My peace I give unto you

Today I'm worried about Doug. He hasn't felt well in two days.

He has had consistent chest pain and he is so tired. He is getting a bit more forgetful although he doesn't seem to know it. 

We planted a small container garden this spring. Tomatoes, cauliflower, onions, peas, beans and celery!!!  

Nat came to help us last weekend. It was great having him here. Some days I miss the children so much. I feel as though I am not needed any more. They are all successful and raising their families. None of them live close by. They don't need my help or advice these days. Is this what it is like to be old? I will be 74 this year, but I don't feel old. 

God gives His peace - that is my rock and my comfort in this uncertain time we are living in. 

Kerr-McGee and Lindsay Light co.

My husband lived adjacent to this factory in West Chicago from the age of 4 until he was 17. He now has dementia. He is probably in the middle of this disease. We have knowledge about how it manifests because we took care of my parents for nearly 10 years as they traveled the road of dementia.

I can't help but think this radioactive environment is the cause of his disease. As a boy he and his friends would climb the fence around the factory and investigate. He even said that they would at times walk in the retention pond. Probably filled with radioactive runoff.

Lindsay Light Site History and Background

History

Charles R. Lindsay Jr. founded the company bearing his name in 1902. Until the mid-1930s, the Lindsay Light Co. manufactured incandescent gaslight mantles at several addresses in Chicago's downtown Streeterville neighborhood.

A gaslight mantle is a small fabric bag infused with thorium or other metal nitrate that fits over the gas source. The heat from the gas flame burns off the mantle fabric leaving a fine metal mesh that glows brightly. The Lindsay Light Co. used the radioactive chemical thorium nitrate to manufacture their gaslight mantles.

Lindsay obtained thorium containing ore, typically monazite, to refine and extract the thorium. The refining process produced a sand-like waste known as thorium mill tailings, which were used for fill in the low-lying Streeterville area of Chicago and apparently former boat slip areas on the south side of the Chicago River directly south of Streeterville.

Lindsay Light's first location was at 22 W. Hubbard St. The company later expanded its operations to 316 E. Illinois St. and 161 E. Grand Ave. Ore containing radioactive thorium was processed at the Illinois Street site and the mantles were manufactured at the Grand Avenue location. In 1932, the company began moving its operations to West Chicago, Ill. (see Kerr-McGee Superfund site.) The company closed the last of its Chicago facilities in 1936.

Thorium contamination

EPA first discovered contamination at Lindsay Light's Illinois Street location in 1993. Since then, further investigations found soil contamination at more than a dozen locations in the Streeterville neighborhood and directly across the Chicago River at the New Eastside neighborhood. Thorium-contaminated soil emits gamma radiation. However, if soil, concrete, or asphalt is covering the contaminated soil, that cover will shield the radiation.  It will also prevent people from touching, inhaling, or eating the contamination. In the Streeterville and New Eastside neighborhoods, nearly all of the thorium contamination was buried or shielded, so there was a minimal health and safety risk to people walking on sidewalks or inside buildings. When this contamination is disturbed, the risks increase.

To protect workers who might come into contact with radiation and thorium in subsurface soil, the EPA and city of Chicago developed a system that required anyone planning to work in subsurface soil in the Streeterville and New Eastside neighborhoods to monitor the soil for thorium contamination.

To date, cleanups have been done at more than a dozen properties. About 55,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil have been removed and shipped to out-of-state facilities licensed to accept radioactive waste. There are still several properties known to have contamination that need to be cleaned up. 

Working in the rights-of-way within the areas that possibly might have thorium-contaminated soil

Because of the long-lived nature of thorium contamination (some radioactive contamination is very short lived), the need to know that these areas are safe for workers will continue far into the future. Therefore, EPA has agreed to host a web-based repository of radiation testing reports and other technical documents for the benefit of those working within the rights-of-way. The reports in the web-based repository allow utility companies and city departments to easily check to see if an area has already been tested and determined to be clear of contamination, or if the area has never been investigated and still needs to be tested. The repository should save companies time and money by avoiding the duplication of radiation testing.

THE WIGWAM

 We sold the family cottage last year. It was a very hard decision, but it was time.

It is sad to think that I will never spend wonderful summer days there again- baking 

raspberry pie and having barbecues in the back yard. 

Part of the reason we moved up here over 20 years ago was because of our

love of the cottage.

Many of us spent our honeymoons here, including mom and dad in 1944.

Each couple carved their initials and wedding date into a rock on the fireplace.

It was always called, the Wigwam. I believe it has had that name since 1900. 

Our dining room. I don't think the new owners kept this table or the chairs. We heard that they had all the furniture hauled away, but it will always remain in my memory like this: our happy place!

The screened in front porch was the absolute best part of the cottage.

My mom had collected all the wicker, but I think the glider must 

have been there forever!

When I was a teenager I remember our dog, Lady, would get tired and then she

would look at us as if to say, "good night" and head up the stairs

to her bed in the chimney room. 

We loved you wonderful cottage. You will always be in our memories and hearts!

Ezra

                                           Ezra turned 9 on January 26th

             Ezra Charles Meade

He is our 7th grandson and a joy to all who know 

him. He's so smart and builds amazing Lego 

structures! He is a big help to his mom everyday. 

Being a middle child is not always the easiest 

position in a family of boys, but he is navigating

it well.

Here he is in Michigan at our cottage on Portage Lake. This rock has been the scene of 

many a photo shoot over the last 100 years! 

He loves his new life in Tennessee 

among his many animals. 

