May 19

It seems that May 19 has been in my life over many years. When I graduated from grade school it was on May 19, 1940. My highschool graduation was on May 19, 1944. On May 19, 1946 Bob and I were married, which was the highlight of my life. These dates were not planned, but just happened to be on the same date.

I also remember an important Memorial Day in 1948. Our best friends Liz and Glenn Gibbens wanted to pack a picnic and go to Cannon Beach, Oregon, we fried chicken and made potato salad and headed out for the beach. Both Liz and I were pregnant, and excited about being Moms.

While at the beach, we rented horses and went horse back riding. I'd never ridden a horse before, and thought it would be fun. About all it did for me was to give me a very sore rump the next day. I did not have the art of riding a horse so that I was not bounching all over the place.

We did not spend the night because in those days we did not have the money to have such luxuries in our life. We got home late that night, so did not hear the news until the next day. In the morning the news was telling us about the big flood in the Vanport area of Portland, Oregon, where many people lived. The housing in that area was erected during the war time to house people who came to the area to work in the shipyards. A local dyke broke and that area was totally flooded and most of it was washed away. People lost everything, including their cars and some lost their lives.

I was working in the office of the gas company in Hillsboro when one of the ladies in the office got a phone call. She knew a person who had a small plane and he was taking people up to see the flooded area from the sky. She asked if I wanted to go because it would be cheaper if she could get 4 passengers. I jumped at the chance, and later wished I had not. After work we headed for the airport and up we went. I had only been in a small plane one time before that, so it was quite a thrill. As we got over the flooded homes and businesses the pilot started dipping the plane from one side to another so that we could take pictures. That took about one minute for me to get sick. I was so sick I wished I had not taken the ride. Being pregnant did not help this situation very much. I just tolerated the rest of the trip and somehow or other managed to keep my stomach from turning inside out. When I got on the ground I rushed home and Bob was being sweet to have dinner ready for me when I got back. He was cooking red beans, and the aroma hit me as I walked into the house. That did it for me.....I was so sick that I could not eat anythng. What a day that turned out to be.

May has always held some memorable events for me, and each year I find myself thinking of some of those things that were special in my life. Today I am sharing them with anyone who might care to read about it.