"Starting From Scratch" is an anthology of true love stories that took place before 1969. The fourteen different stories celebrate 770 years of marriage. Each true story reminds the reader of love found in a different era, and the power of its survival amid difficult times.
THE PICTURE
My father-in-law used to love to tell the story of how he met Mom. He would always point to her high school picture, and like the racehorses he loved to bet on, he was off and running . . .
“When I visited Aunt Daisy and Uncle Ed one day, this picture happened to catch my eye. It sat on the mantle. I thought the girl smiling back at me was the prettiest girl I’d ever seen, so I couldn’t wait to ask Aunt Daisy about her.
Aunt Daisy told me that she just happened to be her niece, Juanita.”
It did not take long for Aunt Daisy to invite her niece Juanita (my mother-in-law) over to meet Edgar (my father-in-law.) To ensure the propriety of the times, Aunt Daisy also invited another couple over when she introduced Mom and Dad.
When I asked Mom about her first reaction when seeing Dad, she said she remembered feeling relief that he stood tall at 6'1". I understood her reaction immediately because she had talked often about feeling self-conscious about her own height growing up.
Mom reached her full height of almost 5'8" at an early age, so she remembered always standing out as the tallest girl in her class and too often taller than many of the boys as well.
Having seen pictures of Dad in his early twenties, I could not help noticing his handsome appearance, but I could not get Mom to elaborate any further. Suffice it to say, Dad must have made quite a first impression because I later found out that they married just three weeks after that first meeting.
When I say that I found out later, I mean much later. I feel sure that my husband, Jon, and I had been married for at least twenty years before I heard just how brief Mom and Dad’s courtship had been before they married.
Dad let it slip or I might never have known. Knowing Dad, I’m surprised he did not tell this part of the story sooner. Dad loved to talk, and he added this because he could not resist pointing out the fact that people said it wouldn’t last. Dad loved proving them wrong. I found this tidbit terribly romantic, but Mom found it bordering on certifiable.
She did not want me to tell our boys Ross and Matt because it embarrassed her. Mom liked to mention their youth and how they did not have a clue about marriage. I could not help wondering who does have a clue when it comes right down to it? With a divorce rate of fifty percent, marriage seems more like a coin toss at best.
Divorce debate aside, Mom and Dad’s first son, Jon, (my husband) arrived three years after their whirlwind courtship. Three years later, my brother-in-law, Gary, made his appearance. The rest, as they say, is history.
When I asked about wedding photos, Mom just laughed. She said they could barely scrape enough money together for rings. They bought plain gold bands. Mom’s ring cost seven dollars and Dad’s cost eleven, the going rate for gold in 1947.
Mom had turned twenty the previous September and Dad just celebrated his twenty-fourth birthday. A justice of the peace married them, and Mom’s best friend let them spend their wedding night at her house.
The next day Dad took Mom home to live with his parents. His older brother and sister had already married and left home.
Mom described herself growing up as painfully shy, so I could easily imagine how she would have been drawn to Dad’s demonstrative demeanor. When I picture them at that young age, I realize how often opposites do attract.
Mom described herself as reserved and quiet in school, while Dad relished the role of starring on his high school baseball team at Manual.
Mom grew up on a farm. Dad lived in the city. It took Mom time to warm up to strangers. Dad never met one. He traveled with a farm team for the Baltimore Orioles right after high school. When he threw out his pitching arm, he joined the Air Force.
By the time they met, Dad had seen a lot of the world, while Mom had just left home to find her first job as a secretary.
Knowing all this, I have thought often about how hard it must have been for Mom to move in with her in-laws. Only two years after they married, Dad’s father died suddenly of a heart attack at age fifty. Forced to find a job, Dad’s mother went to work in sales at a local department store.
As the years progressed, Grandmommy (as Dad’s mom was called) ended up living with Mom and Dad. I remember meeting her along with my future in-laws after Jon and I first started dating. My husband, Jon, used to complain about Grandmommy back then because she dominated the selection of television programs. I suspected she dominated in other areas as well.
By the time I met Grandmommy, she had retired, but Mom worked full time. Not until I had my own home years later did I realize how hard it must have been for Mom to share a home with her mother-in-law. They all lived together until dementia forced Grandmommy into a nursing home.
