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| me in Fort Collins, Co |
I came across this pic the other day of me the summer of my Junior year taking Chemistry classes at Colorado State in Fort Collins. Laura and I had taken an upstairs apartment off campus for the semester. We basically lived on peanut butter (see the jar in my hand) and Tareyton cigarettes. It was the only time in my life that I 'smoked' and didn't do it much as I didn't like it, but it did take away my appetite.
I remember this summer as the first time I'd ever gone off by myself anywhere. It was a great summer.
The next time I went off on my own was to an Audubon Bird Camp on Hog Island, Maine. At the time I was the editor of the Audubon newsletter for our area and there was a writing contest. The winner would win a week on Hog Island... and I won. It was a fantastic week and I loved it! Fell in love with Damariscotta, Maine and Seawall beach.
Both those excursions are firmly fixed in my memory.
The first was 1965 at the tender age of 20 and Colorado was somewhere I'd always dreamed of going. Luckily my parents were good enough to indulge me here as I could have taken the same classes at home at LSUBR.
And the second was in the year 2000 - a strange year that lives forever in my memory for all the things that happened that year.
First our daughter's wedding was in March and it couldn't have been more beautiful. Then in June I flew to Maine for the workshop... and it was a great experience! In July both my brother and I were diagnosed with the big C. I flew to New Orleans to help him into a hospital and then back here for my own surgery. Bill died 2 days after my surgery. Later that year both my mother's sisters passed away...
definitely a year that will live forever in my memory.
I hope this post isn't too sad. I didn't mean it to be. This one picture brought back memories and it kind of escalated from there.
Looking back through the years so much has happened between 1945 (my birth year) and today 2024. Things happened that will be forever embedded in all our memories - and we will also always remember where we were when these events occurred (Ex: I was in the ladies room on campus my freshman year when Kennedy was assassinated... and at home watching TV the day the Terrorists took down the Twin Towers.) And as mind boggling as these events were (and they were!), it is still the personal memories that come back though pictures (or some other source) that I find comforting.
Yes, reminiscing is another symptom of old age (if we're lucky and our memory still works). I read that memories aren't always accurate. They change as time goes by. Maybe this is good?
Do you reminisce much?
Hugs (virtual),
Rian
What a beautiful young lady you were Rian, sultry and vibrant.
ReplyDeleteWe lived in Colorado Springs when I first came to America, we used to pass through Fort Collins often.
So many memories to look back on,
Our lives are truly like a book.
Hugs,
Jo
I know, Jo. I've always believed that everyone has a story. Thanks for the complements, but to be honest, I was neither sultry nor vibrant... but rather shy and a bit naive. But I did enjoy that summer in Colorado.
DeleteI find that smells often trigger memories for me. Cinnamon always makes me think of my mother's kitchen for example.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, I do find myself reminiscing - and think it is a good thing.
Fried chicken and the smell of a cigar or pipe bring back memories of Sundays for me. Yes, I think I agree that reminiscing is a good thing. Our brains seem to have childhood memories stored away to be retrieved whenever the right trigger hits.
DeleteRian, I very much enjoyed this post and I love the photo of you with the Peter Pan, you were a happening chick! I had to laugh at your surviving on peanut butter and Tareytons! On the other hand, I can't tell you how sorry I am that you got the Big C and that your brother passed from it. I reminisce too, probably a little too much I just miss my folks a lot. The important thing is, you married and raised your own family, something I never did. Anyway, I enjoy you sharing your memories please do more of that.
ReplyDeleteThat is so funny, Dug... "a happening chick"? If you knew me then, you probably wouldn't have thought so. I was the only girl in many of my classes (Animal Science/Veterinary Med 1965). The guys treated me like another guy... more or less. They were mostly kind, but it was the 'ole boys club' back then. And yes, it's good that I married and had children as they are everything good in my life ... since my mom, dad, sister, and brother all passed years ago.
DeleteBoth years were certainly memorable, though 2000 was not for all the best reasons. Glad it started with a lovely wedding.
ReplyDeleteI find I tend to reminisce most when with my siblings and cousins. My adult children aren't very interested and my grandson is far too young to care. He did make me laugh last night, he said "Grandma, you used to a normal girl, right?" I said yes, and what am I now? His response, "you're an adult, an old adult". He's not wrong!
Yes, 2000 started wonderful and ended not so much... but still a year I'll always remember. And you are right Mae, with me it's cousins too. I still have close cousins I grew up with and we do reminisce when we get together. And Grandkids do say the darnest things.
DeleteOh my gosh... 2000 was definitely a year of ups and downs. I'm so sorry for your loss Rian, but I'm really happy that your outcome was so much better than your poor brother. I was in a high school math class when President Kennedy was shot. And I was welcoming students to my 1st grade class when the twin towers came down.
ReplyDeleteAnd I just had a peanut butter sandwich for my lunch just now.
It was made more awful because of my surgery I couldn't be with him when he passed. That shouldn't have happened. But it did.
DeleteAnd you must love peanut butter too!
I find memories come flooding back when I'm having a sleepless night. Not always good ones but I try to redirect to something pleasant. It's easier to drift off again then.
ReplyDeleteTrue. That does happen too. And I'm learning to 'redirect' too.
DeleteI know what you mean about reminiscing as we get older. Well, why not? Those are wonderful stories, even the sad parts. I could tell that was you, even though your hair is dark, it's still you!
ReplyDeleteYep, it's still me... hair started turning after radiation. At first I colored it, then decided to just let it go.
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