Sunday, September 26, 2010

Happy Birthday Jay - 1926-2010

I woke up remembering today would have been Jays' 84th Birthday. It would not do to forget such an important day. I went out and put up our flag so it could wave, and picked out a red, white and blue dress to wear for the occasion. Looking patriotic seemed the right thing to do! Not necessary to announce the fact, just go about quietly in whatever the day requires and keep the thought in my mind. So, here I am.
Amazing how the mind works, and what memories it conjures up on such occasions. I don't recall all the years of waining health, or those last days when I was helpless to make things better or to go away. No, just those great memories of all the great times we had together, and how much we enjoyed the family. Not to mention the excitement of meeting and getting to know each other enough to think we could be permanent in our relationship.
You know Jay was never a 'chatty' person, so I rarely ever heard from him how he felt, or what he wanted to do the most. Only rarely did he say something profound, and then it was usually about something that I could not do anything about. Like a week before Dawn was born he told me how much he wanted a 'girl'. Not that I could have done anything about it then, but I certainly would have made a greater plea to the powers above to lean us in that direction. As it turned out, that went to his total satisfaction, not to mention my own joy, and relief that his great desire had 'come to pass'.
He wasn't much for celebrating Birthdays, his or anyones, for that matter. I think he enjoyed the fuss we made over his, but he certainly was not the type to let you know he had been pleased by all the attention he received. I know he worried over everyone elses Birthday however. It was always such a chore for him to shop, or come up with ideas of what might be really super for someone elses Celebration. He rarely forgot the date, but would struggle with making it special for someone else.
Well that is the past. This is the present, and we only have thoughts to give today. No packages wrapped with bright paper and bows. Nothing to wear, eat or use. Which, in no way, means we don't have him in our thoughts, or don't recall the many things he ment to each of us as this day slowly comes and goes. I believe it would be improper however to just let it slip away without even the tiniest brush of sentiment. The love is never gone, the sweet memories are not forgotten, and the bright thoughts of the future, for me, sooner than later are warm and tender indeed! How blessed as a family are we to have such a great, sweet, and loving Dad, Grand Dad and 'Daddy'. He will always be 'Daddy' to me. I don't know that the family was ever aware of the many times when I was really down and felling low he would meet my request for him to 'rock me'. He did without comment, just let me crawl up in his lap, lay my head on his shoulder and cuddle in for a few minutes while he rocked the old rocker to and fro. It wasn't often, but it certainly was choice! Yes, sweet memories. I cherish everyone - today, and everyday.

