WE PREPARE TO MOVE

At some point in 1939 or 1940 Mother and Daddy had decided to buy Grand Pa Easley's farm. You know they had been dating since Mother was 14. (Well, I don't know if it was dating as it is done now, (2010 - 1931 = 79 yrs. later), definately not like now! This may be a little more than you ever thought you wanted to know, so shut your eyes and stop your ears, until you've read and heard past this place. Only a few years before Daddy died, I heard him say to a group of us, "We never knew each other or anybody else, sexually, until our marriage night."

You may open your eyes and ears. They had planned to be married in November 1936, but about that time, Grand Ma Easley died. They felt it was best to postpone a few weeks, hence the date, December 19, 1936. I also heard Daddy say a couple of times in their latter years (you may keep open) that around the time they were engaged, he had a pray with God. I don't know if he meant a vow. That he would do all he knew to walk as close to God as he knew. What ever family they had, he would dedicate to God, they might be a God loving and righteous family.

It may be possible that while he was still a youth, in his teens, that he conceived the hope that he could some day own Grand Pa's place. The first time he and Lawton stay there all night, I think Grand Ma and Grand Pa never did even light the lamp. As it grew dark they went to bed. Daddy and Lawton twisted and turned on their pallets as long as they could take it, but when they knew the Old Grands were sleeping, they slipped out the door, off the porch, and high tailed it for home.

Just before Daddy hit his mid-teens, he had two old pockets from one or another of his uncles. The took them apart, selected the best of each and rebuilt one good watch. Grand Pa had bought a mantle clock in 1885, he kept it oiled by dipping a turkey tail feather in kerosene and poking it up into the works. As he wiggled the feather around, he hoped he had oiled all the important parts. Over the years it had finally stopped running. Grand Pa knew about Daddy's success with the watches.
When the clock was 30 years old in 1930, Daddy was 15 years old. He ask Daddy to see if he could get it going again. As he took it apart, he kept finding all these bits of turkey tail feathers and dust from the dust bowl stuck to the gears coated with very aged kerosene. He washed all the parts with gasoline, put it back together and it ran like a clock for years. He also learned how to oil it with a little oil can.

It may have been some or more of times like those that planted the spark to own the farm. [We're still coming around to moving. But I gota go sleep before we can get the deal made. So until next time. Good Night and Sweet Dreams!]