I remembered this as I read Shannon's adventure about taking all the kids for Easter pictures.
I don't remember the exact date, but somewhere in the late 50's grandpa and I took the family back to Wisconsin for vacation. This was before Eileen, so there was Dawn, Beth and Mike. We went by train and we caught the train in Pomona, Ca. We hadn't been on the train very long when I met a lady in the restroom, who said "I don't know what is wrong with my daughter. Ever since we got on the train (in Los Angeles) she has been running a fever, and now she is breaking out in blisters. OHMYGOSh, chickenpox Well, they were at one end of the car and we were at the other, keeping the kids apart, I felt rather safe. In the excitement of greeting our parents and friends and the joy of many reunions, it escaped my thoughts.
Well, about a week later all three kids broke out with chickenpox. Not bad for us, as we got to go out and have fun as Grandma and Grandpa Steffen babysat for us.
The thing is, we had to go home and the kids, even tho they were not sick, still had some spots showing so we had to get them cleared by the Health Department before we could even get on the train
Of course, that train was loaded with kids and one father an MD approached us and said are you aware that your children have chickenpox. Needless to say we whipped out the certificate from the HD that said they were no longer communicable. The dr was convinced, but I noticed everyone else avoided us like the plague.
About two weeks after we got home, we received many letters and phone calls thanking us for infecting the entire city of Milwaukee and a few outlying areas as well.
Thus began our mission of spreading joy and laughter wherever we went.
HAPPY PALM SUNDAY a side note. We usually give out palm branches on this day at church, but due to a glitch, the ones they sent us were all dried out, so when it came time to raise our palms in the air for all the Hosannahs, we waved the one God gave us.
Luv'nhugs to all
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3 comments:
Hahaha, I bet it was awhile before you guys were invited back!
Goes to show how much things have changed. I bet if someone was asked to have a doctor's release before bording a train with chickenpox today they would sue for discrimination!
The whole time I read this I was thinking "Dang, Grandma & Grandpa were brave to travel across the country on a train with 3 small children." I'm afraid to take a 5 hour flight with 3!
some day Shannon, I will tell you
about the train trip to Milwaukee,
just me and 4 kids, and we had to
change depots in Chicago
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