Memories, 3

My parents met at the Old Settler's Picnic.  I believe my mom made the first move.  Dad is quiet and shy, doesn't talk much.  My mom was talkative, inquisitive (nosy) and friendly.  We spent most of our time with my mom's relatives and there were a lot of them!  My Grandpa Scott's brothers and sisters lived on every block on main street in Maxwell, IA. Of course that was after they gave up farming or what ever business they had.  Even the ones who moved away, moved back to retire.  Grandma( Helen, nee Bisher) Scott and Grandpa (Dale Jon) Scott lived on a farm several miles from Maxwell. A black topped road ran past the farm. They did not own it. There was a house that I now realize was small and shabby, but when I was a child it was just Grandma's house. She did her laundry in a small building by the driveway on an old wringer washer. She hung her clothes out on the clothes line. She had a garden and chickens. When I stayed with her she let me help her clean. It was my job to dust. Grandma started each morning by cooking a huge breakfast for Grandpa, then reading a chapter of the bible. She was the daughter of German immigrants. She had a 2 sisters: my Aunt Bee who I loved and Aunt Irene who I only met one time when I was 5 or six. She lived in Oregon. Grandma had a brother too, but I don't think I met him or remember what happened to him. She came from a broken family. Her parents split up and Grandma went to live with her mother's sister. Grandma taught me how to embroider.  I can't remember the lessons or what we practiced on it.  I did not reach my current level of expertise and fussiness until my middle age.  Grandma made all of us kids-my cousins and my brothers- quilts which we destroyed.  She made the girls dresses with bows that tied in the back.  She made us doll clothes.   I remember one time I was there when they were harvesting.  There were lots of neighbors helping and Grandma was cooking up a storm.  She fed them outside at a table under the tree. I am sure I was a lot of help!  Grandma always had kittens under the house, under an outbuilding or in the haymow.  What sharp little claws they had and since they were all crazy wild we got plenty of scratches for our trouble.  Grandma had hollyhocks growing in the yard and she taught me to make dolls from the flowers and the buds.  One time we had a large family gathering and the kids were playing hide and go seek after dinner.  It was starting to get dark and the grass was damp. Home base was the square cement base of the well that was just outside the back door.  I came running into base as fast as I could and slipped on the wet grass.  I landed on the edge of that cement platform and I will never forget how bad that hurt!  I couldn't stand up straight for quite some time.  I used to go to church with Grandma.  She would play a game with me to keep my quiet.  She tickled my hand and arm but I wasn't allowed to move or giggle.  Quite a challenge.  Grandma always had gum and Kleenex in her purse. 

Grandpa Scott was a hard working guy but he loved to talk and gossip.  He knew everybody and he always had a quarter in his pocket for the grandkids.  He took the boys with him and taught them to drive his old pick up but not me.  He taught me to sing "Way down yonder, not so very far off a Jay Bird died of the whooping cough."  Well we didn't really sing it, we yelled it loud. 

Grandma and Grandpa retired and moved to town after I left home at 18.  The farm house and buildings doesn't exist anymore.  The only way I can find the location is to look for the driveway entrance off the blacktop road.  You can only find that farm, that house, that part of my life in my memories and the memories of my Aunt Carol and Uncle Jon and my cousins.

I used to stay for a week or more at my Aunt Bee's house.  Aunt Bee lived in Des Moines and she had a brand new modern house with a big picture window overlooking the city.  At night, the lights were so beautiful.  Aunt Bee had a sunken bath tub and a sunken living room-so cool.  She took me shopping and she taught me to play solitaire! 

My mom had a sister, Aunt Carol to me and a brother, Uncle Jon to me.  Aunt Carol was the eldest and she married Uncle Verl.  They had 4 kids-2 older than me and 2 younger. Jean and Jim were the older cousins and Jana and Joel were the younger.   We had many happy memories of time spent with them.  They lived on a farm.  Uncle Verl raised pigs.  Man pigs are so stinkey!  He built a house for Aunt Carol.  It took a long time.  They lived mostly in the basement for years!  Aunt Carol is still alive as of this post.  83 years old and still living on that farm in that house Uncle Verl built. Uncle Verl died years ago.  Aunt Carol and I spent a lot of time together when my mom was sick.  Aunt Carol sat with me in the hospital and we were both there when she passed.  That was in 2013.  Dad has been living with me since then and it is a blessing to have him here.