{"id":54,"date":"2011-06-05T15:17:43","date_gmt":"2011-06-05T19:17:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/?page_id=54"},"modified":"2025-04-23T14:34:48","modified_gmt":"2025-04-23T18:34:48","slug":"chapter-5-dad-starts-trucking-moms-ambition","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/?page_id=54","title":{"rendered":"Chapter 5: Dad Starts Trucking; Mom&#8217;s Ambition"},"content":{"rendered":"<h3>Big Wheels Rollin\u2019<\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2285\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2285\" style=\"width: 921px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-2285 \" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/dad-drives-111.jpg\" alt=\"Dad behind the wheel of 111\" width=\"921\" height=\"735\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/dad-drives-111.jpg 500w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/dad-drives-111-300x239.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2285\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Dad behind the wheel of 111<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>Dad road-tested with Ferro Trucking like a pro<\/strong> and was formally added to the roster.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/musicnotes-tiny.gif\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-9464 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/musicnotes-tiny.gif\" alt=\"musicnotes-tiny\" width=\"50\" height=\"61\" \/><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Eastbound and Down<br \/>\n<\/strong>Jerry Reed<\/p>\n<p><a id=\"mbmaplayer_1375885419505\" class=\"{skin:'black', animate:false, width:'50', volume:0.2, autoplay:false, loop:false, showVolumeLevel:true, showTime:true, showRew:true, downloadable:false, downloadablesecurity:false, id3: false}\" href=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/Jerry-Reed-East-Bound-and-Down-with-incidental-CB-dialogue.mp3\">Jerry Reed &#8211; Eastbound and Down (with incidental movie dialogue)<\/a><textarea class=\"map_params\" style=\"display: block; padding: 3px; background: #444; color: #fff; text-decoration: none;\" disabled=\"disabled\">map :: {skin:&#8217;black&#8217;, animate:false, width:&#8217;50&#8217;, volume:0.2, autoplay:false, loop:false, showVolumeLevel:true, showTime:true, showRew:true, downloadable:false, downloadablesecurity:false, id3: false}<\/textarea><\/p>\n<p>He started out a couple days a week on Ferro&#8217;s dedicated routes delivering loads in reefer straight-jobs (10-wheeler trucks with an attached refrigerated box).<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-14907\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/RoadBoss-Brochure-229x300.png\" alt=\"WHITE Road Boss brochure\" width=\"345\" height=\"452\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/RoadBoss-Brochure-229x300.png 229w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/RoadBoss-Brochure-457x600.png 457w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/RoadBoss-Brochure-768x1007.png 768w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/RoadBoss-Brochure.png 1053w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 345px) 100vw, 345px\" \/>Mom was overjoyed\u2014Dad would now be making more than double the salary from the city job.\u00a0He finally left the security of civil service employment, and went for Ferro because with a house and growing family, it just made economic sense.<\/p>\n<p>Naturally, as was his dream, Dad soon tested for trailers.<\/p>\n<p>One husky driver and a known hothead, John Slater, fancied himself quite the alpha but was quickly adjusted attitude-wise. He asserted that no one had ever successfully road tested for a trailer on the first try, and doubted Dad&#8217;s chances.<\/p>\n<p>He was promptly proven wrong. Right away, Dad had Slater&#8217;s respect.<\/p>\n<p>With a newly-minted articulated CDL, Dad was then commanding a single-axle \u201cgas-job\u201d (non-diesel) <a href=\"https:\/\/oi1355.photobucket.com\/albums\/q705\/Hamish_Petrie\/image1_zps20e40cdc.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">White 1500 Xpeditor<\/a> cabover with a 40-foot trailer.<\/p>\n<p>Daily runs consisted running a load to Kraft in Allentown, Pa., much of New Jersey, upstate New York (including West Point), and some stops in Manhattan, which he grew to know intricately.<\/p>\n<p>It wasn\u2019t long before Dad was handling the conventional diesels; <em>White <\/em>series <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/thumpr455\/6114080173\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">4000<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/pbs.twimg.com\/media\/EFVlTocUcAER20o?format=jpg&amp;name=large\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">9000<\/a>, pulling trailers.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-2357\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/dad-tractortrailer.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1028\" height=\"769\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/dad-tractortrailer.jpg 500w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/dad-tractortrailer-300x224.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12047 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Pallet-King-plaque.jpg-452x600.png\" alt=\"For Dad, &quot;The Pallet King&quot;\" width=\"335\" height=\"445\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Pallet-King-plaque.jpg-452x600.png 452w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Pallet-King-plaque.jpg-226x300.png 226w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Pallet-King-plaque.jpg.png 525w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 335px) 100vw, 335px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>And for the next 20 years Dad was a model employee\u2014best man on equipment, with no accidents or moving violations. He remained devoted to his boss until retirement.<\/p>\n<p>In the interim, he was given brand-new rigs when they were ordered; <em><a title=\"WHITE Road Boss and Road Boss 2\" href=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/RoadBoss1and2.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Road Boss<\/a><\/em><a title=\"WHITE Road Boss and Road Boss 2\" href=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/RoadBoss1and2.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> #111 and then <\/a><em><a title=\"WHITE Road Boss and Road Boss 2\" href=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/RoadBoss1and2.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Road Boss 2<\/a><\/em><a title=\"WHITE Road Boss and Road Boss 2\" href=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/RoadBoss1and2.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> #114<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>He kept those trucks as his own, polishing them in and out, and installing a stereo and CB in each. He laid claim to &#8220;the only shiny stack in the fleet.