A few weeks before Kathleen’s baby was due in June, 1947, Bill made arrangements for his friend Lon’s wife Sally to take her for her doctor’s visit. He dropped her off not long after six in the morning, picked Lon up, leaving Kathleen to spend the day with Sandy, Lon’s wife. The couples had Continue reading
family
Cousin Kathleen and the Groundhog
This is the time of year we’d visit Cousin Kathleen, a tiny, self-sufficient, little mountain woman. The first time Bud and I went to visit at her little house clinging to the side of a mountain in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Moutains we were lingering over coffee at the breakfast table overlooking her garden when she spotted a fat groundhog eating her tomatoes. Without a word, she jumped up, grabbed a 357 pistol off the top of her refrigerator and flew out the back door firing a shot. The ground hog escaped, but she blew the tomato plant away! She was quite disappointed, since she’d been planning to eat him. Later that morning, we caught a couple of trout in Little Wilson Creek, Just down from her house. Bud usually practiced catch and release, but she was outraged at the thought. Rushing us home, by ten- thirty she had cooked and trout eaten them all herself, horrified to think they might have been wasting their afternoon back in the creek.
That afternoon, we had to go see the cemetery. Cousin Kathleen proudly confided she “ran” the cemetery. Not sure what that meant, I had to ask.
“I am in charge of the man who mows. I keep up with the money. I decide where folks get plots. I am the one to call in case of emergencies.”
I wanted to ask what kind of emergencies cemeteries might have, except for the rapture, of course, but kept my mouth shut.
One morning, Cousin Kathleen took us out to see the countryside. Deep in the hills, she had Bud whip into a drive. “I used to work with the woman who lives here. Come on. I want you to meet her.” Uncomfortable at dropping in on unknown mountaineers, we dragged a little getting out. A man in overalls sat on the porch.
“Where’s Molly? I sed to work with her.” Cousin Kathleen greeted him.
“Molly’s gone.”
Clearly anxious to see her friend, Cousin Kathleen demanded, “Gone where? When will she be back?”
“She’s dead. She ain’t gonna be back.”
“Oh well, see you later, then.” She scurried back to the car with us right her. “Well, I sure never heard she was dead!” I kind of thought she hadn’t by that time.
We went fishing that afternnoon. For dinner that night, we had fresh-caught trout, green beans and potatoes, tomatoes, and cucumbers fresh from the garden. For dessert, we had fresh rhubarb cobbler. What a wonderful dinner and day of memories!
Grandma
I miss my Grandma. She was perfect, mostly because she acted like she thought I was, not noticing any bad behavior, knowing my mom would act on it. I was sure she loved me best of all her grandchildren, unaware she made us all feel that way. She made the best teacakes, told the best stories, and always smelled of Johnson’s Baby Powder. Patiently, she’d let me brush her waist-length gray hair, and attempt to twist into a heavy bun, never complaining that I pulled, before finally turning it into a perfect bun and securing it with only one heavy bone pin herself with a quick flip of her wrist, once I gave it up for hopeless.
Fathers and Time
I hadn’t seen this picture of my father until recently. He died in 1981. This is so typical of how happy and loving he looked the last few years of his life, once his children were grown and he retired. He was a loving grandfather, endlessly patient and loving. He never tired of his grandchildren. At this point in his life, he couldn’t get enough of his family. I am glad to have this memory.
Girl’s Night Out
I am very fortunate to come from a close family with three sisters and one brother. The girls get together periodically for a girl’s night out. For some reason, my brother, bows out on our girl’s night out. We gathered this time in honor of Mother’s birthday and Mother’s Day. In the second picture back left is me , 2nd daughter, back right, Phyllis eldest daughter, bottom left Mother, bottom center, Connie 4th daughter, bottom right Marilyn the youngest. In the third picture, Mother is reacting to being kissed by Marilyn’s little dog.My brother Bill is pictured with my Mother in the top picture. In the fourth picture, a dear family friend, Elaine, joins us. We had a wonderful night, laughed till we were exhausted, and enjoyed every minute together.
Great Day Outdoors
Glorious day today. Went to the lake with family and friends. Now summer is really here!
Breakfast With Barbie
Mother’s house was bedlam the morning after Daddy died. Someone made a quick trip to the store for breakfast fixings for Cox’s Army while the rest of us pulled the house back together. The term “quick trip” was relative, since the nearest grocery store was twenty-two miles away. It was a mess since we’d had to find beds for fourteen the night before, Continue reading
Goodbye, Randy
A dear friend died this weekend. He’d suffered for years, rarely complaining. He was the best father I’ve ever known, even doing little girl hairdos with matching bows to socks and dresses. His cardiac illness was first diagnosed twenty-three years ago, when his girls were tiny. Thankfully, he recovered some cardiac function, enabling him to guide his daughters into warm, lovely adults. Though it has to break their hearts to lose him, what a blessing it is his family had that twenty-three years. The girls knew a great father instead of always hearing what a wonderful father he would have been.
What a blessing to be whole again after so many years of pain and struggle. We’ll miss you, Randy. Our tears are only for ourselves.
Footloose and Fancyfree (Part 4)
Inez was good company, but didn’t worry much about germs. It kind of bothered Mother when she wiped the baby’s nose with the dish towel and then put it back in the dish pan. After that Mother told Inez not to bother with the dishes. She knew Inez was tired and needed a nap. Mother didn’t like it much when she let the twins run around without Continue reading
Nutsrok 