There are some things in this world you can only learn by hard work. Where do you learn to work hard? I think it is a combination of things: work ethic, desire, need, and maybe some more.
I learned my work ethic from the need and desire to accomplish things that werent getting done by overwhelmed parents. I learned to carry through from my piano teacher. I learned to finish projects from school teachers. Not all were fun. Not many were of my choosing. Some motivation was personal, some was by prod or reward. My husband learned from a desire to make things better. He learned from the necessities of poverty. He learned to depend upon himself for motivation.
My children learned their work ethic from their parents. With a family growing larger every few years, there were always things to be washed, picked up, and made better. With hungry mouths to feed came a garden that enlarged a few feet every year. Each growing foot of garden produced more weeds. Those weeds needed to be removed. Those children learned to weed to the end of the row. They learned to clean, wash, pick up and make better till the job was done. They complained. They procrastinated. They unwillingly obeyed. And now, they praise their parents for having had these experiences. Hopefully they are passing these lessons learned on to their children.
I just recentlly came across a Desert News article about work ethic/children, and I would like to share a piece of it. If I had memorizing skills intact, I would memorize it. This is a poem by Douglas Malloch:
" Bill Brown made a million,
Bill Brown, think of that!
A boy, you remember, as poor as a rat.
Who hoed for the neighbors, did jobs by the day,
Well Bill's made a million, or near it, they say.
You cant understand it, well neither could I.
And then I remembered, and now I know why.
The bell might be ringing, the dinner horn blow,
But Bill always hoed to the end of the row."
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Sunday, May 26, 2013
Just for Laughs
There is a senior missionary here who related the following story. I dont know if it is true or not, as this particular missionary tells a lot of things that arent true. He is a bona fide leg-puller.
It was Fast Sunday. The congregation participated, each in his own way. Some bore testimonies from the pulpit, others gained strength from those audibly borne. It came time for the meeting to end when a sister jumped up and walked quickly to the pulpit. As she proceeded with her testimony, she became a little weepy. She did the little hand flutter thing and wiped away a tear or two. In closing, she apologized in a shaky voice for being such a big boob, but couldnt help it. Then she returned to her seat in the congregation.
The bishop got up to close the meeting. His first comment was directed toward this weepy member, "That's alright, Sister ......., my counselors and I like big boobs."
It was just seconds till he realized what he had said and he was embarassed.
It was Fast Sunday. The congregation participated, each in his own way. Some bore testimonies from the pulpit, others gained strength from those audibly borne. It came time for the meeting to end when a sister jumped up and walked quickly to the pulpit. As she proceeded with her testimony, she became a little weepy. She did the little hand flutter thing and wiped away a tear or two. In closing, she apologized in a shaky voice for being such a big boob, but couldnt help it. Then she returned to her seat in the congregation.
The bishop got up to close the meeting. His first comment was directed toward this weepy member, "That's alright, Sister ......., my counselors and I like big boobs."
It was just seconds till he realized what he had said and he was embarassed.
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Those Neighbors!
Our neighbors on Walnut Street were the McCarrans on the south. The Kalepps lived on the other side. The Dad was named Footsy, and my friend's name was Linda.
McCarrans daughter, Patty, was about a year older than I, and knew more things than I did. I had a pair of roller skates and was just learning to use them. I think I put them on for the first time when Patty asked if she could skate, too. Well, what do you do when two little girls want to skate and there is only one pair of skates? Right. You share. Our solution was for each of us to wear one skate. It was a lot easier that way. We pushed on the grass with one foot while the foot with the skate rolled on the sidewalk.
One day, in the morning, I went out the front door, carrying a box of cereal. I was going to eat it right from the box. My mama said it was okay. I was standing in the yard, eating puffed rice by the handful when Mrs McCarran came out. She saw me eating right from the box and told me that I should take it back into the house. She said my mama wouldnt want me to be doing that. I didnt pay any attention to her, because I knew my mama didnt care. Mrs. McCarran called my mama on the telephone and pretty soon I had to go in. I ate my cereal out of the box in the house.