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>At retirement in 1992, Dad was honored by a catered party at the Ferros&#8217; home, whereas all the other drivers were given a cold-cut spread at the depot for their big sendoff.<\/p>\n<p>Dad had gone way above and beyond for Mr. Ferro, judicious with overtime and snagging new pallets when he could switch them at various stops.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-14914 size-medium alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Kraft-logo-335x128.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"335\" height=\"128\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Kraft-logo-335x128.png 335w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Kraft-logo.png 345w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 335px) 100vw, 335px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Dad was awarded a <span id=\"fbPhotoSnowliftCaption\" class=\"fbPhotosPhotoCaption\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-live=\"polite\" data-ft=\"{\"><span class=\"hasCaption\">plaque at <a href=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/?page_id=1489\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">his retirement party<\/a> commemorating his service, and given the moniker &#8220;The Pallet King.&#8221; <\/span><\/span>I was honored to stand beside him as he received it, surrounded by his boss and fellow drivers at that party. I was so proud of him.<\/p>\n<h3>What&#8217;s your twenty? Hillside, N.J.<\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_14911\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-14911\" style=\"width: 345px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-14911\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/18wheelsofsteel-240x300.jpg\" alt=\"18 Wheels of Steel\" width=\"345\" height=\"431\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/18wheelsofsteel-240x300.jpg 240w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/18wheelsofsteel.jpg 360w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 345px) 100vw, 345px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-14911\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">This was a game. Dad&#8217;s gig put food on the table.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>You could imagine the excitement of seeing the 18-wheeler pull up in front of the house\u2014and the rush of climbing into the cab with him for a ride. That began many years of \u201cgoing on the tractor-trailer with Daddy\u201d during school breaks.<\/p>\n<p>I loved being on the tractor-trailer. We were King of the Road, and could feel that raw power of the diesel engine, as it roared to haul a full load of 20+ tons.<\/p>\n<p>I would watch closely as he backed the tractor to hook the fifth wheel to the trailer, raise the dolly-wheels and secure the king pin, and attach the glad hands. Dropping the box of course involved the reverse process.<\/p>\n<p>He was a methodical expert in everything he did, from handling to maintenance under the hood. Sometimes he let me raise and lower the dolly-wheels and do a little unloading of freight so I could be his &#8220;helper.&#8221; Usually, my cargo-handling amounted to hefting cases of Kraft Jet-Puffed FunMallows.<\/p>\n<p>At the time, TV shows such as <em><a title=\"Movin&#039; On\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=kkn0uE1uODA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Movin&#8217; On<\/a><\/em> and popular movies like <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=-hCRJObfaRw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">White Line Fever<\/a><\/em>, <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=d9BWlGP_DJw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Convoy<\/a><\/em> and <em><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/IzMpOvKxXdM?t=8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Smokey and the Bandit<\/a><\/em> were the rage. I was definitely on the bandwagon. <strong>Big 10-4!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Dad later allowed me to try driving a couple of times, for a short distance, just to get the feel. I also sometimes shifted for Dad\u2014I\u2019d see the clutch go down, and I\u2019d shift.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-9464 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/musicnotes-tiny.gif\" alt=\"musicnotes-tiny\" width=\"50\" height=\"61\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>How Long<br \/>\n<\/strong>Ace<\/p>\n<p><a id=\"mbmaplayer_1375802495437\" class=\"{skin:&#039;black&#039;, animate:false, width:&#039;120&#039;, volume:0.2, autoplay:false, loop:false, showVolumeLevel:true, showTime:true, showRew:true, downloadable:false, downloadablesecurity:false, id3: false}\" href=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/Ace-How-Long.mp3\">Ace &#8211; How Long<\/a><textarea class=\"map_params\" style=\"display: block; padding: 3px; background: #444; color: #fff; text-decoration: none;\" disabled=\"disabled\">map :: {skin:&#8217;black&#8217;, animate:false, width:&#8217;120&#8242;, volume:0.2, autoplay:false, loop:false, showVolumeLevel:true, showTime:true, showRew:true, downloadable:false, downloadablesecurity:false, id3: false}<\/textarea><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2369\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2369\" style=\"width: 700px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-2369\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/tractor-trailer-me.jpg\" alt=\"Me and Tractor 111\" width=\"700\" height=\"672\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/tractor-trailer-me.jpg 500w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/tractor-trailer-me-300x288.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2369\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Me and Tractor 111<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2370\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2370\" style=\"width: 700px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-2370\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/tractor-trailer-me2.jpg\" alt=\"Pretending to drive\" width=\"700\" height=\"513\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/tractor-trailer-me2.jpg 500w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/tractor-trailer-me2-300x219.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2370\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Pretending to drive<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-10973 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/me_114-600x459.