Boy's Jobs / Girl's Jobs

Dad had definite rules for man's work and women's work. The men took care of anything outside and the women took care of the chores inside of the house.

That meant Elvin, Willard and Wayne had the jobs of chopping wood for the stoves and milking the cows work with Dad.

When I was six Dad was outside digging weeds from our front yard. We kids were having fun grabbing the chunks of weeds and knocking the sod out of the roots when ever Dad would spade a big chunk form the ground. In my eagerness to be first to grab the next chunk, i looked up laughing and bent over to just as Dad brought the shovel down with force and got me right between the eyes. Blood began gushing and i was howling in pain. I could not see for the blood in my eyes, Dad scooped my up and carried me into the house afraid he had blinded me. he was so scared. i remember thinking that was the first time I could remember Daddy carrying me. It was a comforting feeling, He lay me on the kitchen table while Mom worked on stopping the bleeding. I was fortunate, I did not lose my eyesight as mom was afraid would happen, but I still have the scar on the bridge of my nose. It is covered by the glasses I wear. i don't think this incident brought on my early nearsightedness.

When Dad was between jobs he was never idle. there was always a vegetable garden growing. a fence to build, a field to plant for the milk cow. Slowly his 5 acers were put in order with a chicken coop and corral for the cow. he planted trees and grape vines and a lawn. he did his best to prepare so things would go smooth while he was away on a job.

The boys had to get up early each morning to milk the cow. The cow had to be milked again the last thing before dark.

One day the cow began mooing and stumbling around, unable to keep standing upright, She finally laid down and died. Mom was broken hearted to watch he beloved milk source die from eating Loco weed from the field.

I remember times Dad would sit at the table hardly touching the food on his plate and he watched all of his children eating and talking. He was overcome with the painful pleasure of knowing he was able to provide food for a large healthy family. So many times in his childhood he had not know the feel of a full stomach at mealtime.