Growing up Gardner

Here again I only have bits and pieces of the life of my mother as she was growing up.....although when it came to talking....she was much like me (except shorter), and could talk for hours before thinking of something to say.

The Balzers moved to South Gardner shortly after mom was born, Grampa Joe worked as a machinist and later has a machine shop manager. When not with the kids Gramma would take the train into Boston and sit in the Fenway bleachers to root for the Sox.

Mom had a very happy childhood, the neighborhood was filled with relatives and friends of the young couple. Anyway, if you are in New England, everything is close. Spending summer vacations at a seaside camp across from the Nubble Lighthouse, going to Vermont for winter outings, traveling all the way to New York City to visit the Balzer family, and see Grampa's favorite spot Battery Park. It must have been quite exciting for a vivacious young girl in the 1920's.

In the mid 30's Joe came down with a mysterious "nervous" illness that left him helpless to move or work. They set up a bed for him in the parlour and mom being the oldest of the children and able to do so, got a "part time" job. She first went to work for a wonderful lady who owned a candy store in downtown Gardner. It didn't bring in much but she was the only breadwinner for the family so it was certainly needed.

Many years later, the mysterious disease was actually given a name and we have put two and two together, finding out that 2(Joe Balzer) + 2(Duane/me) = Multiple Sclerosis. Mom said that watching me cope with the disease brought back many memories of what it was like from Grampa Joe for a period of 2 or 3 years. MS is a very strange disease.....it comes and goes and sometimes comes for a short visit (Hi how ya doin), and is gone after a quick chat....then the next time it brings lots of luggage and has decided to move in for a few years or maybe forever.

Back in the mid '30s it didn't even have a name, so it was just one of those things and when it went away everything was kind of back to normal. Joe went back to work....

Before I delve into some of mom's stories of her childhood, I think I will try to figure out how to attach photos to this blog and maybe that will help visualize what these wonderful people looked like and how the world they lived seemed.