My Memories Begin

The very first memory I have involves me sitting in a chair, a dress on, (my three siblings, just older than me were girls, so a dress was just what was available, it wasn't my choice!) and sister Barbara Lou was tickling me under the chin, saying “goochy-goo!” There are a few memories then at two. In one, brother Harry was graduating from high school. I was sitting on mom's lap, but I wanted to go to where Barbara lou and my other sister Janette were. I hollered “Baba-Net” again and again and again. Harry said later that was the only thing he remembered about his graduation.

 



     In another, the California cousins were visiting. Mike Ford, my cousin who was about my age but eons ahead in his development, was sitting beside me on the couch, asking, “Why can't you talk?”
 My thoughts ran something like, “Well, I should answer him, but I don't know the answer, and also, I can't talk!” They tell me I didn't talk until I was three.  I understand that I had no teeth at two years old. My siblings decided that, since Mom and Dad Mom was 40, Dad 52) had both lost their teeth before I was born, I must have inherited that condition! I also had a very bad case of whooping cough at two, and got very pale and skinny. Some tell me I almost died. I don't remember that.


I became very adept at playing paper dolls, using what we could cut out of the old Sears catalog. We went into the egg business big time when I was very young. One year, we put laying boxes in the hallway of the barn, and they ranged out in front of the barn and house during the day. That was quite a sight with six hundred chickens out in front of the house! There is a picture of that on my wall page.


     We built a long chicken house. One of my jobs was to help gather eggs. It was very scary to reach under an old “sittin' hen” and steal her eggs. It displeased her greatly! Also, I had to watch my back. A big cranky rooster could back jump me at any time. More often than I care to remember, I approached a nest only to find a huge black snake, full of eggs. Carrying the eggs to the house, old Jersey, one of our milk cows who was very cranky, chased me if she was around close. No wonder I was so paranoid and timid at a young age, an never really got over it.


     We had no automobile during the first three years of my life. What we had to buy usually was bought from the chicken peddler, who came around in his truck. He was called that because people traded chickens, eggs, butter, etc. to him for flour (that came in pretty sacks that were made into dresses, shirts, etc.) sugar, salt, coffee, etc. Everything else we ate we grew or hunted—or caught on a fishing line.


Jan, Barbara and I looked for grapevines over the creek that we could cut in two and swing across the creek on. Sometimes they broke, mid-creek. We got wet. We also loved catching lightning bugs to fill a fruit jar with. Made a great light! Tying a string on a June bug's leg and letting him fly around made a good substitute for a kite. We were great at making our own toys.


Early on, I became Mom's helper on clothes washing day. I would carry water from the creek to fill up the big black pot. Mom built a fire around it. When the water was hot, she put dirty clothes in it, and stirred them around with a stick. Then the clothes were rubbed on a rub board with lye soap. When they were rinsed with bluing in the water, (whatever that is)  we hung them up on the fence and clothesline to dry.