Linda Kalepp was younger than I was, and still slept in a crib. I slept in a big girl's bed. This was the first time I remember seeing a crib and was fascinated by it. I didnt say anything, but Mrs. Kalepp asked me if I would like to get into the crib. I said yes,and she lifted me into it. I sat there for a few minutes and then she lifted me back out.
One morning I went over to see if Linda could play. She was still eating breakfast. She didnt want to eat. Her mama asked me if I would like to eat her breakfast. I said yes, because it was a soft boiled egg, and I loved them. I felt sorry that Linda wouldnt eat it, but I was very happy to help her.
During World War II it was very hard to get food. The food went to the soldiers. People were asked to plant little gardens in their yards to help feed their families. The Kalepps planted their garden right next to the picket fence between our back yards. In the middle of the summer, I noticed that their garden had nice green leaves. I pulled one up, and to my surprise, there was a carrot attached! I liked carrots. The carrot was really good. I pulled another and ate it. I thought that was enough for one day. The next day I pulled a few more. When I did that the third day, I thought I had better save some for them, so didnt pick any more.
Patty lived across the alley. I didnt know her very well, but we played together a few times. One afternoon, we played in her yard for a really long time. It was getting dark. When she went in for dinner, I went home. My mama and daddy were very angry with me because they didnt know where I was. I had to go to bed without any dinner.
The Liddiards lived next the the Kalepps. All the kids in their family were really big and old. Some were even teen agers. One of them was our babysitter a few times. We didnt really need a babysitter because Jim was eleven years old. That is what Jim and I thought. One day the babysitter took me downtown with her. She took me on the tram. The tram is a short train that ran the length of the town and out to the smelter where our dads worked. My mama didnt want me to ride the tram, and when I told her what an exciting day I had, she got mad at the babysitter and we never had her again.
Next to the Liddiards, on the corner there was a little girl about my age. I dont know what her name was, I dont think I knew even then. She and I played in her house. She had a little table just her size, and she had a coloring book and crayons. I had never seen such things before. I went back to her house to color in her book.
Timmy Sullivan lived around the corner, across the street from the store. He had a dog named Georgie. I had just learned the poem, Georgie Porgie, puddin' and pie; Kissed the girls and made them cry. I didnt understand how a dog could kiss girls, and why they would cry. Timmy had some baby cereal called Pablum in his basement. We tried it, but it wasnt very good. We fed it to Georgie, who seemed to like it.
Kathy McMahon lived next to Timmy. She had a big brother named John, and a big sister named Gertrude. John was mean. He took my stuffed rabbit that the Easter Bunny brought. My brother went to his house and got my rabbit back. Gertrude had make-up in her room. Kathy and went in there and decorated ourselves. We painted our fingernails with her nail polish. We tried very hard not to spill, but we were just little girls. Gertrude (we called her Gerchoode) was REALLY mad at us.
McCarrans daughter, Patty, was about a year older than I, and knew more things than I did. I had a pair of roller skates and was just learning to use them. I think I put them on for the first time when Patty asked if she could skate, too. Well, what do you do when two little girls want to skate and there is only one pair of skates? Right. You share. Our solution was for each of us to wear one skate. It was a lot easier that way. We pushed on the grass with one foot while the foot with the skate rolled on the sidewalk.
One day, in the morning, I went out the front door, carrying a box of cereal. I was going to eat it right from the box. My mama said it was okay. I was standing in the yard, eating puffed rice by the handful when Mrs McCarran came out. She saw me eating right from the box and told me that I should take it back into the house. She said my mama wouldnt want me to be doing that. I didnt pay any attention to her, because I knew my mama didnt care. Mrs. McCarran called my mama on the telephone and pretty soon I had to go in. I ate my cereal out of the box in the house.
Linda Kalepp was younger than I was, and still slept in a crib. I slept in a big girl's bed. This was the first time I remember seeing a crib and was fascinated by it. I didnt say anything, but Mrs. Kalepp asked me if I would like to get into the crib. I said yes,and she lifted me into it. I sat there for a few minutes and then she lifted me back out.
