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"Mom
was 20 years old when Rube
was born and there were 20 years exactly between Rube and I. Both Dad and
Mom were kid-crazy, so that's where I get it from. They had nine kids that
lived, two more that died at birth.
"At Christmas, if my nieces and
nephews hadn't been good, Mom would tell them the'd get a piece of coal --
and sometimes they would. Mom would dress like Santa Claus and dress her
grandkids (Helen, Margie, and Mary Ann) up as nuns. She would tap a switch
on the floor to make them dance! She loved to dress those kids up as nuns!
"Mom had a good sense of humor.
Once, she and dad were following behind Joe and I in the Model A. Joe was
driving to the lake, hauling something on the trailer behind us, when we got
to those sandy hills and turns. We were bobbing up and down and all over,
and Mom got to laughing. She just couldn't stop. Dad didn't think it was so
funny. 'Those kids could get killed, you know!'
"Mom was one of 15 children.
They were all close as adults. They all knew they could come and stay with
us to visit, and they did. My Aunt Pauline, Mom's sister, used to come out
to Lake Julia several times in the summer with her husband and son and bring
lots of food.
"My mother worked so hard --
that woman put up more fruit! Mom and the kids would pick the chokecherries
at Lake Julia, then Mom would cook them out there on an old-fashioned wood stove.
Poor thing -- it was so hot and the sweat would be just pouring off her.
Hazelnuts grew wild at the lake and we spent a lot of time cracking and eating
them. Mom loved to play cards at the lake -- especially Hearts. Many times
I'd eat the queen so Mom didn't have to. She'd get so mad!
"During the war, Mom had her
daughters Florence, Dee Dee and I and her daughter-in-law 'Red' (Gladys Grimm,
Joe's wife) living with her. A house full of war brides. Mom was a good sport.
We'd play penny ante poker. Alma would come over to play with us and she'd
plop down 50 cents in pennies and say, 'When this is gone, I'm going home.'
We didn't want her to go home, so the rest of us would sneak pennies into her
pile! She was a lot of fun. One time, Mom had this sore throat one night
when we were playing cards and drinking 'near beer.' At that time we girls
were smoking 'Kools' (cigarettes) and Mom asked if smoking one might do her
throat some good. We said, 'Sure!' She took about three puffs and that was
it. She held the cigarette between her thumb and painter finger -- it looked
so funny!
"She went to Mass every day
in later years, rain or shine, walking the ten blocks to church. Mom had
high blood pressure and she died of a stroke."
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