My mom, Catherine G. Wentzel Bradley was 'formidable'--creating caution and sometimes fear with her eyes. A look told my two brothers and me we were in trouble or warning us not to do something.
The 5th of 10 children, she did not have an easy life. Her mother died when she was 10, and she was sent to an orphanage along with her 5 younger siblings. She came home when she was 12, quit school at 13, ran away from home at 16, came back to Lebanon, PA and her very strict father.
She was a single mom to my older brother Don and me until I was 9 when she married our step-father, William Bradley, a career military man. Life for us changed quite a lot being able to live in better circumstances. My younger brother Bill was born when I was 13. At age 15, we moved to Germany, and my life changed fantastically.
Mom remained formidable and strict and kept me on the straight and narrow. I wasn't allowed to do many things that friends did, at least not so she would know it. I lived in a dorm for 2 1/2 years in HS in Germany and although there were rules to live by, bells to tell us when to get up, go to bed etc, it was a fantastic life.
She also was superstitious beyond the norm. It wasn't just black cats and ladders, it was 'never put a hat on a bed', it's bad luck; don't let a baby look in a mirror, it will make it stutter; never step over a child sitting on the floor, it stunts its growth.
Cleanliness was important to mom. If we got dirty playing, my brother Don and I would go to a public bathroom in a local store to wash before going home.
She liked board games and was very good, especially at checkers and card games. I would almost call her a pro playing penny-ante.
Things were rigidly done on schedule--what we called dinner was served exactly at noon and supper at 5:00, no excuses for being late.
Her housekeeping routine was also rigid, never wavering.
Monday was laundry using a Maytag wringer washer. Laundry hung neatly on a clothesline outside, inside if raining. Clothes were dampened Monday evening using a bottle with a sprinkler attached.
Tuesday, ironing without fail. She ironed everything except socks.
Wednesday she did minor things, straightening drawers, closets, and weekly grocery shopping.
Thursdays were always thorough cleaning of bedrooms and baths. When she cleaned, furniture was moved, windows were washed, floorboards dusted, and any room needing mopping got scrubbed.
Friday was the same thorough cleaning of the rest of the house or apartment.
Saturday was usually family visiting day with some of her sisters, the ones she was on friendly terms with. Her family had on-again/off-again issues with each other. I often did not know who was talking to whom at any time.
Sunday was Mass for Don and me. Although she was a strong Catholic, she was not a practicing Catholic.
That reminds me of unusual things she did that can relate to her religion, like burning palms from Palm Sunday during a storm. It was to protect us from lightning. Another superstition.
She was devoted to her children and fearful of us being hurt or embarrassed. Some of that kind of fear stays with me.
She was not well educated, but she was smart. She read the daily paper from cover to cover, regularly listened to the news and could figure out how to fix things around the house.
Her emotions were mostly well hidden including demonstrations of affection, perhaps her way of keeping herself from being hurt. She was basically shy and insecure making her seem unfriendly and sometimes aloof.
Let me add---although she was strict, I don't remember shaking with fright, however, spanking was not beyond her. I pretty much learned to not earn spankings.
Mary Bradley McCauley
