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TURTLE:
On our way to North Carolina for Marvin's funeral one of the things we were talking about were the huge turtles which Dad fished out of the James River. He was always going to kill and clean them for soup or whatever. He would put the turtles in the water tank with boards over the top and weighted down with rocks. But in the morning they were always gone. Now that I think about it I think mother was always secretly pretty happy they escaped as she was not too enthusiastic about cooking turtle.
GARDENS:
I remember the huge gardens Dad and Mom raised. Not only did Mother can hundreds of jars of canned goods but I remember shelling out the dried navy beans. We always had several large sacks of beans. I don't know if anyone else can remember Mother's famous Boston baked beans. Whenever there was a picnic or suppers. She was always asked to bring beans.
I also remember the big garden and in the fall of the year all the dried plants were pulled and thrown in a huge pile in the center of the garden and the huge bonfire Dad would have. I guess when one is growing up things like this impress you.
INJURIES:
It seemed at times that mother was always soaking someone's foot. We would go swimming or wading in the James River and someone would always end up with a cut foot so mother would get out her Lysol and start the soaks. Not only did we swim and wade, we made mud slides on the banks---what a mess we must have been to clean up.
NUDISM:
I can remember how mortified Mother was one day when she looked out the window and saw the Minister was coming to visit. Edith was out in the yard with no clothes on. I can remember how fast Mother was moving to get Edith into the house before the Minister got up that long driveway.
GOOD ENGINEERS:
When we lived in the valley by the James River the railroad tracks were probably about one quarter of a mile away, but every Sunday the Engineer threw us the Sunday paper. I don't know how long he did this but I can still remember standing out there waiting for the paper.
SECRET ADMIRER:
A secret admirer gave Edith and I a huge box of Easter candy. They were chocolate bunnies and chickens and Mother let us taste some and she put the rest of them in the cellar to stay cool so they wouldn't melt. Later Edith came out of the cellar, her face and hands covered with chocolate. She really did enjoy that box of candy.
At Christmas time this Secret Admirer gave Edith and I beautiful dolls. One was dressed in pink and the other in blue. Mother always thought this very nice lady was Marie Manns who was a member of our Church in Montpelier.
SNAKES:
I think I must have been about six when Marvin and Arthur were in the garden and yelled, "Mother! Come and see this snake, its the biggest snake we've ever seen." Well, Mother and I ran down there and I stood a few feet back. Jack, our dog, picked up the snake and threw it into the air and it came down right around my neck. Liz was no longer standing in that same spot. I think it was a while before anyone caught up with me.
SICKNESS:
I guess while growing up, I mostly remember Dad and Mom being so sick after we moved out of the valley. My memory is of their heart problems. They weren't supposed to do anything except mostly stay in bed. The concept now is that anyone with heart problems is to be up and walking and exercising. It makes one wonder how much better it would have been for them with modern procedures. The new modern surgical procedures of the seventies and eighties might have permitted Dad to live longer. That is then and this is now.
FARMERS UNION:
I guess with Dad one of the great things in his life was the Farmers Union. He really did put his heart and soul into that organization. He was president or vice-president for quite a few years. I remember going to state functions in Jamestown. Then there were meetings at Manns school where we also had parties and square dances.
PIES:
When we were growing up in the younger years, Edith and I always made mud pies. We used an old pan and spoons or sticks to stir the mixtures. We would make pies and cookies and pretend we were eating them. Art would join us at times. We called our pies, Gobiday. I think probably Edith invented this word before she learned to talk. It was part of our growing up but today whenever I bake a pie it comes back to me, Gobiday Pie!
EXCLUSION:
I also remember the boys never wanted Edith and I to play with them so we always went running to Mother for "help." One time Art and Marvin and probably Gordon and Gene too were playing baseball and I wanted to play. So Mother did her Motherly duty and told those boys to let me play ball. The first ball I got was right between my eyes, Marvin wound up and gave it to me. My eyes and nose were swollen shut. I don't think Mother ever told them to let me play again and I don't think I ever asked.
UNCLE RAY:
I guess, I wasn't around Uncle Ray and Aunt Theresa very much. I was fifteen when they took me on a very enjoyable trip. Aunt Edith was also along. We went to Winnipeg and then to International Falls and along the North Shore Drive. We went to Bemidji and from there to Cannon Falls.
We visited in Chatfield. I think this is the only time I was ever there. We went to visit Theresa's folks at Hastings and then Ray and Theresa brought Edith and I home.
Mel and I visited Ray's when we were on our Honeymoon. Ray showed us the hydro-electric plant on the Cannon River where he worked. He was just such a very nice person and made us feel very much at home.
I visited Theresa once after Ray's death and we went out for dinner. She also at that time gave me some family heirlooms which I treasure and have in my glass hutch. Hopefully my children well get these some day so they can pass them on to their children.