Tuesday, April 24, 2018

Marie's Sister, Antoinette

Marie calls her sister Toni others spell her name Tony. I have not been able to find resources to give me information on Tony. I have two pictures to put on this site at this time.
 I am sure I have some of her in group photos.
I wanted to do a story to finish the stories of Marie's siblings, but I am sorry, I have no information.
She has a daughter and granddaughter living in Chicago at this time.
The pictures that you see are not cropped or edited. They are in Marie's huge book she calls her Family Book/Generation Book. She has added hundreds of pictures and memorabilia throughout the years. As I get more information on Tony I will add it. Please feel free to inform me on Tony's life to make Marie's Memories complete as far as her siblings are concerned.

Thursday, April 19, 2018

Marie's Grandson Roger, Jr.

Roger Jr. came to visit us with his three children and his father to help Marie celebrate her 95th birthday. He will always stand out in my mind because he was the first person I ever saw watch a movie on his cell phone. I know, I know, but I'm from the country!
Sabrina's graduation
Tired Dad and baby
Sabrina, his oldest daughter fell in love with cucumber salad, Brandon learned how to pick, stem and clean green beans from the garden. And loved to eat them too. And Jasmin was five. She was a five year old with the "I miss my daddy and want to be with him all the time attitude". However, Grandma Lu helped out when Francis, Roger, Sr. and Roger Jr. wanted to go fishing. We made cookies!
Three generations
Every time Roger visits our house he gives me a bad time about my coffee or lack or it. We have jabbed each other about coffee over the years. He has a good sense of humor which is important to me. He, like most of us has had bumps in his road, but again like most of us picks himself up by his boot straps and continues on with his life. Marie's grandchildren are made of strong stuff and I congratulate them on that. She would be proud of all of you!
Sabrina, Roger, and Brandon

A lot of water has gone under the bridge since then his last visit, Sabrina married and has three children, adding three great great grandchildren to Marie's list. Brandon has grown up and away and is in school in Nevada. Jasmin lives in Texas and is beautiful.
Roger has a wife, Kelly, and has  two sons with her.



Roger Sr., and Roger went to Sturgis a few years ago and had a ball on their trip. They rode their motorcycles and had a ball experiencing getting to know the lawyers, doctors, and businessmen who also ride bikes. And of course, got to wear their Harley gear.
A long long time ago, Marie's son, Francis taught her other son Roger Sr., how to be an auto body mechanic. And so Roger Sr. taught Roger also. Roger now is doing that for a living.
When Roger and Kelly and then only Ryan who is now four came to help Marie celebrate her 100th birthday, Roger did us all a favor and made a video with Frank Sinatra singing in the background "The Young At Heart." I embedded that video in Marie's blog post that celebrated her birthday.
Kelly and Roger added another boy, Andrew who is now a year and a half old.





