Week 2 - 52 Questions

When and where were you born? Describe your home, your neighborhood, and the town you grew up in.

I was born on May 14, 1957, in Omaha, Douglas County, Nebraska. I was born at the "Old" Nebraska Methodist Hospital, which was on 36th and Cuming Street. It's now a Salvation Army Shelter.

I lived with my grandparents most of the first four years of my life. They lived at 409 Sweetwood Ave, close to Downtown Omaha. Sweetwood Avenue was a short street, just one block long. The only evidence the street ever existed is The Sweetwood Bar,which is located on Harney Street, just north of where the street was. I know when I was born, mom and dad lived in the Porter Apartments, a couple doors down from where I remember my grandparents living. I don't remember all the places my grandparents lived, seems like they still had some wanderlust going on, and all the places from my growing up years in that neighborhood are gone. Torn down to build the now defunct Lutheran Medical Center and Richard Young Psychiatric Hospital. Coincidentally, the parking lot for Richard Young, where I worked for 3 years or so, is built where Sweetwood Avenue used to be. I could almost imagine where grandma and grandpa Erikson's duplex used to stand as I walked into work each morning.

The first place I remember living with mom and dad was on 36th and Dewey, there was a 3-plex on the corner and we lived in the middle one when Missy was born. Then,we moved to the end unit, and that's where I lived when I started school at Columbian (the"old" Columbian School - where my mom also attended. It has since been renovated into apartments.) The school was on about 38th and Jones Street.

The population of Omaha in 1960 was 301,958, and in 2014 it was 446,599. The Omaha I remember as a child was rather small. We went downtown to "go shopping", usually with grandma Erikson. We would walk or take a bus down, but usually we took a cab home. I think grandma's feet were giving out by that point. When I lived with grandma and grandpa, my world felt pretty small. We walked to the grocery store, but grandpa drove to work. We took weekly road trips when grandma's sister, Myrtle, was in the Douglas County Annex on 156th and Maple. Maple Street at that time was a 2-lane brick road, and to me it felt like going to visit Aunt Myrtle was an all day excursion. Now, the Wal-Mart I go is further west than that, on 168th and Maple! My ward at church used to meet on 171st and Maple. Funny how time changes things.

When living with Grandma and Grandpa, the neighborhood was all apartments and their duplex. The population was generally about their age, early 50s and older. Hardly any kids. I loved to draw and to read, so I kept myself entertained. Sometimes their friends would come visit, mostly grandma's friends during the day when grandpa was at work. Most of them were widows or had never married. There's nothing like old lady gossip to bore a child!! I loved to comb and "style" their hair while they chatted. I remember Clarkie, one of grandma's older friends. She had the softest, curliest, white hair! I loved it. They all treated me as if I was a little adult. I never felt like they didn't have time for me. It was a pretty idyllic childhood - until I moved home when my sister was born. Man! That was a shock to my system! That's when I discovered the world didn't revolve around me!

The story of me - using 52 Questions

1. What is your full name? Explain why your parents gave you that name.

I've decided to follow this article and try to do something that resembles my family history. Since, it gives me a whole year to do it, maybe it's feasible. Not too much to absorb at one time - or to write about!

My name at birth was Melinda Kay Erikson. My first name is my grandmother's (on my dad's side) first name. Interestingly enough, while working on genealogy for my family, I've come across the name spelled as Melinda and Malinda. I spell it with the "e", but no one calls me Melinda - I've always gone by Mindi. I feel more like a Mindi. Melinda sounds like someone who would be a real lady, wearing dress slacks and blouses with sweaters every day. That is no not me. I'm a sweat pants, tennis shoes type of girl. It's not that I'm a tomboy or don't like being a woman. I love it, but I love being a comfortable woman even more.

My middle name is Kay. That name was taken from my aunt, my mother's sister, Janet Kay. Janet was born on May 13, and I was born on May 14 - years later. Janet died when she was 2 years old, so I feel honored to share her name. Sadly, neither mom or dad have any other brothers or sisters, so I think that makes my middle name all the more special.

My married name is Kurtz, which I've grown accustomed to, since I've been using it for 29 years. I'm very proud of my Swedish heritage. So much so that I was quite disappointed to take a DNA test, where I found out that I'm more German and Eastern European than Swedish. Hmph. I'll still celebrate the Swedish side more. Even though my husband's name is German, he's actually more Swedish! His mom is 100% Swedish, so we enjoy Swedish smorgasbords at Christmas time and I enjoy learning about that culture. His step-dad (who is more like a dad, really) is 100% Swedish too, so I get a lot more exposure to that part of my heritage anyway. Besides, I don't like German food!

Funny thing though, my first husband, and the father of my son, also has a German last name - Klotz. I always hated that name, though I didn't have it long. It was never my intention for Matt to have that last name either, but you can't always get what you want, and he ended up with it. Now, he's married and has a child, so it would be too much trouble to go back and have him be an Erikson again - although in my heart is always will be. I think it's unusual that I went from being a Klotz to a Kurtz. Didn't have to change one monogrammed item!!! Enough about that.

There's my answer for week 1. Who knows, I may get bored and rip through a couple questions a week - or not. Just just never know what I'm going to do - and half the time, neither do I!