Sunday's Obituary - Fern Elizabeth Snapp Robinson Sewell

My dad's first wife was Fern Elizabeth Snapp. I believe they met through mutual friends, Bernie and Opal Cole. Bernie and Opal were the managers of the apartment where Fern was living, and my dad was friends with the Coles. Fern and my dad were young when they married on August 22, 1940. She was 21 and he was 22. They were married in Huntington Park, California and honeymooned in San Francisco, California, staying with Red (my grandfather) and Gladys. They went to the Worlds Fair. I didn't know that until about a year and a half ago when talking to the widow of my dad's childhood best friend. You see, Jack and Betty Ann Swineford, accompanied my dad and Fern on their honeymoon! That was because Jack couldn't get time off of work to be my dad's best man at the wedding. My dad had never mentioned that he went.

Fern was a very kind person. She was also quite a glamour girl. From what my dad said, it was Fern that convinced him to visit his mother, Lola. My dad hadn't seen Lola in a few years. My dad always said Lola was in Norwalk State Hospital (now called Metropolitan State Hospital) and I figured that was where he visited her, but based on the records I have and the timeline of his life with Fern, he would have visited Lola at Camarillo State Hospital.

My dad and Fern separated probably around 1942 and I believe she filed for divorce then. I'm really not clear on that timeline, but I know that my dad said she was very nice and he said he was an "ass". When I spoke with Betty Ann she said that she thought it was 1942 when my dad showed up at their house for cards without Fern and said he had left her. The rest of that is a mystery and I still need to get to Downtown LA to retrieve the actual divorce record for timeline. From what I've heard, they were still married when my dad was drafted and rumor has it that Fern remarried before my dad was discharged and before the divorce was final. Again, I'm not sure if that's correct and will begin to research that soon.

Anyway, they did go their separate ways and Fern remarried a businessman named Paul Sewell and my dad remarried a young lady named Esther Vondollen. My dad's circle of friends always remained in touch with Fern and her mother, Mary Roades Snapp. At some point, Paul and Fern moved to Oklahoma City. Paul had a trucking business and Fern worked with him running the firm.

I knew that Fern was killed in a car accident and that she was the only one that died in that accident, but I just didn't know when or where that was until I spoke with Betty Ann. She told me it was Oklahoma City in the mid 1960s. Prior to that, I just always thought it was sometime in the 40s for some reason and I thought it was in California. My parents never shared tons of info, obviously, hence my thoughts. According to my dad, Fern was always afraid of cars and feared she'd die in one. Betty Ann told me that Fern was actually involved in a plane crash and survived that, and had no fear of flying, but apparently, cars were a different story.

Armed with a place and an approximate year, I posted to the Rootsweb/Ancestry.com message boards for Oklahoma City asking for an obituary for Fern Sewell. It wasn't too long before a woman responded and said she'd check the newspapers at the library (mind you, she did this during horrible weather conditions). She sent some newspaper articles about the accident! True to what I had always heard, Fern was the only one killed in the accident.

It happened on Friday, July 28, 1966. Paul and Fern were driving in their car with Fern's brother James and his wife. They were traveling west on NW 39 Expressway in the 3500 block when they were hit head-on by a car driven by Thomas J. Dawson. Dawson was travelling east in the westbound lanes and police could not explain that. Fern and Paul were both wearing safety belts upon impact.

Fern's funeral services were held at 2pm on Monday, July 31, 1966 at Smith and Kernke Funeral Home. I will have to check with them to see if they have an actual obituary.

As for any art this weekend, the ideas were massive yet production nil. With taking my mom to her hair appointment, errands, filling and picking up prescriptions, returning mom's items that don't fit, shopping, laundry, chores, no art from me, yet again. I am now feeling very down about the fact that I didn't do anything fun for myself (maybe selfish) and now have to prep for the day job tomorrow.

I had an idea for a dish towel and got the supplies I needed and planned to work on it, and photograph it in progress to create a tutorial, but now it is after 9pm on Sunday and none of that has happened. Plus, my new smart phone isn't even loaded with my contacts, nor did I create a Twitter account. I feel sometimes like I'll never accomplish what I want to under my current circumstances. What can I say other than, oh well, deal with it. It’s easier to blog in between doing laundry, running errands and making dinner than trying to do art projects sometimes. Sadly, that doesn't help my goal of creating art to sell on line. Hell, I can barely get views any longer when I re-list items in my Etsy shop. I really need to rethink what I'm doing. I would hate to die tomorrow feeling like I do right now.