Monday, April 16, 2018

Marie's Brother, Joe


For a long time I couldn't remember seeing any pictures of Joe. Then one day I decided that Marie's huge photo album/family Bible/keepsake holder etc. should be made available to her family in her closed group. I was amazed at the amount of information Marie had in this "Family Book."
Joe was in the Navy. Marie has pictures of Joe with his brothers in uniform as well as friends from the service. As I was posting pictures for her from her book I wondered about Joe. All I knew about him was that he had been sick. This is what I found out. He had gotten tuberculosis when he was in the service. He spent several years in the hospital recovering. He had approximately three quarters of one lung removed during that time. His niece said, "Even that didn't stop him. He was always a positive person. He learned how to crochet and did other forms of needlework". His sister Pauline, had a beaded bag that he made while he was in the hospital. I was told by another niece that he crocheted doll clothes at home. Marie made doll clothes also.
He worked at Anwelt Shoe Company after he was discharged from the hospital.When he retired they moved to Fort Pierce, Florida where he and his wife, Rita lived for the remainder of their lives. They had two children; two sons, Wayne and Larry. Larry is deceased. Wayne and his wife are EMS in Alaska.
 "Joe continued to crochet and make tablecloths and pocketbooks." She said he also made rosary beads for members of his church. He and Rita made all sorts of string bags, hobo bags, clutches, etc. Another niece told me that Joe and his wife loved to cook and bake and enjoyed playing cards.
At one time one of his nieces had a nasty automobile accident that caused her to have twenty-nine operations on one of her legs. Joe took some of her crocheted toy animals and sold them to people that he worked with.
He mesmerized his nieces and nephews with his magic tricks with quarters. What a fun man he must have been and so very kind.
One of his visitors said that they had a swimming pool at their house and they had contests to see who could go longer under the water. Even with his bad lungs she said, he beat her. What great memories.
Joe loved to play golf. He could only play 9 holes, but that was great fun for him. When they had company visit them in Florida the park where they lived had a par 3 course and he would take them golfing.
Now for the fun part of Joe's hobbies; He loved model train sets and had quite a set up in his basement. He had so much fun with them. He had the train actually go into the bathroom. If you needed Toilet Tissue he would have his train deliver it to you in the bathroom! So much fun. My husband said that he can only remember seeing it once when he was young but it was great.

The impact on me was his height. He was very tall. In one picture he was kneeling in front of a group with his big ol' arm around his baby sister, Lucy. I said at the time I posted it, that that picture said, Love.
Joe loved his family and friends. He is in many pictures, but I chose these to show that were scotch taped and glued in Marie's album. I did not crop or change anything so the picture of Joe is exactly like it is in her book as is the picture of Joe and his wife Rita. I would have loved to have met him.
Other pictures were supplied by his son, Wayne and his wife, Debbie. I also did not crop or edit these pictures on purpose.
Here are some comments about Joe's wife Rita, "she was always very kind. She was always ready to help someone if they were in need. She and Joe were well suited in my estimation. I think the world was a nicer place because they were part of it."
 I would like to thank Marie's family for their stories and their assistance in their helping me with the pictures.





Marie Loves All Animals

Marie makes no distinction between domestic and wild animals when it comes to them being fed. Marie had a cat she called Callie that was a calico cat for about ten years. Her son and I buy her groceries for her every week. Before she became unable to make out her grocery list she always included cat litter and cat food for her cat.
In the latter months she complained about Callie. She crawled up on her crocheting and played with the yarn destroying her work. She had to resort to covering her work with newspaper to keep Callie out of it. She crawled up on her sewing machine cabinet in her bedroom where she had her starter plants and dug them all to pieces. She started laying on her pillow around her neck and kneaded her shoulders and drove her nuts! Then the cat got fleas. Fran would always put a flea collar on her and that kept them at bay. At the last, Callie would run from Fran and not allow him to put the collar on her. The cat had to then be an outside cat.
Marie told me to find a home for Callie because she could no longer care for her. So I started putting ads in our local swap and shop. Calico cats are in demand in our area. Marie changed her mind. She didn't want to part with her furry friend.
Even our local Vet said that he would take Callie and find her a home.
Well our Marie decided that she would keep Callie, but feed him outside. Oh, the neighborhood cats and the wildlife in the timber were ecstatic!
The o'possum would join in and the raccoons, and all the cats. She was going through five pounds of cat food in a flash. Then she was buying ten pound bags. She was feeding the purchased food, plus she would put out scraps on the deck so that they could have a party! Then Fran stepped in and told her that she couldn't afford to feed all the animals that came to her deck.
When Marie came home from the rehab center the cat had found a lovely home with our friend and she was relieved. We had told her when she was still in the center, but we weren't sure if she comprehended. The cat was never mentioned again, however, the neighbor cats have not forgotten Marie. The cat across the street would wait for Callie to come out and play all winter.
This morning a strange cat was lounging in an old chair on the deck that was slated for the burn pile. Sorry, Kittie, no food.
Fran didn't want me to get close to this little visitor because from the window he looked similar to a badger, but no, he was a black cat. Again, Fran warned me against getting too close, because he could be bad luck. Get real!