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"700\" height=\"536\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/me_114-600x459.jpg 600w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/me_114-300x229.jpg 300w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/me_114.jpg 604w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3>Breaker 1-9, this place is crawlin&#8217; with bears<em>&#8230;<\/em><\/h3>\n<p>How much fun it was to spend the day with Dad on the rig!<\/p>\n<p>He got me all my favorite things to eat\u2014an egg on roll at Carl\u2019s, chocolate milk, a doughnut, pizza, and treats from the vending machines at Kraft where all the drivers sat around waiting for their papers.<\/p>\n<p>Today&#8217;s &#8220;Take Your Child To Work Day&#8221; reminds me of those adventurous days with Dad. Heck, <em>HE<\/em> was the de facto inventor.<\/p>\n<p>I see the kids with their parents at my workplace and recall how <strong><em>my<\/em><\/strong> dad&#8217;s office had 18 wheels, a 48-foot trailer, stereo, air horn, CB radio and all the thrills and chills that could make a kid&#8217;s day awesome. Bobtailing was amazing because all that torque was unrestrained.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1307\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1307\" style=\"width: 500px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1307\" title=\"Port Newark\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/ports-newark.jpg\" alt=\"Port Newark\" width=\"500\" height=\"286\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/ports-newark.jpg 472w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/ports-newark-300x171.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1307\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Port Newark: containers and freighters<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>It was also fun to hear Dad use the CB. His &#8220;handle&#8221; was <em>King Cobra<\/em>. Buddy Pete was <em>Renegade<\/em>. Sometimes, we were a &#8220;convoy&#8221; (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Sd5ZLJWQmss\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">not THIS one<\/a>) out to Allentown; Dad, Louie and Pete.<\/p>\n<p>Louie was a bit of a hot rod, of which Dad strongly disapproved. Hot dogging in an eighteen-wheeler was by no means Dad&#8217;s style.<\/p>\n<p>Pier work at Port Elizabeth was no-touch, involving only dropping and picking up containers.<\/p>\n<p>I would gaze up at the pier-side gantry cranes plucking the intermodal containers from the flatbed chassis, then transferring them for ocean transport in neat rows on freighters.<\/p>\n<p>Many carriers are seen on the road today: <em>Maersk, SeaLand, Navieras de Puerto Rico, Hapag-Lloyd <\/em>and<em> Hanjin<\/em> are a few.<\/p>\n<p>Ferro picked up a few over-the-road (long distance) hauls, and sent Dad and Pete out to Chicago and Pittsburgh. Dad, a born driver and free spirit, took to these with ease, though he missed us when he was away.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-7085\" title=\"Krasdale\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/krasdale.jpg\" alt=\"Krasdale\" width=\"350\" height=\"244\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Dad&#8217;s least favorite stop was Krasdale Grocers in the Bronx. It was a trick to back into the place and he had to tear down the load himself with a forklift. Dad, strong and fit, always took advantage of the exercise.<\/p>\n<p>He also developed a clever card-file catalog of directions to each stop. He knew NYC like the back of his own hand, and other drivers often relied on Dad\u2019s road-map mind.<\/p>\n<p>Going on the Tractor-Trailer with Dad was such fun that I often couldn\u2019t sleep the night before, and the earlier the start the better.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019d listen for Dad to get up around 4 or 5 AM, knowing he\u2019d tip-toe into my room and whistle <em>Reveille<\/em>. I\u2019d practically bounce out of bed completely dressed for the adventure. It was the dawn of another day of White Line Fever.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_16219\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-16219\" style=\"width: 935px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-16219\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/1997-Tractor-Trailer-600x600.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"935\" height=\"935\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/1997-Tractor-Trailer-600x600.jpg 600w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/1997-Tractor-Trailer-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/1997-Tractor-Trailer-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/1997-Tractor-Trailer-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/1997-Tractor-Trailer-2048x2048.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/1997-Tractor-Trailer-100x100.jpg 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-16219\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">King Cobra, 10-24<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The final time I went on the Tractor-Trailer was several years following Dad&#8217;s retirement, in August 1997. He drove for his cousin J.R. DeRose, who owned Major Products. That day, he made a couple of runs to their warehouses in a Freightliner conventional sleeper.<\/p>\n<p>And like the pro he was, he backed that 53-footer to the dock in one shot.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/musicnotes-tiny.gif\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-9464 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/musicnotes-tiny.gif\" alt=\"musicnotes-tiny\" width=\"50\" height=\"61\" \/><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Feel Like Makin&#8217; Love<br \/>\n<\/strong>Roberta Flack<\/p>\n<p><a id=\"mbmaplayer_1375802540886\" class=\"{skin:&#039;black&#039;, animate:false, width:&#039;120&#039;, volume:0.2, autoplay:false, loop:false, showVolumeLevel:true, showTime:true, showRew:true, downloadable:false, downloadablesecurity:false, id3: false}\" href=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/Roberta-Flack-Feel-Like-Makin-Love.mp3\">Roberta Flack &#8211; Feel Like Makin&#8217; Love<\/a><textarea class=\"map_params\" style=\"display: block; padding: 3px; background: #444; color: #fff; text-decoration: none;\" disabled=\"disabled\">map :: {skin:&#8217;black&#8217;, animate:false, width:&#8217;120&#8242;, volume:0.2, autoplay:false, loop:false, showVolumeLevel:true, showTime:true, showRew:true, downloadable:false, downloadablesecurity:false, id3: false}<\/textarea><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_14966\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-14966\" style=\"width: 1026px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-14966 \" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/1970-Fleetwood.png\" alt=\"1970 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham\" width=\"1026\" height=\"768\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/1970-Fleetwood.png 665w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/1970-Fleetwood-335x251.png 335w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/1970-Fleetwood-600x449.png 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-14966\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">1970 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>Goodbye \u201966 Sedan DeVille; hello &#8217;70 Fleetwood<\/h3>\n<p>Around this time was when my favorite car was sold.