Man!!!  We were skiiiiiineeeee!!  I remember that red outfit; I loved it.  Must have been my going-to-town shorts and shirt since that’s where I thought we were going.  Headed to the big city of 12,000 compared to our little town of 1800.  Yes, you read that right.  We’re even smaller today with the commerce dwindling and people going elsewhere to buy what they need.  Forced to now that things are shutting down instead of choosing to.

As is the way with most small towns, we’ve kept getting smaller.  Waaaaay back in the day, people called our little town “going to town” because it was a bustling little place with several grocery stores, two big hardware stores, a dry cleaner, drugstore, a newspaper office, clothing stores, several taverns, car dealerships, gas stations, restaurants, jewelry store, skating rink, and I’m sure I am leaving some out.

It was a happy time then; a time when our children were small and easily entertained and easily maintained!  A good time for a party!

Here are some samplings of my gifts that day, gifts I have treasured for over 30 years:

This was the beginning of the book.  A card from Dymisha and a long letter.  Followed by cards and letters from my Mom and my friends.  A heart book.

 

That letter is five pages long!!!  A wonderful letter that I’ll share only part with you.  But here are some more!!

Ms. Catherine was the nurse in our one-doctor hospital.  She and Doc Stanelle cared for a lot of people over their years of doctoring.  I can remember Dr. Stanelle making house calls!  He had to come to our house once because my fever was so high it scared my mother.  Really scared her for her to call the doctor to the house!  I can remember all those kids being on my bed, jumping around and putting rocks on my forehead.  When I told my mother as much, she ran to the phone, and good old Doc did his thing.  It must have worked because I’m still here today.

Ms. Catherine was a woman of substance.  And I am very  honored that she took the time to write me a message.

Another person of substance, a man who gave years and years of his life to stand in front of our small church congregation and pick out songs to sing was Byers Young, B. O. Young.  He and his wife, Jane, were great people I will always remember fondly.  They ran one of the hardware stores in town.  And to think that he took the time to sit down and write something to a young woman just amazes me.  And humbles me as well.

(more to come)