Invisible Threads...

It's funny what you lug behind after you leave home. You don't even realize that "they're" along for the life ride, let alone maybe a bit different or strange. It may take years before you discover "they're" trying to kick their way out in the open and have some say. Some of these threads are from my home town of Rock Valley, Iowa. Back in the '50's and '60's this was a pretty small, somewhat isolated, mostly Dutch community of about 2,500 folks. Much of our population was farmers, though I was always a townie. Other threads were instilled in my home as I was growing up.

Neese sitting in front of the house I grew up in. Rock Valley, Iowa 1959..

Shuffle & Deal...

I wonder what ever happened to good old-fashioned family card games? Do families still play certain card games when they get together? We didn't play cards at my house when I was a kid. Pretty sure that wasn't on the approved activity list. But I played cards everywhere else. By the time I hit my mid teens it was one of my favorite past-times. OK, sneaking smokes was number 1, but cards were definitely number 2. Well, maybe after boys, but it was definitely number 3. Yeah, we'll let cards stand at number 3.

 

Pinochle game 1970's. Jim & Mag Van Berkum, Eleanor VB & Elly Lawrence...

Ticked or Tickled...

A couple of days ago, I mentioned to John that I was working on story # 60 for my blog. Shaking his head in total amazement and wonder he inquired, "what on earth can you still find to write about?" Ugh. Thanks Hon. While number 50 wasn't a big deal to me, I feel differently about number 60. Huh. So all 4 of you lucky readers get a sneak peek into what makes me tick-and what ticks me off. In no particular order and without further ado:

 

Two favorites. Potato salad in a Blue Delft bowl...

Life After Larry...

In 1958 my brother Larry was killed. I was 7. My sister Mona got married a couple years later. So basically from then on I was like an only child. I was old enough to stay home after school by myself until Mom and Dad got off work. By 5:30 we were sitting down to a big supper. In the span of 2 short years, our once family of 5 was suddenly down to a sad, measly 3.

 

California trip to visit Dad's sis and Mom's brother in 1961. Disney and Knott's inc...

 

Opposites...

So I've been thinking about this wonderful institution of marriage. Actually I was cleaning up the kitchen after supper. I was sliding bread crumbs off the cutting board into the garbage. We had homemade vegetable beef barley soup with a slice of crusty bread. On the counter sat this tub of Olivio. I guess it's a buttery tasting concoction made from olive oil. John's eaten it for a long time. This after years of eating "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter." Ugh. I believe it. Right next to the Olivio sat my little Rubermaid container. Cuddling 2 sticks of buttery stuff. Called butter.

 

Butter versus Olivio. No contest says me, the butter lover...

Accumulating losses...

I started my blog 8 months ago. Several months before that I had been invited to join an open group (thanks Ray) titled, "If you grew up in Rock Valley." As in Iowa. Which I had. When I signed up, the group consisted of 30 various aged people. (Now there's over 500) Writing little stories about our childhoods. Snippets of school shenanigans. Many are hysterically funny. Growing up in that quaint little northwest Iowa town. After someone posted, most of us would write comments. That's always the fun part. Comments continued sometimes for days. Often a hundred or more. What a hoot! Some of the posts were a bit ahead or behind me, but there weren't many posts where I didn't comment. Always love to add my 2 cents worth to the total.

 

Rock Valley's elementary school when I was a kid. It was new then, now it's gone...