Happy International Women’s Day! I love being a woman and have to give a shout-out to the incredible women who have helped shape me my life, my mom and grandmothers.
I like to think of this post as celebrating the women behind The Home Sustainable.
My grandmothers are quite different from each other and special to me in their own ways. And, of course with age and reflection brings a wisdom to see how truly incredible they each were.
Grandma
My mom’s mom, Emily Elizabeth, was born in Chicago just after the turn of the century (we are talking 1900 here). She and her siblings lost their parents young. And, together they made the great journey to Los Angeles for a new life and opportunity. This alone is remarkable to me. In their late teens and early 20s they would embark on a train journey west with so many unknowns but embracing strength-of-spirit and optimism about the idea of creating a better life for them selves.
Emily met Bill in Los Angeles. He was a tall drink of water from a small town in Texas and served in the Navy in World War I. Fun fact, he played 1st base for the Navy Baseball team, and they played the Army team in an exhibition game in front of the King of England on July 4,1918.
Emily fell in love with her soldier. And, they made their life together in a suburb of Los Angeles. Emily made homemade outfits to dress my mom in the likeness of Shirley Temple (so darn cute).
The Songbird
Emily was gentle, quiet, loving, played ukulele and sang like a songbird. Ukulele?! Yes! A woman ahead of her time! And, Emily sang alto in the area Barber Shop Quartet and with the Sweet Adelines.
Singing harmony is in my blood. And, I am sure it is from Emily. Grandma Emily gave me the gift of music, and I am forever grateful. I love to sing and to harmonize. I love music. Thank you for this great gift, Grandma.
Grammie
My dad’s mom, Verda Adela, was born on a farm in rural Minnesota. She embodies a strong farm woman. She was smart, funny, one of the hardest working women, and didn’t let anything slow her down. And, ‘early to bed, early to rise makes one healthy, wealthy and wise,’ just about sums her up.
She ironed sheets and underwear. She baked the best pies ever. And, she was sharp to the end. I learned how to make whipped cream as her apprentice in the kitchen when I was 10 or so. And, she played a mean game of cribbage.
I love the stories she told about my grandfather, Noble. She saw him at a church social and picked him out from the crowd. And, word through the grapevine was he did not smoke cigarettes. She didn’t smoke either. So, this shared quality was attractive to Verda. I just love it!
They were a stoic folk but you knew love ran deep. They lived to their 90’s and never spent a day apart. Grammie wore the pants and Noble sweetly obliged.
They were quickly married (at 19 or so? I have to confirm that) and opened a country store. Such gumption and an entrepreneurial spirit! They had two kids, my Aunt and my Dad. And, they ultimately decided to move west to Los Angeles, away from large extended families in Minnesota, for more opportunities for the family.
They made what I can only imagine to be a very hard decision- to leave everything they knew and the safety net of family to move to the somewhat unknown for job opportunities and a shot at education for their kids. They wanted a better life for their kids.
Rosie the Riveter
My Grammy was a Rosie the riveter her during the World War II and made sure her kids had every opportunity possible even though the family had very meager means. So, they truly were and are the American dream- parents wanting more for their kids. They worked hard and never had much.
But, they had what they needed and instilled an unwavering work ethic. As a result, my Dad ultimately achieved a PhD in nuclear physics from Berkeley, and my Aunt was a Fulbright Scholar and earned a Master degree. My Aunt is also a remarkable woman. Women didn’t do these things when she was young!
My Grammie’s motto about campsites is- leave them better than you found them.
I have taken that as a motto for life– leave things better than you found them, leave people better than you found them, leave places better than you found them.
Mom
My mother, Marilyn. She lights up a room. She is effervescent. She’s funny and kind and creative and smart. And, she is also quite remarkable.
A Zest for Life
Mama graduated from Cal Berkeley and decided to enter a relatively new organization at the time called the Peace Corps. She went to Senegal, Africa for two years in the mid-60’s.
But, at that time travel was not as simple and telephones were not plentiful nor cellular. My mom went to Africa for two years. This means she didn’t see her family or friends and she didn’t talk to her family and friends on the telephone. All they could do was write letters and send audio tape recordings as a way of keeping up and feeling connected.
This is so amazing and strong of my Mom (and her parents… their only child!). I am not sure I would have the fortitude of spirit to do such a thing. She has continued to work in social work and truly has a heart for those in need.
Mama loves to travel and has instilled that in me. She loves to explore, and she loves to learn. And, she has a positive attitude about life. I am grateful she has passed all of these wonderful things on to me.
My Biggest Fan
She loves theater and musical theater and introduced me at a young age which I am FOREVER grateful. Unabashed theater lover here. I believe being awash in musicals as a child made me believe in happy endings in life and made it ok to break out in song which, in my mind, brings more joy to any situation. Also, as I did musicals in high school, she was my biggest booster and all of the good parts of a stage-mom.
I am so grateful for the example of a strong woman who marches to a slightly different drummer but knows the chorus and sings the loudest.
Post Script
I would also be remiss not to mention my dad in this whole situation. He’s an incredible man and has also made me the woman I am today. My parents have always treated me and my brother as if anything is possible and to pursue our future regardless of gender. It never crossed my mind growing up that women should or would be treated differently than men.
This is in large part because my Mom and Dad’s mentality was exactly that- men and women are equal. It harkens back to Scandinavian egalitarian ethos. My Dad to this day is careful to make the point it is a team effort for my parents.
All of his successes are a team effort and all of her successes are a team effort. They are in it together and they are only able to do what they do because I teach other. Awwwwww (insert smily heart eye emoji here).
I see why I have never been deterred by things that are not things traditionally pursued by women. I have a Master degree in economics and realize that’s a field dominated by men (but more and more women all the time- yay!). But, I’m a proud economist and so glad to be in the field.
I was fortunate to grow-up by the ocean and, as I was teaching myself to surf 20 years ago there were not many women and the waves. It was a lot of dudes and me. Thankfully, surfers tend to be really nice and mellow (as long as you are not at a territorial break). And, I am PUMPED to see so many women in the wave of these days.
I don’t share these things to say I am some sort of pioneer. So many women have done more. But, maybe in some small way? I am so grateful for the women who shaped me and worked really frigging hard so I can have the opportunities to push the envelope in my large or small way.
I wish we were in a time and place where we didn’t have to designate a day to be International Women’s Day. But, I will take the progress we have made and continue to push for more. We continue to move forward.
the home sustainable 