| I remember | After a huge snowstorm, my aunts Olive and Betty, my brother Bob and I , having to shovel thru the drifts the entire length of the road --- about 500 feet long. |
| I remember | The swing on a tree across from the house, which we all enjoyed, because we could soar so high. |
| I remember | Grandma's delicious side pork dinners (and of course her pies) |
| I remember | Our
Sunday
family gatherings in the living room where everyone sang while Uncle Fred chorded on the piano. His favorite song was "The Little Gray Rabbit". |
| We sang | "There (G7) once was a little gray rabbit (C) Who got (F) into an awful bad habit (C). At the table (G7) you know, when the clover (C) was low, (A7) The little (D7) gray rabbit (G7)would grab (C)it". |
| I remember | At
one family gathering, someone brought 'Limburger cheese' . My uncles Ray and Bill enjoyed chasing me and others around with the 'rancid smell'. |
| I remember | Uncle Bob Haggett riding his horse to the farm to 'court' Aunt Olive. |
| I remember | The owl tied up in the woodshed. |
| I remember | Playing croquet on the side lawn. |
| I remember | "Laddie" the dog who didn't like thunder and lightning. |
| I remember | Etta Rae. Bob and I got the honor of sleeping over at
Grandmas house a few times. Bob and I in one room and Etta Rae in the other. Grandma kept a good watch on us, and had to send us back to our room a few times. |
| I remember | Our grandfather lying in bed in a room next to the dining
room, living his last days, suffering from cancer. He died July 27, 1944. |
| I remember | Bob and I riding the train (free) from Raymondville to the farm. The train would stop at Bray Rd. and let us off. |
| I remember | Grandma's kitchen was a busy place. She baked bread,
cookies, pies and dough nuts. Grandpa would take them to Norwood to sell to the stores. |
| I remember | Grandpa milking the cow to supply milk for Grandma's baking. I would go into the hen house with him to gather eggs. If the hens were on the nest, you had to be careful or they would peck your hand. |
| I remember | Taking Grandma's baked goods to the Wilbur house on the main road, first place on the right towards Norfolk. I was young and quite frightened by the ladys daughter who may have been retarded and made terrible vocal sounds. |
| I remember | Grandpa scolding Etta Rae and I for 'playing house' in the 'outhouse' which was attached to the barn. |
| I remember | One
day Grandma told Bob and I to go kill a chicken for her to cook. This was our first attempt and we did not know what to expect. I believe I held the chicken by its legs while Bob chopped its head off. The headless chicken began to flap its wings and I let go. It flew into the hayfield and we could not find it. Grandma was not very happy! |
| I remember | Bob and I walking to the fence line of the Molnar farm one day and scaring their cows. Sam Molnar chased us and caught us. He scolded the 'heck' out of us and threatened to tell Grandpa and Grandma. |
| I remember | Riding home to Raymondville from the farm on Sunday's still singing Dad's favorite The Old Rugged Cross". On one of our trips home, Carol fell out of the car while going slow in Raymondville. Our car had the rear 'suicide doors'. Apparently she pushed down on the door handle and out she went. She lost a little skin. |
| I remember | In the
late
1930's and early 1940's the Army from Pine Camp (Fort Drum) were training on the farm land. Bob and I would take Grandma's baked goods to them at their 'Command Post' in the woods toward the railroad tracks. |
| I remember | The
Army was also in Raymondville. Mother made lettuce and mayo sandwiches and Bob and I took them to the soldiers. |
| I remember | Mother
driving to the farm with us and the soldiers would shoot blanks under the car as we passed. There would also be bags of flour on the road which the airplanes would drop for bombing practice. |
| I remember | When
the Army left, Dad, Bob and I would gather up the empty brass shells and sell them to the junk man. Some of the shells still contained powder and caps which Dad would clean out. |
| I remember | Uncle
Fred stopping at our house in Raymondville and letting me ride in his 'dump truck' when he hauled stone for a road job from Barretts Quarry. |