The Well

I don't really know what it is about the well - but it's special. Maybe because most people in South St. Louis ( or any city) didn't have a well. Maybe because we would change the inside and outside of the house with paint, new furniture, new siding, new garage, different plants in the yard, etc., etc. - but the well was a constant. It was always just there. It was often a backdrop in our backyard pictures and we always talked about the well as if it was our own possession - I almost felt like we had deserted it when we left. This picture is me and my three favorite siblings in 1996 after we had emptied momma & daddy's house of all possessions and was getting it ready to sell. I don't know if the well was ever not filled in with dirt since we owned the house but that's how I always remember it. It was a good place to hide Easter eggs (just ask Sherri), momma grew rose moss in it a few years and it did great there, and as I already said, it was THE "picture" spot. There is one story about the well that I must tell. Steve is probably one of the most "city" people I have ever known - and even though I always lived in the city, I had enough 'country' family background that when we first started dating he thought I (or we) were probably slightly 'backwards'? I'm not sure if that is the right word - but Jimmy and I were able to convince him (very easily, I might add) that we kept a horse in our back yard. He knew we had a well and I guess he just thought 'why not a horse too?' We only mentioned it now and then and he never questioned that we might really have a horse. (I'm not sure why he never asked to see it - maybe he was always there at night). We didn't really lead him on too long but I blew it one day when I said something about our milk and - our cow. He asked about the cow - and I told him we kept it tied up - at the well- next to the horse. I couldn't help laughing at the look on his face and that he would actually believe all this and that's when he knew we had been messing with him. At lease the well was real! But I do miss the well - it's like a long lost friend.

Mama

Laverne Elizabeth Cloud was born on February 23, 1919 to Emma (McBride) & John Franklin Cloud in Tiptonville, Tennessee. She was the 8th and last child. She had 3 brothers and 4 sisters: Bess, Ruth, Claude, William, Mazie, Carl & Maude Lou. She graduated from Tiptonville High School in 1937 in a class of 33 students. She was married that same year, December 31, 1937, to James David McCoy by a Justice of the Peace in Fulton County Kentucky.
The above pictures are her Senior high school picture and the other is Mama and me.
Since her birthdate is this week I thought I'd do a post in Mama's honor.

Things I remember most about mama:

• Drying dishes while she washed – the best time to share the events of our day.

• She loved to read – she told me once we had to go to a different library because she had read everything at our local one.

• Her little ‘sermons’ – you know, “If you can’t say something nice then don’t say anything at all.”, “always look for the good in someone”, and “there is no excuse for being unkind.”

• When she was going out (usually to church)- bright red lipstick and a light spray of Evening in Paris.

• Her flowers – a big peony bush in front of the old garage and the spirea (sp?) bush by the front porch swing.

• Biscuits or cornbread with every dinner.

• Your favorite dessert for your birthday – mine was always banana pudding.

• A basically quiet humble person who could swing a mean paddle or hairbrush if you got out of line.

• Floyd Cramer’s “Last Date” – she always requested that song when Steve would play.

• The letters she would write while I was in college – they sometimes took me a few days to decipher but she wrote every week.

• Hugging her grandkids

Mama died February 25, 1990 at the age of 71. Her last visit to my house (two days before) was when she and daddy had just come from seeing “Driving Miss Daisy” for her birthday.
As they were leaving she turned to say goodbye and I had a very "strange feeling” hit me that this was a real goodbye and it was indeed the last time I saw her alive. I remember an overwhelming amount of people at the funeral – even with her gentle, quiet, unassuming personality, she was loved by many. Any memories of your own?

