Betso is 50!

Look at Betso's curls! (I look still mad that she's not a boy..)

Monday August 27th is my baby sis's 50th birthday. Elizabeth Nelle Bullock joined 3 sisters all those years ago. I think my parents were hoping for a boy, but it worked out well in the end.

Dad was a "travelin man...love when I can" (thanks Bob Seger). He sold ladies lingerie for Lorraine a company that made underwear, pajamas, robes, nighties, slips - stuff like that to stores around Iowa. Back then, nearly every town had a store that sold such things. He also had the big accounts like Younkers and Von Maur. His job required him to leave most Mondays and he'd return Friday. With that schedule it's surprising any of us were born! Rumor has it I appeared after Mom traveled with Dad on a sales trip to South Dakota...

Back to Betso...so there may have been a bit of disappointment (as there probably was when I was born) that the baby was a girl. Bets was such a cute little thing (many called her Bitsy Betsy) that everyone got over it quickly. Except me. I had wished for a baby brother dammit! During Captain Kangaroo one morning - I distinctly recall it! I've mentioned in this column before what a tomboy I was (am).

Mom put this Styro bubble on her in Florida like it would save her from drowning...

Instead I got a girlie girl. She was adorable - always tiny, with curly hair that bleached out in the sun.  good about having her Barbies be the nurses for my GI Joes. And she played a good Jane West to my Johnny. Betsy and I roomed together while Susi and Cindy had a room (I could hear them punching each other out sometimes...). Bets and I played together a lot, and as the older sis I was able to pull the wool over her eyes at times. Like when we'd tickle each other's backs - I'd tell her she didn't do it right, and she'd have to do it over...

Along with being cute, Betsy was also lucky (or perhaps a little bit smart), because she would always win games. We had a bunch of them in the cupboard in the built in dresser in our room. Stratego, Mystery Date, Kerplunk. Our grandfather Morehead designed and built our home at 202 Crombie in Atlantic and it had lots of built in features. Cindy told Bets that a monster was in our closet (bi-fold shutter doors) so the doors always had to be closed when we went to sleep. Come Christmas morning, we'd wake up at dawn to go visit the Santa gifts! (Most likely, once she figured out the Santa gig...Betso had found where Mom had hidden the gifts earlier).

Betsy was kind of a spoil sport when the folks had parties - one night they had rolled up the rug and a bunch of them were dancing on the hardwood floor. Bets told them it was time to clear out. I guess she was tired! I must have been in college by then.

Betsy didn't physically mature until she was nearly through high school - so of course she wasn't in the popular group. In fact some of the boys called her "Plateau". (Not sure how I missed out on being called those names). Somehow she ended up with breasts...yet I didn't...

Nurse Betsy after her capping ceremony

When Betsy and her friend Julie came to visit me at ISU I couldn't even get her to party! But by the time she headed off to Creighton University in Omaha to study nursing, she was all growed up - and the boys noticed her then! I recall she turned 20 the day before we got married...all those years ago.

After graduating, with nursing jobs scarce, she took a position in Pueblo, Colorado where she met the man of her dreams, Dr. Wayne Kohan. It's funny how life works that way. Once Wayne finished his residency they moved all the way to Kennewick, WA - so I don't get to see her all that much. Together they have five great children - we got to see them all recently at the fam reunion.

The Kohans

We did a "surprise" birthday celebration in Cannon Beach for our lil sis. The pope (Bolder) was there! Susi gave her the medallion. Safeway spelled her name Betesy on the cake, and Ziggy nearly got a lick! She was a good sport about celebrating several weeks early. I made a video slide show to celebrate the occasion.

Bolder in the Pope hat

Ziggy goes for it...

I'm glad Betsy wasn't a boy after all.

Happy 50th Birthday sis! Love ya!