Written this 26th day of September 2010
by: Eileen C. Rosenberg

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Those Lunch Box Sandwiches

I guess with school starting again, and thinking about those "good olde days" when I went to school, way back then, the subject crossed my mind. Of course then, we didn't have all the nice things to put a lunch together with and in. I can't remember when 'waxed paper' was introduced, but I was pretty young. Before that was a house hold item, we used paper napkins to wrap a sandwich. You can imagin how fresh and delectible it was by lunch time! When wax paper came upon the scene, things got a bit better. However the wrapping wasn't all that neat, as I recall. You would fold then try to make things tight by folding the ends again then wrap them over the folded side. That didn't help too much because air would get in through the open folded side. Then we learned how to make the paper long enough so we could do a double fold on the edge so it was air tight. That made a big difference. In fact I don't remember when waxed paper went out and the baggy came in. Long after my kids had finished with school I believe.
Then there were the Cafeteria lunches. I didn't get to have such a luxury until I was in Junior High School. Lunch then was .25 cents. We use to take our 'lunch money' and tie it in the corner of our 'hankie'. Oh yes, we
didn't have kleenex back then. Everyone carried a fabric 'hankie' to take care of their nose and 'lunch money' of course. In fact, come to think of it, that was one of the first things Mom trusted me to iron. Really got a lot of practice on all those 'hankies' the family used. No respectable man would leave the house without a 'hankie' in his back pocket. Every lady of course prided herself on the selection of 'hankies' she had in her dresser drawer. Of course they were actually Handkerchiefs, but you can see why they got reduced to an easier name.
Well back to the School Lunch Drama. I didn't 'buy' my lunch often. It was just not one of those things our family did. I am not sure if it was due to the amount of money we had, or just that Mom was always baking and we would always have a lot of fruit in the house, so it was just normal to take the things we had at hand and put a lunch together. Each of us had our own 'lunch box'. They were always our pride and joy at the beginning of a school year, but I have to admit they got a bit beat up before the year was over. That and the inside would begin to get smelly. We would scrub them when we did the dishes, but it seemed they would take on a life of their own after so many lunches, with crumbs and apple cores or orange peels were left in them all day. Then there was always the dripping from the thermos bottles and cups. Now with bottled drinks and fabric bags, things don't have that kind of problem, or I don't think they do.
I don't recall taking lunch to school very often in a paper sack. I may have a time or two, but it wasn't often, like I said, the Lunch Box was a pretty BIG thing back in my day.
When I went to High School of course, I could walk home for lunch it was right next door. On rare occasions I would buy lunch in the Cafeteria. It wasn't all that big of a deal. Mostly it was to socialize with friends. I was never very fond of the Menu they had. Of course when they had something I liked, I might decide to stay on Campus and eat rather than walk the short distance to the house.
I don't recall Mom being so envolved in the kitchen when I was in High School as she was when Ron was there. He always had a group of friends who would hit the front door after their last class was over and raid our kitchen. Mom was pretty good about having something, just out of the oven, for them with the Milk and glasses ready as well. Those guys could put about a couple of Cherry, or Apple pies in the wink of an eye. Apple was usually decorated with a wedge of cheese. Hot Apple Pie with Cheese was a favorite. However, I would have to admit that Mom couldn't be beat in the Cherry Pie department. Those were the days when she would bake 4 pies. If she baked less, there would not be any for our dinner. That would never do.
Oh, I wanted to tell you about the 'sandwich' didn't I?! Well my Mom was a very plain cook, and lunch packer. It wasn't until I was in about the 5th or 6th grade that I noticed that some of the girls had sandiches that were cut in half cross wise. Mine were always cut right down the middle. Two equal halfs like the others, but they just did not look at good. Then one day I found a girl who had a sandwich with the crust cut off. I couldn't understand why she would have her sandwich like that. She told me it was because she didn't like the crust. Strange I thought, I had always liked the crust on my bread. But, I thought that must be really snazzey. Mom, however didn't care for the idea, or the waste. So I had to settle for her cutting it crosswise, so my sandwiches were 'neat looking'.
What was my favorite sandwich? I believe it was Tuna. Back then the spread of choice was Miracle Whip. I didn't know how good Tuna could taste until I married Jay. His family were use to Mayonaise, Hellman or Best Foods brand that is! After I got married, there was never another bottle of Miracle Whip in my house. I ate a lot of cheese sandwiches as I recall. Once in awhile p-nut butter and jelly. Not really a favorite of mine
back then, but I will eat one occasionally now and then. I don't recall our family having a lot of roast beef, but we sure ate up the Turkey when the Holidays came around. We always had Ham for Easter which made for some great sandwiches in the spring. You know come to think of it, we never worried about leaving our lunches in the 'cloak closet' until lunch time. I never recall being sick from eating lunch at school. I guess we were just a lot more hardy back then, or we didn't know about all the problems. Who knows. We used to make Potato Salad and take it on a picnic and not have it on ice, and never have problems. Then and now seems so different. The more cultured we become the more in jeopardy we seem to be with the things we eat. Well I guess that is just the way things are.
Silly I know, caring wether a sandwich is cut one way or another. If the crust is on or cut off the bread. If the spread is one kind or another and if you like or don't like mustard. I made it through school with out giving most of it a great deal of thought until I noticed that someone else did things differently than what I was used to. My Mom wasn't less of a Mom than the other kids Moms. I guess it boils down to the fact that I wasn't as spoiled as everyone thought I was. It may have been that ignorance was bliss, or my home and family were not as fussy about such simple things. We always had food on our table. We had clean clothes to wear and Mom was quick to tell us "it is clean and paid for". I don't think I even knew there was such a thing as Credit back then. Mom and Dad never brought anything, and I mean anything into the house that was not paid for. I wish I had learned that lesson better. We seem to live in a time when Credit is more the norm.
Well I guess I have rambled on enough for this time. It is best to set down and write about something while you are thinking about it. Otherwise the moment is lost, and with my 'senior moments' longer these days, I can't let any opportunity slip away. Enjoy your lunch kids.

Written this 23rd day of September 2010
by: Eileen Rosenberg

Monday, September 6, 2010

"I Drive The Boat"

Another story related to Jay Ford Rosenberg.
The really 'quiet man' of the family. He wasn't quick to enter into converstation, and would fane anything to keep from being in front of any group of people if it had anything to do with speaking. I only remember him bearing a testimony once, and that was under great duress. We were on our Mission in Salt Lake City, Utah and had gone to Kaysville, Utah to attend meetings with the Missionary who had converted me - Elder Lowell Taylor and his wife Marie King Taylor. Of course Lowell asked me to bear my Testimony to the group of Young People he and Marie were working with at the time. (It was a Fireside, as I recall). After I had finished, and sat down, Lowell asked Jay to come up and bear his Tesimony. Well, color and anxiety were quick to rear their heads. It took awhile, but Jay did finally get up and say a few, I mean, a very few words. He carped about it for weeks afterward. One would have thought he had been asked to do something that was totally awful. Well, I guess to him it was.
Remembering that, and laughing with Paul about such things with Jay, Paul brought up the subject of the trip the Priesthood made with the Aaronic Priesthood boys while we were in Pico Rivera. I don't recall the year, or even the age that Paul was. I just know that Jay had been called to work with the Deacons, and the boys loved him. He had the boys teach the lessons. That must have been something to behold. Well, it seemed to have made him a hero with the boys, they would do just about anything for Jay.
When the trip was planned, Jay was asked if he would take our boat down to Lake Havasu where our former Bishop and then Stake Presidents Councilor had a resort. The boys could camp out, and enjoy water skiing. Jay was happy to do that. He managed his vacation days from Kinco where he was an Inspector. He got the skis ready and the tow ropes. Checked the motor on the boat and packed things up for the long trip down to Arizona.
No surprise, it was hot. The boys were in the water most of the time and took turns skiing, or learning to ski. Jay was pretty popular, and I guess was willing to stay with it as long as the boys wanted to 'hit it'.
The trip lasted a week. When it came time to pack up and head for home everyone pitched in and got ready for the long ride back. Naturally before the trip home could begin, a Prayer would be in order. As Jay, I would assume, had been pretty good at escaping this 'honor' all week, it was suggested he say the Prayer. As I heard the story, he just stayed where he was, no show of emotion, just one simple phrase escaped his lips: "I Drive The Boat". Someone else said the prayer!