<\/p>\n<p>There was no consoling this 7-year-old when the man drove away in the Sedan DeVille, leaving our garage empty, and when Dad pulled up in the sleek 1970 metallic green Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_13798\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-13798\" style=\"width: 335px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13798\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/butterfly-bedding-266x300.jpg\" alt=\"My butterfly bedspread\" width=\"335\" height=\"377\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/butterfly-bedding-266x300.jpg 266w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/butterfly-bedding-533x600.jpg 533w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/butterfly-bedding-768x865.jpg 768w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/butterfly-bedding.jpg 842w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 335px) 100vw, 335px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-13798\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">My butterfly bedspread<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_8093\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-8093\" style=\"width: 335px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-8093\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/my-bedroom.jpg\" alt=\"This is the Sears French Provincial suite, with a different canopy and bedspread. Though some of the pieces were different from mine, it was the same design.\" width=\"335\" height=\"296\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-8093\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">This is the Sears French Provincial suite, with a different canopy and bedspread. Though some of the pieces were different from mine, it was the same design. I also had the triple dresser and the desk.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Of course, I didn&#8217;t understand that the car had been using oil and Dad had made a sound decision. All I knew was that my favorite car was gone for good. In later years, at classic car shows with Dad, I always sought the mid-60s Caddys.<\/p>\n<p>Mom and Dad also re-furbished my bedroom at that time. They took me shopping at Sears to pick out a bedroom suite, and naturally I chose the white with gold trim \u201cSears French Provincial\u201d set with a twin canopy bed, dresser, night table and desk. <a title=\"Sears magazine advertisement\" href=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/Sears-french-provincial.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Another ad may be viewed here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>One Friday in second grade, I knew that Mom and Dad were home working on the room and I COULD NOT WAIT to get home to see it! The ride home that day seemed to take forever. I immediately sprang from the bus just as it reached the curb, dashed upstairs, and I was overjoyed by what I saw!<\/p>\n<p>My new room was beautiful, with green shag carpet, (trust me, the color scheme worked), lavender paint and white paneling on opposite walls, butterfly bedspread, pillow sham and curtains.\u00a0I always kept my room neat as a pin. I never grew out of that tendency.<\/p>\n<p>For Easter that year, we got <a href=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/early-childhood\/bertha-bennie.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">twin \u201cwalk-along\u201d bunnies<\/a> tall as we were with elastic on the feet, named Bertha and Bennie. It\u2019s no wonder Elton John\u2019s <em>Bennie and the Jets<\/em>, from that time, reminds me of that bunny.<\/p>\n<table border=\"0\" width=\"370\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"5\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td rowspan=\"2\" width=\"60\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-full wp-image-9464 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/musicnotes-tiny.gif\" alt=\"musicnotes-tiny\" width=\"50\" height=\"auto\" \/><\/td>\n<td width=\"296\"><strong>Nothing From Nothing<br \/>\n<\/strong>Billy Preston<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"296\"><a id=\"mbmaplayer_1375886788807\" class=\"{skin:&#039;black&#039;, animate:false, width:&#039;120&#039;, volume:0.2, autoplay:false, loop:false, showVolumeLevel:true, showTime:true, showRew:true, downloadable:false, downloadablesecurity:false, id3: false}\" href=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/Billy-Preston-Nothing-From-Nothing.mp3\">&#8220;Nothing From Nothing&#8221; by Billy Preston<\/a><strong><textarea class=\"map_params\" disabled=\"disabled\">map :: {skin:&#8217;black&#8217;, animate:false, width:&#8217;120&#8242;, volume:0.2, autoplay:false, loop:false, showVolumeLevel:true, showTime:true, showRew:true, downloadable:false, downloadablesecurity:false, id3: false}<\/textarea><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h3>&#8220;Beautiful Mount Airy Lodge&#8221;<\/h3>\n<p>At the end of the 1974 school year, Mom pulled us out of school a week early so we could all go up to Mount Airy Lodge in the Poconos, and Nana came with us.<\/p>\n<div class=\"video-container\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/3dOsgyw7yBw?si=tavW3bOqhIAiffTl&amp;rel=0\" width=\"720\" height=\"576\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><span style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p>By then, I had adjusted to the fact that the 1970 Fleetwood was there to stay, and we took the trip in that car.<\/p>\n<p>It was a happy week of swimming, eating watermelon, playing in the game room, and walking around the grounds. We went in the paddle-boats, <span style=\"line-height: 1.5;\">Nana enjoyed the Bingo by the pool, and I wore my fashionable plastic \u201cpoodle\u201d sunglasses everywhere I went. Steve, at 4, barely tall enough to see over the edge of the pool tables, liked to roll the balls around.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>That was the time Dad got a movie of Steven and me getting into a \u201cbopping\u201d match, sending each of us crying, but I won because I was bigger.<\/p>\n<p>The day we went home it was raining, and I remember pulling up in the Caddy to Granddaddy\u2019s tavern on Warren Street, and how Nana screeched to see him standing there on the corner with \u201cthat <em><strong>cigar<\/strong><\/em>\u201d in his mouth.