52 Years Ago

Ahhhh....the passage of time. One thing that always gives me pleasure is looking at old photos. I never can remember off the top of my head exactly how old my kids are these days. I always have to get out the calculator. And sadly, I often forget my own age.  I do remember the years the babies arrived, however.

52 years ago today I was in a hospital in Seattle and darned if the name of that place will come to mind. Time has taken a toll on some of my brain cells too. Shoot! Now I have to go Google it. Just can’t move on until I do.

Okay. Back again. NORTHWEST.  Such an easy name but it wouldn't come to me. The day is early so I'm blaming it on that. Two of my kids were born there. The youngest was born in Kirkland at Overlake Hospital, and my oldest was born at St. John’s in Port Townsend.  Like places everywhere, hospitals change over the years too.  All the references I looked up regarding Overlake said it was located in Bellevue but I distinctly remember Kirkland was the address on Jenni’s birth certificate. Maybe the boundaries changed for city areas.  St. John’s, of course, is now called Jefferson Healthcare. I wanted to post a 1967 photo of Northwest Hospital  but I never could locate one. I can get so sidetracked these days.

                                                    St. John's in the early days

                                                              PT Hospital today

At any rate, my second baby, Mary Ellen, is 52 today.

This photo was taken at my dad's place in Port Townsend. Remember those baby seats?  That PTHS sports jacked belonged to my step-brother, Steve Smith. He has since passed away. He would have been a sophomore or junior when this photo was taken. I remember that kitchen table too. I half think it might have been the one we had in our old kitchen on Kuhn Street when I was growing up. This house on Cosgrove isn't even there anymore.  They moved it across town several years ago to a place just off Hastings Avenue. A large two story home sits there now.

Our car parked at Dad's Cosgrove house in 1967

                             The house being moved in the early morning hours

 The new home built in its place. I wonder if they can see the water from upstairs.

Dad's house now sits off Hastings Avenue. Doesn't look even a little bit like the original.

Here's another picture of Mary as a baby. This one was taken in our small little rental house in Seattle. That house is gone now. I know the location of this shot because of the white couch and matching chair. My first and last set of white living room furniture. I remember that housecoat too.

Five years ago, Mary's life changed forever when Jacob Andrew came into her and Andy's life.

Happy Birthday Mary!