Vacations with Daddy

As I was growing up most of our vacations consisted of trips to Reelfoot Lake in Tennessee - but there were a few other trips. I remember once going down somewhere on the gulf. That was when Jimmy got stung by a jelly fish and also my first visit to New Orleans - if you could call it a visit. Daddy drove through and said he couldn't find a place to park so we just kept going. I also remember going to the Smoky Mountains - that was when I convinced Jimmy that their hamburgers were really possum roadkill - he didn't think that was funny. These pictures are from a trip I don't really remember but I've heard stories about. I must have been around 2 or 3 years old so Jimmy wasn't around yet - but we went up to Michigan to see some of mom's sisters (Bess & Ruth) and their families. Mom and Nancy have both told me this story and there is only one slight difference in their versions. We got up early (as usual - daddy liked to be on the road by 4 or 5am to beat the traffic) and got as far as a tank of gas would take us - probably pretty close to Chicago. Mom noticed dad was taking a long time paying the bill and was in a deep conversation with the gas station owner. She jokingly said, "he probably forgot his wallet." Well, she was right. This was back in the time when it was cash only - there were no credit cards. Dad had left his wallet sitting on the dresser at home and he convinced the guy that he was honest and would return with the cash. This is where the story differs. Mom or Joe told me (jokingly, I think) that daddy offered to leave the baby (me) behind as collataral - Nancy says she thinks it was her (the oldest) that he offered to leave behind. Anyway, no one was left. Dad got back in the car, drove straight back to St. Louis (no stops), pulled up in front of the house (no one else even got out of the car), went in and picked up his wallet, got back in the car, refilled his tank at the local gas station and went straight back to the other station to pay his first bill and refill again. Like I said, I don't remember any of this but I'm sure it was a memorable trip for the others.

Happy Valentines Day

In the late summer of 1969 I was getting ready for my freshman year of college at Oklahoma Christian. A few weeks before I left for school I had a couple of dates with Steve Haupt. He was a really nice guy with Christian values and he asked for my address before I left. He wrote me often and even called a few times - which was a big deal back then. We didn't even have phones in our dorm rooms - there was one phone for the whole hall and whoever happened to pick it up would yell your name down the hall - so everyone knew when you had a phone call. When Valentines Day rolled around I got a really big surprise - a card, candy, and flowers - all from Steve.


Little did I know that 36 years later I'd still be getting cards & flowers from him. (I told him to skip the candy for obvious reasons). My roses are gorgeous and non-fattening!
Hope everyone has a great Happy Valentines Day !

Variety Show

Last night was a fun Variety Show - and of course Becky, Jenny, & Steve were the best ones! All through the show I kept having little flash backs from other shows from years gone by. These days the girls usually bring tears to my eyes with their beautiful voices and excellent choice of songs - and although they did that once in awhile when they were younger (Becky actually had her 2nd grade teacher boo-hooing once) they usually had fun singing and choreographing with their friends like Rachel & Hannah.
And with Stevie, except for one time when he sang Davy Crockett - he almost always liked to be silly. I think the funniest time was when he played chopsticks - just look at the grin on his face! Let's just say that Steve had a new piano he could program and Stevie did a great job pretending he was doing it all. I laughed so hard I cried - he hammed it up perfectly.
And Nate - you were an excellent counter top last night. Your props reminded me of another picture I had of Stevie & Becky.
You guys did great and Steve you pulled off another fantastic show - thanks for some more memories to add to my collection.

Kindergarten

This is Becky getting on the bus her first day of Kindergarten. Looks like she's smiling and happy to go, right? Guess again. About two seconds after this picture was snapped she turned around and got off the bus. I took her by the hand and walked her back on the bus and all the way to a seat. Before I reached the door she was right behind me. We repeated this scenario a few more times before I finally convinced her she was going to have fun and I'd see her in a few hours.
But truthfully, I think I got off easy compared to how I behaved my first few days of Kindergarten. I don't believe it was really all my fault. After all, mama was in the hospital getting ready to deliver little brother Jimmy. Back in those days they always kept you 7 - 10 days and she was probably there a little longer because of her high blood pressure. And big brother Joe had to go and be the brainy one. Not only had he gotten a double promotion but he had to attend a different school for the "advanced" children. (The only thing I remember about first grade is that my teacher told me, "You're certainly not as smart as your big brother.") Anyway, back to Kindergarten. I'm guessing that daddy was the one that walked me up the front steps and into the classroom that first day. I don't remember what happened or even if I stayed - but I do remember crying and causing a big scene. I remember daddy paying some neighborhood boy to walk me to school the next day but I think he quit after one time because he couldn't get me through the gate to the schoolyard. I remember escaping at recess a few times (we only lived down the block from school) and I even remember a male teacher trying to pull me back into the gate but finally giving in and letting me go. I don't know what good it would have done anyway, I would have just left again when he let me go. I'm not sure how long it took for me to accept my fate and stay at school. But since mama was in the hospital and daddy had to work, sister Nancy (who was probably a senior in high school) had to stay home from classes because they never knew when I might show up at home. When I was older mama told me that one day daddy came home and found me in front of the house on my bike when I should have been in school. He said, "Mama is really disappointed in you." And they said my reply was, "If you wouldn't tell her then she would never know." Yeah, even though Becky was the most hesitant of my kids about going to school, I was lucky I didn't really get what I deserved.

