Janet

   I surprised Eleanor with the topic today. I asked if we could talk about Janet as a child, and at first she said there wasn't much to say, but after a minute or two, the stories poured forth.
    Eleanor described Janet as an easy baby; easy to care for and easy to love. She remembered their maid Brenda always liked to dress Janet in nice dresses to take to the play area in Canal Zone housing. Brenda would wash and iron Janet's dresses and always took care that Janet was the best dressed child when they would go outside. Eleanor would have opted for simpler clothing, but Brenda wouldn't hear of it. One day Eleanor arrived home and Janet had a broken match stick curled tightly in her hair. Brenda informed Eleanor that Janet had the hiccups, and this was the best way to cure the problem. When Eleanor removed the match stick, Janet began to hiccup, so the folk remedy  must have worked. Brenda was a 40 plus year old woman who had come to Panama before World War II, she was from Portugal, and was Jewish. She spoke Spanish and some English, but didn't read or write in English, so Eleanor regretted not being able to keep in touch with her when they returned to the U.S. Eleanor remembers when Brenda took Janet to the Synagogue before the New Year to collect the money on her insurance policy. If you hadn't died during the year, you would get some money returned to you if you came to claim the money before the new year.  Brenda pretty much ran the household in Panama, "she even told Fred what to do, and he did it."
   The family left Panama in early March of 1949, and traveled by boat to Florida. Eleanor remembers being terribly sea sick as she was pregnant with David. They had to buy winter clothing in Florida, as they didn't have any heavy clothing while living in Panama. They took the train to Minnesota and Fred  continued on the his assignment in California. Eleanor stayed with Margaret in Goodhue,and they visited her parents quite a bit. Janet loved her grandpa Albers as he rocked her in his chair and sang her favorite song, "In the shade of the old apple tree." She didn't get along as well with grandma Albers, as she told Lillian that she was the big bad wolf and bit her on the leg.