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_9823\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9823\" style=\"width: 917px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-9823 \" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/granddaddy-tavern.jpg\" alt=\"Granddaddy in the early days of his luncheonette\/tavern on Warren Street\" width=\"917\" height=\"640\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/granddaddy-tavern.jpg 599w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/granddaddy-tavern-300x209.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-9823\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Granddaddy in the early days of his luncheonette\/tavern on Warren Street, Newark<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Before the tavern, in the &#8217;50s, Granddaddy owned a luncheonette. Dad helped out with short order stuff. This one miserable snippy crank of a guy, Cheech would always sit at the counter and intentionally irritate Dad with the clinking spoon in his cup, slurping, and muttering insults. He knew it drove Dad nuts.<\/p>\n<p>Well, one night Dad drilled a hole in a spoon and served it in Cheech&#8217;s cup the next day. The usual clinking started as Cheech side eyed Dad &#8211; as he lifted the spoon to slurp, he found it empty and hurled it at Dad (who ducked). Cheech rattled off a bunch of Italian expletives, grabbed his jacket, and stormed out.<\/p>\n<p>Granddaddy later asked why Dad did that, then replied that the customer is always right. &#8220;No, Dad,&#8221; my father firmly retorted. &#8220;Not <em>HIM<\/em>.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Cheech found a new jam down at Tafro&#8217;s and Dad was glad to be rid of him.<\/p>\n<p>Anyway, years after that vacation, I was saddened to learn that Mount Airy, (and sister resort \u201cPocono Gardens Lodge\u201d) had fallen into disrepair and were eventually razed for new construction.<\/p>\n<p>A favorite song from the summer of \u201974 was <em>Rock Your Baby<\/em> by George McCrae. I used to love the Richard Scarry books, and doodling with my felt-tip markers. Whenever I hear The Allman Brothers\u2019 <em>Ramblin\u2019 Man<\/em>, Brownsville Station\u2019s <em>Smokin\u2019 in the Boys\u2019 Room<\/em> and Jim Croce\u2019s <em>Time in a Bottle<\/em> it brings me right back.<\/p>\n<p>Back then was also prime time for news coverage of the Patty Hearst scandal, the Vietnam War and Watergate. These barely registered in my kid-consciousness.<\/p>\n<table border=\"0\" width=\"300\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"5\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td rowspan=\"2\" width=\"60\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-full wp-image-9464 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/musicnotes-tiny.gif\" alt=\"musicnotes-tiny\" width=\"50\" height=\"auto\" \/><\/td>\n<td width=\"414\"><strong>Listen To What The Man Says<br \/>\n<\/strong>Paul McCartney and Wings<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><a id=\"mbmaplayer_1375886788807\" class=\"{skin:'black', animate:false, width:'120', volume:0.2, autoplay:false, loop:false, showVolumeLevel:true, showTime:true, showRew:true, downloadable:false, downloadablesecurity:false, id3: false}\" href=\"&quot;https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/01\/Paul-McCartney-Wings-Listen-What-the-man-says.mp3\"><textarea class=\"map_params\" style=\"display: block; padding: 3px; background: #444; color: #fff; text-decoration: none;\" disabled=\"disabled\">map :: {skin:&#8217;black&#8217;, animate:false, width:&#8217;120&#8242;, volume:0.2, autoplay:false, loop:false, showVolumeLevel:true, showTime:true, showRew:true, downloadable:false, downloadablesecurity:false, id3: false}<\/textarea><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>Mom decided at this time that she no longer wanted a part-time job. In her journal, she noted that &#8220;motherhood had lost its singular fascination&#8221; and she was ready to look outside the home and establish a career.<\/p>\n<p>She had briefly worked in sales and as a cashier at Pergament and Modell\u2019s (not the same Modell\u2019s sporting goods store of today).<\/p>\n<p>She also had corporate experience as an executive assistant at a Newark law firm, then at <a href=\"http:\/\/www.beselerphoto.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Charles Beseler Co<\/a>. in East Orange when she was single. She worked closely with the general manager, Bob Shoemaker. He was so impressed with Mom&#8217;s initiative and smarts that he moved her desk into his office, where they worked as a team.<\/p>\n<p>Mom presented Beseler&#8217;s product \u201cSalesmate\u201d to clients, went to trade shows in Manhattan, and even got well versed enough to make repair calls. (Today&#8217;s &#8220;Salesmate&#8221; would be the ubiquitous laptop or tablet.)<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_8855\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-8855\" style=\"width: 1103px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-8855\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/Salesmate-600x338.jpg\" alt=\"Mom mastered this\" width=\"1103\" height=\"622\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/Salesmate-600x338.jpg 600w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/Salesmate-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/Salesmate.jpg 960w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-8855\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mom mastered the &#8220;Salesmate II&#8221;<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>I was delighted to find an actual Salesmate displayed in the <em>Wall Street Journal<\/em> exhibit in my building at Dow Jones, and I wondered who used it and when.<\/p>\n<p>Mom also worked as a legal secretary, and though she did very well, she was often bored by the lack of challenge. Now, a decade later, with both kids in school, Mom searched for a real and fulfilling career.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_5052\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5052\" style=\"width: 335px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-5052\" title=\"Bambi and his father\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/bambi-great-prince-600x547.jpg\" alt=\"Bambi and his father\" width=\"335\" height=\"306\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/bambi-great-prince-600x547.jpg 600w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/bambi-great-prince-300x273.jpg 300w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/bambi-great-prince.jpg 853w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 335px) 100vw, 335px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-5052\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Bambi and his father, the Great Prince of the Forest<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>She prayed and searched, and decided that Nursing was the way to go. Mom took Algebra, Psychology, Sociology and Chemistry at Rutgers and then Thomas Edison State College, acing them all.