Guess Who's Two Today!!

When I was a young mom, I was always fascinated and loved how God made each of my children so unique in their personalities. They all have different stong points and things that you can appreciate about that particular child. Yet, each of them has at one time or another reminded me that they are part of the 'clan'. It may be a facial expression, a way of talking, the way they stand or walk or just how they respond to a particular situation - I'll see myself, Steve, or one of our siblings or parents in that moment. I continue to enjoy watching them develop their personalities as adults - and now the next generation is in full swing for our family.
God has blessed me with two wonderful years of watching Spencer develop his own personality - and it is just so neat. He loves animals and is a good hugger. He says 'Thank you' and understands being gentle - and he is a very picky eater. Spencer is truly his own little person but I often see glimpses of Karl, Jenny, or maybe his Uncle Stevie from time to time.
In Psalm 128:56 it says, "and may you live to see your children's children." I pray for that blessing for myself and yet I know that if God has other plans and I die tomorrow, Spencer and my future grandchildren will be just fine with the wonderful parents they will have.
Spencer, you are such a delight and I love you very much - HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

A Child, An Old Man, & A Donkey

I know I've had Jessie & Stevie on my mind alot the last few days and last night when some friends were voicing their varied but very strong opinions about certain subjects, I found myself tuning out and reaching back -again- to an old fable mama told me once.
I remember very well when I was planning my own wedding. Just like I knew I would get a job at 16, and if I wanted to go to college I would have to pay for it - I knew the wedding would be mostly my expense. In return, my parents treated me as an adult and respected my wishes for the wedding plans. However, there were others who were not so agreeable. I remember the day I took mama to the grocery store and on the way home I started unloading all my little trivial problems on her. She just listened for awhile and then she told me two things - and one was this fable that I fall back on from time to time when I feel storms brewing. You have probably heard it or one very similar - I'm sure I've told it to my kids, but who knows if they ever really listen (ha ha) - I've also repeated it to others who have been discouraged by unkind comments - I figure it never hurts to hear it again now and then:
There once was an old man, a child, and a donkey setting out on a journey. The old man took the child and placed him on the donkey and they started out. As they approached the first town people came out to watch them and began making comments - "Why does the child get to ride and that poor old man has to walk." So the old man set the child down and he rode the donkey and they went on to the next town. Again, people came out to watch them and made comments - "Why does the old man get to ride and that poor child has to walk." So the old man pulled the child up on the donkey with him and they rode into the next town. Once again, the people came out and the comments were, "Look at that poor donkey - he has to carry both an old man and a child." So the old man and the child climbed down and they both walked with their donkey into the next town. The people there came out and laughed and pointed and said, "Look at that stupid old man and child, walking when one of them could ride the donkey."
Of course, the moral is that it's impossible to please everyone so instead of stressing yourself out trying to - just ride out the storm and make your own choice. It doesn't really answer any questions but it's helpful to me to sometimes just remember that. It's like another of my favorite quotes "Sometimes the Lord calms the storm; more often He lets the storm rage and calms the child."

Stevie Made His Move

Notice anything different on Jessie's finger?? Tomorrow is Jessie's birthday so we were taking her out for dinner tonight. But First - Stevie proposed to Jessie and she said YES. For a little added surprise, Stevie asked her parents, Tom & Beth Reynolds, to come from Decautur, IL to join in the festivities. We are so happy to have Jessie as part of the family and we very much enjoyed meeting her parents. Ah yes, the excitement is just beginning.