I never heard Mom say one negative thing about living with her mother-in-law. I did hear Dad tell how Mom would visit at the nursing home and brush Grandmommy’s teeth.
When Dad would tell the story of their meeting, he would always emphasize Mom’s beauty, and she would always act embarrassed. Our sons, who are now in their twenties, grew up hearing this same story. Uncle Ed died several years ago, but Aunt Daisy, who just turned ninety-nine, still takes great pride in its verification.
In January, 2003, Dad died suddenly of a heart attack at the age of seventy- nine. One moment his laughter filled the room, and suddenly we were left with silence.
When I reached the emergency room, I found him unconscious. I had already called Jon and Gary, who were both out of town. That left Mom and me to stand on either side of Dad, holding his hands and saying good-bye.
Mom held the hand where Dad still wore the eleven-dollar ring he refused to remove even for surgery. After Dad took his last breath, Mom looked over bravely and said, “I won’t have anyone left to tell me I’m pretty.”
Since Dad’s death, we find ourselves reminded of him and the deep love he and Mom shared by the little things. When Valentine’s Day arrived barely a month after Dad died, I could not help thinking about the valentine card mom had given him of two bears holding hands. He loved it so much that he put it in a frame, and it still sits on the table next to his side of the bed.
The first time we all had dinner together at our house without him, Matt commented afterwards about how he missed seeing Dad reach over and pat Mom’s hand. Whenever I would take Mom out somewhere, we would both comment on how hard it was not to leave Dad a note. I can only imagine how hard it was for Mom not to receive his notes anymore.
When we would come in from shopping to find Dad had gone out, there would always be a note left for Mom on the dining room table. More often than not, it was accompanied by xxx’s and ooo’s. There wasn’t anyone more romantic than Dad. Whenever he left the house, he would always kiss Mom three times. I found out later that his Dad had kissed Grandmommy in the same way.
Just three months after Dad’s death, Mom celebrated their 56th anniversary alone. I know she must have been remembering the story of their meeting as we all were. I keep a copy of Mom’s picture, the same one that sat on Aunt Daisy’s mantle in 1947, in my living room. I look at it as a constant reminder of the leap of faith we all take with love, and the power of its survival. I only wish I could hear Dad tell it one more time.
Connie Meyer
Excerpt
Excerpt from "The First And Only,"
one of fourteen stories in the anthology "Starting From Scratch" by Connie Meyer, Published by Vintage Romance Publishing, LLC
It was June 26, 1948 when Carolyn Crump went on that first date with Junie Skillman. I am not surprised that Carolyn can recall the date 56 years later, but I am surprised when I find out that the well-worn calendar showing that date belonged to Junie, not Carolyn. I think most women can tell you all about their first date with their husbands, but how many men are that romantic? Junie Skillman was definitely one of a kind.
As she tells the story, she constantly refers to Junie's calendar for 1948. The calendar is a Standard Oil Calendar, typically given out at the time. The picture for June shows horses in a field on what appears to be an average summer day. At the top of the calendar is a tarnished looking metal tab that Junie must have used at one time to hang the calendar.
Carolyn allows Junie to speak for her as she turns the months of the calendar of 1948, and circles start reappearing like marks on a bingo card.
Next to each circled date sits the exact number of XX's (kisses), and soon small hearts are added to represent the number of hugs. Soon the calendar starts to fill up with XX's and OO's like a wild game of tic tac toe.
Professional Reviews
STARTING FROM SCRATCHhttp://www.coffeetimeromance.com/StartingFromScratch.html
STARTING FROM SCRATCH
CONNIE MEYER
ISBN: 0-9752868-8-9
Rating: 4 out of 5 coffee cups
THE PICTURE
Edgar saw her picture. With a leap of faith, Juanita married him after a three week
courtship that included the normal chaperones. When he was gone, what she missed
most were the notes on the dining room table with their XXXs and OOOs.
LOVE IS NOT BLIND
Wilbur and Anna Laura met on a blind date. They married during World War II. Although
Wilbur was rejected by the military for nearsightedness, a Navy doctor later tossed out
Wilbur’s glasses and he spent the rest of the war with a hazy view of everything.
PERFECT HARMONY
Marvin and Mary Kay met during World War II at the Methodist Church outside Fort
Knox, Kentucky. Marvin’s tenor and Mary Kay’s alto have harmonized for sixty-one years.
