Happy Mother's Day Mom

As Mother's Day approaches I want to tell you a little bit about my Mom.

She was born and raised in Denmark, during the time of the Nazi occupation. She has told us stories of what it was like to live as a little girl in a country occupied by a violent, Fascist regime; a country later racked by the violence of a world war. I won't recount the stories here but I will say that I am amazed at some of the horrible things she witnessed and experienced.

In the years following the war, she watched as her mother slowly died a painful death from a condition that now can be easily treated and cured.

Mom wanted to come to the United States to forge a new life for herself so she put in the time and effort going through the legal process to obtain the required visas. Once here she worked hard in factories, faced bigotry, and went through the long legal process to obtain her citizenship. She became a citizen and eventually married.

In her determination to "become an American", she refused to speak anything but English in the home or abroad, (except when she didn't want us kids to know what she was saying) and staunchly followed American cultural traditions so that we would be a "typical American family". "I am an American" was her mindset, and she was determined to do things the "American way".

During much of my childhood, the same disease that killed her mother was slowly ravaging her. Living with pain was a normal part of her days. She would have died during the 1970s, except that the world of medicine had advanced enough that they were finally able to properly diagnose and treat her condition. Even with all that, she still managed to raise, (and put up with), 5 boys.

So on this Mother's day, I honor my mother's courage, determination, and dogged perseverance. Because of her I can say, (as the son of an immigrant), I AM an American.

 Mom. Post war Denmark, about age 16.

Denmark, (age unknown)

Starting a new life in America.

 

Visiting Grandma/Grandpa Ashby, (late 1960's), (I'm on mom's right, Scott on her left)

My Grandmother's Nazi issued identification papers. There was a razor blade hidden in the little ID case they are carried in.

Posted by: Duane Ashby

Stand and Devour

Thursday I was in Los Angeles with my Regional VP, (Scott), for some meetings at the convention center.  We got out at 5 pm and decided to eat dinner at the original Tommy's at Beverly and Rampart streets in LA.  This is the very first Tommy's.  It is a little building, (12 by 18) right on the corner.  This was the original hamburger "stand" and it got that name because you either eat standing up or in your car.  Around the edge of the parking lot is a wall that has a 2 X 12 plank placed about 3 1/2 feet off of the ground.  You set your food there and stand and eat it.  

One of the other things that has made Tommy's famous is their chili.  It is like no other, very thick and stiff, and tastes great.  It is one of those things that you only should enjoy as a rare special treat because you can feel your arteries hardening as you are eating.  This particular Tommy's is open 24 hours and pretty much non-stop busy.  I was talking to one of the people that work there and she said that every 2 hours they re-fill the wall mounted paper towel dispensers, (used for napkins). 

Here is the "shack" at the corner of Beverly and Rampart Streets, (small white building w/ red roof on right side of photo).  Notice it is right next to the street and it is open air and the cars and busses go whizzing by.

Here I am about to order a double chili cheese burger and fries.

Here is Scott standing in the eating area.  This is why it is called a hamburger "stand"

Posted by Duane Ashby