My life started when I was little in East Los Angeles.
I was a real swinger.
I started out a brunette and then became a blond and then switched back to brunette. Now I’m suppose to be gray, but funny thing, I’m still a brunette and I owe all the credit to my fine hairdresser, Sherri Bell.
Kindergarten at Montebello Gardens Primary School. This school only went to the 3rd grade at this time. Starting in the 4th grade we were bused up to Montebello (over the Rio Hondo river) to Fremont Elementary. Montebello Gardens (not a garden by any stretch of the imagination) is part of Pico Rivera. (Top Row Left with my Buster Brown “do”)
Mrs. Nicolaus my 1st and 2nd grade teacher was one of a handful of my teachers that I knew was fond of me. I was a voracious reader and she recommended that I be skipped from 2nd grade to 3rd grade. (Top Row left with my curly “do”)
The majority of the children I went to school with in my primary school days were Mexican/American. Of course now the politically correct title is Hispanic. My growing up experiences were not in the era of political correctness. (Top Row right with my Buster Brown askew)
I tried to count the candles on this cake to see what birthday it was. It looks like 7 but I’m not sure. This was at our house in Montebello Gardens/Pico Rivera, 4635 Oak Street. It’s funny how the old addresses stick in my head. My sister Kathy on the right with my cousin Jim Loscutoff. On the left is my brother Fred and my sister Vera.
Since my brother Tim looks like he’s 1 in this photo I’m 8 years old.
I know this is later than the photo above since my brother Steve is sitting in the highchair and my cousin Tanya is sitting at the table. My best guess is that this is 1960 since my brother Steve was born in December of 1959 (my 9th birthday). My cousin Valia, cousin Vera, cousin John, and cousin Walter blurred along with my brother Fred blurred. Looks like a store bought cake for this year…
When I was in the 5th grade we moved across the river into Montebello and I was able to walk to school. During my 4th grade year I was bused. Speaking of 4th grade, I talked too much and my handwriting was messy. Funny how the criticisms stick with you all your life. My 5th grade teacher gave me the distinct impression that she did not like me at all. She made me stand up once in class to chastise me and I remember thinking in my head “I may be standing up on the outside but I’m sitting down on the inside!” My 6th grade teacher was a gem who encouraged me with his kindness. I worked in the cafeteria in the 6th grade and got free lunches. The cafeteria ladies were another group of adults who encouraged me.
High School Song Leader Squad. I hope to see some of these gals in April.
Graduation from Junior High and graduation from High School with my dear maternal babushka.
Graduation from college with my Dear and with my brother Fred.
Honeymoon with my Dear, December 1974.
This year it’s time to sing that great Beatles tune, “When I’m Sixty Four” and appropriately this photo of me is taken in jolly old England and I still have an attitude!
“When I’m Sixty Four”
Many years from now
Will you still be sending me a valentine
Birthday greetings, bottle of wine?
If I’d been out till quarter to three
Would you lock the door?
Will you still need me, will you still feed me
When I’m sixty-four? You’ll be older too
And if you say the word
I could stay with you I could be handy, mending a fuse
When your lights have gone
You can knit a sweater by the fireside
Sunday mornings go for a ride
Doing the garden, digging the weeds
Who could ask for more?
Will you still need me, will you still feed me
When I’m sixty-four? Every summer we can rent a cottage in the Isle of Wight
If it’s not too dear
We shall scrimp and save
Grandchildren on your knee
Vera, Chuck & Dave Send me a postcard, drop me a line
Stating point of view
Indicate precisely what you mean to say
Yours sincerely, wasting away
Give me your answer, fill in a form
Mine for evermore
Will you still need me, will you still feed me
When I’m sixty-four?
Ho!
The Happy Wonderer ~ ellen b. 
Many Happy Returns of the Day on your 64th Birthday.
Delighted that you will be commemorating it by singing The Beatles, ‘When I’m 64…..wonderful, as you may know,I hail from Liverpool and The Beatles played a huge part in my life.
Enjoy your special day,
Best wishes,
Di. xx
ABCW team.
Di, The Beatles were the first group I really enjoyed and followed. In 1973 I was in Liverpool with a singing group and we actually sang in one of the auditoriums the Beatles sang in before they became famous! Thank you for your kind wishes. Cheers!
