Lucille and Gladys, summer of 1942
Just over a month ago, Aunt CB (aka Mom) celebrated
her 90th Birthday with a party for the three March Birthday
girls---Mom and her daughters Pat and Beth.
Aunt CB
Gina, Connor, Beth and Aunt CB
The Kids Table!
Surrounded by many of her family, the Sunday brunch
was filled with laughter, guesses on who did which jobs when they were younger
(Mom won with the most amount of jobs and stories for each of them), good food,
stories told, and more laughter. It was a great event to celebrate a full
ninety years.
Today, Mom’s favorite cousin, Gladys Howland Wood
(or ‘Glads’ as Mom called her), also would have been turning ninety. We
celebrated their special ‘cousining’ in our blog story five years ago called ‘A
Day for Us’.
To celebrate her birthday today, Gladys
daughter, Kathryn writes:
Gladys gardening
CB and Gladys --The ‘Twin’ Cousins
I
was always impressed at how considerate Ethel and Lillian were, to have 4
daughters each, a special cousin for each. There were some gaps in their
ages - 1yr 2 months between Ruth and Leona, 11 months between Esther and Sylva,
and 6 months between Doris and Phyllis. But the gap between CB and Gladys was
so small they could have been twins.
Gladys, 1942, Berrying with CB....
CB writes on the back of the photo--'Such a Pose!'
CB with her pail of berries. She writes on the back of the photo--
'MY pail is filled!'
CB
was born on March 21, and one month and one day later, Gladys was
born. When they were older, my Mom (Gladys) loved to ‘point out’ to CB
that she (CB) was SO much OLDER than she was. Imagine what she would be
saying about 90!!
From Gladys' Garden
The
best part of my Mom’s childhood was spending time with CB. I heard so
many tales about that. Even the walks between Center Lisle and the farm were
worthy of tales. My Mom knew every outhouse on the way. I hear Barrows had the
best one. Something about having 3 holes I think. My Mom and
bathrooms!
Ma
knew she was dying. Dang woman was so smart right to the end. In one of the
last conversations we had, she related how CB had called the day before. I
know that meant the world to her. The bond was so strong between
them.
Gladys and CB, 1943
In Aunt CB’s story from five years ago, she ends
with this paragraph, and I think it still resonates for these twin cousins:
“Thus ended a perfect day, one she (Gladys) and I
would always remember for we didn’t get many for just us. Somewhere in the
future we’ll meet again and then there will be no more paralysis, no more
blindness, no more deafness, no more heartaches, just the joy of being together
and our jaws will see action again!”
Happy 90th Birthday to Lucille and
Gladys, the Twin Cousins!
18 comments:
What a grand time we had at the trio birthday party! It is seldom that we can celebrate with Beth these years! And I can hear Glads now, ranting about how OLD I am, and giggling!
BYW, Barrows’ out house was a stop on the way to and from Grandma's house! One of the 3 holes was a junior size and that intrigued us! AND, Most important, they kept their Sunday comics in there to read! We never passed them up! [ high class minds, you know!] CB/ Mom
What great memories of lovely strong eomen!
Wonderful memories are SO GOOD to keep in your heart!!! Not only is it good for the ones participating in the memories, but also for those that learn of the memories from the stories...we all have had treasured times to remember in our lives! I myself have treasured memories I store in my mind of my younger days and times spent with my favorite aunt, Aunt CB, at different times and places in my younger life!
Love you, Aunt CB!
Nance
Grandma and CB were both very encouraging to me when as a 16 year old twit i was curious about the family history. Back then, there was no ancestry.com, so grandma introduced me to our cousin CB. She was a wonderful help to me so i didn't have to look up information that she and others had already found. I enjoyed listening to all the cousins laugh at their book exchange out of the trunks of their cars up by the pond and watching as they played cards. Grandma left me with a love of gardening that has consumed most of my front and back lawns, though i still have some lawn- grandma always said to leave some for the furry nibblers! Certain plants always make me think of her. I am so glad to know her favorite cousin CB enjoyed the pictures from our trip and wish her a happy late birthday with lots of love and thanks for her encouragement all those years ago. Thanks for including the berrying pictures- we have some like those of our daughter Lena with her cousin Sylvia- Gladys' great granddaughters!
Cousins - they're special treasures.
Happy Birthday, Gladys! I know my Mom celebrates you even when we have to reach across the realms.
Love you, Mom/Aunt CB!
What a wonderful way to honor Gladys and CB on their 90th birthdays!
