52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy - Our Measles Rooms

Skip and Mary Nunn
Socksie on the sidewalk
1486 Taughannock Boulevard

Although my brother Skip and I were saved from contracting polio by being Polio Pioneers, we did however suffer through the usual childhood diseases of the time – chicken pox and measles.  

I don’t remember now which one of us contracted measles first. But our clever parents found a way to care for us while keeping up with their responsibilities of running a business. We were each ensconced in our own guest room on the second floor of the restaurant so that Mom and Dad could continue to work, while keeping a close eye on us.  Bed rest in a darkened room was mandatory. I remember how hard it was to stay in bed in a room by myself with all the activity going on down below. Of course I was provided with things to do, books to read, coloring books, dot-to-dot books, paper dolls, but it just wasn’t the same.

From that day forward the two second floor guest rooms to the right and left of the center windows were labeled “Skip’s Measles Room” (right), and “Mary’s Measles Room” (left)