<\/p>\n<p>Mom enrolled in the three-year RN program at St. Peter\u2019s School of Nursing in New Brunswick. Another step toward her dream career! We knew that when Mom was studying, to be very, very quiet.<\/p>\n<p>She took to the college atmosphere, befriending other nursing students near her age, some of who also had kids my age.<\/p>\n<p>She also got on well with those students who\u2019d just graduated high school. She went to parties and was very popular among her classmates. This was her &#8220;college experience&#8221; and she soaked up every moment.<\/p>\n<p>That summer, we watched <em>Wheel Of Fortune<\/em> with Chuck Woolery as host.\u00a0Mom took me to see Disney&#8217;s <em>Bambi<\/em> in the theater just before school started, and I was hooked.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_10019\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10019\" style=\"width: 345px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-10019\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/dream-pets-fawn-226x300.jpg\" alt=\"dream-pets-fawn\" width=\"345\" height=\"458\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/dream-pets-fawn-226x300.jpg 226w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/dream-pets-fawn-452x600.jpg 452w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/dream-pets-fawn.jpg 527w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 345px) 100vw, 345px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-10019\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">My &#8220;dream pet&#8221;<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Mom then gave me her own <em>Bambi<\/em> storybook from when she was a kid.<\/p>\n<p>I set out to perfect my drawing of the characters.<\/p>\n<p>I soon discovered the original novel on which the Disney story was based, by Felix Salten (<em>Bambi: A Life in the Woods<\/em>), and it immediately became my favorite book.<\/p>\n<p>I also played the soundtrack record constantly, and sought anything &#8220;Bambi&#8221; in bookstores and the Library.<\/p>\n<p>One day when I was on the Tractor-Trailer, Dad bought me a little stuffed &#8220;Dream Pets&#8221; deer at Laneco in Easton, PA. I cherished it.<\/p>\n<p>Back then, there were slim pickins in the stuffed deer category. Now, just about any kind can be ordered online.<\/p>\n<p>Mom brought us to Johnson Park in New Brunswick to see the deer, and I would stare at them and be fascinated when one would come up to the fence.<\/p>\n<p>It sticks in my craw how some of today&#8217;s fans of <em>The Lion King<\/em> credit that movie with being the first epic story of its kind. Wrong! Ever hear of Bambi?<\/p>\n<p>Sorry Simba, but the deer did it first; decades ago.<\/p>\n<h3>Third Grade<\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_9860\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9860\" style=\"width: 468px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-9860\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/me-third-grade.jpg\" alt=\"My third grade school portrait\" width=\"468\" height=\"679\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/me-third-grade.jpg 540w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/me-third-grade-207x300.jpg 207w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/me-third-grade-414x600.jpg 414w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 468px) 100vw, 468px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-9860\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">My third grade school portrait<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>I was in Mrs. Molnar\u2019s class, in 145-C and also had Mr. Kelly in 145-D.<\/p>\n<p>At the start of that school year, Mom had kicked off her nursing school training at St. Peter\u2019s and had to arrange for a baby-sitter to stay at the house while she and we were attending our respective schools.<\/p>\n<p>One lady, Mrs. Walker ended up making off with a couple of cigar boxes of Dad\u2019s silver coins and she was let go. I don\u2019t believe any action was taken for whatever reason.<\/p>\n<p>Another, Mrs. White, had a baby named Kimmie and she would bring the baby with her. She was a very sweet lady who let me play with Kimmie\u2019s Fisher-Price \u201cPeek-a-Boo\u201d plush toy.<\/p>\n<p>She also drove a VW Bug. I remember riding in it with her, hearing the smooth chattering of the revving engine as was typical of old VWs as she switched gears.<\/p>\n<p>Mrs. White was a good fit until she had to move to Connecticut.<\/p>\n<p>That year, I begged Mom and Dad for a canvas three-ring binder with a clip on the inner flap, like most of the other kids had. Mine had a pretty picture of a meadow of flowers and mountains, but no clip. So, I improvised with a magnetic clip from the workshop.<\/p>\n<p>Hey, a little jerry rigging never hurt anyone.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/musicnotes-tiny.gif\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-9464 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/musicnotes-tiny.gif\" alt=\"musicnotes-tiny\" width=\"50\" height=\"61\" \/><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Sara Smile<br \/>\n<\/strong>Hall &amp; Oates<\/p>\n<p><a id=\"mbmaplayer_1375802642473\" class=\"{skin:&#039;black&#039;, animate:false, width:&#039;120&#039;, volume:0.2, autoplay:false, loop:false, showVolumeLevel:true, showTime:true, showRew:true, downloadable:false, downloadablesecurity:false, id3: false}\" href=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/Hall-Oates-Sara-Smile.mp3\">Hall &amp; Oates &#8211; Sara Smile<\/a><textarea class=\"map_params\" style=\"display: block; padding: 3px; background: #444; color: #fff; text-decoration: none;\" disabled=\"disabled\">map :: {skin:&#8217;black&#8217;, animate:false, width:&#8217;120&#8242;, volume:0.2, autoplay:false, loop:false, showVolumeLevel:true, showTime:true, showRew:true, downloadable:false, downloadablesecurity:false, id3: false}<\/textarea><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_9804\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9804\" style=\"width: 421px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-9804\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/doggie-338x600.jpg\" alt=\"Doggie\" width=\"421\" height=\"748\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/doggie-338x600.jpg 338w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/doggie-169x300.jpg 169w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/doggie.jpg 540w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 421px) 100vw, 421px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-9804\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Doggie, in later years, in front of his new house<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>I recall we had what seemed like an extended Christmas break because Christmas fell midweek that year. Dad got me a box of Devil Dogs\u2014all for myself!