Sunday, April 15, 2018

Harris County 911 What Is The Location Of Your Emergency?

Donna is Marie's niece. Her father is Charlie. She has so many nieces, I hear "ask Uncle Charlie" frequently.
Donna worked seven years as a dispatcher for Austin Campus Police and has just retired from Harris County Sheriff's office after 26 years and five months.
I visited with Donna and asked her what was the frequent 911 calls she got. She said that the majority of calls were mostly fights, thefts, and accidents. However there once was a lady that told Donna it was her job to give her directions to an address for a garage sale. She said, "Nope that's not part of my job."
Donna had fun watching Marie
She said that a lot of kids would call and ask her to help with their homework. What? That's as bad as the woman that got national attention for calling 911 because the fast food place drive through she was at didn't give her ketchup for her french fries. I asked Donna if she ever had to talk someone, mom or dad through a delivery of a baby. She said, "No, but I listened to the EMS talk them through one though." What an interesting job. She said that even when she was a teenager that she was interested in being a 911 operator. There are lots of tests to take to be qualified and she has been scared a time or two.
Donna and  husband William
Charlie and Donna skiing
Donna and her husband have been married for fourteen years. Donna has a son who will be thirty four this year. So, I said, what kind of things do you like to do? She likes to do outside activities which does not surprise me. She likes to ride bike, and even para sailing along with scuba diving. Her father is an avid outdoors man and even in his eighties is hunting, skiing, and off on adventures of some sort. One day I put a picture of her father and his mother in a group for Marie. I said something to the effect that one on one pictures of children with a parent is very special. Here is a picture of just that.
Charlie and Nancy's wedding 
Donna with her sister and brothers
Donna and her father came to our house almost three years ago to help Marie celebrate her one hundred birthdays.
Now for the fun part; she wants to write a book! You'll never guess what the subject will be.....yup a 911 dispatcher. I wonder if the dispatcher is the victim or the perpetrator that's cool, Donna. I have only met you once for the big party, but I liked you so much. You are one of a kind, in your words, "cool."
James

Friday, April 6, 2018

Marie's Magazine Is A Bit Of American History

In her stack of sheet music, lyric books, Readers Digest Music book and bits and pieces of handwritten lyrics I found a magazine. It was taped together also, but very readable. It was called the Movie Mirror.
I Googled the Movie Mirror and the last publication I saw was in 1985. Amazon sells these magazines as a single copy for a lot of money if they are in mint condition, however, they say only one left in stock on several of them.
This edition is November 1958. I could not find it listed anywhere. It fascinates me. I shall read it cover to cover several times I'm sure. The cover is Kim Novak. I remember her and Tab Hunter, who is also on this cover when I was a teenager. He was my heart throb. Pat Boone has an article in this magazine as well as "in the news today" Robert and Natalie Wagner.
This magazine is 60 years old and is just full of history. Imagined or real. The reporters in these article talk just like I am talking now. I love it!!!
Natalie said that Robert taught her everything about love. She wouldn't care if he looked like Yul Brenner.
Ricky Nelson said that he didn't want to go to college he was making too much money on the Ozzie and Harriet show.
Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr. and Pat Boone had just a few of the interviews in this juicy tidbit of a magazine.
This jewel sold for $3.00 a year or twenty five cents at the counter.
Pictures of James Darren and his little boy playing hide and seek, and a real sizzler of an article about Marlon Brando titled, Hero or Heel? Such fun
In this jewel you could order 5 dresses for $2.75 but the very best ad was for a wrist radio for $4.98. that included an ear plug. Five year unconditional guarantee. No batteries to wear out. No tubes to replace. That price included shipping. Well I never!
I shouldn't laugh because I didn't think microwaves would ever become a staple part of a lady's kitchen.

