Over a period of years I have had the care of my mom. She came to live with me in 1985. She is 92 now. Her memory of recent events isnt good but the past she has down pat.

I have talked to her a lot over the last 9 or 10 months. She has lived thru multiple wars, the stock market crash and the depression.

In talking to her I learned of many aspects simular to what we might face in January and the months to come. When my mom was young her chore was to clean the oil lamps. Before all the bad stuff occurred she got an allowance of a nickle on Saturday and a penny on Wed.

She told me many stories of what she saw and experienced during WWII and the depression. It was most enlightening. Things were really bad. She told me of a whole neighborhood of affluent homes were sold for 20 cents on the dollar when the owners went bust. Those homes were mansions three stories with ballrooms and servents quarters and carriage houses. Funny but in 1963 after our honeymooon we moved into one of them that had been renovated into an apartment house with room for multiple families. Our rent was 55.00 for a one bedroom/bath. In those days one paycheck for one week made by one person covered your rent.

She told me of shortages and rationing during the war. It was hard For many families were much larger like 6 to 9 and more children to a family. My mom had six sisters and one brother. She saved some of the coupons and tokes used for rationing and gave them to me later when I was in high school. Her dad worked for a home delivery bakery and he had to start work at 4:00 am after a two mile walk to the company barn to get the horses fed and watered and hooked up to the wagon and the wagon loaded for deliveries.

Life was very hard and her relating these stories to me made me able to better prepare for what is to come. It is interesting to see history repeat itself but even more interesting to talk to someone who lived thru it.

-- Susan Barrett (sue59@bellsouth.net), December 15, 1999

Answers

Miss Susan,

"Talk to Grandma and Granpa soon!

Over a period of years I have had the care of my mom. She came to live with me in 1985. She is 92 now."

I am so glad you made this post-for many reasons. Thank you!

-- minnie mumwage (MyShiftIsOver@KidsRUs.com), December 16, 1999.

Talk with them -- and with a tape recorder or camcorder, and lots of film. Ask them to tell you family stories they never thought to tell before. Ask them what you were like as a child. Ask them about the light coming into their favorite room when they were growing up, about how to do something they are proud of doing. Get it documented. This really may bring home how we can't take anything for granted, least of all our families and the living history repository they they are. No matter what happens, you will have something very priceless.

-- Firemouse (firemouse@fcmail.com), December 16, 1999.

And read Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt if you want to get a good read on what a really hard life is like! Thanks for posting this, Susan, very topical.

-- preparing (preparing@home.com), December 17, 1999.