Sentinmental Sunday - Earth Day Birthday

 

It's Earth Day!  It's my birthday!  And some friends and family have teased me about being older than Earth... Day.  Since my name is Betty and I have dark hair, I've received lots of Betty Boop things over the years.  I'm now writing this blog in what I call my Betty Boop room, decorated in red and black with a few Betty Boop items and some other keepsakes on a shelf.

I also remember a few times my birthday landed on Easter Sunday and Mother made a cake for me that looked like an Easter basket.  I'm fortunate to have many happy memories of birthday parties, cakes, and presents.  Perhaps I'll post some of those photos next year.

In the cedar chest I remember finding baby books for each of my three older siblings, and although the books weren't completely filled in, I was jealous that I didn't have one.  While going through Mother's cedar chest lately I've rediscovered a few things.  It's funny to me that I remembered so many things in there, but not this humorous article about my birth.

 

Mother wanted to have me at home, but given her age, she was persuaded to have me at the hospital in San Angelo, Texas where my Aunt Lou was a nurse.  I broke out with something at 3 days of age and had to stay in the hospital about a week because of that.  Mother told the doctor it looked like Chicken Pox to her and she said he was very brusk when he told her there was no way a 3-day old could have that.  Guess what?  It left a few scars that look like Chicken Pox scars, one on my elbow, knee, and face and I've never had Chicken Pox unless it was such a light case it went totally unnoticed.

My Aunt Lou told me I was born with a veil or caul over my face and some believe that signals special powers or qualities because it is very rare.  I recently found a couple of websites devoted to the topic, but have to admit, I have not felt I've possessed (or been possessed by) any of those special attributes.  

However, on three occasions in my life, I have felt I had a bit of psychic power.  The first time was when we went to a grocers' banquet for store owners in Abilene.  They gave away door prizes and the top prize one year was for a 13" black & white TV.  As soon as I saw it, I knew I was going to win it and had a hard time sitting through the meal, the speeches,  and the drawings for all the other prizes.  As it turned out, my dad's name was the one drawn, but I was the winner because I got to put it in my room.  I was about 12 or 13 and used that TV for years.  

The second time was when I was teaching at Big Spring High.  We got notices in our mailboxes that a cookware salesman would be in the cafeteria after school that day if we wanted to attend the presentation and there would be a door prize.  I hadn't gone the year before, but knew a set of steak knives was given away.  As soon as I saw the flyer, the thought that popped in my head was that I would go because I could use a set of steak knives.  It shook me a little as soon as I thought it because it was like I knew I was going to win.  When I went to the meeting, the door prize that year was a griddle, so I chuckled to myself and thought "so much for my psychic powers!"  But I won the griddle.

The third time was the night Mother died.  We got the call she had a stroke and hurried as fast as we could to Abilene.  We had to stop for gas along the way and while my husband was out filling the car, a calm and peaceful feeling washed over me, and I somehow knew she had passed.  I looked at the clock and noted the time.  When my husband got back in the car, he gave me a quizzical look, and I told him there was no need to hurry any more.  I later learned the time of her death, 11:15 PM, matched the time I had that feeling.  It gives me chills just remembering it.  I can't explain it and don't understand it, but I believe it only because I experienced it.

I've scheduled this blog to be posted on my birthday because I plan to be enjoying the day doing other things to create more happy memories on this special Earth Day/Birth Day.