Carol has a birthday today, September 23, 2012

Carol Grosvenor

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CAROL,

Here is a tribute of sorts to you Carol, and a wish for a very happy birthday. Hope you get a warm and tickly feeling from reading this or not. tee hee.

Carol was the 3rd child born to Russell and Irene Smith, and the 2nd daughter. She was born

in 1934. She and her older sister Joan looked as different as day and night. Joan had darker hair like mom's and Carol had lighter hair like dad's. Dad has German and English ancestry and mom has Swedish, English and Wales' ancestry. The difference between the two sisters is striking. Joan was interested in sports; her children were very involved in sports growing up and she worked as a scorekeeper for baseball games as well as other jobs. Carol liked drama, Shakespearean plays, academics, liked to sew and liked to travel. I think she enjoyed seeing and learning about places. Our family had a lot of character in the diversity of it's children.  Maybe we were just characters!

When looking for the way it was in 1934 I chose these facts to list as pertinent to the year Carol was born. I especially liked how much things cost: Wouldn't you like to buy gas for 10 cents?

How Much things cost in 1934
Average Cost of new house $5,970.00
Average wages per year $1,600.00
Cost of a gallon of Gas 10 cents
Average Cost for house rent $20.00 per month
A loaf of Bread 8 cents
A LB of Hamburger Meat 12 cents
Studebaker Truck $625.00 (Lanny's first car was a Studebaker)
Arrow Men's Shirt $2.50

1934 saw the turning point in the great depression in America with unemployment decreasing to 22% . The further weather drought problems in the US Midwest continued in 1934 and some 35 million acres of farmland were utterly destroyed and a further 225 million acres were in danger. The president set up public works around the US including bridges, roads and flood control Dams in an attempt to put America back on it's feet.

On a lighter note, Donald Duck appears for the first time in "The Wise Little Hen;" 

In the Film "Stand Up and Cheer" with five-year-old Shirley Temple in a relatively minor role,  she steals the show and a star is born. Later in the year she goes on to sing " The Good Ship Lollipop" in the film "Bright Eyes"; and Cole 

Porter continues to have a string of musical hits. Now who doesn't appreciate Donald duck! And little Miss Shirley Temple! They are icons.

I'm sad that I didn't keep a journal when I was very young, but then how many children do. I remember much but have forgotten more. I remember Carol was our 4-H Leader for several years. I came across a newspaper clipping mentioning our group, it's name and some of the girls, but I've searched for that clipping with no success. I don't recall having any pictures of us, and would be very happy if Carol had some information. I remember learning how to make a tablecloth as one of the first thing she taught us.

I remember the frilly and pretty dresses Carol sewed for me. I loved to wear dresses then even at times when I should have been in my grubbys. During our elementary school days we were not permitted to wear anything but dresses or skirts and blouses. Dress apparel for school relaxed as time went on.

I remember Carol coming home and telling us that she was going to get married and would be leaving. That just about broke my heart.  Frank and Carol moved into a house nearby.  Joan and Tom lives in Pleasant Grove so we were able to see them and our nieces and nephews.  Later  Carol and Frank moved to Ogden. 

When I graduated from high school I wanted to moved to the city and find a job. Frank and Carol allowed me to live with them and their four kids for a couple of years. I found that Carol was an exceptional cook, a very patient and loving mother. She continued to sew a lot and do a lot of yard work. Her yard was planted with many flowers (she loved flowers), some bushes and trees, and she managed to trim them herself for years. She had many friends in her ward. One of things that she and Frank liked to do was go with another couple for ice-cream on occasion. I have not been that fond of ice-cream until the last few years, and now it's a craving.

Carol and Frank tried to take a vacation with their kids every year if possible, and the two of them would try to get away by themselves as well. It was while they were on a business trip that I was in charge of watching the kids, and Lanny began to visit each day. He ate my cooking which wasn't much to brag about, especially my gravy.  He even tried to eat my gravy (the kids' hated it and so did I). They would remind me that it didn't taste like  their mother's gravy.  Amen to that.  Happy to say that I have mastered the making of gravy.  

As their children grew older Carol would take her daughters to St George for a Shakespearean  festival, and as the granddaughters grew older, one or two of them would go along. I thought that was pretty special.

As our family grew and we moved to Washington our trips to Utah would include a stop to visit with them before going to Utah County for a visit with the rest of the family. They were midway between Lanny's relations and mine.

Carol has had her share of heartaches. She lost Frank to cancer in his early 50's, and continued alone for some time, keeping busy with her yard, grand kids and working. Years later she married Bill Grosvenor, and they have been together ever since. We have had some nice visits with them, and they have also stopped in to visit  so Bill knows where Moses Lake is.

Bill and Carol Grosvenor and
Tom and Joan Hamann at the
Grosvenor's wedding

Carol and mom were here when Angie was born and they fed Lanny well (he chuckles about having so much to eat and how good the food was. I'm sure he wishes at times that they could come back again.)Carol and Maxine came to Brent and Stefanie's wedding in the Seattle Temple and the reception that followed. She and Elaine and Elaine's kids came for Gary and Hiromi's wedding. Frank, Carol, Kevin, Elaine and Cheryl and Mom came for the World's Fair in Spokane. 

Your birthday celebration is probably over by now since you are one hour ahead of us. It couldn't have been anything but nice.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU DEAR SISTER.

            World's Fair-Spokane, Washington