About Me... why?
Perhaps it's because when I was younger I didn't talk to my grandparents about their life. For that matter, not much is known about own my parents prior to me being born.
Probably the same from one generation to the next.
Nothing is known about great grandparents at all.
Nothing is known about great grandparents at all.
So here's to one day, that grandchildren, great grandchildren, and perhaps beyond may know more about me. Probably wishful thinking, but who knows.
What I do know about grandparents. By the time I was 5 years old, I only had one grandparent alive, my mothers father, which I still know very little about. They all lived in Baltimore as adults.
It was said that my ancestry was Dutch & German on my mothers side, and Irish on my fathers side. Traced the family name to Ireland but lost the connection.... just bits and pieces.
Having Irish blood explains some things.
Both of my parents were born late in their parents life, as was myself. So my grandparents were already old when I was born... hence them passing away while I was very young.
By the time I was 18, everyone had died except my mother and her father. My father, 3 grandparents, aunts, uncles and even cousins had all passed. Growing up I seemed to be in a funeral home at least once every year. I really don't care for funeral homes or the smell of roses. Roses were so popular at funeral homes, the fragrance of roses always permeated the entire funeral home. Hence, the smell of rises is associated with death. Go figure.
About Me... installment #1.
About Me... installment #1.
Me? I was first called Ricky
Then as I got older Rick, then Rich,
and Richard as an adult.
Thinking of going back to Rick.
Born in the 1950s, I was part of the "baby boomers" born after WWII.
Grew up in the rural area outside of Baltimore. A row home development in a community of blue collar workers.
Pretty much most of the dads worked for General Motors, General Electric, Bethlehem Steel, or the Railroads.
Pretty much most of the dads worked for General Motors, General Electric, Bethlehem Steel, or the Railroads.
My dad worked for the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad.
Growing up in a tight knit blue collar community, all the neighbors were close, and living in a mixed community, there was no racism or discrimination... we all played together.
This was indeed a great way to grow up... social interaction and social development with lots of friends and always lots to do.
Elementary school was 3/4 of a mile way, so we were all walkers.
Hot, cold, wet, dry, snow or sand, it was always fun to walk home with friends. Playing was always an outside activity unless it was raining. When it got dark and the street lights came on we had to be in the yard. Being an only child my brothers and sisters were the kids next door. Tv was black and white with only 3 channels via a rabbit ear antenna... 1 clear channel and 2 a bit fuzzy. Cowboy and westerns dominated tv & movies and later gave way to military shows. Variety shows on TV were a favorite with the parents. And there was only one tv in the living room. Music was via a radio or a record player. Board games were king for indoor fun. Baseball, hide n seek, and swimming pool time passed the summer away.
Growing up in a tight knit blue collar community, all the neighbors were close, and living in a mixed community, there was no racism or discrimination... we all played together.
This was indeed a great way to grow up... social interaction and social development with lots of friends and always lots to do.
Elementary school was 3/4 of a mile way, so we were all walkers.
Hot, cold, wet, dry, snow or sand, it was always fun to walk home with friends. Playing was always an outside activity unless it was raining. When it got dark and the street lights came on we had to be in the yard. Being an only child my brothers and sisters were the kids next door. Tv was black and white with only 3 channels via a rabbit ear antenna... 1 clear channel and 2 a bit fuzzy. Cowboy and westerns dominated tv & movies and later gave way to military shows. Variety shows on TV were a favorite with the parents. And there was only one tv in the living room. Music was via a radio or a record player. Board games were king for indoor fun. Baseball, hide n seek, and swimming pool time passed the summer away.
We walked or rode our bikes everywhere.
Life was good.
Life was good.
(to be continued)
The kids on our block...
That's me in the front center (red & white shirt).
Two girls I was sweet on...
Janet (sitting just left of me)
Sandy (just the the left of the teacher)
My moms 1960 chevy station wagon
that we all went everywhere in.
But that's another story.