A Funny Story

I asked Marie to tell me a funny story. All of her stories seemed to me so serious. Those of you that know me, know how much I love to laugh. Marie said, "I don't know if I have a funny story."  The story she ended up telling me is hilarious in my estimation.
At the time this story happened, Marie had had three babies. She had gone to the Military Ball where Tommy Dorsey was going to be playing. This was a big deal. Tommy Dorsey's band was called the Greatest Band.
Her second cousin's daughter sang with his band. Marie's cousin introduced Marie to Tommy and told him that Marie could sing. She asked him if Marie could sing with his band that night; just one song and that would be so nice of him. Tommy said, "Well get her up here."
There was just one problem, as happened back then many new mothers  were not given the prenatal vitamins that they are now. Marie's teeth suffered from lack of calcium resulting in the extracting of all of her teeth. That night she carried a fan to cover her face.
Marie Aubin Lizotte 
In those days they had no microphones, so the audience had to be quiet as little mice. (Marie's words)
She sang a song with a fan in front of her face which made hearing her even more difficult for the audience to hear/understand. That night was exciting and embarrassing at the same time. However, how many of us can say we sang with the country's Greatest Band?
Tommy Dorsey played trombone with the ease of a genius. The band played swing and jazz. I would have loved to have heard her sing.
Marie had headed in the wrong direction and had started smoking when she was a teenager. She started having problems with her throat and went to the doctor. He told her to quit smoking. She never smoked another cigarette and continued to sing resulting years later in this wonderful story.

Tuesday, April 3, 2018

Marie's Marks On History

There are times that I so do wish Marie would/could talk to me. Today is one of those days. She will be leaving us with no answers to some things that happened in her life that generations to come will want to know.
They will want to know why she did grocery shopping lists on sheet music that is valuable beyond imagination.
Marie did her bank statements on invaluable souvenir books and wrote French lyrics and English lyrics and put them inside mismatched music books.
Marie has mentioned several times that she played the piano. She told me about playing with a brother/sister combo when she was young and how much fun they had.
She never ever told me that she was an accomplished player. When you open up the sheet music that Marie has, it is "black." That's what I used to call it when I opened up music that had lots of flats and sharps and huge octave ranges. All her well used music is "black."
I have Readers Digest piano books. Marie used to have, I think, because she has Readers Digest books that say Sheet Music on the outside but when you open them they are in fact lyrics to songs that have no books that coincide with them.
She has haphazard brown sheet music with no beginning and sometimes no ending. She would never have kept these sheets of history I don't think, if they hadn't meant something to her.
I found two only, sheet music folders/book/sheets that are still in tact. They are two that I remember seeing/hearing when I was a young person.
The first is Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.
Marie has played it over and over by the way the music feels and looks. It is soft and smooth, but still glossy. It was copyrighted in 1936 . "The Way You Look Tonight" was the lead song in Swing Time. It was touted as having the greatest dancing in the history of the universe. It is said that by the end of the shoot of the movie, Roger's feet were bleeding.
I am sad that I was so young when I came in the scene to see Fred Astaire dance solo when I was a teenager and that was on television.
Fred and Ginger did only one movie together that was in color. It was budgeted for $2,325,420. It grossed $4,421,000. I put this in this post because in the industry today, $2,000,000 probably wouldn't cover an actor's salary.
This will be a very long post, but it needs to include the other sheet music by Kate Smith. Kate Smith was a big lady and suffered bullying by her coworkers. When I read a biography about her, they said that she would cry and cry in her dressing room before and after her performance. How could she sing so beautifully?
Things don't change much do they?
She was a fantastic singer, and very aggressive career wise.One of her biggest hits, was When The Moon Comes Over The Mountain. That music was copyrighted in 1931. I personally loved to hear her sing. I saw her on the Ed Sullivan show many many years ago.
This music is Scotch Taped together, but is still in tact.
I no longer play because of Multiple Sclerosis, but my fingers itch to give it a try. I may someday.
Thank you Marie, for your legacy of not only your family, but your nonchalance of "things." Too often people put such store on "things" that they lose sight of what is really important.
Thanks for listening.