DOUBLE OR NOTHING
Charles’ friend Ray did not need just a ride for a date. He needed Charles for a double
date with Shirley, his surprise blind date. The couples continued with a double wedding.
After almost fifty years, the cigars that were exchanged have not lasted like this
friendship.
TIL DEATH DO US PART
In 1953, Anna met George in her hometown. After she thought for a while, she married
him in 1955. Del and Shirley met in 1947. They married in 1949 during his five-day
leave from the Navy. Their parallel lives surprisingly continue present day.
ANYTHING CAN BE DONE
Theresa and John were married in Curdsville, Kentucky. She said yes because he was
the only man Teresa had ever dated who agreed to have twelve children. They made it
to seven and changed their minds. Many of the traditions started with John are still
continuing today, even though he is not with them.
DIVINE INTERVENTION
St. Joseph’s Nursing School accepted Louise as their first African-American nursing
student. A couple of years later, she met Joe. Almost fifty years of marriage and seven
children have not diminished their feelings.
A PRESCRIPTION FOR LOVE
Sam saw Lolita and it was love at first sight. They were married during medical school.
Although she had to drop out to have their first two children, she went back to finish three
years later. Seventeen years later, they had two more children. Their marriage of 56
years is influencing medical students today.
FRONT PORCH WEDDING
Ruth met Elmo after a fateful move back to the family home in Virginia. They eloped and
found the preacher visiting a house with a front porch. A new career in Kingsport,
Tennessee, three daughters, and sixty-four years later, their life together is still
flourishing.
THE FIRST AND ONLY
Carolyn and Junie married in 1950, and in spite of their different religions. They had
three children--all girls. Junie loved Carolyn through their forty-three years of marriage. In
return, Carolyn has never forgotten her mother saying, "There’s only the first love."
THE COURSE OF TRUE LOVE
Racquel, known to her family as Nena, and Hector, also known as Chino, ran into trouble
from the beginning of their relationship. Their religious beliefs, Catholicism and
Judaism, did not make their families happy. They married anyway. Then there was the
fact that they were living in Cuba in the 1940’s under Castro. They moved to Louisville,
Kentucky. After 59 years of marriage, they have the freedom they lost.
ALPHABETIC SWEETHEARTS
Childhood sweethearts do marry and not miss a thing. This young couple has been
married for thirty-one years and raised two children. They are still close to the couple
they grew up with who also raised two children. Both couples consider themselves very
lucky to have shared their lives with each other.
WAR BRIDE
In 1946, Maria married Garland. She spoke Hungarian and he spoke English. They
were both in Germany. A year later, Maria arrived in Kentucky as the first war bride
there. Maria and her children are still in Louisville today.
MEETING AND LETTING GO
There was a couple in Knob Lick, Kentucky, who was married for almost 49 years. He
could talk to a sign board. She did not date until she met him. Their daughter tells their
love story.
Connie Meyer presents us with fourteen love stories that will make you smile, laugh, or
cry. She has beautifully passed along the love of people who were strong and caring.
Their lives are very real and Ms. Meyer has made these ordinary people extraordinary. If
you love a good love story, do not miss these jewels. Share in the sharing.
Brenda McCoy
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance
Reviewer for Karen Find Out About New Books
Edgar saw her picture. With a leap of faith, Juanita married him after a three week
courtship that included the normal chaperones. When he was gone, what she missed
most were the notes on the dining room table with their XXXs and OOOs.
LOVE IS NOT BLIND
Wilbur and Anna Laura met on a blind date. They married during World War II. Although
Wilbur was rejected by the military for nearsightedness, a Navy doctor later tossed out
Wilbur’s glasses and he spent the rest of the war with a hazy view of everything.
PERFECT HARMONY
Marvin and Mary Kay met during World War II at the Methodist Church outside Fort
Knox, Kentucky. Marvin’s tenor and Mary Kay’s alto have harmonized for sixty-one years.
DOUBLE OR NOTHING
Charles’ friend Ray did not need just a ride for a date. He needed Charles for a double
date with Shirley, his surprise blind date. The couples continued with a double wedding.
After almost fifty years, the cigars that were exchanged have not lasted like this
friendship.
