Of course today March 8 is International Women’s Day and I wouldn’t want to miss this chance to greet all of the wonderful women who’ve made my life worthwhile, or more interesting or sometimes scarier.
The first would be my Mom who ruined my life on a weekly, sometimes daily basis. There she is in the sailor outfit she was wearing the night she slid down a guy wire at the National Guard Armory in Spokane WA.
It was impressive to watch her and my aunt slide down the wire while the band played “It’s Only a Paper Moon.” Regrettably, they then made their escape through a crowd of hundreds at my big Camp Fire Girls Council Fire. She left. I had to stay.It was impressive to watch her and my aunt slide down the wire while the band played “It’s Only a Paper Moon.” Regrettably, they then made their escape through a crowd of hundreds at my big Camp Fire Girls Council Fire. She left. I had to stay.
I’d like to salute my Grandma Franco who baked 40 loaves of bread every Monday in this outdoor oven, and she had enough energy in the evening to play her tambourine and sing along with her son,
Cowboy Lou Franco, when his show came on the radio featuring Lou and his band, the Happy Roving Cowboys.
And Here’s to my Great Grandma Carolina who had 24 children. She lived to be very old – well, about my age, really – but she didn’t smile much.
Here’s to my daughters and my granddaughter. Here’s to the wonderful women my sons and grandson brought home to the family, and here’s to their courage in staying.
I’ve been lucky on this International Women’s Day to remember women who’ve touched me from friends here at home, to the tiny Chinese ladies making their way on bound feet down the streets of Taipei. So I want to echo that age old toast, without a shred of irony, “Here’s to the ladies. God bless ’em”