Mom's parents - Minnie and Sam Jorban

Was cleaning up my Yahoo mail (over 2000 emails - good grief!) and found, buried under the 'Js', this fabulous picture - thanks to cousin Brad Jorban - Brad, forever the funny man titled the email 'I know what you're thinking. Is it Minnie and Sam or Angelina and Brad? Funny funny dude.

Mom and I have spent a good hour trying to figure out when it was taken. We though originally that it would have been at their 50th anniversary but then we dismissed the thought. Whenever it was taken, we both find it gorgeous. Mom said she remembers the dress as being a black, silk outfit with that sweater shaw that went just around the shoulders - quite a fashionable number back then. Bubie looks to be around 60 or so to me. Mom looked at it and, the first thing she said was 'look how young she is.' Of course, pretty much everyone is young when one is 93 (or 52....).

Bubie and Zaidie had the best grandparent's house in the world. It was a brick house in St. Joe, Mo on Sylvanie street (1216 Sylvanie Street, to be exact). Around the corner was the St. Joe Museum where we children spent many hours during our summer visits. It was also within easy earshot of the railroad, and, unfortunately, within 'noseshot' of the cattle feeding stations...smelly...

I remember one time when we were visiting, it was a hot, steamy night and the wind was blowing the stench from the cattle fields right past the screened in porch where I was trying to sleep. Ugh. I must have been 9 or 10, no older. I know it was an endless night and I was miserable. Dad came out at some point and found me awake and shaking in anger at the timed trains which were disturbing the small amount of sleep I could grab - I credit this house for the start of my lifelong insomnia. Anyway, Dad came out because the trains and heat were getting to him too. He decided we should take a ride, just the two of us. We went to the White Castle where we had pie and milk for me, coffee for him. I think it was around 2:30 am or so and I remember that the crowd was interesting (that's what I thought pimps were back then....).

Anyway, we bought Mom some Cherry Mash candies, I think it was a full box. Yes, Dad loved Mom that much - he was always buying her favorite candies when he could get 'em. So, we finished there and were heading back home when we spotted a train. I still remember him pulling the car over at the railroad crossing, knocking me on the shoulder with a 'come on, let's get out.' I got out with him, he looked at me, laughed, and shook his fist at the train; must have been before the finger was invented.... I laughed and did the same. Somehow, that little action, and the bonding of that moment, stayed with us both. Dad remembered the story as much as I did. In that small moment, a great memory was born.