TIL DEATH DO US PART
In 1953, Anna met George in her hometown. After she thought for a while, she married
him in 1955. Del and Shirley met in 1947. They married in 1949 during his five-day
leave from the Navy. Their parallel lives surprisingly continue present day.
ANYTHING CAN BE DONE
Theresa and John were married in Curdsville, Kentucky. She said yes because he was
the only man Teresa had ever dated who agreed to have twelve children. They made it
to seven and changed their minds. Many of the traditions started with John are still
continuing today, even though he is not with them.
DIVINE INTERVENTION
St. Joseph’s Nursing School accepted Louise as their first African-American nursing
student. A couple of years later, she met Joe. Almost fifty years of marriage and seven
children have not diminished their feelings.
A PRESCRIPTION FOR LOVE
Sam saw Lolita and it was love at first sight. They were married during medical school.
Although she had to drop out to have their first two children, she went back to finish three
years later. Seventeen years later, they had two more children. Their marriage of 56
years is influencing medical students today.
FRONT PORCH WEDDING
Ruth met Elmo after a fateful move back to the family home in Virginia. They eloped and
found the preacher visiting a house with a front porch. A new career in Kingsport,
Tennessee, three daughters, and sixty-four years later, their life together is still
flourishing.
THE FIRST AND ONLY
Carolyn and Junie married in 1950, and in spite of their different religions. They had
three children--all girls. Junie loved Carolyn through their forty-three years of marriage. In
return, Carolyn has never forgotten her mother saying, "There’s only the first love."
THE COURSE OF TRUE LOVE
Racquel, known to her family as Nena, and Hector, also known as Chino, ran into trouble
from the beginning of their relationship. Their religious beliefs, Catholicism and
Judaism, did not make their families happy. They married anyway. Then there was the
fact that they were living in Cuba in the 1940’s under Castro. They moved to Louisville,
Kentucky. After 59 years of marriage, they have the freedom they lost.
ALPHABETIC SWEETHEARTS
Childhood sweethearts do marry and not miss a thing. This young couple has been
married for thirty-one years and raised two children. They are still close to the couple
they grew up with who also raised two children. Both couples consider themselves very
lucky to have shared their lives with each other.
WAR BRIDE
In 1946, Maria married Garland. She spoke Hungarian and he spoke English. They
were both in Germany. A year later, Maria arrived in Kentucky as the first war bride
there. Maria and her children are still in Louisville today.
MEETING AND LETTING GO
There was a couple in Knob Lick, Kentucky, who was married for almost 49 years. He
could talk to a sign board. She did not date until she met him. Their daughter tells their
love story.
Connie Meyer presents us with fourteen love stories that will make you smile, laugh, or
cry. She has beautifully passed along the love of people who were strong and caring.
Their lives are very real and Ms. Meyer has made these ordinary people extraordinary. If
you love a good love story, do not miss these jewels. Share in the sharing.
Brenda McCoy
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance
Reviewer for Karen Find Out About New Books
http://www.fallenangelreviews.com/2006/June/Linda-StartingFromScratch.htm
Starting From Scratch
Fallen Angel Reviews
5 Angels out of 5
The Picture
All it took was a picture to capture Edgar’s eye, and after three weeks of romantic courtship, marriage results for him and Juanita in a most poetic way. He always left her little notes on the dining room table labeled with XXXs and OOOs that bridged over fifty-five years of a marriage that faced all obstacles. Now alone, Juanita only carries loving memories and the longing for more notes with the Xs and Os. A moving story that brought back reflections of my own memories shared and others never made.
Love is Not Blind
After going on a blind date, Wilbur and Anna Laura never imagined it would lead to marriage. During World War II, Wilbur is rejected for poor eyesight, and the Navy doctor decides to toss away Wilbur’s glasses which leave Wilbur in sort of in a haze. Then two years later, he becomes drafted. Love is Not Blind does indeed give a new meaning to blind date in this little pick-me-up read.
Perfect Harmony
What happens when Marvin gets drafted into WWII and ends up stationed in Kentucky and hears a lovely alto’s voice with the name of Mary Kay? He becomes recruited into singing in a wedding that leads to a tenor finding sixty-one years of beautiful music with an alto. Perfect Harmony crafts some charming music that never strikes a wrong chord.