Smart Phone, Bracelets, Genealogy, and Family Recipe Friday

The past 24 hours have been rather interesting. Got up and got ready for work. Prepared my mom's lunch and chatted with her before heading to the office. Prior to heading to the office, I checked my Etsy and found that I'd been featured in four Etsy treasuries! That was sure nice to wake up to. In case you are not familiar with the treasury thing, basically, it is a way to showcase other shops and their items and share it with others. It is a great way to promote others, while promoting yourself. The thing is, you must get people to click on it and "favorite" it and view it, blah, blah, blah.

I belong to a really great and supportive Etsy team called Etsian Artists. My history with Etsy is that back in November of 2009 I opened my shop/account, added my avatar and banner and profile and that was it for an entire year! Lazy maybe. I had some items to list but not many, so I was a bit timid. Then a year later, I listed nine items, and have since added to that, but need to add more. I have tons of ideas and half finished items just waiting to be listed. The other thing that is "just waiting" to happen are more sales! That would be super nice. I had considered joining teams but never did until our fabulous team captain, Elizabeth invited me! That was after she featured me on her fab blog! I was honored and excited and jazzed and any other word you can think of!

I have finally "graduated" to a smart phone! Today I upgraded my mobile and now can spend the weekend getting to know it and figuring out how to stay connected when I'm running my mom to all of her appointments! Yeah!!!  And, yes, I no longer have an excuse for not opening that Twitter account. I still don't "get" Twitter, so this should surely be interesting.

The other cool thing that happened in the past 24 hours is that I was contacted by a genealogist today that I met back in April of 2010. We met at the LA County Records' Office (vital records) before I found my grandmother. She offered assistance and I gave her the details I had at the time, and then nothing. Turns out after our meeting, she encountered some family issues and after a sad death, was beginning to catch up. She did send me research info on my grandmother that I had already done, research that took me two years to do. I thought to myself that if she hadn't experienced her grief, I would have found Lola in 2010. However, all things considered, I am glad that I was the one that found Lola.

Here are some bracelets I've made but haven't yet added to my shop because I really do need to get better pictures of them.

And now for the Family Recipe Friday. When I was a teenager, I was famous for bringing by friends home just in time for dinner. My mom was never really ready for that but she never got mad at me either. One night in particular, my mom made the only "scary" recipe I ever remember her making. She was a fabulous cook, and would still be if her vision was still with her.

This night she made a funky gelatin dish. Oh man, even before I was a hard core vegan, this scared the hell out of me. From what I remember, she had chopped veggies like onion, celery and carrots and placed them in a Pyrex baking dish and then poured liquefied Knox gelatin over it and let it harden. I couldn't bring myself to touch it. She had NEVER made that before and said it was something that her mom used to make. My two friends did try it, and I could tell by the look on their faces that it was not easy to consume! A recipe gone bad or a bad recipe to begin with, but, thankfully, she never made that one again, and we did laugh about it years later!

Big Rigs, Spoonman and Freeway Gridlock

I can't remember exactly how the conversation came about but a few days ago, I was talking to a co-worker and 18 wheelers came up. That reminded me of the time I was hit by one and I had to tell her about it.

The year was 1994 and it was a Friday. Back then I had a job that had pretty cool work hours. We worked  9 hour days, Monday through Thursday and 4 hours on Friday. I loved that schedule as I always knew when I wasn't working and could schedule appointments easily. I would always schedule my hair appointments on Fridays. So on one particular Friday early afternoon back in 1994, I was making the commute (yeah, my hairdresser at that time was not close by) to the appointment. It was really like any other Friday commute to get the hair done, traffic moved OK and then the dreaded gridlock on the LA freeway known as Interstate 10.

Back then I drove a Pontiac Fiero. I loved that car. It was a dark cherry red with light grey interior. In retrospect, I don't know why I had to have that car as I am much too tall for a sports car. I would nearly bend in half just getting things out of the very small trunk! Plus, I wear heels so getting in or out of that car was always an adventure. I must have looked like an Amazon woman crawling out of that tiny vehicle. Add to that, the fact that SUVs were the newest phenomenon and caused major "visibility" issues on the road for those of us driving "low to the ground" vehicles!

So there I was, that early Friday afternoon, in my sports car on Interstate 10 sitting in gridlock, and almost at my exit. I was in the slow lane and had the radio blasting and the window rolled down. I still remember the song that was playing on the radio. It happened to be a song by a band I loved, Soundgarden, called Spoonman.



