I recall correctly, we often met up with the Tamaqua crew in Harrisburg. Why these meet ups? My Nana alternated her time with my parents, my Aunt Florence in Tamara, and my Aunt Ruthie in various places over the years - the Philadelphia  area,  Upper Montclair NJ and at this time, probably Towson MD.

From left to right we have Nana, my Aunt Florence's sister Mary McGee and I'll have to leave the man for my cousin Joe to identify. I suspect it might be Florence and Mary's brother Jerry.

My mother finally got in a photo! though my father was the main photographer in the family until I took over that role. I loved that dress though blue was not my best color. btw, most all my maternity clothes were made by my mother and grandmother and true to form, I almost always balked at standing on the kitchen table so they could hem them accurately! My head almost hit the ceiling in the kitchen but still I just hated that part of the process. What a spoiled thing I was! The green dress my mother is wearing was mine and I think it was Liberty of London lawn, fabric we bought  in England back in 1965. Such a fabulous feel to that fabric. 

Isn't it amazing how little details stick in your memory from old photos!

Wordless Wednesday: Wariness

neither one was sure of the other

TBT: 1967 San Angelo Texas

Our second home in Texas. We moved from an apartment to this house when we knew we were having a baby. The house was just the right size, with a large bedroom to the right of the front door and a living room to the left. There was also a sleeping porch at the back, a large kitchen and a bathroom. In the center of the house there was a small room that seemed to possibly be a small bedroom. We never really knew what if was for. Every room had at least two doors and was connected to two other rooms. We had never seen a house like this and when we got two cats they enjoyed their wandering about.We also had pecan trees in the back yard but our next door neighbor and landlady told us the pecans were hers, not ours. Pecans are hard to shell so I only stole a few.

The house also had what they called 'air coolers' - a huge contraption that circulated cool air from water running through it. After having a baby in late August, I cried and cried until my husband bought an honest to god air conditioner.  We may have only used it for a month or so until we moved back to Maryland, but it saved my sanity. No more tears from Mama.

TBT 1967 San Angelo Wedding

San Angelo Texas. We were married and so were our friends Kelly and Sandy Meadows.  This day was the wedding of our mutual friends Carl and Janet.  I wonder what ever became of them...

While I was looking forward to the wedding, I was newly pregnant and just starting to gain weight. I felt so chubby! Little did I know how I'd love to be 'that chubby' in years to come! I did love that knit suit which was one of my work outfits...probably never worn again.

TBT: VW in the Snow 1967

After a visit to our families for Christmas 1966, we headed back to Texas in the new year. But we did have an experience of a bit of snow before we left. The sweater my former husband is wearing was knit for him by my mother. Oh those Aran style sweaters she designed picking the individual cable patterns herself.

It was on the return journey to Texas that I realized for sure that I was pregnant and starting getting morning sickness around Atlanta. My husband said it was the Slim Jims I had eaten in the car but I knew. Little did I know that he would trade my automatic VW for a stick shift one while I was in the hospital that August. I didn't know how to drive a stick so that left me carless for all my pregnancy. I finally was taught by a friend in Malawi in 1980. Now I love my 5 speed and hate the thought of going back to an automatic.

TBT: San Angelo TX 1967

Long ago I was newly married and living in San Angelo Texas. It was truly a culture shock for this East Coast girl. I say girl despite the fact I was 22 and pregnant with my first child. I thought I knew it all but it's only in looking back that I see how unprepared I was for so much of my life.

But I was very happy to be having this baby, the morning sickness was now gone, and it was not too hot yet in San Angelo. I loved this dress that my mother had made me though I have no recollection of the particular day or who took the photo. I suspect it was our friend Carl who had driven down from Maryland with us. He and my husband were finishing up their time in the Air Force. 

Most days my husband wore his fatigues to work so this had to be a special day or just dressed for Sunday Mass. Yes, we dressed up back then. 1967 is a world away in more ways than time.

btw, that baby will be turning 47 later this month. I still love him dearly.

Sunday Serenade: Winds of 1967

Maybe Hurricane Sandy will hit us with Wild, Windy, Weather; maybe s/he won't. But this is song I fondly remember from 1967. I was newly married to my first husband, living in the wilds of west Texas. Ian and Sylvia were a duo we had heard in Washington DC and we had most all their albums during those days.

Yes, those northers did come down our way, passing through Amarillo to the north and on to San Angelo. But hurricane rains? Nope. Not in West Texas and godwilling, maybe not in Maryland tonight.

If you're in the path, be prepared, and be safe.

Flashback Friday

Another December...glad my Decembers are happier now.