The whole Taylor Cousins blog is about memories. I came across this recently: Elvis Presley's song, "Memories". One line is: "Memories pressed between the pages of my mind." Like we press flowers to remember, so, too, do we preserve our memories.
Evelyn Taylor
WONDERFUL STORIES AND PICTURES. I LOVE ALL THE FOND MEMORIES
OF TIME SPENT TOGETHER COUSINS. YOU HAD THE SUNDAY COMICS...
I REMEMBER THE READER'S DIGEST IN CANADA. WE WOULD READ TO EACH OTHER
ABOUT THE STORIES. I STILL LIKE THE READER'S DIGEST.
THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES...
LOVE, COUSIN JUDY
I love the connection to all my cousins that I have.
This blog is priceless!
Love the pictures of the birthday party!
It looks like everyone had an awesome time.
Thank you Pat, for everything you do!
CB, my Mom would be picking on you for your age!
Love ya!
Kathryn,
Thank YOU for all of your help (and pictures) with this story. It just sort of came together after we realized that your Mom would have turned 90 today!
I know just from listening to Mom's stories that Center Lisle was so important to her and to her siblings as they grew up.
So glad we could have them 'share' birthdays!
Love,
Happy belated Birthday Aunt CB! Hope you received Lots of hugs! Happy Birthday Mom! Yes mom LOVED to talk about the adventures the two of them would have visiting and helping people. She would say that the two of them would be exhausted but counting the days until the next visit.
Laurel
Love this! So fitting!! Aunt CB, if mom had to choose only one shoulder to perch and look after (and let's be honest, whisper in your ear too haha) I have no doubt it would be yours! She loved you so very much! And all of us blessed to have been around the two of you knew, understood and loved that special bond you shared, and one of the very best parts was that love trickled down to us. After all you have always been and will always be our "Aunt" CB. ❤ Happy 90th birthday to two Fabulous women! Love you both so very much!
Loved reading about the Twin Cousins! What wonderful memories to share. And those pictures are priceless, you can see how special they are to each other. Aunt CB, I never met your cousin Gladys but I can only imagine that she was as wonderful as you. xoxo
Happy 90th Aunt CB. Love you all. Wonderful to see your kids and now their kids too on FB. You are a fantastic talented and amazing family. Debbie
Happy Birthday! I believe it was about 5 years ago that you and I got together. I enjoyed our visits and I always think of you when I visit Sauders in Seneca Falls, where Harold took us, when we went to visit him. The diaries from Kate Baker and Lida Youngs are especially precious for me to read and cherish! It's amazing how Ancestry can help connect cousins, even 2nd cousins once removed!!!! Fun stuff! Love, Norma Bruscani
Aunt CB Writes:
When I saw that picture of Glads and me on lawn at 30 West St, Geneva, I must tell you that we are showing off our skirts that we made! They were called " broomstick skirts" make a simple gathered skirt wet it and wrap it around a broom stick amd when it is dry, there you are! Not pleated but sort of crinkled. A fad of our day! Mom
Happy Birthday to the twins, Aunt CB and Gladys. My memories of Gladys are few because we didn't see her much after Uncle Aiden died. But I do remember that I loved the house she lived in. As I child it struck me as the coolest farm house ever. Always felt so welcoming and Gladys was always smiling. Sharing birthdays was always a big deal. So when February arrives and Susan and I have our birthdays approaching, memories come flooding back of all the years we've spent together celebrating as well. Loved the stories and the pictures.
About 5 years before your broomstick skirts, we also had broomstick skirts. However, we could buy fabric which was narrowly and permanently pleated. I had 2 such skirts, and really they were not too flattering even though I was slender at the time. Years later Bryant told me he hated those skirts on me!!!!!!! How kind young love was!
Happy Birthday, Mom and Gladys! I loved hearing all your stories, Mom, of the adventures you and Gladys had. Center Lisle was a place I could practically 'see' from all the details in your stories of your visits with Gladys. When you talked about how much you looked forward to seeing your cousin ('twin' Gladys), I understood and thought of all the fun Judy and I had when we got together, and, too, all the 'adventures' we had when you put another cousin in the mix: the time Ted Lochner put parmesan cheese in the sleeping cabin on the girls' side (admittedly after we put tapioca 'turtle eggs' pudding his bed, but we wrapped it in paper first!), forgetting that the divider went only part way up and the stench would reach the boys' side, too. Hahahahahah. Judy and I couldn't stand it and went outside and slept on the dock all night. I had forgotten all about that but when, years later, I came across a photo of her asleep on the dock the next morning, and was puzzled by it, Mom remembered the whole story!
Cousins -- the world is made more wonderful because of them.
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