Happy Happy Birthday, my dear sister. You have been a friend who accepts me unconditionally and loves me at all times. I have been so blessed to share your wonderful journey. May God continue to bless you. I love you! Vera
Happy Birthday for the Catskill Mountains of New York State. I hope you have a most wonderful day!!
Happy 64th Ellen. You and one of our grandson’s share the same birth-day tomorrow and today the 13th is our son’s 40th.
Your pictures are all great and the last one says…you’ve still got it!
Audrey.
Happy Birthday. Love all of the old photos!
– Alma, The Tablescaper
Fun to see you growing up — and so much of it near Pico Rivera where I lived for three years. May God continue to bless you and give you a fruitful year, Ellen.
And thank you God for giving us Ellen who loves you and wants to follow you. You give her many spiritual ideas that bless others. Thanks for letting me receive your grace through her! May her 64th
year be the best of all. Go Seahawks, Sounders and Ellen!
A fun trip in the Way Back Machine! Not that far back, of course. =D And now you have the answer to the questions asked in that Beatles tune…most of them are a resounding yes!
Happy Birthday! You are one year behind me and the photo’s remind me of those magical years! I hope you have a the best of days, weeks and year to come! I’m so glad to have come to know you through your blog and our dear Linda!! 🙂
Happy Birthday! I’ll be 64 for a few days with you; then I’ll turn the magical age of 65. One of these years we’ll have to celebrate together again.
Love the pictorL history of you. :-). Happy birthday…enjoy 64.
That was such fun to read, Ellen! Has it really been four years since you were here with your sisters? Time has flown. I enjoyed the birthday photos – so familiar, as we are of an age and I think I had all those hairdos!
That was fun. Hope you have a super wonderful and fun birthday. I turn (59) next Friday.
I enjoyed reading this, Ellen! Love the little attitude you were born with and how you could differentiate between different teachers, but did not let that affect you. I also like how the kids dressed up for class photos. Hope the storm is a false alarm and you have a wonderful weekend. Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday, Ellen! Great pictures.. I smiled when I noticed a “ruffled” doily at the base of a lamp in one of the pictures!……I saw many a ruffled doily at my aunt’s homes..
Happy Birthday, Ellen. All the very best to you in the year ahead. Enjoy your day! May it be filled with love and good things. This was an excellent post — I enjoyed it.
You had a delightful “mid century” childhood! A very cherished era right now…that lamp would fetch a pretty penny on line right now.
I would not be a bit surprised to see you still around during the next “mid century” too! And still wearing cute bangs!
We sure enjoyed reading this post and seeing all the pictures together as we sip our morning beverage. I loved all your outfits growing up. We wish you a most wonderful birthday! I hope the Sounders win and add to your celebrations!
Oh my goodness…what fun to look back across the years at all of your cuteness!! I loved them all…from the baby picture to the “attitude” one! 😀
The happiest of birthdays to you, as you celebrate God’s faithfulness in your life!!
Happy Birthday I love love love the pictured
Happy Birthday, Ellen. So you are a March baby, and so am I. The 28th is my date, slightly older, Ha!
How exciting! I love your pictures too. You seem to have been raised in the same time period as Susan Branch and this post reminds me of one of hers. Saw the sweet comment from your sister, Vera up there. So nice that you have such a loving family. I am blessed in the same way. 🙂 I often wonder what I will be like when that song rolls around for me, but at 46, I’ve got a bit to go yet. Thank you for sharing your story with us and have a wonderful birthday!
This is one wonderful post. I love it and I saw many similarities in photos and fashions and trends. May you have a wonder night watching your favorite team…our Whitecaps play this afternoon.
Happy Birthday Ellen, and enjoy being 64. I’ll ask you about it next year.
What a great post…and a wonderful collection of photos from yesteryear! Happy, happy birthday my 64-year-old friend! (You go on ahead and pave the way for me…I’m right behind ya.)
Happy, happy birthday, Ellen! What a great post of pictures and memories. I love the “attitude” pic!
Happy Birthday, Ellen! I hope you’ve had a wonderful weekend of celebrating. Love the attitude in the photo taken in England! “when I’m 64”