Kathy at The Junk Drawer had a post "What Was Your Very First Memory" which I commented on and thought it might be good to post about it here. We used to live in Garrettsville. This is a picture of our first house that my mom and dad worked together on building. As you can see, it was pretty much in the boonies with just open field all around.
I don’t remember much before I started school but I do remember this because I was afraid my mom was going to land on me and squish me! (She was not a small person.) I must have been 4 years old sitting on the couch one night. All of a sudden, my mom screamed really, really LOUD and jumped on top of the couch right next to me!
She saw a mouse in our house! She was terrified of the cute little things and told my dad, she couldn't live there anymore. She can't live with mice in the house. Harry, being the loving husband that he was, put the house up for sale and we moved to Parma (a suburb of Cleveland). Here is a slide he took of mom and me at out new home playing a word game also dated 1958. I've always enjoyed playing games, all kinds. This is probably why--she started me early.
I found this slide which was taken after the house was sold and dated 1958. Harry was great at labeling things and a very detailed person which sometimes got on my nerves, especially when he'd explain things like I was a 2-yr.-old sometimes. Anyhow, because he dated that slide, I am able to figure out how old I was at the time. The one of my mom and me he listed both our full names as well as described the type of game we were playing. I'm glad he did now even though it may have seemed silly at the time.
Tip: Always label the back of your pictures with names and dates. Years later, it helps bring more meaning to the people who find them.
One of Mama Kat’s Writer’s Workshop prompts this week is: Explain a time there was an emergency. What “mode” did you go into? Freaking out, calm and collected, etc. I modified it a bit by sharing about my mom freaking out in what she considered to be an emergency. To find out more about my book and why I wrote it, read the Foreword here.
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19 comments:
Visiting from mama kats! Great photo, I love the old tv in the background!
That was such a cute story. Your dad sounds like a wonderful man!
**visiting from mama kat's**
hahaha, well isn't that the perfect response to seeing a mouse? hi from mama kats!
What great advice about detailed labeling of ones photos!
How great that you have pictures of you and your mom playing together and your first home!
Interesting reading.
Thats a real old TV.
Wonder which year that was?
I would say moving is definitely freaking out. We lived in this really old mobile home when I was little out in the boonies, just for a little while because we moved a lot. But one of my first memories is my Mom letting me jump on the bed to scare a mouse out from under there so she could smash it with the broom.
Great memory. Very good advice. Stopping in from Mama Kat's. Don't you just love Thursdays?
Stopping by from Mama Kats I have a ton of old photos I got from my mom and she never labelled anything makes it interssting to figure out years for ones I ws not a part of lol
Farmers Wife: I was surprised when I found this photo--don't remember it at all! I do remember that old TV though.
Danielle: My dad was amazing! So kind, helpful, skillful, loving and generous. I miss him so much!
Tara: I think I'd respond like that too!
Angie: He would always tell us to date and write on back who is in it whenever my mom or me took pictures. I love this photo too--no wonder I like games. She started me early!
Haddock: It had to be at least 1950s.
Together We Save: Thanks for stopping by.
Jennifer: I wonder if we were neighbors. Your mom was much braver than mine!
Amy: I always mark dates and names on the back of pictures I print too. Most of them are
Singedwingangel: There were a whole bunch more photos in my dad's attic from houses of relatives who died, few which were labeled. I had no idea who those people were. I gave most of them to my cousin who was interested in family history.
what a cute house! we used to live in parma, too.
The chicas in my household are desperately afraid of even the tiniest little mouse. That's what cats are for, correctamundo?
I loved this post and the old photos too. I learned many years ago to label photos and thank goodness or else I would have no memories. I loved the memories of your Mother and the mouse. I think I'm like your Mother in that way.
Thank you so much for sharing. Your Dad looks wonderful. Really cute story about the mouse. Will be back soon. Cheers, Lia
Marfmom: We like Parma. My husband and I bought a house in Parma when we got married and are still in it--12 years.
Melissa B.: Cats would work, but my mom didn't like cats either, just kittens.
Mountain Woman: I try to mark all my photos now too. I think a lot of women would react like my mom did.
Petite Little Bee: Thanks for coming by. My dad was wonderful in many ways.
Wow. Those are great pictures that you have! Now in the days of digital cameras, you can automatically imprint the date on your pictures. I have to make sure I turn that feature back on my camera.
I had to smile about the mouse story. I don't take too kindly to insects and rodents in the house either! :-)
I love this post! I might just give it a try. I'll link back to you, if you'd like.
Thanks for stopping by and commenting on my South Africa post.
Ummm, no, the area around the ranch was nothing like Cleveland. I haven't BEEN to Cleveland but I feel pretty confident making that statement!
This really hit home! The first house I remember moving to when I was about your age; my mom found a mouse in the bathtub the first night. We moved right then to a motel. :)
I'm curious about your book so will investigate.
So you had to move because of a mouse? I would think a mousetrap would suffice.
I love your blog title /masthead!
Yeah, I sympathize with your mom on the mouse!
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