Mom and Dad, thank you for your support and encouragement, you are two of the best people in my life and I feel so lucky to have you. And my kids are lucky to have you too. Archer had a great time at the farm today, even if he wasn't quite as excited about riding the pony as we might have thought. It was still fun for him, and as always I'm sure Shelly enjoyed all the love and attention.
P.S. A follow up on nicknames - since when do you guys call her Princess? I love it!
1 comment:
6-21-07
Dear Amy, David, Archer & Shelly:
I’ve had good intentions to write for some time now. Seems like (or there actually is) there’s so much to do outside and I’m tired when I come in and put off letter writing and paper work, keeping track of Dr. bills, Medicare statements and insurance. It seems like I do more paper work no than when I kept the books when Gpa had the excavating business. Well – enuf of the excesses.
You asked about my Dad in a house with 6 women. He must have handled it well – Mom and Dad were two quiet people, I don’t remember them ever raising their voices & no spanking. I don’t remember any displays of affection, either. I assume it was their upbringing in the early 1900’s, Christian homes, loving families, quietly living their lives. There was no kissing, hugging, “I love you”, no questions from us and no story telling from them. Sounds kind of depressing to write it down, but it wasn’t that way. Dad had a variety of jobs, jack of all trades, I guess. I remember him coming home at suppertime – his face was black as coal. He’d shoveled coal off a truck at a customer’s home, into a coal shute into their basements. All us kids were scared because we didn’t recognize him. He had a feed mill and saw mill for awhile. Us girls would be barefoot, waiting for a basket to fill up with sawdust, so we could carry it out of the pit under the saw and onto a pile. Mom would dress in a pair of Dad’s overalls and help with the boards. I thought it was fun, the sawdust was cool and damp on a hot summer day. One summer, I thought Dad was building us a playhouse in the yard and we did play in it, but it was a brooder house for chickens. He also did custom work for farmers. He had a threshing machine, and went to various farms when their oats were ready. He was a carpenter, mechanic (in those days, a wrench, hammer, pliers and various other hand tools you could repair cars, trucks and other machinery too.) He was well liked and respected, a hard worker who took care of his family. We were poor, but so was everyone else in the late ‘20’s and ‘30’s, but we had a roof over our heads, clothes to wear, Mom made a lot of our dresses, and enough to eat. Ice cream was a treat, 1 pint was cut into 7 slices for desert.
We had a white cat, I can’t remember his name, but he would lie across Dad’s shoulders while we ate.
You asked about dividing your daisies. I think I’ve dug them while they were still blossoming, because they were in amongst the peony bushes and I didn’t want them there. But, the best time to divide would be in the fall, I just dug part of the clump off, you could try to separate individual plants if you like, they’ll seed themselves down and spread. If there are any other perennials that you’d like let me know. You’d have lots of room by your back fence for an assortment, or are you going to have a hedge someday for privacy from the new homes that must be building by now in the new subdivision?
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed your family e-mails. You’re a wonderful writer, good at expressing your feelings, dreams and love. You and David are great parents, strong branches in the family tree. You both are a blessing to the whole family, we’re all the better with you in our lives.
I’ll write again, in answer to more of your questions.
Love and kisses to all,
Gma
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