Double or Nothing
Charles agreed to chauffeur his friend Ray on a date, unaware it was a planned double date. Now Shirley and Charlie are having a wedding, but it is doubled, shared with Ray because of lack of funds and even a shared honeymoon trip. Fifty years later, the couples continue to be as happy as day one, but the cigars swapped that day had a different story to tell. This is a sweet read.
Till Death Do Us Part
Anna and George were happily married for thirty-eight years until an aneurysm claimed his life. After forty-four years of marriage, melanoma developed in Shirley’s eye spreading to her liver, leaving Del a widower. Anna and Del meet, but only time will tell if they are willing to commit to another love again. A story that shows that sometimes people do get a second chance.
Anything Can Be Done
Theresa is able to marry the man of her dreams, expecting to share years together. She had wanted twelve children, but after seven children and fifteen years of wedded bliss, John dies on Valentines Day from a cerebral hemorrhage, devastating Theresa. The only thing that gives her strength is her strong committed faith in God that she always held and her husband. A touching read as Theresa keeps some traditions that were most important to her late husband.
Divine Intervention
After Louise Fishback is accepted as the first African American to enter the nursing program in 1952, she meets Joe, a man she is certain is her future husband. But when they later marry, they do not divulge the secret until she graduates in August. A story that shows how some secrets can be kept and end happily.
A Prescription for Love
Sam wishes to enter medical school, so while standing in line for his physical, his eyes gaze to Lolita. He immediately fell in love with her with a prescription that needed no refills. A story that glows.
Front Porch Wedding
After Ruth and Elmo decide to elope they make don’t stop until they locate a Baptist preacher. When they discover his whereabouts and see a front porch, their wedding becomes picturesque. This read makes one wedding picture porch-perfect.
The First and Only
Junie and Carolyn have discovered a way to map out their courtship. On a calendar a simple X for a kiss, an O for a hug. Carolyn never forgot her mother’s sweet words, that ‘there is only the first love.’ An inviting read that leaves a good feeling.
The Course of True Love
Nena decides to marry Chino in spite of the antagonism of her family. Even after Castro came into power, and they journeyed to America to begin a new life, the only thing they never lost was their love for one another. A story where freedom rings loudly.
Alphabetical Sweethearts
It all started with alphabetical seating in a school to double dating with best friends, through disaster and joys. Love shows high school years never are forgotten among couples. This is a charming tale of friends and a lasting love.
War Bride
Even though Maria spoke Hungarian, and Garland, English, when they met in Germany, neither allowed government red tape to stop the love they felt for one another. And when they arrive in Kentucky, she is the first war bride to ever return to America. A warm story.
Meeting and Letting Go
What happens when a man talks so much he can talk to a sign board, and a woman does not date until she meets him? Ask the daughter after the parents become terminally ill at the same time, and the daughter lovingly recounts their days of courtship and leaving those loved ones behind. A poignant story that transcends through time.
Starting From Scratch is a collection of fourteen stories surrounding strong marriages that endured the test of time. Each story is diverse and reaches out in some way and pricks the reader’s heart. In a time when war abounded and things were not so instant and full of life’s simple luxuries like today, this anthology brings back some wonderful times of yesteryear when families actually shared time together and spent incredible moments with each other. Connie Meyer delivers fourteen romance stories filled with love that promise to bring a beaming smile, some enjoyable laughter or shed some tears. She gives us strong people that endured with love and devotion for each other and life to make it all work. Real people and real stories that are extraordinary and unique. There were many that this reader could visualize and relate. Ms. Meyer fashions a read that will long be remembered.
Reviewed by: Linda L
Starting From Scratch
The Picture
All it took was a picture to capture Edgar’s eye, and after three weeks of romantic courtship, marriage results for him and Juanita in a most poetic way. He always left her little notes on the dining room table labeled with XXXs and OOOs that bridged over fifty-five years of a marriage that faced all obstacles. Now alone, Juanita only carries loving memories and the longing for more notes with the Xs and Os. A moving story that brought back reflections of my own memories shared and others never made.
Love is Not Blind
After going on a blind date, Wilbur and Anna Laura never imagined it would lead to marriage. During World War II, Wilbur is rejected for poor eyesight, and the Navy doctor decides to toss away Wilbur’s glasses which leave Wilbur in sort of in a haze. Then two years later, he becomes drafted. Love is Not Blind does indeed give a new meaning to blind date in this little pick-me-up read.
