Rock-Climbing

When we lived in Arden, at first Uncle Dan still had that Model T Ford. When he and his family would come after us on Friday afternoon, the road went over mountains. When the Ford couldn’t get up the mountain, Uncle Dan would yell, “Everybody out and get some rocks.”

We’d all get as big a rock as we could, put it under the back wheel, and he’d pull up a little more. There were two mountains that needed help.

Soon he bought his Model A (that's a 1929 Model A in the image at right) and surprised us by skimming over those mountains without help.

When he and his family left us at Arden, I was really scared. We were a long way from my Mama and Aunt Lura who were the stable ones in my life.

Mother washed our clothes in No. 3 washtubs back then, and never wanted me to help. Never wanted me to help with any chores. When I would try to help in the kitchen or with the other chores, she’d say, “Get out of my way. You don’t know how to help! I’ve been teaching children all day or all week, and I don’t want to be bothered with teaching you anything.”

Cooking seemed like a chore to Mother. She never wanted me in the kitchen when she was cooking. I made her "nervous.”

Lots of things I did caused that kind of reaction....

Food was not important to me when I was a child. I don't remember really liking food until I was a teen-ager. Eating three meals a day was just something that had to be done.

Fortunately, Uncle Dan and family were near and they came after us lots of week-ends.