As the traffic inched forward, I glanced into my side view mirror and was pretty scared! All I could see was a huge rubber tire. The tire of a big rig. A big 18 wheeler, and I knew it was almost on top of me! I guess I did what anyone in that situation would have done - braced myself, held the steering wheel tight, and screamed as the big monster hit my little car. Thank God for guard rails as they did stop any possibility of my going off a cliff (okay, not a huge drop but still a drop). My car was pushed by the impact of that big machine and I pushed hard on the brake and tried to control the steering wheel, again, all while screaming. To this day I can't really understand how helpful the screaming was!

The good thing was that we were not moving fast so I was able to get the car to stop and didn't smash into the guardian angel guard rail! I managed to stop in the shoulder just moments away from my off ramp and wait for the truck to pull up behind me.  I almost couldn't get out of my car as my legs were rubber at that point and all I wanted to do was chain smoke cigarettes to calm my nerves. It was hard to open my driver's side door as it was damaged from the impact, but I got out and was standing there on the side of the freeway, while weird guys drove by yelling cat calls! Oh please. How about pulling over and offering to help instead of yelling unwanted shit! A little observation - that is not cool or appreciated, guys!

Anyway, the truck driver was just as freaked out as I was. He was a working stiff with a young family and just didn't see my tiny little car and tried to change lanes. It was an accident and nothing malicious. In conclusion, I decided to let his company take care of the repairs as I didn't want to contribute to the loss of livelihood for this young working man and his family by involving insurance companies. We exchanged information and I got to my hair appointment (a bit late). As I left my appointment and got back on the freeway, with my now jacked up car, I suddenly heard that scary big rig horn sound and looked, only to see the driver that hit me waving! He had made his delivery and was heading back to home base. Anyway, my car was repaired, I was given a rental and everyone was fine.

Wordless Wednesday

I feel the need to bring back Wordless Wednesday.  I haven't done many of these posts, but I think it's time. Such a great idea from Geneabloggers and a great way to preserve old family photos. They have daily blogging prompts which are quite fun. 

So, without too many other words, the first picture is one of my favorites of my big sis and I. The second is another favorite of Red (my grandfather Earl), his second wife Gladys (they never did legally marry because Red never divorced Lola, but Gladys was the only grandmother I knew and she was kind to us and was quite gifted at crocheting and would give us great blankets and slippers), my glamorous aunt Georgette and my dad. My aunt refers to it as "the hat picture".

My big sis and I

My grandfather Earl, my other grandmother Gladys, aunt Georgette, my dad

Can the Weekend Really Be Over?

 Please tell me I'm hallucinating and that it isn't really Monday! Please tell me that I don't have to get up and go do something mundane when I'd rather do something creavtive and fun. Then I always hear things like, "I'm so thankful I have a job" or "you should be thankful you have a job". Surely there's some truth to that, but what if that "job" you're so "thankful" for drains the absolute life out of you or might just be taking a toll on your health? Then what? I've read that times like these are the best to start a business. Hmm. Maybe so, but what kind of business? Enough of that downer talk, but any thoughts are surely appreciated.

On Saturday my sister thought it would be nice to take my mom out for lunch and then shopping at one of her favorite stores, Merle Norman. My mom had said that she'd like to go get some foundation and lipstick. Having macular degeneration makes it hard for to primp herself into her onetime diva self and she's been feeling a bit down about that. So off we went and had a nice lunch in a very loud Chipotle. Naturally, my mom eats much slower than my sis or I and we waited quite some after finishing out veggie tacos for her to finish her burrito in a bowl. Then we walked to Merle Norman. My mom got lovely special treatment there and ended up getting this awesome tinted moisturize with SPF! It really looked good on her and brightened her complexion! I couldn't wait to try it. She also got a nice pink lipstick that is somewhat reminisent of the old Yardley Slickers!



On Sunday, I FINALLY did some test prints of my lino and soft rubber blocks! Yes, I think Hell did freeze over. I did my test prints on an unironed floursack dish towel and pretty much feel that the lino blocks did not lend themselves well at all to the fabric. Not sure why that is.

I feel that the soft rubber blocks printed much better on the "unironed" cotton, and now my little adorable Louie might just be ready to adorn kitchens worldwide. Will need to work on the prints though, prior to his household appearance. Oh, and get better pictures!

Fabulous Finds...and woe is me

This has been the week from hell (as they say). Work is getting me down, it has been hot, and I have managed to go nearly the entire week without producing any art. I do tend to think of writing as art, so maybe my blogging in lieu of painting or printing might count. So, yes, those lino blocks are still waiting to be inked up and printed and I shall do that tomorrow. Tomorrow is Friday, after all, and thank God for that! I think, too, that I've tanked on the 30 day art challenge, so I am going to have to get a mental adjustment and try again.

