I was re-reading Penni's thoughts on Bethany Home tonight and it brought back memories.
When I was first divorced and poor as a church mouse I rented a big, drafty barn of a house right across the street from Bethany Home.
My friends 'Clunk' (long story...name stuck...), Danny and I would 'scrape together some Jingle' as we called it and go across to the store Penni mentions and buy a few beers. Then we'd sit and talk. Some of my favorite memories of those two are in that shabby living room, sitting on the only piece of furniture, a couch that had bad hinges and kept making into a bed if it moved away from the wall.
We even picked our rooms in Bethany Home from that house. Clunk & Danny in the left tower and me in the room below. Funny how that potential move seemed to be HUNDREDS of years off.
That was 1962!!! Forty Eight Years ago! I was 19 and Wow,how things changed in the following years. I raised a fantastic human being that doesn't let anything stop her from what she wants. I met the best friend I will ever have. (Okay...the circumstances of our introduction are another entirely different story...) I ended up with the best cadre of friends a person could have.
We had a ball being single for the next 6 years. We all married and kept in touch as much as possible.
We were visiting Penni and her ex in Tucson, in 1990. We drove up to Phoenix and went to Sizzler before going on to Cottonwood (..where it was so cold, my video camera FROZE in it's track....!). As we left Phoenix we ended up going down a street called (I KID you Not...) Bethany Home Road!!
Over the years Clunk retired and moved to Lolo, Montana. We haven't seen Danny in years. A few years back Bethany home was sold to a Medical Clinic and parts that included 'our rooms' were torn down.
Last Thanksgiving Clunk called in a panic. Apparently, he had come over here to Washington for Thanksgiving. I said, "Hello" and he hollered, "Carole!! Bethany Home is gone!! What are we going to do???" Hence..My Bethany Home memories.
All you ever wanted to know about the things that go on in the minds of those whom are old enough to qualify for Senior Housing and are brave enough to ask "Is there a Senior Discount?"
Where I Live
It's not actually Bethany Home
Many have asked me if that is the name of the building where I live and I feel I must explain, because it's not. It's just my tongue in cheek, smarty pants way of saying I'm getting old.
In the small town where I lived a good share of my younger years there was an old folks home and it's name was Bethany Home. We used to use that name as a destination for anyone that acted in a way that we thought old people acted.
Once I parked near there to go to the grocery store. One friend in the back seat asked, "did my husband put my suitcase in the trunk when you picked me up?" and she pointed at Bethany Home rising up behind us and we all laughed.
There were these friends of ours, a nice couple, who were a little older than us. Often when we were all together she would get mesmerized by the conversations and the goofing around. She would let her cigarette go, just burning between her fingers, and just as the ash was about to fall on her lap, her husband would jump up with an ashtray in his hand, hold it under her cigarette, tap her arm and say in a disgusted voice, "Mary, next week, Bethany Home." I would imagine that her behavior was what he thought old people did.
No disrespect was ever meant to Bethany Home's inhabitants.
It was just an expression. Hence, the name for this blog. I am old enough to now live in Bethany Home.
In the small town where I lived a good share of my younger years there was an old folks home and it's name was Bethany Home. We used to use that name as a destination for anyone that acted in a way that we thought old people acted.
Once I parked near there to go to the grocery store. One friend in the back seat asked, "did my husband put my suitcase in the trunk when you picked me up?" and she pointed at Bethany Home rising up behind us and we all laughed.
There were these friends of ours, a nice couple, who were a little older than us. Often when we were all together she would get mesmerized by the conversations and the goofing around. She would let her cigarette go, just burning between her fingers, and just as the ash was about to fall on her lap, her husband would jump up with an ashtray in his hand, hold it under her cigarette, tap her arm and say in a disgusted voice, "Mary, next week, Bethany Home." I would imagine that her behavior was what he thought old people did.
No disrespect was ever meant to Bethany Home's inhabitants.
It was just an expression. Hence, the name for this blog. I am old enough to now live in Bethany Home.
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HOW DID THIS HAPPEN????
One morning recently, I was sitting in bed using my laptop, looking at some videos on You Tube and I was listening to Bon Jovi doing "We Got It Going On" and the first line is "Is there anybody out there wanting to party?"......I swear to you my hands were up in the air and I had my mouth screwed up in that partying, let's dance kind of way.....like I was a kid again. I caught myself and put my hands down like my Grandkids had just walked in. Do we ever grow up?
How did I get to be a person old enough to live in Senior Housing? Was I asleep and my sixties just crept up on me?
Am I the only one that is shocked to wake up and be old? I need some input and you all need to let me know how you feel......please!!!!
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JESUS LOVES ME {Senior Rendition} just like we sang in Sunday School
Jesus loves me, this I know,
Though my hair is white as snow
Though my sight is growing dim,
Still He bids me trust in Him.
(CHORUS)
YES, JESUS LOVES ME.. YES, JESUS LOVES ME..
YES, JESUS LOVES ME, THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO.
Though my steps are oh, so slow,
With my hand in His I'll go
On through life, let come what may,
He'll be there to lead the way.
(CHORUS)
When the nights are dark and long,
In my heart He puts a song..
Telling me in words so clear,
"Have no fear, for I am near."
(CHORUS)
When my work on earth is done,
And life's victories have been won.
He will take me home above,
Then I'll understand His love
(CHORUS)
I love Jesus, does He know?
Have I ever told Him so?
Jesus loves to hear me say,
That I love Him every day.
(CHORUS)
4 comments:
It really is interesting how many of us have some connection or memory to BH. I wondered why it popped into my mind so readily. I also wonder if Kathy or Trudy or any of the others from the past have any connections with BH.
BH is a new name for me...I'd never heard of it until your blogs Penny. Now I see why you use the name...I really thought it was the name of your apartment you were in now. Nice story Carole. =O)
Sis, your Mom was the lady in the car that wondered if her husband had put her suitcase in the trunk.
It's been a joke with us since we were young.
Chris, BH is to us that grew up in and around Everett, an institution in both senses of the word. I'll bet a lot of the first residents were retired employees of the old Eclipse Mill. That whole neighborhood (From 41st North to Pacific on the east side of the hill) was settled by people working in the saw mills. As a matter of fact, most of the area is riddled with underground piping that warmed most of the original houses with heat from the constantly burning wood residue. Eclipse burned down in 1961. What a spectaular fire it was! we watched it from Marysville.
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