Sunday, January 4, 2009

Getting Older~It's A Fact !




It's true, January 4th is my birthday. I admit to turning 67...there's just no use trying to fool anyone. I'm not a "spring chicken" anymore...I'm a true "old hen."




Of course in January 1942 everyone was a little up tight. Less than a month before Pearl Harbor had been bombed, we were at war. There were blackouts and people were scared that all of America's coastal cities could be bombed at anytime.



But back to the story of this particular day ~ I was told that my dad was working 12 hour shifts as a train dispatcher, from 7pm until 7am. So mom was home alone when she realized that the time had come. There was no one who could take her to the hospital, so she called a taxi. She told me, even though dad wasn't able to be there, she felt at home once she checked in, because she had been working in the Maternity Ward there (she was a registered nurse) and knew lots of the staff. She tried to hang on until dad could get off work but I didn't wait. I was born at 5:27am, Sunday morning, January 4, 1942. Dad raced to Tacoma General Hospital, as soon as he was relieved at work, to be at mom's side. I was looking in my baby book yesterday afternoon and it's dad's writing that filled in all the details. He must have been a proud dad. Usually it's the mom that does that. He even wrote in my birth weight (7 lbs 8oz) and height ( 1 foot 8-1/2 inches)...that made me laugh...mom would have written 20-1/2 inches.



I noticed an interesting note in the back of my baby book; mom wrote "registered on January 29, 1942 with D.A.R. at McCarver School. Identification to be used in case of air raids. Number 9356." I'll have to do some research on that.



Meanwhile, I'm so thankful, that I was born to William (Bill) and Edythe (Edy)Smith. They were the best parents a kid could ever ask for.




I had a lovely evening last night with my brother & sister in law. They took my to Anthony's Restaurant in Olympia~Coconut prawns~yummy!

24 comments:

Monica said...

Hope you have a really HAPPY Birthday!

Monica

Estela said...

Linda, HAPPY BIRTHDAY! May you have a very special day!

Estela in South TX

Chrissie a.k.a. HoneyB said...

Lovely recount of the day you came and how nice to have a baby book. I hope you have a wonderful day today.
Happy Birthday, Chrissie

garnett109 said...

Happy Birthday Too You

Jenny said...

Happy Birthday.
Jenny <><

gina said...

happy birthday linda!!!! glad you had an enjoyable evening to celebrate. what a treasure to have your baby book with comments from your parents!

Julie said...

Happy Birthday. I loved the story about your birth and it does sound like your father was rightly proud.

betty said...

Happy Birthday Linda!!! what a beautiful baby picture that was!! (and you continued to grow to be a beautiful woman, inside and out!)

I hope you have a wonderful birthday and you get showered with many wonderful surprises

I enjoyed reading your birth story too!

enjoy the day

betty

Joyce said...

I loved the story of the day you were born. Happy Birthday GF and many, many more.
Hugs, Joyce

Sugar said...

HB my friend! 67 isn't such an 'old hen', I'm only a few yrs behind you, we may not be ''spring chickens' anymore, but we've still got a lot of CLUCK in us, lol.
loved you sharing the memories of your birth with us.
have a great day, & yr...& lots more to come. ;)
huggies...

ADB said...

Happy Birthday, Linda!

D said...

Happy Birthday my friend... may your day and year be filled with all good things
hugs

Ken Riches said...

Happy Birthday to you. This is the day my son was born as well, 17 years ago :o)

Jan said...

A Very Happy Bithday Linda ,oh what a darling Baby who turned into a lovely Babe ,so now for six weeks we are the same age ..two old hens together ...love Jan xx

Barbara said...

Happy Birthday, I hope you have a wonderful day and year.
Barbara

Anonymous said...

Linda, Happy Birthday. Many more to come, Bill

Anonymous said...

Linda, Happy Birthday. Many more to come, Bill

Jeannette said...

Happy birthday Linda! Nina and Katinka send purrs and kisses too! That was quite unusual for your dad to fill in your baby book, in those days men didn't have much to do with the kids, or at least they didn't over here! I'm glad you had a good evening out with your brother. Jeannette xx

Melanie said...

Id sing you happy birthday but all the dogs in my neighbor hood will howl!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Melanie

DB said...

hippo birdie two ewes

hippo birdie two ewes

hippo birdie deer linda

hippo birdie two ewes

Lisa said...

Happy Birthday!!! Very interesting about the number and the fallout shelter.

sober white women said...

What? Your not an old hen! I am sure that you are like me and you only get better with age!
Kelli

Linda :) said...

What a special baby book you have... I hope you had a great day!!! Happy Birthday!!! :)

Marie Rayner said...

Linda, I am soooo sorry that I missed this!!! I feel bad for that! I trust that you had a lovely Birthday anyways. What a sweet baby you were and what a sweet lady you are! XXOO