I was born 9 miles north of Athelston, Iowa, at home of coarse. I have three older sisters, 2 older brothers and a younger Peggy Sue. Mom let us name her and it was unanimous by the way. She was the only one of us born in a hospital.
My Dad was a farm hand he worked for a few different farm owners. In 1960’s living about two miles from Roland, Iowa where Peggy was born, he was making $30.00 per week. In the fall his boss would purchase 250 Hybrid chicks and in the summer the roosters was in our freezer and the hens where laying eggs in the henhouse, which meant that last years layers were now in the freezer marked ‘Old Hen’ that added flavor to Mom’s home made noodles.
Dad and my brothers would kill and skin the fryers and pluck the roosters. Mom and my sisters and I would prepare them for the freezer, cutting up the fryers.
From the time I was old enough to us a knife, at the ripe old age of nine, on my kneeling on a chair, I helped with preparing the chickens for the freezer.
Dad would gather the eggs. Mom would stand for hours carefully washing them. She would put some in the fridge for us and crate up the rest for Dad to sell at the local produce.
In the spring and again in the fall Dad’s boss would let him butcher a hog. I still remember getting sick when Mom rendered the lard, but I did enjoy eating those Cracklin Cookies she made.
I remember when my oldest brother got his first job. When he got his first paycheck he stopped at a grocery store and bought two five-pound canned hams. Mom said she would cook one and put the other one in the fridge. my brother said, “You’re cooking both of them. We’re gonna get full tonight.”
I grow up listening to Buddy Holly, Roy Orbison, Gene Pitney, Del Shannon, Rickie Nelson and of coarse Elvis. Watching movies of The Marx Brothers, Abbott & Costello, Laurel & Hardy and my all time favorite, Red Skelton.
I never had a chance to know my Dads parents. They died before I was born, so had my Mom’s Dad. The only Grandma I knew died when I was eight years old. So I guess that’s way I enjoy helping the elderly, kind of like replacements for grandparents I never knew.
I never really did to good in school. I was a sickly child. As the doctor put it, I had rotten tonsils. I had a hard time concentrating. I also get headaches from fluorescent lights. I attended grade school at Roland Community School.
In the summer of 1968 my Dad got a job near Atlantic, Iowa. There was just my parents myself and younger sister. My other brothers and sisters had already flow the coop, so to speak. Dad was making $500.00 per month there. Compared to the $30.00 per week, we
it was a big step up for them. I attended Atlantic Jr. High and barely squeaked by on my grades. Needless to say I have learned more on my own than I did at school. I was into crossword puzzles and word games because it was something I could do without too much effort. Two months into the ninth grade, I quit school.
My Dad’s last job took us to rural Indianola. I got my first job staying with a sweet lady in Indianola for $60.00 per month. My Dad would drop me off on Sunday evening and pick me up on Friday night.
Then I just bounded around, mainly baby setting with my nieces and nephews. I guess that was a trait I got from my Mom. She loved children period. She often told me, “When I look at a child I don’t see race or color, I see a child.”
In 1978 I had an Aneurism burst in head. It was in the left frontal lode of my brain, causing a stroke with effecting g my right side of my body. The doctors said if I was alone and my sister I was staying with at what time, had not have acted so fast I would have died within five minutes. It felt like my brains where frying. She got a pan of ice water and some dishtowels and she said steam was rolling off the towels. She would no sooner get one rung out and she burned her fingers taking the other on off my head. She did this until the burning stopped. Then she and her husband took me to the hospital. The doctor on call gave me a shot for pain and didn’t keep me. Sometime during the night I had a stoke. The next morning I they took me back to the ER. I was then taken to the University Hospital in Iowa City. I remember my family gathering in my room and the doctor saying that the medication that they would have to give me to get the dried blood out of my head could kill me. If I survived, the paralysis could last three weeks, three months or indefinitely. I would her to have some rehab after I was released. Three weeks
and for days later I was released from the hospital. I did not require any rehab.
I got married in February 1984 and a month later my Dad died of a heart attack. A few days after his funeral I was standing in the kitchen and cursing God for taking him for me without me having a change to say goodbye. All at once I felt firm hands on my shoulders and proceeded shaking me so hard I passed out. No one can ever convince me take there is no God. I got the message real quick! I had always believed, but I crossed a lines and he just let me know about it!
My daughter was born in 1987 and my son in 1990. My daughter won some awards in school from perfect attendance to the Presidential Award of Academic Achievement to being in the Who’s Who in High Schools Book. See is also on the Dean’s List at the college she attends. I am home schooling my son. This year he is in ninth grade.
I work in housekeeping at a nursing and rehab facility.
I have been a Deacon at our church for going on five years now. The minister tells us we are known as a praying church because of the stories told by people whom we’ve activated a prayer chain for and was miraculously heeled.
I sort of accidentally found this wonderful community of friends. It was a happy accident. I really enjoy being a part of it. Other sites say they are so great, but they can’t hold a candle to Adland.
My opportunities I am involved in that I have gotten results from:
http://www.myalright-site.com
http://www.programhoppers.com/7394/
http://www.affiliatemarketingformula.com/?ref=soretoe48
http://websites.ws/soretoe
http://www.100000usd.com/?afid=AF57C646395
http://freeaddepot.com/?aff=7694
http://topsurfer.com/newuser.cgi?referer=soretoe
This link is just for fun. I like to watch children with this, especially five and under:
http://topsurfer.com/camera.cgi?soretoe
God Bless,
Mary