Joanne P Fromhold Arnst
Mom really cared about her children. The memories I have are so many - but here are some that stand out.
Dressing my sister and I as twins. Swimming lessons at Beekman Beach - Oyster Bay. We had to get in the water in all conditions. 3 out of 4 of us became good swimmers ( I am not included in this group). Breakfast on Saturdays at Fire Island with the church crowd. I still can taste those scrambled eggs. We had to get up at 7 to get there 'before the crowds'. We would jump in the ocean following our Dad's cue. Don't feel the water - just dive in. Brrrrr. Mom participated in the girl scouts and boy scouts or whatever we were doing. She would march with us in the Syosset Memorial Day parade. She loved animals and would warn us not to bring anymore home - then she would show up with another rescued cat. They would find her too - dropped off sometimes in front of our house. She would make chicken soup and serve seven up when you didn't feel well.
Then there was Anderson Acres - the family farm that we visited every year. As we kids anxiously would await the time of year to go there and have such a great time swimming, looking for lucky stones, picking blackberries to make pie, walking out to the lighthouse, inner tubing when there was a storm when the waves were like the ocean. My favorite memories too were all the camping trips and going across country for 3 weeks when I was 13. Mom also loved Christmas and made it festive and fun. My favorite was getting our stockings at the end of the bed on Christmas morning (so we would be occupied and they could get more sleep). Christmas breakfast English style - steak and cream potatoes and grapefruit before opening gifts. She thought about each child to give them the best she could. Putting up with 4 teenagers and installing our own phone upstairs because the calls were driving them nuts. She taught me how to drive (because I made Dad too nervous). She would pick me and my friends up from parties in her pajamas and take everyone home. She cared what happened to us. I loved that she would come to Oregon and finally get to see the Oregon Trail the year they had the Bi-Centennial. She knew more than the guides in some cases. She loved history and had detailed notes about our ancestors and stories. All in all I can't say enough about being grateful to have had such a caring and loving mother. Memories never die.