I was with Lena when Ezra was born.

A few days after his birth my mother

died from the long goodbye of 

Alzheimer's Disease.

My sister, Nancy has been transcribing

mom and dad's letters from WW2.

They are so sweet to read and to get

to know this other side of  them. A

side we really didn't see as we were 

growing up and they became busy 

raising a large family.

                                      Here is one of dad's early letters to mom

My Darling Wife,

Well, how is my little honey tonight, huh? As sweet and lovely as ever, just like you always will be. Just read some more from the Cosmo. Liked one story better than any I’ve read in months. It was “Ellen and Steve Forever.” The girl was just like you, that’s why I like it so much. Say darling, how about sending next month’s to me? I probably won’t have much time to read it but it’s nice to know you do have something to readjust in case you do need to pass away a few hours.

You know honey I actually believe I am gaining weight. This will have to come to a halt because we won’t be able to buy new clothes for awhile after I get back, besides you used to like the old gray suit so much.

Remember once when we went to the movie on Biscayne Boulevard with Jo and Bill? You looked so darn cute and pretty in your sweater and skirt, your hair was in one of its best moods. Sent a v-mail off to Bill last night; was not much to write about however.

Maybe it would be better if I added to this each day instead of writing a new letter. It can’t go out so it doesn’t make much difference, does it?

The sun came out and was hot so I got some more tan. I am wearing my shorts (swimming) most of the time.

Have you talked with Eileen since you got back home?

I got thinking today of how messed up our generation really is. We won’t be able to live like our folks have afterwards, not that I particularly wanted to. We probably won’t be near as prosperous as they because I will never have the education. The fact doesn’t distress me much as long as it is all right with my honey. The main thing is to make sure our children never have to go through this hell. For this I am willing to give these years out of my life. Afterwards we will live happier than ever because we have learned the value of it. So it won’t make much difference if we don’t have so much money or material things, does it darling. We will have each other always and that is what counts. Don’t forget – we said we wouldn’t let anything worry us; we would just live happy and completely in love all the rest of our lives. We have seen how little two people need when they are content with each other, deriving pleasure out of the things God made for people to enjoy. Saving our money for a home that will be built where we decide and no where else, a sailboat to enjoy being out by ourselves in, our children and then we will have all our dreams come true. Very simple and peaceful, huh? It’s not complicated when you leave out the dirtiness of city life and the rush and worry over seeing how much money you can stack away or how many cars you can buy. We know already that it’s not these things that constitute a happy life. I feel so happy and wonderful when I know we are meant for each other and are capable of being so terribly happy just being with each other. It’s rare when two people don’t need the company of other people in order for them to keep from being bored with each other or the life they are living. Think of some of your friends who have to go out to parties every night to officers’ clubs and all of that artificial life in order to enjoy themselves. They have to drink in order for life to be more pleasant. I have all I want in having you darling. I’ll love you until eternity, I know you have faith in our love Barb, so always feel that it will bring us through whatever comes up, no matter how hopeless it seems. Never give up darling and I will do the same.

Good night, precious wife.

All my love always,

Ed 

February 7 Monday Morning

 We are getting more lake effect snow again today. I'm glad it's not as cold as it was last week! 

We still have to walk Bud whenever he has to go out as we do not have a fenced yard. 

There has been a bobcat around our property that really gets Bud worked up.

My brother, Bill and I went over to pierport beach the other day to look at the ice formations. The lake is always awesome in the winter.
Last week when Doug and I were there the ice had formed way  out into the lake. There were islands of ice everywhere. Some looked like icebergs. There is something about the winter weather that always makes me happy. I'm not sure just what it is-maybe the beauty of the snow covered land, the freshness of the cold air and having more time to engage in hobbies. I always look forward to winter and then am a bit sad when it goes.

Benjamin turned 7 on February 4th.

 

Benji has always been a sweet and loving child with a 

bit of a temper, too!!

I think he will be the tallest of the three boys. 

I was present the day he was born and have shared so 

many happy times over the years.

He moved from Illinois to Tennessee  with his family 

and I really do miss all of them. They have a 

fun homestead farm with chickens, dogs, cats, donkeys and 

probably a few other critters, too!!

LOVE YOU BENJI

Christmas 2021

I have enjoyed knitting more these past few years.

 This Christmas I made hats, scarves and

 afghans for Lena and Anna's families.

 

CARSON, ADY AND DAVY

Lena found some bittersweet there in Tennessee and sent it to me as she knows how much I miss our times together searching it out and making wreaths when we lived in Indiana.

SAMMY, EZRA, ADAM AND BENJI

                                                                                           

 

2022

 I haven't written in a long time. It's January 18, 2022.

 Two years ago I was diagnosed with breast cancer. It was shocking as no one in my family has ever had breast cancer. My sister had a melanoma years ago that was cured completely. 

I had a lumpectomy since my tumor was small-only 4mm. I am very grateful for the doctors and for my recovery.

Before I was finished with my radiation treatments Covid hit. We were all concerned. The world in the last two years has undergone major shifts. We have succumbed to fear and lies and panic. Now two years later many countries shut down their economies for extended times. This has now caused shortages of goods. Even in our own country the government has mandated masks to be worn and even in some places for vaccination cards to be shown to enter establishments.

It is really just too much to try to tell. The vaccinations were rolled out under President Trump and then the new president, Joe Biden (who was voted in under very suspicious circumstances) has mandated them. Our country is so divided now between the vaccinated and the unvaccinated.  It is a very sad time we are living in.