Changes

My first job was working as a secretary in the legal department of Singer at 30 Rockefeller Plaza on the 63rd floor.  I loved the fast paced city life.  I rode on the train with my Dad for about 18 months before deciding working with lawyers wasn't what I thought... they weren't interested in my becoming the next Della Street!  plus,  I decided I wanted to go back to school.  My second job, closer to home and school,  was working as a secretary in the automotive testing center for  Abex. The original company was American Brake Shoe located in Mahwah, NJ begun in 1901 as a brake block foundry for railroad wheels and brakes.  As the automotive industry developed, the company grew and expanded branching out into many different divisions.  At some point it became part of IC Industries and Pepsi Co.  I worked there about 5 years, going to school at night and earning dual degrees in business and criminal justice.  I met my future husband there. After 5 years, I left Abex and worked several other jobs before marrying and raising a family, but my husband continues to work for the company.  I'm not sure what year the Mahwah plant was closed and property sold off, but there it is no longer there.

In 1989 we were transferred to Winchester, VA.  After living my life less than an hour from the big city (NY) and all its influences, I thought I had died and moved to Mayberry RFD!  Lots of open fields, orchards and farms around.  I think the town's population was somewhere around 15k.  It boasted Shenandoah College, which started out as a seminary in 1875 and became a university in 1991... The Apple Blossom Mall was built in 1982..... and the town and businesses would shut down for a long weekend for the Apple Blossom Festival parade and races in May.  This was still a small town but growing as workers from DC moved out of the city looking for the good life.  Martins, Lowes, Kmart and WalMart, McDonalds all came to town while we were there. I quickly adjusted and it was a nice place to raise our family.

Abex was been bought and sold several more times... for a time we were part of Cooper Industries and now we are a division of Federal Mogul and in 2002 we were transferred to Cookeville TN.  When we moved here 10 years ago I stepped back in time again.... this was Mayberry RFD! LOL!!  There were 32 churches listed in the phone book of this small bible belt town! This was a dry county back then and you could only get a drink by the glass in the chain restaurants that were just beginning to pop up on what is now referred to as restaurant row.  Downtown is closed off each fall for FunFest and a bar-b-que contest.  The Christmas parade is always held on the first Monday in December.  The County Fair is held in August... the week after school starts... creating sleepy kids in the classroom after staying up all night with 4H competitions and pagents.... But that's the way it has always been done so the tradition continues.  Again, this is a college town... It was Dixie College in 1909 then became Tennessee PolyTech in 1915 and is currently know as Tennessee Tech. The college has been ranked as one of the best since 2007 with strong engineering and nursing programs and currently enrolls approximately 12,000 students who help to grow this town and businesses throughout the year.  The last 10 years have seen many changes here.  City population has doubled in size and we are listed as the biggest of the 20 micropolitan areas in TN, and at least 4 liquor stores opened up in January with the passing of new laws.  This town is growing fast with an influx of retirees tired of the Florida hurricanes or the Michigan winters. 

My reason for all this history?  Time is marching on and, unfortunately,  Federal Mogul has now joined the list of companies closing their doors on American soil and American workers and are moving to open a plant in Juarez, Mexico in 2013 for its cheap labor.  The Winchester plant is scheduled to close in January 2013.  I also heard that in the near future they will open a plant in India too, which may also mean the end of the nearby plants in Smithville, TN and/or Glasgow, KY where my husband works.  Lucky for us, after 40+ years with the company, we are close to retirement age, but I feel bad for the younger workers and their families.

The Winchester closing has prompted a reunion and this past weekend we drove north to Winchester and met with 58 of us "old timers" to  review old times and catch up on current happenings. We shared pictures and stories of growing children and grandchildren.  Some, like my husband, transferred to other locations, some retired, some found employment with other companies and some hire out as consultants.  One races cars and another is starting up a new business in the field.  As for the hundreds of laborers from the plant, I can only hope that they have been able to find employment elsewhere.  It was good seeing the old gang and there is talk of a gathering again next year! The Winchester area has grown a lot.  Orchards and farmland are now consumed by homes and town houses.  Mini strip malls of shops, a huge shopping center and a second Walmart cover what was once open fields.  As I looked around I imagine that Cookeville TN will grow to look like this in another 10 years.  By then we will be retired and hopefully moved on to find green pastures once again.

Reunions

A short time ago Mom got a phone call from an "old" friend of hers who was passing through town on her way south for the winter. Her bridesmaid, Maureen (and her husband, Jim)wanted to meet for lunch if she was available. Mom agreed, but she wanted me to come along too. I had no idea who they were, so Mom started telling stories and we went digging through boxes looking for pictures. Picture taking and developing was expensive back then and the only picture we could find was at Mom's wedding. I took a picture of a picture and cropped it here so you could see these two beautiful women in 1952.

Fast forward to 2011 and here we are at Olive Garden enjoying a wonderful lunch of soup and salad! Oh, they have exchanged letters and pictures over the years and have gotten together once or twice. But there is nothing better than sitting down with your best friend talking and reminiscing.

They exchanged stories and tales, trials and tribulations and way to soon it was time to leave.

One last picture together as they walk out the door. Of course, they'll still keep in touch and maybe get to visit next year during next year's trek north to visit grandchildren. Or maybe, this winter, I'll take Mom and Matthew and drive south for a warm winter break!

Now I'm off to dig through boxes in my closet and find my high school yearbook! I recently received an invitation to my 35th reunion.... homecoming game and an Octoberfest Feast!

Good Times... Good Friends

They say you can't go home again, but I recently had an opportunity to do just that... for my 35th high school reunion. Through the miracle of facebook and the internet (things that were unheard of when we were in high school) some of the guys organized a get-together at The Mason Jar. Sixty of us traveled from all corners of the country from Alaska, Florida, California, Maine, Oklahoma, and Tennessee and some never left New York!


There are lawyers, money managers, and accountants.
Harrison is a screenwriter in L.A.!



Kathleen, as a teenager was always on the campaign road for her dad and has also campaigned for representatives and senators... now is campaigning for herself! Deborah is in busness and finance working for Xerox. Marie has retired to Burgundy, France!



Mark is an RN and Leah is a school superintendent.



Eileen's sister owns a quilt shop in Chester!
I wish there was time to go visit.



Former cheerleaders and twirlers...We even had a teacher attend... Linda Goosman who had to have a picture with her gang!

We missed the many that were unable to attend or whom we were unable to locate. There were some that are now gone who will be forever remembered.

The time flew by quickly and too soon it was time to head home... emails and phone numbers exchanged and promises keep in touch while tentative plans were made for another gathering in 2012!