Bea taught me to tell time when I was small. I remember her setting with me for hours trying to get it through my head. She was patient! On the big rocks on the road to Route H, she was waiting for a ride, and I was waiting with her. She had a fork and combed my hair with a fork. Such imagination!
When I was about 6 or so Cleo went to Jeff City to live with Cousin Freida. She went to school there for a while and then came back home and went to Eugene. It was kind of dull without her at home. I remember one evening Cleo had been babysitting in Jefferson City and the family drove her home. It had rained and the road was muddy. The family’s vehicle got stuck and daddy had to pull him out with the tractor. It was good that we had a tractor. Many years before we relied on old Bert, Sally and Black Beauty! My love of singing came from singing with my sisters. I will always remember how proud I was when I first “heard” the harmony singing “Long, Long Ago.” We always sang no matter what we were doing, washing dishes, sweeping, hoeing in the garden…. etc. Cleo was always very resourceful and could get things done. I’ll never forget the mental picture of her grabbing the frying pan that was on fire and throwing it out the door so the house wouldn’t catch fire. She was very generous and thanks to her, Lolly and I had nice clothes to wear, both new and hand-me-downs. Hand-me-downs were like new to us. She gave us new clothes for Christmas, too. One year she gave Lolly and I each a beautiful store-bought skirt and sweater. We were so happy! But old or new, we were always glad to have anything!
I barely remember the siblings from Vernon on up, because they were gone from home when I was very young. It was always a celebration when they came home. For sure it was always, make homemade ice cream, have a wiener roast in the barn yard and corn on the cob. Mother would always make their favorite desserts!