1952 The Flying Red Horse

When we lived in Gravenchon, my dad worked at Port Jerome, the refinery.  His company, Foster-Wheeler, had been subcontracted by Esso,  The refinery was a joint venture between Esso and Mobil (not surprise that it became Exxon-Mobil years later).  From my parents' bedroom window, Mobil's iconic flying red horse was clearly visible.

Every night before I went to bed, my dad would take me to their bedroom, open the window, pull down my pajama pants, and hold me ass first out the window so I could say goodnight to the horse.

It's true.  Every night my rear end was in full view from their window.  When I went to America's Car Museum in 2014 and saw their neon Mobil horse it almost brought me to my knees, the memory was so vivid.

Mobil's Flying Red Horse at America's Car Museum in Tacoma

1952 Normandy Version 1.0

We moved to Notre Dame de Gravenchon in early 1952 when I was about 4-1/2 years old.  My memories are pretty vague.  For probably one of the only times in my life, I don’t remember us having a dog.  I know I would not have forgotten if we had.  

Dot was our house

 On the other hand, we were only there around 2 years, maybe less.  My dad was working for the engineering company at the Port Jerome oil refinery.  At the time it was one of the biggest in Europe.  It was the first time my mother had lived out of the country, and I think she loved it.

The refinery at Port Jerome

We left Normandy in June 1953.  We traveled on the SS Liberte, the flagship of la Compagnie Generale Transatlantique (i.e., the French Line).  We had come from New York on the Ile de France, her sister ship.   I don’t remember that trip though.

When we got back to the US, we stayed with my aunt Audrey and uncle Abbey until we left for Colombia.