This Way To My Blog

This Way To My Blog

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Important Place



John promised me we would go to the ranch when the football game was over. Dallas vs I have no idea. Before it was over he threw a fit and said we'll go now because they don't know how to play. Didn't take me long to gather my feed and stuff. Then he decides they are playing to suit him and lets wait until in the morning. So I'm filing, shredding and looking at old pictures. No country tales but this eighth grade graduation picture brought back memories. Lucky I finished school as much as I hated it but that isn't what I was thinking so much of when I looked at this picture. Its the exact spot it was taken in. Doesn't look that important, does it? Maybe thanks to that spot I still have all my teeth. I've told here how country we grew up. We didn't have a bathroom (outhouse instead), we had running water in the house but not hot running water. We would have to heat water to bathe. That was okay, we were used to it. In school when I started taking a health class I learned I should be brushing my teeth. We didn't have floss then. Mama and Daddy kind of thought kids took care of themselves. We didn't go to dentist or doctors except in an extreme emergency. So me, myself, and I decided I needed to start brushing my teeth. I ask Mama to buy me one and she did. Whoops now where is a body supposed to brush those teeth at? I got a glass of water and my brand spanking new toothbrush and toothpaste and stepped out the back door. Not nice to spit water and toothpaste in the kitchen sink where Mama cooked those good meals. So I picked the front of this bush as my toothbrushing place and then when I became older it became the picture taking place.

15 comments:

Sage Ravenwood said...

Ironic the very place in which you learned to perserve the smile for the pictures. By the way you were a very beautiful young lady. (Hugs)Indigo

Anonymous said...

what a wonderful memory...and a beautful young lady in that picture...somehow dispite all that was seemingly against us...we survived!!!! right??? and had a good time while doing it LOLOL...God Bless....hugs...Ora ps...more pics...more memories....lovem!!!

salemslot9 said...

nice story
and photo
the best thing
I remember about 8th grade
I went to Hawaii
with my folks
aloha

Helen said...

You were a beautiful young lady Paula. I remember the glass of water and toothbrush with a tad of toothpaste heading outside. Times have surely changed. Helen

BlueRidge Boomer said...

Great story.....As kids ...when we went to the farm, in the summers....we brushed our teeth on the back porch and tryed to hit the chickens when we spit!!

Enjoy.....LindaMay

Lucy said...

I did not enjoy ant part of school after 6th grade. You were and still are a very pretty lady. We brushed our teeth with baking soda. Kinda gross.

Alice said...

Well Paula, if you din't learn anything else at school you did learn to brush. When I was a kid we had running water, run to the hand pump outside and get it!! I think we lived similar lives and we came out pretty darned good:) Loved this story, GF~~~

garnett109 said...

thank Goodness for indoor plumbing

jack69 said...

I was not crazy about school. I quit as soon as I was old enough to go in Service.
Folks back then did depend on kids taking care of themselves. You were very smart, not many kids would ask for a toothbrush. Funny how certain small things just start a river of thoughts. We liked the picture. YOu look older than 8th grade, you look nearly grown.
Sherry & Jack from somewhere in Tennessee.

Rose said...

Paula what a lovely picture and a great memory!

Anonymous said...

PAULA,
STANDING OUTSIDE AND BRUSHING TEETH WITH SODA WAS A RITUAL WITH ME. AFTER BREAKFAST AND BEFORE BEGINNING THE LONG WALK TO HIGH SCHOOL.

'CHORES' WERE FINISHED BEFORE BREAKFAST. FEED THE HORSES, TURN OUT THE CHICKENS, SLOP THE HOGS INCLUDING EVERY DROP OF WATER SAVED FROM DISH WASHING, THE DROUTH WAS ON ALONG WITH THE GREAT DEPRESSION.

THERE WAS I STANDING OUT THERE BRUSHING MY TEETH AND LOOKING TOWARD THE STATE HIGHWAY NEARBY AND HERE CAME A CAR SO FAST I DID NOT BELIEVE IT COULD STAY ON THE ROAD CURVE AT THAT SPEED. IT COULDENT AND SLINGING DIRT AND GRAVEL, OFF IT WENT DOWN INTO A DEEP DITCH AND UP AGAIN OVER A FIVE WIRE FENCE WITHOUT BREAKING A WIRE, ROLLED A COUPLE OF TIMES AND AS IT LANDED ON IT'S WHEELS A BACK DOOR FLEW OPEN AND A LADY ROLLED OUT LANDING AGAINST A TREE, HER BACK AND HEAD AGAINST THE TREE WITH HER SITTING UPRIGHT WITH ARMS SLUNG BACK AROUND THE TREE. ADDING TO THE HORROR THE TREE WAS A THORN TREE WITH THOSE HUGE BLACK THORNS GROWING OUT ALONG THE TRUNK OF THE TREE.

PERHAPS I SHOULD NOT HAVE TOLD THIS BECAUSE OF THE SADNESS. THE LADY WAS PREGNANT AND DIED INSTANTLY.

COULD TELL ANOTHER ACCOUNT OF A CAR GOING OFF ON THAT SAME CURVE YEARS LATER WHILE I WAS SERVING IN WORLD WAR TWO, KILLING A YOUNG FRIEND AGE ABOUT FOURTEEN, DRIVER'S LICENSE NOT REQUIRED AT THAT TIME IN EASTERN OKLAHOMA.
THE BOY DIED AND WILL NOT TELL HIS CONDITION UNLESS IT IS REQUESTED.
sam

Jennifer said...

Don't get me wrong I love your country tales, but I also love when you share memories. This one was great..love the pic.

Carlene Noggle said...

PAULA...YOU WERE SO PRETTY AND ALL DRESSED UP! I THINK I GOT A TOOTHBRUSH ABOU THE SAME TIME AS YOU...BUT I HAD TO BRUSH MINE WITH BAKING SODA! AND LIKE YOU HAD TO GO OUTSIDE TO DO IT!
LOVE ,
CARLENE

Lori said...

Great story!! And what a beautiful young lady you are in this picture. You are still a very attractive young lady! ;)

Lisa said...

Such an interesting story. You look so lovely in your pretty dress. It's funny how you said you were used to not having hot water. I guess if you don't have something you never know what you are missing. I love reading about your childhood and your memories, always interesting.