Don’t know why we weren’t asked for loan again!

I was taught to pick up all things I carried into the house and threw into the chair at the door. It was the only soft chair in the house and was where Pappy sat if he ever came in to sit instead of sleep! I knew manners and used them most of the time but then I got married. She picked up for me, cooked my meals, washed my clothes, and saw to it I was clean and decent for church! I chose real good!

I soon learned to leave my shirt out of the hamper if a button was off, and the socks, too, if my toe poked through the end! I was sure enjoying the pampering she put forth so easily. She sweet-talked me into moving to a house that had running water and higher rent. I worked harder and we made it just fine, saving pennies for a place!

We were comfortable for six or eight months when her father died and we gladly took her mother in and made room for her in our tiny place. My Pappy came to town and brought some stuff she could use and we did fine until her oldest daughter came and moved her to Abilene. We soon moved to a bigger home down by the railroad that had running water and cheaper rent. Trains are loud and it took a long time to learn to sleep through them!

I worked two jobs until I got so tired I thought getting a loan was a perfect idea. It put us in debt but we had found this place and wanted to make it ours, so we signed on a dotted line — for 40 years! Now we really worked, cried and cussed and worked some more. I guess we finally learned that working 12 to 14 hours a day paid off and we lived as cheap as possible. Then she was approached to run the town switchboard and made money!

We were pretty well on the way to a ranch when she informed me we were gonna have a baby! Proud, happy and scared was our reaction as we did not know anything about raising kids and we soon had two and then three. She still took care of me, but I soon found out how much trouble I was and had to start doing better for myself!

We were started, it took time and we had that but very little else! The kids and the cattle grew, and we began to pay off the debt. Both of us were sure we would never worry again. All was gonna be as planned and we were on a ride going up. We got a car and a new pickup and paid cash for them, so we had it all figured out and all three kids were fine.

Fever and sore throat and looking pale was one and then two! My close relative doctored them but, on day three, we had to call in the town doctor. We had a problem with pneumonia and had to go to the hospital. That taught us all a lesson we have never forgotten, and all our savings and signing on the dotted line again. We got the pneumonia whipped and made it again!

My close relative and I were approached to lend money this evening for foolishness such as a brand new fancy car. We did not say no and we had a cup of coffee and visited with them. We told some stories about our first house as the subject changed and a few other things until they said they had to go as it got late. Lots of laughter and fun and lots of wisdom were exchanged in a short while. We decided it was our bedtime, too, and we were never asked for the loan again — don’t know why!

I am ready to start baling hay soon and enjoying summer. Get your thunder sticks ready for a long hot spell. Keep all iron oiled and “Remember the Alamo!”