<\/p>\n<p>Steven and I also made houses out of boxes for our toys, &#8220;Catty and Doggie.&#8221; It seemed as if Doggie always had the dope crib and poor Catty got the outhouse.<\/p>\n<p>I guess I was a little more advanced in my cardboard architecture. Years later, I got an elaborate, professionally made dollhouse, and Catty came to live with Doggie.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_5159\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5159\" style=\"width: 269px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-5159\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/03\/peek-a-boo.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"269\" height=\"285\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-5159\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">I loved this toy!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Meantime, Mom\u2019s nursing school career was progressing nicely. She acquired floor experience with actual patients soaked it all up like a sponge. Mom was a natural.<\/p>\n<p>She brought me to some of the nursing school functions open to families; she considered me mature enough to attend. I was always on my best behavior. The Christmas parties were a lot of fun.<\/p>\n<p>Steven and I remained involved with activities. I was still a Brownie, and Mom got Steven involved with Cub Scouts.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_14768\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-14768\" style=\"width: 1012px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-14768\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/doggiehouse--335x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1012\" height=\"906\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/doggiehouse--335x300.jpg 335w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/doggiehouse--600x538.jpg 600w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/doggiehouse--768x689.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-14768\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Doggie&#8217;s Current House (with several roommates)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_9807\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9807\" style=\"width: 415px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-9807\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/St-PETERS-patch1.jpg\" alt=\"I still have this!\" width=\"415\" height=\"415\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/St-PETERS-patch1.jpg 524w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/St-PETERS-patch1-300x300.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 415px) 100vw, 415px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-9807\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">I still have this!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>He later took guitar and then trumpet lessons briefly but took to neither; he did play with the East Brunswick Soccer Club for a couple of years. Eventually, Steven lost interest in Cub Scouting as well. He was in a karate class for a while, which he seemed to enjoy.<\/p>\n<p>Third grade was also the year I discovered \u201copen-on-the-top\u201d desks, and only one girl, Bridget, had one. I was green with jealousy. I begged, bartered and cajoled to switch desks but to no avail. (I eventually got one in 4th through 6th grades\u2014and as an adult, commissioned a carpenter to build me one of similar design.)<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_7089\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-7089\" style=\"width: 335px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-7089\" title=\"We ate so many Kraft Funmallows!\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/funmallows.jpg\" alt=\"Kraft Funmallows\" width=\"335\" height=\"220\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/funmallows.jpg 408w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/funmallows-300x197.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 335px) 100vw, 335px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-7089\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">We ate so many of these, thanks to Dad&#8217;s Kraft connection. Add to that list Macaroni &amp; Cheese, Pancakes, Cracker Barrel, Handi-Snacks, and Singles &#8220;cheese with the bag on it&#8221;<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>One not-so-fun memory from that school year was sitting with Mrs. Molnar during recess as we wrestled with the spelling of &#8220;amateur.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>I kept repeating &#8220;a-m-a-t-u-r-e&#8221; to her justified frustration.<\/p>\n<p>Glad to say that I cannot recall any other such spelling snafus since, and as an adult, I am a self-admitted stickler for spelling.\u00a0That&#8217;s <em>S-T-I-C-K-L-E-R<\/em>. Ha ha.<\/p>\n<p>Mom loved the song, <em>Philadelphia Freedom<\/em>. She said it was written about tennis champion Billie Jean King. Both she and Dad were big tennis fans and watched the likes of Bjorn Borg, Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe, Chris Evert and the aforementioned Ms. King.\u00a0Dad remained a huge fan well into his final years, supporting the likes of Andre Agassi and Rafael Nadal.<\/p>\n<table border=\"0\" width=\"300\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"5\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td rowspan=\"2\" width=\"60\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-full wp-image-9464 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/musicnotes-tiny.gif\" alt=\"musicnotes-tiny\" width=\"50\" height=\"auto\" \/><\/td>\n<td width=\"414\"><strong>The Air that I Breathe<br \/>\n<\/strong>The Hollies<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><a id=\"mbmaplayer_1375886788807\" class=\"{skin:&#039;black&#039;, animate:false, width:&#039;120&#039;, volume:0.2, autoplay:false, loop:false, showVolumeLevel:true, showTime:true, showRew:true, downloadable:false, downloadablesecurity:false, id3: false}\" href=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/The-Hollies-The-Air-That-I-Breathe.mp3\">The Air that I Breathe &#8211; The Hollies<\/a><textarea class=\"map_params\" style=\"display: block; padding: 3px; background: #444; color: #fff; text-decoration: none;\" disabled=\"disabled\">map :: {skin:&#8217;black&#8217;, animate:false, width:&#8217;120&#8242;, volume:0.2, autoplay:false, loop:false, showVolumeLevel:true, showTime:true, showRew:true, downloadable:false, downloadablesecurity:false, id3: false}<\/textarea><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>In the spring of 1975, we got a student teacher, Miss Gratton.