Perfect Harmony
What happens when Marvin gets drafted into WWII and ends up stationed in Kentucky and hears a lovely alto’s voice with the name of Mary Kay? He becomes recruited into singing in a wedding that leads to a tenor finding sixty-one years of beautiful music with an alto. Perfect Harmony crafts some charming music that never strikes a wrong chord.
Double or Nothing
Charles agreed to chauffeur his friend Ray on a date, unaware it was a planned double date. Now Shirley and Charlie are having a wedding, but it is doubled, shared with Ray because of lack of funds and even a shared honeymoon trip. Fifty years later, the couples continue to be as happy as day one, but the cigars swapped that day had a different story to tell. This is a sweet read.
Till Death Do Us Part
Anna and George were happily married for thirty-eight years until an aneurysm claimed his life. After forty-four years of marriage, melanoma developed in Shirley’s eye spreading to her liver, leaving Del a widower. Anna and Del meet, but only time will tell if they are willing to commit to another love again. A story that shows that sometimes people do get a second chance.
Anything Can Be Done
Theresa is able to marry the man of her dreams, expecting to share years together. She had wanted twelve children, but after seven children and fifteen years of wedded bliss, John dies on Valentines Day from a cerebral hemorrhage, devastating Theresa. The only thing that gives her strength is her strong committed faith in God that she always held and her husband. A touching read as Theresa keeps some traditions that were most important to her late husband.
Divine Intervention
After Louise Fishback is accepted as the first African American to enter the nursing program in 1952, she meets Joe, a man she is certain is her future husband. But when they later marry, they do not divulge the secret until she graduates in August. A story that shows how some secrets can be kept and end happily.
A Prescription for Love
Sam wishes to enter medical school, so while standing in line for his physical, his eyes gaze to Lolita. He immediately fell in love with her with a prescription that needed no refills. A story that glows.
Front Porch Wedding
After Ruth and Elmo decide to elope they make don’t stop until they locate a Baptist preacher. When they discover his whereabouts and see a front porch, their wedding becomes picturesque. This read makes one wedding picture porch-perfect.
The First and Only
Junie and Carolyn have discovered a way to map out their courtship. On a calendar a simple X for a kiss, an O for a hug. Carolyn never forgot her mother’s sweet words, that ‘there is only the first love.’ An inviting read that leaves a good feeling.
The Course of True Love
Nena decides to marry Chino in spite of the antagonism of her family. Even after Castro came into power, and they journeyed to America to begin a new life, the only thing they never lost was their love for one another. A story where freedom rings loudly.
Alphabetical Sweethearts
It all started with alphabetical seating in a school to double dating with best friends, through disaster and joys. Love shows high school years never are forgotten among couples. This is a charming tale of friends and a lasting love.
War Bride
Even though Maria spoke Hungarian, and Garland, English, when they met in Germany, neither allowed government red tape to stop the love they felt for one another. And when they arrive in Kentucky, she is the first war bride to ever return to America. A warm story.
Meeting and Letting Go
What happens when a man talks so much he can talk to a sign board, and a woman does not date until she meets him? Ask the daughter after the parents become terminally ill at the same time, and the daughter lovingly recounts their days of courtship and leaving those loved ones behind. A poignant story that transcends through time.
Starting From Scratch is a collection of fourteen stories surrounding strong marriages that endured the test of time. Each story is diverse and reaches out in some way and pricks the reader’s heart. In a time when war abounded and things were not so instant and full of life’s simple luxuries like today, this anthology brings back some wonderful times of yesteryear when families actually shared time together and spent incredible moments with each other. Connie Meyer delivers fourteen romance stories filled with love that promise to bring a beaming smile, some enjoyable laughter or shed some tears. She gives us strong people that endured with love and devotion for each other and life to make it all work. Real people and real stories that are extraordinary and unique. There were many that this reader could visualize and relate. Ms. Meyer fashions a read that will long be remembered.
Dive into an enchanting adventure! This light-hearted romance will transport you to 17th-century Scotland, where a free-spirited 21st-century heroine brings love & laughter to a stressed-out laird's life - with a little help from the Fae!
Psychic wiccan Deja Hamilton pulls shapeshifter Lincoln McCabe from the lake, and the two form an alliance against the covetous older brother who wants Lincoln dead.
