Let the Cartoons Begin

On December 2, 1971 Jim’s Carolyn went to the hospital, and I drove down from Fort Worth. It was snowing in Fort Worth. I don't usually drive on snow, but this was different.
Fortunately, the snow stopped about 50 miles out of Fort Worth and the rest of the drive was uneventful. The delivery did not happen that day, and that night the doctor decided to let Carolyn rest and start the process in the morning.
I think Steve and I stayed at Aunt Carolyn's that night. Jim never left the hospital the whole time.
It was the same hospital where Jim had been after his serious car wreck. I had spent hours and days in the Intensive Care waiting room there at that time.
I don't think there was a hospital in LaMarque so the choice was Pasadena or Galveston when Lisa was born.
Next morning Steve and I began our vigil again in that dark, crowded, noisy, smoky waiting room in Pasadena Hospital. There were no windows in the room. Rennie came over also, and stayed upstairs with Jim and Carolyn. All morning he came down every half hour or so and gave us progress reports.
Children were not allowed on the obstetrics floor at all in those days. The TV was blaring all day in that room. We escaped long enough to have lunch down the hall.
After lunch Rennie didn't come back. He didn't come back at all, and I began pacing. I couldn't take Steve upstairs to find out what was going on, and I dared not leave my little grandson in that crowded room alone.
About 2:30, I recognized the program that was on TV and knew that at 3:00 the cartoons would come on. Maybe I would dare leave Steve engrossed in the cartoon and dash up stairs to learn what was going on.
Shortly after 3:00, before I could make my wild dash, Lisa was born and Rennie came down with the news.

Late in the afternoon after Lisa was born, Judy and Carolyn’s parents came. All was going well, so we all went to Clear Lake City for supper that Carolyn and Rennie prepared. I think Steve spent that night with the Franks.
The next day or so, it was time for us all to go home . The Franks had gone back home. It was late afternoon. Dark. Raining ... raining ... raining... and it had been raining all the time we were at the hospital. There wasn't much room in the driveway to Jim and Carolyn’s house, so I parked my car in the dentist's parking lot next door, thinking I'd move it first thing the next morning.
Well, I went out to move my car the next morning and it was gone! My car was gone!! I went into the office and inquired.
Yes, they knew where my car was. Hadn't I seen the sign that said any car parked there would be towed away!
I couldn't believe my ears!
Such nice, friendly neighbors! I think it cost $50 to get my car back, to say nothing of the hassle of going to the pound!
I was supposed to be helping at Jim and Carolyn’s house, and there I was making trouble. What a day!