15 Childhood Treats

Most of the time growing up, we didn't have much in the way of worldly possessions.

We usually lived in small old houses or tents or just camped in a prune orchard or by a small stream somewhere. When we did live in a house, we didn't have running water or inside bathrooms. I remember our wash basin sitting on a wooden orange crate that was turned on it's end. A small bar of soap lay by the side of the basin. All of our cupboards were open with no doors, but Mom sewed curtains out of cloth flour sacks that had flowers, etc. on them. We had one mirror in the house and one cook stove to cook on and to provide heat in the winter time. In the summer it got pretty hot in the house around meal time.

I remember listing to the small radio located on another orange crate in the kitchen. There were no televisions or computers in our home. Televisions were new and we could not afford one. Computers were things that filled a room and were usually in a government building somewhere. We did enjoy the radio though and listened to "Amos and Andy," "Bulldog Drummin," "Abbot and Costello," and "The Shadow."

Most of what we did during the long cold winters was to create our own amusement. We drew pictures on old brown paper sacks. My Brother and I were always hungry and invented what we called the "Cornflake and Mustard Sandwich ."

For some reason Mom let us do this about lunch time and it gave us something to do. We would take two slices of white homemade bread and spread yellow mustard on both pieces. Then we would take a big box of Post Kellogg Cornflakes and sprinkle a generous helping onto one slice of the bread. We would place the other slice of bread on the top and crunch the sandwich together. Then we would sit close to the wood stove eating out invention and feeling very confident; like we could conquer the world.

Another treat we enjoyed was to slice potatoes and fry them on top of the wood stove. Once they were brown or scorched, we would take them off and blow on them to cool them down and then we would eat them with a little salt. We tried to slice them very thin like potatoe chips and one potatoe per child would keep us happy and busy for quite some time.

I remember these activities best, when we lived in a small old house in Wyndott, California. We moved from Wyndotte after a year or two and I did not return until 50 years later.

While living in Folsom, California, near Sacramento in 1996, my wife and I took our youngest daughter Richelle on a ride one Thanksgiving day. We wanted to see if we could find our old house where I had lived as a boy.

After some looking, we finally located the house. It still sat in the same place, but was leaning almost at a 30 degree angle. The house never did have any paint on the wooden boards and most of them were rotten and barely hanging to the leaning frame of the house. I got out and walked up the small lane to the house. The old olive trees still guarded the lane and there were some manzaneta bushes surrounding the house. My heart beat quickened as I approached the house with curious expectation. I looked in and much to my surprise, the only thing left in the house was the old cook stove. My mind flew back to almost 50 years before and in my minds eye I could see two little boys and a sister, slicing potatoes and frying them on the stove. I also imagined our mother sitting to one side watching us with a loving smile on her face.

We had no idea what was going to happen during the next 50 years, but we were happy. We didn't have the luxuries of life, but we had each other.

LESSON LEARNED

When all is said and done, the things that really matters in this life, are the people who we go through it with; those we love and especially our families.

14 LISTEN TO FATHER

One Saturday, when I was about 12 years old, our family decided to go fishing. Not far from our house, near Marysville, California, was a good sized reservoir. There was a levy built up around the reservoir that was covered with many trees; including some huge cottonwoods. It was a perfect place to fish and a beautiful day to do it in.

We were excited as we arrived at the reservoir. Birds were singing in the trees and a gentle breeze was causing the trees to whisper a peaceful melody.

My mother and sister, Marilyn, began to spread out a blanket and to set out a picnic lunch. Meanwhile Richard and my step-father and I, began looking for grasshoppers in the deep grass to use for bait.

I was the first to catch a grasshopper and to bait my hook. I found a good spot on the bank of the levy and cast my line into the water. As I did, a large carp swam couriously up from the bottom of the lake to take a look. My heart began to pound. Carp were not good to eat, but for a young boy to catch a big fish, no matter what it was, would be a fantastic victory.

With my eyes firmly fixed on the Carp in the water, I didn't pay any attention to a strange pop and a crackling sound that seemed to mix with the rustling of the trees.

Suddenly, I heard my step-father yell, "Move!" Immediately something inside of me also said, "Do it!" Without hesitation, I leaped to my left as a huge cottonwood tree came crashing down, right where I had been sitting. The outer branches swept across my head and back leaving some welt marks, but I was not seriously hurt. My willow fishing pole was broken and the Carp was gone, but I was safe.

Lesson Learned

I have been ever thankful that I did not stop to argue or to inquire, "Why?" or "Just a minute." My unquestioning, immediate, obedience paid off and saved me from serious injury or maybe even death! It is always best to take council or direction from those who have a better perspective than we do. I have compared my step-father to my Heavenly Father many times. When He says, "Move!" I move, without question or delay. I have had many experiences with this throughout my life. It has always been a good thing for me as I have immediately obeyed His promptings and direction. May we all do the same.