Rambling Thoughts

Why did people stand up, and yell and scream at Hoosier Basket Ball games? It was just a game?

Why did the principal take me aside and tell me I could do better if I tried. I was just third in the class. Others wanted to be better...were you not susposed to let the other person go first?

If Heaven had streets of gold, why did I like to run in the grass?

My parents took me to a political rally once. Why did the politican yell and get red in the face like a preacher did? Their message did not seem the same.

Cleaning wallpaper after burning a coal stove during the winter. You would take a big gob of wallpaper cleaner and swipe it down the paper, then you would kneed the dirt inside the ball. Repeat that about a 1000 times. The coal stove kept you warm and cleaning the wall paper kept you warm too.

When we moved then I found out about hanging wallpaper. I had bought the paper, read the directions, Had everything out of the room, and was ready to hang new paper. I put the wall paper paste on as directed, and started with the ceiling. It fell off, I tried again, it fell off. So I go downstairs (before cell phones) and called Aunt Dorothy. She wall papered all the time. She just said use more paste. So I used more paste, the paper fell off, so I called Aunt Dorothy again and she said Use more Paste. I had more paste, on both sides before I finally got a piece of paper on the ceiling. Two rooms and a stairway later. I never put up wall paper again!! I did occasionally learn something!

My dad always made a trip to Indianapolis when he sold his cattle. I would get to go with mom to the big downtown stores. My first esculators, and elevators, and all the things of civilization. And we would always have lunch at Woolworths. It was a day of treats. My dad always took us in and out of town on the truck route. It was where the trains ran, and the very poorest people lived. I asked him ONE TIME why we never went down Fall Creek Boulevard where the beautiful houses were. He said " This way, you will be content with what you have when you get home" He was a wise man and I have always been content with what I had.

My mother grew up in her grandfathers home. She never liked antique furniture, as that was what she always had. So when she took me to my great Aunt Mead's I was enthralled by her house and furniture. Especially a picture on her dining room wall of a dead woman laying on a funny looking table. I would always take a good look at that picture! She also had an old foot pump orgain. Occasionally I could play a little bit. Not that I could play, that was probably why it was only a short time. Then on the back porch she had an oak icebox. Have you priced one of those lately? And upstairs she had dark walnut dressers with big mirrors and marble tops. I always had to be on my best behavior and after squirming around a bit I was put outside to the sidewalks to skip under the grape vines etc .At that time, my mom and her cousin were the only relatives left to take care of her. That must have taught me another lesson. But to this day I enjoy the antique road show!