I even told myself earlier in the week that I was going to pull out my Gocco and play. Well, not yet. I have been wanting to print with the Gocco for some time now, but have been afraid to since the supplies are quickly becoming obsolete as the parent company, Riso, has discontinued my favorite little "toy"!

Today I had to take my mom to a doctor's appointment. This was a follow up to discuss the results of her barium esophagram. The results were normal and only showed typical signs of aging which is good. She was having headaches, coughing, and what seemed to be allergies and the doctor gave her some samples of Nasonex which has really helped her. Well, we got to the appointment at 2 in the afternoon. There was a lady there already doing a crossword puzzle, and shortly after we signed in, a man came in for an appointment. The clock was ticking and the man there for his appointment was loud and chatty. Then the receptionist told us that the doctor was running late - a surgery went into OT and he wouldn't be in the office until 2:45. So, we sat and waited.

While we waited, the chatty man began talking to the lady doing the crossword puzzle. They somehow got on the subject of her husband's arthritis and various surgeries and then she mentioned that her husband is 85. I thought she was a child bride or something. Not that she was in her 20s, but surely, she wasn't yet 70! She had on a hip blouse and Capri pants, and was wearing sandals, exposing her polished toenails and toe ring. Her hair was done and make-up applied perfectly. I'd say she may have been a diva! She mentioned that she and her husband were pen pals and went to the same high school, except that she was 4 years younger than him! I nearly fell out of my chair. She began writing letters to him when he was in the Navy during WWII. When he came home he took her out for dinner to thank her for all those letters and they began seeing each other and have now been married 62 years!

Speaking of artists that are producing artwork on a regular (if not daily basis) and divas, today's Fabulous Find features both! Steven Hall is the artist behind some of my all time favorite illustrations, The Doodle Divas!

They are fabulous. They are fun. They are funny. And they are taking over and here to stay! You can adorn your walls with divas or you can get a diva notecard! And if that's not enough, you can even get them on candles, soap and t-shirts!

I can't see these illustrations without being in awe of the simplicity, yet the detail at the same. I love them.  You can find them on Etsy and follow their adventures of Facebook or on Steven's blog. Get out of the mundane and step into the fabulous (one high heel at a time, of course).

Deacon Jones, You've Been Gone Too Long

After an early morning of house cleaning (so not my strong point) and then five very frustrating hours at work, I left the office, stopped at the store and came home. I chatted with my mom and caught up on her fun visit today with her friend, Gaylene, who stopped by earlier today. She had a wonderful time! Then I changed out of the corporate "uniform" and into comfy "real people" clothes (jeans and t-shirt) and started to make dinner. I turned on my fab little kitchen TV to catch the news while cooking. Now, I am NOT a sports fan at all and get rather bored when sports is on the local news, but tonight was a bit different. Deacon Jones was on the news!

When I was a kid, my dad was a fan and follower of two sports teams - The Los Angeles Dodgers (baseball) and the Los Angeles Rams (football). For those of you that do not follow these teams, The Dodgers are experiencing much drama now with their current owner and the Rams left Los Angeles years ago. But back in the 60s and 70s when I was growing up, those were the local teams. I grew up at a time when one TV in the house was the norm and that TV was usually tuned in to the sporting event my dad was interested in. Surely, that seems odd by today's standards where most houses have TVs in every room!

One of the LA Rams players I remember (besides Joe Namath) was Deacon Jones.

He played on the Rams from 1961 to 1971 and is a Hall of Famer. Not sure if I remember him because he was a great player (again, I didn't follow, but it was a part of my childhood) or because of his catchy name! But, when I was a kid, he was a household name. He was on the news tonight speaking at a luncheon in Los Angeles and the minute I saw that and heard his name, I had major childhood flashbacks!

There was this very popular girl group called The Supremes (you might remember them)! They had many great and memorable songs. They were also fronted by a "diva" called Diana, until she left the group in 1970 to pursue a solo career and "replaced" by Jean Terrell. Of all the wonderful Supremes' songs, the one that always stuck with me was Nathan Jones (released in 1971). I actually thought it was called Deacon Jones, for some strange reason (and I attribute that to the house I grew up in). Even today, after seeing Deacon Jones on the news, I walked through the house singing "Deacon Jones, you've been gone too long" knowing damn well it was actually "Nathan Jones". LOL. Just in case you're not familiar with this song, I'm sharing it as it really is too good not to share! I hate to think of something this cool being lost in this day of say, Oops, I Did it Again or the like.