Tuesday, December 9, 2008

The Girls

Me and Sue with our mother at Sand Hill Cove beach in RI. That's me on the back corner of the blanket, and that's Sue in the foreground, working on a Sugar Daddy. 1957.


Easter Sunday in front of "the yellow bushes," 1958.

Another Easter Sunday on the front steps of 256 Maple Street, 1960.

My 8th birthday party, March 16th, 1962. Sue and I had matching Kelly Green corduroy jumpers with green and white gingham checked blouses, to go with the shamrock theme...


Yet another Easter Sunday in front of "the yellow bushes." 1963.


Hey, we had different pins at least, and Sue, the maverick, added that sky blue stretchy headband to the ensemble...
1964.

Susie and Martha with baby sister, Amy. 1965.

Matching sweatshirts, different shades...


Martha and Susie on Easter Sunday in front of, you guessed it, "the yellow bushes," not quite in bloom yet...


Ok, the yellow bushes. And Easter. Again. But now we are daring to dress in different outfits (although I do remember that I had that same outfit that Sue is wearing - just chose not to wear it that day...)
1965.

Branching out with big brother Steve,1966.


Wow. Totally on my own now, and what a look! My Grandmother always knit those slippers for all of us at Christmastime. Christmas Eve, 1969.


Susan (with our brother, Ken) on her own now, as well. Check out those Marcia Brady kneesocks! 1969.


Me and Sue with our big sister Debby, and Deb's former husband, summer of 1971.


Sue and me on my wedding day in June of 1976. She was my maid of honor.


Martha and Susan, summer of 1985.


Susan and Martha, Fall 2008.

I received this last picture in the mail recently. It was taken by my brother Kenny at my daughter Kaitlyn's wedding this past September. This is my sister Susan and me. When I saw this photo it brought back a flood of memories of other photos taken of us over the years. I have many of my father's old photo albums and perhaps this post is the start the family website we've had on the back burner. I grew up in a family of six - I was fourth and Susan was fifth. We are 13 months apart and have always been very close. Our other siblings had more separate identities. But Sue and I were always referred to as "the girls" or as Martha and Susie, or Susie and Martha. Our two names were always spoken together like you'd say ham and eggs or horse and carriage (those are the first two pairs that come to my mind...hmmm......)

Anyhow, we were dressed alike as you can see and we were side by side from the time Susan was born. Except for a few squabbles here and there, we've always gotten along famously. We are both artists, we both have Leo moons, and we have alot of quirky connections like twins reportedly experience. And we have that thing that happens when we can't remember what happened to who. For instance, to this day Susan swears that I was the one who got molested by that awful boxer dog on our paper route, and she was the one who ran home to get our big brothers to come help. But I say, No way! That happened to Sue!

There are many interesting Martha and Susie stories - perhaps one day we'll write a book together, eh, Sue?

14 comments:

Katie said...

A book sounds great! I love to hear all the Simmons' stories. You should get my mom in on it. I love all her stories about you guys. One I remember vividly ends up with you two pregnant, laughing hysterically and peeing your pants! I know I just posted that, but hey its too funny and having just finished my last, first year of babyhood and remembering where I was last year, enormous, pee stories are very funny to me! Love to the fam,
Katie

Susan Beauchemin said...

Maybe it was such a horrid moment with that big ol dog humping my leg, that I transfered it to you, but I still think I ran home to get our brothers. I did get chased by a little yappy dog and jumped into a snow bank leaving one boot behind. I was checking into your blog today to see if you had any snow lately since I've been telling P all about building snowmen--she wants to go to the snow! Then there I was as a chubby baby! and you did post about snow---but do you have the picture of that huge snow dinosaur Steve built, with us sitting on its back?

Katie said...

I think that Bets and I never were dressed alike as much as you and Sue. I think it's pretty great!

martha miller said...

Hi Katie

Yes, your mom and I have some great stories, too! That would take a whole new blog I think!

Isn't that funny that Sue and I were dressed like twins, even tho we aren't, and you and Bets are twins and weren't dressed alike!

martha miller said...

Sue - I have that snow dinosaur picture at home in Woolwich I think...I'll find it this weekend!

martha miller said...

Hi again, Katie

Yes, pregnant pee stories are pretty funny. Your mom and I were both in our last trimesters, so as you well know, we each had about enough bladder space to fill an eyedropper. We had spent a wonderful morning at the beach together then drove to Burger King in Wakefield to get some lunch. Both of us had to pee ferociously by this time and we made a beeline toward the entrance to BK. One of us (probably me) said, Oh God, I don't think I'm going to make it! which set us both off giggling. Then the other one of us (your Mom I think) said, Oh! I don't think I'm going to make it either! which got us laughing even harder. We couldn't stop laughing now, for with every step across the parking lot we thought we'd lose it, so we stopped and were bent over at the waist (what waists we had), standing crosslegged, trying to catch our breath, when we noticed a table full of teenage boys through the front window of BK watching us intently. That did it. Laughing helplessly, we sat smack down on the curb and...peed.
After some time we composed ourselves and walked dignifiedly backwards to the car.

Del said...

Great job documenting the growing up of "the girls"....two artist who bring style and wonderful creativity to an otherwise dull and hm-drum family. What would we do without you two stylin ladies...thanks for bringing out these shots for us all to remember...FUN...!!!!
Delly

martha miller said...

"Dull and Humdrum," Delly? Our family? HA! Surely you jest!
You and Ken ought to publish the Kenny and Delly stories...

:^)

artslice said...

These are so fabulous! What an interesting progression... I love the 2 of you in the late 50s with the matching dresses and then, the last one at the wedding. Thanks for sharing these... great post!

martha miller said...

word verification:

desse. almost dress.

Hi Brenda

My mom sewed all those 50's dresses! And sometimes she sewed the same dress for herself and our older sister Debby as well! When our baby sister Amy came along in 1962, she sewed Amy her own distinct wardrobe. I can still picture some of the little outfits that she made for her, out of fabric that came from her collection or from the "pin money" bin at Weintraub's, the local fabric store.

Captain Nick Sparrow said...

Those are priceless! Thank you for sharing.

Del said...

Just kidding of course, our family has always been colorful!
the Ken & Del stories would be great and definitely illustrated!!! Love ya,
Delly

martha miller said...

word verification: "tingst"

as in: del, i tingst an illustrated book about the adventures of kenny and delly would be fantastic!

martha miller said...

you're welcome, captain nick sparrow!