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Life story
February 6, 1940
 
MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014

This started out as a story about my Mom, but the events of life have a way of changing things.  It's venue today is to say Happy Birthday to my Father.  He joined my Mom on June 12, 2014.  This is the first birthday in my 56 yrs. that he hasn't been here to say happy birthday to.  The conscillation is that, this year, he's with Mom.  Though I think of you most every day, I'll be thinking even more tomorrow Dad.  This year . . . you finally got your wish.  I love you and miss you, more than you'll know.  I miss Mom, and most of all I miss Dan.  I hope you're all looking out for each other, most of all, that you're looking out for us here.
These months have been the worst imaginable, and have been the most difficult thing I've ever had to do.  I wonder if I will survive it.  Please do what you can to help us all get through it.  At the very least, make the pain ease up.  All my love, today, tomorrow, and forever.
January 1, 2008
 

My Mother worked hard all of her life.  After Petco, she worked in the housekeeping dept. at APD Hospital.  I can remember her telling me that "Janet ??" had hired her.  Mom worked there until her retirement juat about 20 years later.  By this time Dad had retired and somehow, we were finally able to talk her into do it.  Quite honestly, I have no doubt that she was already struggling a great deal with her illness. Though I don't remember if it had been diagnosed at that point.  I also know, being the tough person she was,  that even if she had been struggling she wouldn't have told anybody.  Except to say that she seemed to always be sick.  Mom seem to have struggled since Gram had died in 1988.  I think the shock of having seen what she did that day, never left her.  She always had non-specific, non-diagnosed issues - her head "feeling funny".  Never being able to get relief from medications because they always affected her adversely one way or the other.  It just seemed that she struggled for many years.

 

I can remember my Mom working outside the house.  For many years - while at Petco, I can remember she went in very early in the morning, but was out of work by 1:00 in the afternoon. And, then she'd start right in with her "other" job.  The laundry, the clearning - cleaning never ended  I think she and her sister Pat became compulsive with clearning.  No doubt from growing up in a household with 9 people and a Mother who DIDN'T like to clean.  Even I can remember my Grandfather always being the one to clean - the linoleum literally worn out from the traffic and the constant sweeping with the broom.  Despite that, I can remember there were many fun-filled days/weekends in that house.  Despite the drinking, I think the rest of us survived because we were able to be together.  There were many weekends of horseshoes (during good weather or even a light rain).  Or sitting around inside with their damn cigarettes and beer.  Back then, kids "were seen, not heard" so we were shuttled off to the television or to play among ourselves.  It seemed like there was always one of the relatives (usually Pat or Del) lived upstairs, so, it was always family.  This continued on until after I was married - I have pictures of a huge game of tug-of-war on the front lawn. There were some many of us we were spreadd over to the neighbors lawn.  Probably, because molikely, the kids next door were also part of the tug-of-war.

 

<have to run and do some things, will pick up later>

January 1, 2008
 

Ann was born the eldest of 7 children on February 6, 1940.  She grew up in Lebanon, NH.  On November 10, 1956 she married her high school sweetheart, Clarence R. Tolbert.  On December 10, 1957 their eldest daughter, Marcia, was born.  Following,  on April 26, 1959, their son Stephen was born.  Their youngest child, Sandra, came along on July 7, 1963.

 

The years were spent working, scrimping, saving, raising not only her own children but many times also helping to raise younger brothers and sisters.  Many of those years were spent camping at either the Canaan Street Campground, or, the latter years at Mascoma Lake Campground. 

 

She  worked 20 years at the Petco Oil (Gas) station  located on the Miracle Mile in Lebanon.  Despite the cold, bitter days of winter, and the hot days of summer, and everything in between, she loved working their.  Though a very private person, she loved the interaction with people.  Though it's been 30-40 years, I can still remember the phone number - 448-9808 - because I would call her every day after school.  One of the stories she shared, and laughed about was the day a customer asked to have some dry gas put in his rig, I think a big truck. She said she popped the can open with one of the spouts you had to put on, tipped the can up and proceeded to drop the entire thing into his gas tank.  One can only imagine the look on her face realizing what she had done, and that there was no getting it back. She said she was more worried about it than the customer! 

 

(will write more later)

February 27, 2008