Written this 6th day of September 2010
by: Eileen Rosenberg

The Seventh Daughter

Hey, he made it!
This takes me back a piece, and I am sure most of the older set has heard this story, but for the benefit of the younger ones, here goes. One Saturday, way back when, the door bell rang at our home on Alvy Street in Anaheim, California. A young man stood on the other side and asked if
Dawn was home. I had to tell him, no, she was on an overnighter with the
Single Adults and wouldn't be home for another hour or so, her Dad and I were to pick her up at the Stake Center. I asked if he would care to wait and go with us. He didn't seem to hesitate, but said he would like to.
I hadn't met the young man before, so we made the proper introductions and he came in and spent a very pleasant hour or so visiting with Jay and I. When it was time to go pick Dawn up, we all had to laugh, just a little, wondering just what her reaction would be to see us all show up in one car to meet her?
Well, the look she gave us as the bus drove into the Parking Lot was worth the price of admission. If there had of been any, that is! I guess she questioned how we could have 'catured' this young man. After all she had just met him a few days ago herself.
Well, we gathered up her things and made the short drive back to the house. While Dawn cleaned up, and I finished getting our dinner ready, Gregory Webb Slane and Jay Ford Rosenberg did, what ever it was, and is, that men do when they are waiting for 'women'! I believe everyone enjoyed the meal, or at least I didn't hear any complaints. I am not really clear as to what happened after that. I suppose the two 'young people' went out for a ride or something. Not important to this particular story, one way of the other.
The next day, Sunday, Gregory Webb Slane came to the house again. This time he was expected. Dawn was playing an Organ/Piano Duet with one of the young Return Missionaries for our Sacrament Meeting. Greg had come to hear Dawn play the Piano portion of "Exodus". It was a great Sacrament Meeting. What stands out in my mind is not what was said, or the Music, no, what stands out was Greg, and his enjoying the children that sat in front of us. It was during our waiting for the Meeting to begin that Greg told me he was going to have 7 daughters. I had to question if his wife might have the same thoughts? As he had not found her yet, he wasn't sure, but he planned on having 7 girls. His parents had only boys, so he felt, girls were in his future. Now, how he came up with the number 7, I have no idea.
As time, and our story continues, of course Greg and Dawn got married. They only had 3 girls however. Keara was nice enough to add two daughters, only they have 'grand' preceeding the daughter. Then Nemiha was good enough to slip in another which made the number thing begin to take on some real serious fact. Wouldn't you just know it, Shayla did her part. Her first born was a girl too. That would fill the number out. Three daughters and 4 grand daughters. What a happy man!.
In telling this story I certainly wouldn't want to leave the impression that Greg does not think the world and all of his 'boys'. Any one who has been around Greg as a Dad or a Grand Dad knows he is not partial. The 'boys' are a sheer delight, all their own. It was just that Greg did not, in any way, envision 'boys' in his future. What a great joy and surprise he has had with the young men that have graced his family.
In case you were really keeping count, Greg has 1 son, 3 sons-in-laws and 4 grand sons. Which means the boys to date do out number the girls by l.
Now I don't think in the least that bothers Greg. A Super Dad and just about the bestest Grand Dad any kid could have, he is happy with the numbers - any, and all of them that is!
Now a side light of this tale. It makes me just about the happiest of Grand Mothers and Great Grand Mothers around these parts by the name of Rosenberg. Just a tiny speck in the making of this grand aray of a family. I'll happily take my place, and appreciate the opportunity that is mine to love and claim them all. Big, medium, small or otherwise. They are all pretty darn special to me.
As Latter-day Saints we preach that Families Are Forever, and as the Scriptures testify - one is truly blessed when they have a 'quiver full'. The number I have tagged onto my Family Tree may not be as large as some, but they are each one numbered, listed and loved to the max. This is Labor Day Week-end and the Seventh Daughter was blessed by her Father and given her name and blessing. I couldn't be present, but my heart was there, and I am so thrilled to have seen the pictures of the family who were able to be there. The most important ones, of course.
Another page in the journal of my life and times. What a joy to share with those whom I love and appreciate.

Written this 6th day of September 2010
by: Eileen Rosenberg