One morning I went over to see if Linda could play. She was still eating breakfast. She didnt want to eat. Her mama asked me if I would like to eat her breakfast. I said yes, because it was a soft boiled egg, and I loved them. I felt sorry that Linda wouldnt eat it, but I was very happy to help her.
During World War II it was very hard to get food. The food went to the soldiers. People were asked to plant little gardens in their yards to help feed their families. The Kalepps planted their garden right next to the picket fence between our back yards. In the middle of the summer, I noticed that their garden had nice green leaves. I pulled one up, and to my surprise, there was a carrot attached! I liked carrots. The carrot was really good. I pulled another and ate it. I thought that was enough for one day. The next day I pulled a few more. When I did that the third day, I thought I had better save some for them, so didnt pick any more.
Patty lived across the alley. I didnt know her very well, but we played together a few times. One afternoon, we played in her yard for a really long time. It was getting dark. When she went in for dinner, I went home. My mama and daddy were very angry with me because they didnt know where I was. I had to go to bed without any dinner.
The Liddiards lived next the the Kalepps. All the kids in their family were really big and old. Some were even teen agers. One of them was our babysitter a few times. We didnt really need a babysitter because Jim was eleven years old. That is what Jim and I thought. One day the babysitter took me downtown with her. She took me on the tram. The tram is a short train that ran the length of the town and out to the smelter where our dads worked. My mama didnt want me to ride the tram, and when I told her what an exciting day I had, she got mad at the babysitter and we never had her again.
Next to the Liddiards, on the corner there was a little girl about my age. I dont know what her name was, I dont think I knew even then. She and I played in her house. She had a little table just her size, and she had a coloring book and crayons. I had never seen such things before. I went back to her house to color in her book.
Timmy Sullivan lived around the corner, across the street from the store. He had a dog named Georgie. I had just learned the poem, Georgie Porgie, puddin' and pie; Kissed the girls and made them cry. I didnt understand how a dog could kiss girls, and why they would cry. Timmy had some baby cereal called Pablum in his basement. We tried it, but it wasnt very good. We fed it to Georgie, who seemed to like it.
Kathy McMahon lived next to Timmy. She had a big brother named John, and a big sister named Gertrude. John was mean. He took my stuffed rabbit that the Easter Bunny brought. My brother went to his house and got my rabbit back. Gertrude had make-up in her room. Kathy and went in there and decorated ourselves. We painted our fingernails with her nail polish. We tried very hard not to spill, but we were just little girls. Gertrude (we called her Gerchoode) was REALLY mad at us.
Ray Paul's Fault
I was only two and a half. Ray Paul was about one and a half, and could walk pretty well. Ray Paul lived next door to us. He had a big sister named Patty. She was about three and a half. Sometimes I played with Patty at her house. Her mom had a big jar of candy right next to the front door and sometimes she would let us have one piece.
It was summer and it was hot. My mama was running water onto the lawn from the hose. She went into the house, and I stayed outside. I picked up the hose to help water the lawn. It was fun to make the water go high or low. Mrs McCarran put Ray Paul out to play and he came over to watch me water the lawn. I turned a little to change the water, and Ray Paul was right in the way and got all wet. His mama came out, saw him all wet, and took him in.
Soon Ray Paul came out again, with different clothes on. I was still watering. He came over again. I turned again. He was in the way again. He got wet again. His mama came out again. This time she said something to me, but I didnt understand her.
Ray Paul came out for the third time, with more different clothes on. I wasnt finished watering. He wasnt finished watching me. I had to water a different spot. He was in the way and got wet. His mama came out and she was mad. She yelled at me. I didnt know why she was mad at me, because it was Ray Paul who kept getting in the way. He didnt come out again, but I was finished watering anyway, so went into the house to find something else to do.
It was summer and it was hot. My mama was running water onto the lawn from the hose. She went into the house, and I stayed outside. I picked up the hose to help water the lawn. It was fun to make the water go high or low. Mrs McCarran put Ray Paul out to play and he came over to watch me water the lawn. I turned a little to change the water, and Ray Paul was right in the way and got all wet. His mama came out, saw him all wet, and took him in.
