To Chillicothe for a Visit

Still in 1961, we went back to Chillicothe from Ft. Madison for a Christmas visit with my family. Here we are - Jo, Bud and I standing behind Charlie and Nan, our mom and dad.

My brother and I by the Christmas tree at our sister's home. Hard to believe that was 41 years ago. Time has raced by at an incredible pace and seems to be speeding up more all the time. (Click to enlarge)

Opening the Presents in 1961

Whatever is in that box is a hit with Billy! And Sherry is looking happy, also, so it appears that Santa was successful in leaving presents for the little kids on Crescent Lane. I should apologize to my dear daughter for burdening her with my firm belief that all women and little girls had to have curls!! My Shirley Temple hangup! That explains the little pink hairnet she is wearing. The good old times were really good except for some things! Sorry, Honey!!

If you notice over the chest there is a kind of a wall hanging. It was something I found in an old McCall's Needlecrafts (which I took for years) - a felt nativity scene. I cannot remember whether it was glued or sewn. It was mounted on cardboard with gold rickrack around the edge.

Our Christmas Cards in 1961

Ray was an amateur photographer and had a darkroom in the basement. He had purchased the equipment and a good camera from a friend and he took lots of pictures for quite a few years. We made our Christmas cards several times. The one above was what we sent to our families and non-square dancing friends.

This is the one we sent to the couples we danced with. "One More Two" is what the caller always called when there was a square with only three couples standing waiting to dance. We danced for many years and it was such good fun and we made such good friends. On top of that it was wonderful exercise. The clothes were rather silly but we most certainly enjoyed the time spent in the world of square dancing. (Click to enlarge)

Decking the Halls

Here we are trimming the tree in the little house on Crescent Lane. Sherry was 10 1/2 and Bill was 8. Ray always set the tree up and put the lights on and the kids and I did the decorating. I can see the one bubble light that we had on our tree for years, along with a little homemade Santa ornament that Sherry made one year. Aren't the things you put on your tree year after year precious? It would be nice to have a color coordinated, themed tree - but only if it was the second one! I love all the things you discover each time you put up the tree. Last night I went over to have dinner with Sherry and Barclay - and after we ate, I helped her hang the ornaments on their tree. One was a little thing she called "peanut Jesus" which was a seedpod filled with cotten and a little peanut with two little eyes drawn on lying on the cotton. Adorable! Who could resist a sweet little peanut Jesus. Is not that what it's all about?

When I was a child, our tree had a little rooster which must have been made of celluloid since plastic had not been discovered yet way back then. I think a nephew of mine has it now and I am sure he hangs it on his tree. We also had a little group of sparkly houses that you put a string of lights in. There were colored cellophane windows and the lights showed through. My father made a low table that was maybe 2 1/2 feet square with a hole in the middle for the tree. They laid a cotton batting on the table and the little houses on that. He also whittled a little fence that went all the way around the table, complete with a little gate. I wonder where that went. We had a chenille wreath with a light in it that hung in the window. The decorations back then were nothing compared to what they are today. The celebration of Christmas was actually more wondrous and simple, I think. Nowadays everyone is stressed out - what a shame.

We had a room in the basement and we put up a second tree down there. Bill was a real Christmas kid and full of enthusiasm. During the trimming of the tree, he commented - "This is togetherness!" Lovely times and lovely memories. (Click to enlarge)

Christmas on Crescent Lane

I just spent some time doing some scanning of old pictures of my family - Sherry, Bill, Ray and I. For today, I will just post this picture of our little house on Crescent Lane in Ft. Madison, Iowa, where we moved in January, 1957, when the Santa Fe consolidated the Illinois division with Missouri. Lots of Chillicothe families and Marceline, MO, families made the move and lots and lots of us became fast friends. It was the first of quite a few moves along the railroad. Quite a few of us ended up in the same subdivision and part of living there was putting a big plastic candle that lit up (it came with the house) in front during the holidays. It was very festive especially since some of the families put out some outside decorations. The picture was taken in 1961. More later! :-) (Click to enlarge)

Gloria Ann

For the life of me, I cannot remember who Gloria Ann is but I can remember her. I know she is not related to me, but the name is so very familiar. She might have been the little child of one of my Aunt Leah's friends. However, here she is in her stroller. In the background in the yard next door there is a little boy watching what is going on in the Pearces' yard. That is Newell Smith who I remember playing with when I visited my grandparents. I think I wrote a little about him one other time. He lived with his grandmother and Aunt Rose. His grandma had a very strange voice and my grandma referred to her as "Squeak" - not to her face, I am sure.

Gloria Ann's stroller is parked by one of my grandfather's rock creations. He had several rock gardens and also a fish pond - which is in the second picture. There were goldfish in the pond. Sitting on the little bench is my little brother and sister, Bud and Jo. Behind them is grandpa's rocking chair. Looks like someone has a "fishing pole", too.

Speaking of my "little brother", tomorrow is his birthday! Happy Birthday, Bud! (Click to enlarge)

Nan and BJ

I remember my my mom talking about BJ Carney, an old beau of hers before she met my father. I am certain these are pictures of Nan and BJ. In the first picture, I love the rather coy smile she has on her pretty face. And what a lovely hat she is wearing.

This is most certainly taken at the Sionilli, the Pearce cottage upriver from Peoria in Rome. BJ has a cigar in his hand. The cars back in the early 1900's were really great looking pieces of machinery. (Click to enlarge)