THIS OLD HOUSE
Penny For Your Thoughts By: Nancy Whitaker
As you grow older, it is always fun to go back and visit the past. Growing up in the 50s was quite different than today.
One house I remember living in was a big old house located on a hill. We always called that house Middle Point Hill. There was no running water, no inside restrooms plus the winters’ cold always made the rooms seem cold. My old memories are of getting into bed with a big pile of comforters as the snow blew into our bedroom windows.
Warm underneath grandma’s hand made comforters, the worst part was getting up in the morning to a cold bedroom. As kids, my little brother and I hurriedly ran downstairs to get dressed on a square register which was warmed by a coal furnace.
One day my little brother was trying hurriedly to get his clothes on when he slipped and fell. His little heiny landed on the warm register and he was left with register imprints right where you sit down. He cried and it took a while for those burns to heal.
The next house I remember living in was out on the country by Grover Hill. There was plenty of grounds there with a barn and a milk shed. The animals we had were just cats and dogs.
Each time we would get another dog, Grandpa called it Rover. We had Rover number 1, 2, and 3. Rover #1 loved chasing cars and would wait for one to go by and chase after it. His demise came at the wheels of a car when he got ran over.
Rover #2 was a sheep chaser and went to houses where they had sheep. Well Rover 2 got in the sheep pen, chewed and shook some sheep and came back home, but couldn’t resist going back. Rover 2 met his “Waterloo” at the hands of an angry sheep herder one day and bang bang Rover 2 was gone.
Rover 3 was laid back and not a big barker. Well one day Rover 3 got frisky and began the habit of biting. I was playing outdoors with him and all of a sudden his big white teeth stuck in my ear. I was so mad that I wanted to bite him back so bad.
I was quite a reader during younger years. I loved all The Little House books, orange books which were like autobiographies and fairy tales. One year I got a Grimms Fairy Tales book for Xmas and read the stories over and over. I was fascinated by Hans Brinker and the silver skates.
During those days we did not have tv or cell phones. In fact we had a telephone that you had to crank. Our ring was 2 shorts and a long. However, when anyone would get a call, everyone would pick up their phones and listen in to see what was going on.
Our days were not very exciting, but thinking back they were peaceful and quiet, Mondays were wash days, Tuesdays you sprinkled your cleanest clothes, rolled them into a ball and put them back in clothes baskets to absorb moisture. Wednesday was the day you ironed and mom and grandma starched and ironed everything they had. Thursdays and Fridays were cleaning days and Saturdays were spent getting ready for church on Sunday.
Some days at church we would have all day singing and dinner on the grounds. Tables were set up in the church grassy areas, clean cloths covered the tables and some of the most delicious food was served. After dinner we held a sing along with anyone wanting to sing a special.
The other Saturday Denny and I decided to go look up the old houses where I had grown up. We turned onto a road which would take us to the Middle Point Hill house. Guess what? There was no hill, no house, no barn. You would never know a family used to live, work and play there. But no one can take away memories
Sometimes you may want to go back for a day or two but some may just want to stay in today’s world. Sometimes we use the term Good Old Days, but I think each generation thinks their site best.
Want to return to older days? Were they easier and do you recall them. Let me know your memories and I will give you a Penny For Your Thoughts.