Soon Ray Paul came out again, with different clothes on. I was still watering. He came over again. I turned again. He was in the way again. He got wet again. His mama came out again. This time she said something to me, but I didnt understand her.
Ray Paul came out for the third time, with more different clothes on. I wasnt finished watering. He wasnt finished watching me. I had to water a different spot. He was in the way and got wet. His mama came out and she was mad. She yelled at me. I didnt know why she was mad at me, because it was Ray Paul who kept getting in the way. He didnt come out again, but I was finished watering anyway, so went into the house to find something else to do.
Walkin' With My Daddy
When I was little, shoes only came in two colors, brown or white, otherwise, they looked just the same. I had white ones. They were kind of like boots because they went up past my ankle bones, and tied up the front with white laces. They were kind of stiff, especially when they were new.
One day, when I had shoes that were pretty new, Daddy asked me to go to the store with him. The store was less than a block away, across a street. Daddy held my hand. I had to reach up high to hold his hand. He walked slowly because I didnt take very big steps.
I watched his feet walking and saw that his brown shoes would bend in front of the shoelaces when he stepped. I didnt walk like that. My shoes didnt bend when I walked. I thought that I would try to walk like Daddy. It was hard to remember to bend my shoes, but I tried really hard, and was able to do it most of the time. On the way home from the store, I was able to bend my shoes really well.
Now I was a bigger girl because I walked like a big girl.
One day, when I had shoes that were pretty new, Daddy asked me to go to the store with him. The store was less than a block away, across a street. Daddy held my hand. I had to reach up high to hold his hand. He walked slowly because I didnt take very big steps.
I watched his feet walking and saw that his brown shoes would bend in front of the shoelaces when he stepped. I didnt walk like that. My shoes didnt bend when I walked. I thought that I would try to walk like Daddy. It was hard to remember to bend my shoes, but I tried really hard, and was able to do it most of the time. On the way home from the store, I was able to bend my shoes really well.
Now I was a bigger girl because I walked like a big girl.
Getting High
Our block had many old cottonwood trees. They were very tall, and the branches were pretty close together. Some of them had branches low enough that if I reached up really high, I could hold onto them.
Mrs. Wellcome, who lived on the corner, had the very best tree for climbing. The lowest branch was just perfect for getting a hand hold, then swinging a leg over. Then as soon as I was on that first branch, I could find my way to the top. The tree smelled really good, kind of sour/sweet. The green leaves were big and dark green and a little sticky from sap. The branches were kind of smooth as soon as I got started climbing.
Some branches were really easy to climb to, but others were pretty hard and I had to figure out how to get up to the next one. The higher I got, the thinner the branches became. I continued climbing till the branches were so thin that they would break if I stepped on them. I would sit up there, enjoying my successful climb, the solitude of being the only one around, and the pride of being the only one who could climb so high. On one of the earliest climbs, I used my pocket knife to carve my initials up high into the trunk. Every time I climbed, I would check on that spot to see if it needed some work.
When I was ready, I started my descent. I had to remember which branches led to the next lower one. This was a good game of memory, physical strength, and planning. Eventually, I reached the lowest branch, lay down on it with my hands clasped together, then swung my legs over the side, and freeing my hands, I dropped to the ground. I was a good tree climber.
Mrs. Wellcome, who lived on the corner, had the very best tree for climbing. The lowest branch was just perfect for getting a hand hold, then swinging a leg over. Then as soon as I was on that first branch, I could find my way to the top. The tree smelled really good, kind of sour/sweet. The green leaves were big and dark green and a little sticky from sap. The branches were kind of smooth as soon as I got started climbing.
Some branches were really easy to climb to, but others were pretty hard and I had to figure out how to get up to the next one. The higher I got, the thinner the branches became. I continued climbing till the branches were so thin that they would break if I stepped on them. I would sit up there, enjoying my successful climb, the solitude of being the only one around, and the pride of being the only one who could climb so high. On one of the earliest climbs, I used my pocket knife to carve my initials up high into the trunk. Every time I climbed, I would check on that spot to see if it needed some work.
