I have been thinking a lot lately about this first car that Bruce had. It was a Blue CHEVY NOVA, year - '68 I believe. When we met way back in the Fall of 1971, Bruce was a sophomore in college without a car. I was a freshman at Nursing School. Because I lived at the hospital in the nursing dorms across town...he was borrowing friends' cars to come see me. I believe it was in the spring of 1972, when he and I went to his home for a weekend and went car shopping with his folks.
Bruce's mom was a nurse, and me being in nursing school - well, we hit it off right away! She was standing at the top of the stairs at the backdoor entrance when we arrived the very first time home. She had just come home from working the day shift. (I was probably the first girl Bruce ever introduced to his parents and I know the first girl to go home for a weekend with him.)In her spray-starched white dress uniform, white nurse's support hose and her white polished shoes; she filled the ideal picture of your 1970's middle-aged nurse. She filled out her uniform too. You see, Donna loved to eat; in fact, I am sure that is where Bruce learned his love of food. Her food was wonderful too. When we would call to tell her we were coming home, right away her first comments were, "Good, I will fix some good food for you to eat!" She meant it too. Potatoes, meat, vegetables, fruit and bread at almost every meal. She didn't skimp on amounts or ingredients.
Donna was well respected in her community as a nurse. She was the DAY CHARGE NURSE at a small county hospital. She had been in attendance at many deliveries of babies. Everyone knew Donna and loved her. She had white hair when I met her, but she was a red head at heart and her temper and wit matched her hair color. Firey and full of spit and vinegar - she had no problem stating how she felt, how she thought you should feel and how she thought it must be done. Especially, in a hospital setting during an emergency, she made sure things got done. She was the kind of nurse who had a big heart, cared for her patients and loved her work! Many evenings after dinner, we would sit at the kitchen table and listen to her hospital tales while she sat and cleared the table, deboned the meat or finished off that last little bit of potatoes and gravy. She was definitely one of a kind. Bruce was her son, no doubt! He acquired many of her personality traits. I loved my mother-in-law; I loved her son!
So, as we car shopped, this little sky-blue Chevy nova kept calling our name! Plus, the owner had been one of the Doctors that Donna had worked with in the hospital. It had a good reputation! Jim and Donna bought it for Bruce and we used that car while we were dating into the first few years we were married. It was a cute car and was easy to drive. When Bruce got a job with Wyeth Labs as a detail rep. in 1977, he was given a company car. We didn't need three cars; so we gave it back to Bruce's folks. They in turned sold it for a very good price to one of Bruce's first cousins.
Last August of 2006, we returned to THOR, IA -Bruce's home town community with a population of 300 to attend the towns 150th Year Celebration. We also used the opportunity to take his sister there and have a surprise 50th Birthday party at their home church fellowship hall. The entire weekend was a huge success. Luann is also a lot like her mom in many aspects. Her outgoing personality has never deterred her from making new friends. Because of her developmental disability, she LOVED seeing everyone who made a special effort to celebrate her life with her. This, included her high school special ed teacher! We took a tour of the home place where Bruce, Mike and Luann grew up. The brothers checked out the crops and Kent, the cousin that lives on this home place showed us around through all of the out-buildings. You never know when something you have might come in handy. These buildings are filled with all sorts of treasures and junk! However you might look at it. And, this is where we saw the old Chevy Nova! Under the dirt, farm dust and grime of many years, it was sitting in one of these out-buildings! I said, "Oh Bruce, our car!" It was like seeing an old friend after many years!
After that weekend, neither I, nor Bruce could get that car out of our heads. We talked about it and thought how neat it would be to get it restored. Wondering if it would be worth it, if it were possible and if his cousin might sell it back to us. In the Fall, Bruce said he had sent his cousin an email. We never heard back, at least not to my knowledge. And then, our lives changed. And it wasn't important anymore.
Perhaps it it because our Wedding Anniversary is this next weekend. Perhaps, that is the reason that I find myself remembering and being transported back to that time. When, my life and my future looked so bright!
Baby Eyes
I can tell already that Avery is going to have very pretty blue eyes! Maybe even prettier than her daddy's eyes. (Now, if Bruce were here and he being a betting man, he would place a bet on this for sure!) She is now a smiler and when she smiles, her eyes light up like little neon signs. And then, she does this little quick squinting maneuver when she is really happy! Yesterday as I was fitting her for the BAPTISMAL GOWN I am making for her, Wendy layed her down on my desk...and in the midst of having to try on this outfit, she showed what a good personality she has! Smiling and her little blue eyes a-dancing. What fun she is!
Blue Skies
Late last FALL on a Sunday in early November, I asked Bruce if he would like to go for a walk. He rarely would go on a walk with me, but this day - he said yes. It was a cool crisp sunny bright-blue sky day. The white cumulus clouds were floating high that day. The trees were bare of leaves and the air smelled so good. We walked all the way up to the University and back on the walking paths. I was conscious of just how slow we were walking. I knew it was hard for Bruce. Now, I know it was much harder than he even let on to me. As we turned the last curve on our street about one block from home, I remember clearly looking up at that sky-blue sky and being filled with such grace. I felt so alive and so blessed; yet, I also felt this undercurrent of uncertainty in my heart about Bruce. It now seems like it was a premonition of my life as it was to be.
My favorite color has always been red. My second favorite color is a sea-blue/aqua. That was the color that my bridesmaids dresses were. Bright colors seem to define me. Today I am thinking of sky-blue! Deb
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