Organized Though Unplanned

Constance Mae Hall entered my life in the early 1960's, we married in the spring of 1964, and went to The Worlds Fair in Flushing Meadows, New York for our honeymoon. By the 1970's we had a family of five : Heather, Lia, and Ronald joined the family at their birth. We lived downtown at 338 Walnut Street until moving to the north end at 778 North Evans Street in 1974 to take advantage of the ease for our kids to walk to school : elementary, middle, and through high school and graduation.

Connie happens to be one among us who was born in late December ( Dec. 23rd ), born in the height of Christmas, so her birthday did not get much individual attention for most of her life. At the winter solstice, longest night-shortest day, born just before Christmas Day her life seems shorted since her birth.

She was born the 9th girl, the last girl, to Florence and Charlie Hall although they, Flossie and Charlie, tried again and had a boy, their last child, they named him Douglass. Hand me downs were often and commonplace, much needed and appreciated, a little thread worn by the time she got to wear them.

In spite of her day of birth, Connie seemed rarely to complain of her place in life as it unfolded for her. I was involved with the business of being in business; she was involved in being a good mother and a fine homemaker. Connie began working again as the children matured toward adulthood and worked until a year and a half ago, even though, she was on a reduced hourly schedule a year or so before stopping work.

Now, Connie spends a good deal of time caring for my infirmities. My problems are not reversible, they just get more debilitating as I age. Once invincible, now that thought is laughable, the fate of life here on earth is that the grim reaper has his eye on each of us as we individually reach certain thresholds. That old boy must have singled me out early as I worked, ate, and drank myself to excess. He never quit although he never understood the power of good women. Connie, within her limitations, and our daughter, Lia, who seems to have few, if any limits on her abilities, monitor my health on a day to day basis. This time of year should show that none of us is invincible but are fallible, even the best of man died on a cross.

To Connie Mae on her birthday,
With all my love, Husband, Ronald C. Downie