[or-roots] depression and world war II

[Joysown at aol.com]

I am a charter member of the "baby boomers" born Dec. 1946, so my "memories" 
of  WWII and of the depression are second hand of course.  But two of the 
stories have stood out for my whole life and have perhaps helped to form some of 
my life today.

Mama would start the story about Dec. 7, 1941 the same way every time she 
ironed.  They were living on Fairmount in Eugene,  in a pretty little house with 
a garden and a fence, and were having a Christmas party.  (now, I have always 
questioned the accuracy of this...but it was her consistant memory, and time 
was never her strong suit!)....The men were drinking (their usual pastime) and 
the radio was on and they were dancing around on the "shiny hardwood floors" 
when the announcement was made about the attack on Pearl Harbor.  Mama was 
holding a Haig and Haig bottle at the time...and that is why she always related 
the story when she was ironing...that bottle has been the "sprinkling" bottle 
ever since in our family, I still have it.   Their lives were changed forever of 
course at that moment.  They moved from that house, Daddy went into the army 
and was wounded on Normandy, Mama went to Portland and was a welder in the 
shipyards, her nickname was "Brownie" because her leather suit was brown and she 
was so thin that they would send her into really tight places where the men 
couldn't fit to weld.  
The depression stories were so numerous, it was such a difficult time for so 
many. Her stories of how to make dinner out of nothing, and how to re do 
clothing over and over to make it continue to provide service but with a penache of 
style....all have rooted deeply within me.  I need to start the winter with a 
full pantry...a throwback to to the full fruit cupboard of my youth....mama 
always felt if the pantry was full nothing else would really matter...and of 
course if the wood box was full with more cords waiting.  That was luxury.   It 
is 2003...I now live in Michigan, and when any kind of emergency occurs I have 
an inordinate need to fill my pantry.  This was the case on 9/11....I filled 
a shelf with tuna (it was on sale)...and it relieved my anxiety immensely.  Of 
course it increased my family's as they were all concerned that that was what 
they were going to eat forever and ever!   I ended up donating most of it to 
the local food pantry a couple of weeks later.   But, the point is that so 
much is ingrained in us...and it is good stuff...the stuff of survival.  I am 
concerned that my nine children and their families are not going to be equipped 
to withstand much adversity.  
I am making grape jelly this week from a son's grape vines....he let them rot 
on the vine last year as his wife didn't know what to do with them (not a 
criticism)...so I am making some jelly this year, and also going to make some 
wine......and maybe I will start a new tradition and put some of the wine in the 
Haig and Haig bottle......and while sharing it at table with the 30 member 
family I now have, tell them the stories of survival....they may find them useful 
someday.
Joy Tomseth Franklin
Chelsea Michigan 
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