Another letter from mom................................................. ********************** WELL I WAS RAISED PRETTY MUCH FAMILIAR TO THAT FORM OF LIVING ,ONLY MUCH MORE RUSTIC THEN. I REMEMBER AN OLD BUILDING ACROSS THE ROAD WITH A KITCHEN BEDROOM & ONE FLOOR OF MATTRESSES FOR 5 CHILDREN. AFTER HARLEY WAS BORN ,HE SLEPT WITH MOTHER AS DAD WAS GONE A LOT ,MOTHER WORKED AT THE SCHOOL AS JANITOR , CARETAKER. I STARTED SCHOOL THERE ,SPEAKING FINN AND NO ENGLISH, MOTHER ALSO WASHED CLOTHES ON A SCRUB BOARD ,& TUBS FOR WASH & RINSE ,IRONED WITH IRONS HEATED ON A WOOD STOVE. IN THE WINTER SHE DELIVERED THEM TO TOWN ON HER BACK IN A KNAPSACK CARRIED ON HER SHOULDERS WHILE SHE SKIED TO TOWN 5 MILES FOR GROCERIES & MORE CLOTHES ,NO ELECTRICITY NO INDOOR PLUMBING WELL WAS AWAY FROM THE HOUSE. WE HAULED LAUNDRY, WATER, BATH WATER , DRINKING &COOKING ,,,THEN WE MOVED TO ALVWOOD LUMBER CAMP WHERE DAD WORKED, THE MAN THAT OWNED THE SAWMILL GAVE DAD LUMBER TO BUILD A 2 ROOM HOUSE. WE HAD MATTRESSES ON THE FLOOR AND ONE BED MOM USED. DAD STAYED AT THE LUMBER CAMP BUNK HOUSE A LOT AS HE ALSO ATE WITH THE CREW HELMI WAS 13 OR 14. SHE HIRED OUT AS KITCHEN HELP/DISHES SCRUBBING FLOORS ASST COOK , MOTHER DID LAUNDRY FOR THE CREWS LIKE SHE HAD BEEN ,I WAS 8 SO .HELPED MOTHER PICK BERRIES AND FRUIT OF ALL KIND . I WASHED TONS OF GLASS JARS. MY HANDS WERE SMALL SO THEY FIT IN THE JARS , .LATER DAD BOUGHT A SMALL SPOT A FEW SECTIONS OF LAND WITH SOME TIMBER , HE BUILT ANOTHER HOUSE A LITTLE BIGGER ,WE ALL WORKED PEELING LOGS WHILE DAD CUT TIMBER & SOLD THE PEELED LOGS , ,SOME ONE BUILT A LATHE MILL THE BOYS WERE OUT OF SCHOOL ELVEN GRADUATED HIGH IN GRAND RAPIDS ELMER WAS WORKING AWAY , HELMI LEFT HIGH SCHOOL MOVED TO BEMIDJI AND MARRIED LEONARD ,THE BOYS MOVED TO OREGON ,I WENT TO GRAND RAPIDS THEN ELVEN WAS DUE TO GRADUATE HIGH I QUIT HIGH SCHOOL AND CAME HOME BECAUSE THE FOLKS COULDNT AFFORD TO SEND US BOTH TO SCHOOL. AS SOON AS HE GRADUATED HE AND ELMER PACKED & LEFT FOR OREGON ,LEFT ME & HARLEY HOME I WORKED FOR SAM BANDS BAR & CAFÉ I BABY SAT KIDS, HELPED MOM CANNING &PICKING FRUIT , THEN MET CHARLES .HERE I AM
Posted on: Sun, 16 Nov 2014 23:01:26 +0000