Pennies from Heaven

Ever since dad died in October of 1995, I have been finding single tails-up pennies. They seem to appear especially when I have had a trying day. The first time I remember seeing one was right after mom's procedure to "unclog" the first stent she had inserted. It was Saturday, April fool's day (ironic, I know) and I was by myself at Oakwood Hospital. Even the waiting room was empty and dimly lit by only the security lights. I was praying non-stop for mom's recovery when the doctor came in and told me that the procedure had been successful and she was no longer in danger. I went to the phone to call one of you, and was asking dad for a sign that mom would truly be OK. As I finished dialing the phone (or pushing buttons, can we really call it dialing anymore?), I looked down and noticed a tails up penny on the floor. Amid my tears I bent down to pick it up and immediately thought of Dad. It would be just like him to send a tails up penny, reinforcing his disbelief in "luck". So now, not only do I think it is a sign from dad when I pick up one of these "tails up" pennies, I also remember that God controls our lives, not luck. The other strange thing is that when I told my family about this, they reported also finding singular tails-up pennies. Megan found one in the living room just the other day and handed to me saying "Grandpa says 'hi" If you go to the cemetery and find one (or two) on mom and dad's grave marker, don't be surprised. Megan put them there shortly after mom's death, and last time I was there, they hadn't moved...despite being mowed over, rained on, etc. Prior to mom's death, I would just put them in my change jar, but since her death I have been collecting them in dad's old coin purse. I currently have about 20, the most recent being found just a few minutes before starting this post!

orphan

My second birthday as an orphan...I often wonder how mom handled the death of her mom. She was only 17 and I know she often told me about how her mom just "withered away". Apparently Grandma was bound to the bed with a weak heart. She died at Christmas time and was only sixty or so...When mom got to be that age, she told me that she was surprised she didn't die of heart problems at that same age. It would be over ten years later that she even had her bypass surgery. Here is a picture of Grandma and Grandpa Waelde. Our cousin Ric Schaaf (Naomi's son) sent it to me via email about 4 years ago. It had belonged to Aunt Laura. Mom didn't recall ever having seen the photo before and I don't remember seeing it in her "photo collection".

1982

The Calkins family in 1982. Mom never liked the fact that they made Larry kneel and Laurel stand on a bucket. I remember the picture was taken at a studio, but I can't remember which one. We took this family photo in honor of Mom and Dad's 40th anniversary.

Mom 86, Lou 54

This is the last picture taken of me with Mom that I know of. This one was taken by Vicki one Sunday we visited with Mom. The digital photo date is Sunday, January 14, 2007, 3:44:50 PM. I had just turned 54 and Mom had just turned 86. The thing special for me about this picture is that I would occasionally take a day off and visit with Mom and, after completing a list of things she had for me to do, we would go to "Steve's" (Flat Rock Cafe) for some lunch. And I remember that she would get REALLY mad if I tried to pay the bill. She used to like getting the meatloaf. Good times.

Click the play to view the video

Mom on her 85th birthday.

Thanksgiving 1994

My favorite picture of mom and dad. It was taken on Thanksgiving Day in 1994. Dad's last Thanksgiving as it would turn out.

Forsythia bushes and Poptarts

I remember when I was about 8, all my friends were getting their moms to buy pop tarts. Being as frugal as she was, mom wouldn't buy them. I begged and begged and she finally bought some strawberry pop tarts. I was sure I would love them...all the other kids did!! But when I took that first bite...ewwww! They were nasty!!! I asked if I could take them outside in a paper bag. Then I went to my favorite "fort" under the big forsythia bush in the middle of the rock garden. Unbeknownst to mom, I took the pop tarts out of the lunch bag and buried those suckers right under the forsythia bush. I never begged for pop tarts again.

Flat Rock Halloween in the 1960's
I have vivid memories of a year I went as a "princess". I wore the pink dress that Marie had worn in cousin Don's wedding. I had to trick or treat with Lou and it had been raining. He was going too fast for me to keep up with him ...now that I think back he was probably actually trying to ditch me...anyway, I fell on the corner of Walnut and Field right in front of Fred Gladding's house. I am sure Fred didn't occupy the house at the time, but I do remember being traumatized by the fall. We always collected candy in a pillow case because you could carry more and it didn't rip as the paper grocery bags did. We would come home and dump it on the living room floor, sorting and trading...I loved those Squirrels, but didn't care for Mary Janes. Only after I became a parent did I realize that after I went to bed, mom and dad probably raided my candy!!! (As I did with my kid's stash)

Ancient rites of Halloween, Flat Rock style.

I can only remember one Halloween costume. I was a hobo, and my hat was a black plastic "bowler" purchased just for that night. In the early Halloweens of my childhood, it was called Beggar's Night by some, and they were heard to shout "Help the Poor" rather than "Trick or Treat." Someone down Walnut Street would have us bob for apples; another kindly old lady would make us hot chocolate, and another provided hand made candied apples, another popcorn balls...house after house inviting us inside to enjoy home made treats, share a scary story, and warm up when the weather was cold and rainy. Walnut St. was the last street on the east side of town, and I rarely completed the full length of Walnut and Evergreen streets. By the time I got to the corner of Evergreen and Field, I would trot up the hill to Walnut, and make a bee-line for home, so full of goodies that I rarely even look inside my double-layered paper grocery bag.

Later on came driving out to the farms to tip over outhouses, "soaping" windows (which ended with an ill-advised application of paraffin wax to Parker's porch screens) and other miscellaneous mischief, which began about the time they started having a big town party at the football field. which was were we were supposed to be.

But I will remember best the pungent odor of a charred bottle cork as I applied it to my cheeks to make my first (and obviously not last) beard.

I typed this whole thing about Halloween, but I don't know where it went, so here goes again. I remember when I was about 7 or 8 I wanted to be Mickey Mouse for Halloween. Mom decided she could make the ears on her sewing machine (located in the garage that summer). Despite all her efforts ripping and resewing, she could not make the ears stand up! She tried wire and everything. I especially remember her frustration, because it wasn't turning out the way she had envisoned it. I finally went as a gypsy that year...not quite the "hobo" costume copout, but close. If this post appears elsewhere on this blog...forgive me...this blogging thing is relatively new to me!

Calkins Family Memories

Ok, this blog was actually Marie's idea, but as we approach the anniversary of mom's death, and with the family "homestead" up for sale, I thought it would be good therapy for all of us