Category: Throw Back Thursday

I’ve been totally immersed in genealogy the last week or so. It’s amazing how difficult their lives were back at the turn of the century for my Papa’s family, who immigrated from Germany to the United States. They did not have much money, but as soon as they arrived the older ones all got jobs to help to support the family.

Here is a picture of them taken either just before they left Germany or shortly after they arrived.

Left to right is Herbert, his sister Hedwig, my great grandfather August Prussmann, the little boy sitting down is my Papa, Frederick, then there is Henry, sitting down is the youngest Kätchen, then my great-grandmother, Elizabeth, and Herta. All lived to grow old, except Kätchen. She died at the age of 22 during the Spanish Flu Epidemic in Boston.

My great-grandfather August Prussman died after 1 year here in the USA. He suffered from terrible Asthma and died during a severe attack. He was just 48 years old.

The ones I knew best were Papa Fred and his sister, my Aunt Hedwig. Hedwig lived a very long life, and we got together with her often.

This was taken on the first day of eighth grade. I vaguely remember that dress. The hair? Oh yeah, I wanted to be Karen Carpenter so bad! That is why you can see the long hair and heavy bangs!

I loved the eighth grade. We were the oldest class in the school. Mostly, we had great teachers with the exception of just a couple.

My Dad taught at this school. So for the three years, I was in the Intermediate School, I not only had Dad as my music teacher, but I also rode to school with him every day and he made my lunch. Two slices of white bread, spread with margarine, two slices of American cheese. An apple and money for a carton of milk. God bless Dad. He had no imagination for packing our lunches, but every day, when we came down to the breakfast he made, there was our bag lunch.

At one time, everyone in town had our Dad as their music teacher. His teaching of square dancing is still legendary!

Here I am as my sister’s Maid of Honor when I was 13 years old. My mother made all the bridesmaids dresses and I remember feeling quite lovely wearing this. The bow? Not so much, but everything else was perfect.

A picture of my family for that year’s Christmas card. I imagine that Dad set up his camera to take the picture. There I am at three years old being held by my Dad, Melodie is in the front, then my Mom and brother Richard. These events were pretty stressful for us all. These were back in the days of “film” and taking an entire 36 pictures hoping to get one good one! It is so nice to have these pictures now. There are not too many of the five of us together.

Long ago and far away, in a place called Massachusetts, I was growing up.  At the time I belonged to The Rainbow Girls, and although I never did as well as my sister did in the organization (she went all through the chairs and became Worthy Advisor), I did hold several offices, and I sang. Yes, yours truly, who is quite nervous about singing in front of people actually used to sing for large groups at our local organization as well as get loaned out to other chapters.

The year I was 15, I was the only girl going to the Rainbow Ball in Boston from our Chapter in Falmouth. Thus I was entered into the Pageant to see who would be crowned Queen of the Ball.

When I arrived, I was given an entry number of 13. Yup, 13. I remember thinking that I sure was sunk now, as 13 was an unlucky number.

My date that night was my ex-husband, and as we danced he joke about it a little, trying to get me to relax. I did and I recall there being a lot of fun and laughter that night.

My sister had attended this Ball in the past but had not won. So, I knew that I didn’t stand a chance. Melodie is delicate and beautiful and everything a fairy princess should be. At 15 I was awkward and big-boned and totally unsure of myself!

The evening wore on and I danced in the beautiful yellow gown that my mother had made for me, and I talked to my date and laughed and had a great time.

After all, I wasn’t going to win!

Eventually, we were all called to line up with our dates and promenade around the dance floor. A person would come up and tap your card and you would go to sit down.

Well, we walked and walked and walked, and other girls were removed from the line-up. Then there were probably three of us left. They called the second runner-up, then the first runner-up, and then that left me!

I was escorted by my date to the dais where I was crowned the 1973 Queen of the Rainbow Girls Ball!

Looking back I still cannot believe that I won. My escort always claimed it was because he was my date that night.

Whatever the case, it was the first time in my young life that I truly felt pretty.

And for one night I truly was, Queen of the Ball, just like Cinderella!

I first went to Germany in the spring of 1989. Jack was a pilot for Pan Am, and he was temporarily assigned to West Berlin. This was before the Wall came down, and nothing I experienced then, comes close to the reunified city now.

This was the Airbus A-300 Jack flew over from New York with a 3 man crew, and me. They showed me how to warm up meals and make coffee and I was able to experience take-off and landing on this flight in the cockpit, as well as see St Elmo’s Fire. There were no passengers on this flight. They had to fill up to the brim with jet fuel in order to make the flight from JFK to Berlin, Tegel Airport.

There we are, at Checkpoint Charlie, when it really was a crossing from West into East Berlin. I went through several times with the US Military (a special privilege they gave to Pan Am families).

Here I am in East Berlin at Alexander Platz. I recall the gardens there were so beautiful. I spent a lot of time walking around East Berlin, and I brought back many wonderful things to remind me of my trip. The items we have used the most over the years are the cotton Decke (comforter type blanket). I love the two I bought, but they are slowly falling to pieces now.

I also learned to love Dackels! Some friends of Jack’s had a wonderful male, Wirehaired Dackel, named Shubi. He spoke no English, and I spoke no German, but it was love at first sight for us both.

In the years to come each time we visited, Shubi was at my feet, in my arms, and in my bed! Oh, I loved that little man!

Years later, during the fall of 1995 Shubi got out of their yard and was hit by a lorry. My first visit back did not feel the same. I mourned the loss of my little friend. I saw how quiet their house was and said, “You know, we should get puppies together!”

And we did! In February of 1996, we brought home a three-month-old female Wirehaired Dackel, that we named Shubi. Our friends got her brother and named him Toni!

She was the best souvenir that I ever got!

The year was 1999, and here I am sledding with Max and Shubi!

These two were our much-loved dogs.

That is before we planted the fruit trees.

Max, Me & Shubi too!

Max and Me!

Max and Shubi. Best Friends

I grew in Falmouth on Cape Cod and my summers were always full of sun, sea, and soft, cool, cotton sheets after a long day at the beach.

  My childhood dog, Beagle, Baby.  

The Raft at Surf Drive Beach.

I swam almost before I could walk, dreamed of magical kingdoms, built castles in the sand, and lay on my towel watching the clouds drift by in the afternoon. I remember thinking that time went so slowly as I lay there, that things would always be like that.

I ran barefoot all summer long through the sweet grass, and the scent of lilacs and roses and the ocean were always there. (Or so it seemed)

The feel of salt on my skin, the taste of it on my lips, and the laughter in the air, as I climbed the jetties along the Surf Drive Beach.

I’m the one in the darker blue bathing suit and the tough look on my face!

When I didn’t walk to the beach, I rode my trusty Schwinn Bike all over town.

Fireflies, cookouts on the grill, and marshmallows too. Telling stories in the dark, movies at the drive-in, and ice cream cones at Dairy Queen!

Popcycles and root beer floats, fried clams, and frozen Milkyway bars. Lobster and butter, and strawberry shortcakes at the church festival.

Sunshine and happiness, visiting with relatives who flocked to our house and the beach. Summers are full of some of the best memories of my life!