When I was ready, I started my descent. I had to remember which branches led to the next lower one. This was a good game of memory, physical strength, and planning. Eventually, I reached the lowest branch, lay down on it with my hands clasped together, then swung my legs over the side, and freeing my hands, I dropped to the ground. I was a good tree climber.
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Chicken Cookies
My friend invited me to go with her and her mom and dad to visit someone who lived west of town. I was surprised to see that they lived on a farm. I had never been on a farm before.
We all visited for a few minutes in the living room, then my friend and I had permission to go outside. We were told not to sit on the basketball. I thought this was an odd thing. I had never thought of sitting on a basketball. I think they thought it would go flat if we sat on it. So we looked around for something to do.
Farms have a lot of things that I had never seen before. There was a whole lot of yard, and then even more past the grass that was mostly dirt. There were little sheds, and some of these sheds had chickens sitting in them. We looked in, but it was too stinky. Sitting next to the chickens' house was a cloth bag with seeds in it. We found a couple eggs. I didnt know that chickens had something to do with eggs. All our eggs came in a little box and were in the fridge. These eggs were warm and kind of dirty.
We decided to make cookies. For flour we used dirt. For nuts and raisins we used the seeds in the bag. There was water set out for the chickens to drink, so we used some for our cookies. We knew that cookies had to have eggs, so we broke all the eggs we could find into our cookie mix, then stirred it up with sticks.
We were just about finished when my friend's family came looking for us. The farm lady saw our cookie mix and was not at all happy. We didnt know why. We were bundled into the car for a silent ride home.
I was never invited to visit with them again.
We all visited for a few minutes in the living room, then my friend and I had permission to go outside. We were told not to sit on the basketball. I thought this was an odd thing. I had never thought of sitting on a basketball. I think they thought it would go flat if we sat on it. So we looked around for something to do.
Farms have a lot of things that I had never seen before. There was a whole lot of yard, and then even more past the grass that was mostly dirt. There were little sheds, and some of these sheds had chickens sitting in them. We looked in, but it was too stinky. Sitting next to the chickens' house was a cloth bag with seeds in it. We found a couple eggs. I didnt know that chickens had something to do with eggs. All our eggs came in a little box and were in the fridge. These eggs were warm and kind of dirty.
We decided to make cookies. For flour we used dirt. For nuts and raisins we used the seeds in the bag. There was water set out for the chickens to drink, so we used some for our cookies. We knew that cookies had to have eggs, so we broke all the eggs we could find into our cookie mix, then stirred it up with sticks.
We were just about finished when my friend's family came looking for us. The farm lady saw our cookie mix and was not at all happy. We didnt know why. We were bundled into the car for a silent ride home.
I was never invited to visit with them again.
Saturday, May 11, 2013
Away In A Manger
I was just three or four years old. I had a new dress with black velvet on the top and little lambs on a dark blue background for the bodice and skirt. It was very pretty.
One day in December, my mama told me that I was supposed to learn a song for the children's Christmas pageant at the church. Our family didnt go to church very often, so I didnt learn the songs in Sunday School. My mama knew the song and taught it to me. I knew every word and could sing the melody without any mistakes. I was ready for this pageant. I didnt know what a pageant was, but I was willing to go to it.
The pageant was going to be a play about baby Jesus and when He was born. Some of the kids wore white sheets and gold Christmas tree decorations. Other kids wore bathrobes and towels on their heads and carried sticks. One girl wore a blue cloth over her head and just sat next to a funny-looking box with a doll in it. I would have liked to bring my doll for her to look at.
When it was time to sing Away in A Manger, I stood up with the kids in normal Sunday clothes. I got to be in the front because I was small. The big kids stood in the back row. The piano started to play, the lady told us when to start. We all started together, but soon it was apparent that something was wrong. I was singing a different melody. I thought all those kids were wrong, so I sang a little louder to help them get it right. They wouldnt listen! I sang a little louder. They still wouldnt listen, so I decided to just sing and they would be sad that they sang the wrong song.
It wasnt till many years later that I learned that there are more than two versions of the melody for the same words. Good for me for sticking to my guns. It showed a streak of some kind: stubborn, stand up for myself, helpful..........
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)