<\/p>\n<p>We all loved her, so much so that when it was time for her to leave late in the spring I cried and tried to give her some coins from my allowance as a farewell gift. She gently resisted and said that her daddy gives her money and thanked me.<\/p>\n<p>At one point during her tenure there she got married and became &#8220;Mrs. Carrington.&#8221; I named my stuffed pink Easter bunny &#8220;Carrington.&#8221;<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_9818\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9818\" style=\"width: 839px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-9818 \" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/granddaddy-nana-1950s.jpg\" alt=\"Granddaddy and Nana in the 1950s\" width=\"839\" height=\"846\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/granddaddy-nana-1950s.jpg 640w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/granddaddy-nana-1950s-298x300.jpg 298w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/granddaddy-nana-1950s-595x600.jpg 595w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-9818\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Granddaddy and Nana in the 1950s<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Nana and Granddaddy hosted a big 50th Anniversary dinner for the entire extended family that year. I wore a long dress and Mom curled my hair. Granddaddy had been diagnosed with leukemia around that time and looked sick in the pictures.<\/p>\n<p>The movies of the 50th Anniversary party are dark because Cousin Peter accidentally knocked over Dad\u2019s Sun Gun, shattering the bulb.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-17451 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/50-NanaGranddaddy.jpg\" alt=\"Us before leaving for Nana and Granddaddy's 50th\" width=\"899\" height=\"1467\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/50-NanaGranddaddy.jpg 899w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/50-NanaGranddaddy-184x300.jpg 184w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/50-NanaGranddaddy-368x600.jpg 368w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/50-NanaGranddaddy-768x1253.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_17456\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-17456\" style=\"width: 2560px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-17456\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/nana-granddaddy-family_framedphotos-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Nana and Grandaddy early in their relationship and at their 50th anniversary party\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1529\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/nana-granddaddy-family_framedphotos-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/nana-granddaddy-family_framedphotos-335x200.jpg 335w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/nana-granddaddy-family_framedphotos-600x358.jpg 600w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/nana-granddaddy-family_framedphotos-768x459.jpg 768w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/nana-granddaddy-family_framedphotos-1536x917.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/nana-granddaddy-family_framedphotos-2048x1223.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-17456\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Nana and Grandaddy early in their relationship and at their 50th anniversary party. Photo at right, clockwise from top left: Uncle Johnny, Aunt Dee-Dee, Dad, Aunt Marietta, Granddaddy, and Nana<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The evening of my eighth birthday, November 15 was to be Mom&#8217;s student nurse &#8220;Capping&#8221; ceremony. Dad never made it to the ceremony because he was at the hospital in Newark with Nana and Granddaddy due to the diagnosis.<\/p>\n<p>At one point, Granddaddy\u2019s health got so bad that he was hospitalized and things didn\u2019t look promising.<\/p>\n<p>One night he was in the hospital bed, with Dad and Uncle Johnny by his side. A priest came in to administer last rites. Granddaddy wouldn\u2019t hear of it. He bellowed, <strong>\u201cGET THE HELL OUTTA HERE! I AIN\u2019T NO DEAD MAN YET.\u201d <\/strong>The priest scurried out of there like a squirrel on amphetamines.<\/p>\n<p>Granddaddy made a remarkable temporary recovery for five years after that, but he didn&#8217;t take his medication as directed, so we&#8217;ll never know just how much longer he might have lived.\u00a0Nana and Dad&#8217;s sisters refused to tell him that he was battling leukemia. Mom and Dad vehemently disagreed with this approach, but did not interfere.<\/p>\n<p><a title=\"Chapter 6: School memories\" href=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/?page_id=56\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Chapter Six: School Memories<\/span> <\/a><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-13050\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/drum-avatar-thumbnail-sm.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"75\" height=\"75\" \/> <a title=\"Return to Memoirs\" href=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/?page_id=13681\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Return to Chapters<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Big Wheels Rollin\u2019 Dad road-tested with Ferro Trucking like a pro and was formally added to the roster. Eastbound and Down Jerry Reed Jerry Reed &#8211; Eastbound and Down (with incidental movie dialogue)map :: {skin:&#8217;black&#8217;, animate:false, width:&#8217;50&#8217;, volume:0.2, autoplay:false, loop:false, showVolumeLevel:true, showTime:true, showRew:true, downloadable:false, downloadablesecurity:false, id3: false} He started out a couple days a week &hellip; <\/p>\n<p class=\"link-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/?page_id=54\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;Chapter 5: Dad Starts Trucking; Mom&#8217;s Ambition&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":12248,"parent":4,"menu_order":6,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-54","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/54","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=54"}],"version-history":[{"count":92,"href":"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/54\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17787,"href":"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/54\/revisions\/17787"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/12248"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=54"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}