The Joys of Summer

Growing up in our little brown house in Twin Falls included enduring the heat of summer. Cherie recently visited us in Austin and one evening when we were driving back to the house I had a clear and sensual memory of being in the back seat of the car on a summer evening in Twin Falls, windows down, licking a soft-serve vanilla ice cream cone. It was a wonderful memory. It got me thinking of other particularly salient memories I have of summer time as a child. My favorite memories of summer include sleeping outside in the back yard, roasting and eating hot dogs, delicious picnics on Grandma and Papa's back yard, finally when Aunt Jean's corn-on-the-cob 'came on', the chlorinated water of the Harmon Park pool, the smelly mineral water of Nat-Su-Pa, going camping, riding bikes, sparklers on the 4th, homemade ice cream (I only remember us making it once or twice but it was so yummy and runny), having to sell the produce from our garden down on the street by going door to door in our neighborhood, going to the basement for relief from the heat (no AC in our house!), having cousins come and visit, being stung by a bee when I was running in the grass barefoot, black snake-like fireworks (left messy sidewalks), a delicious cold pop, beautiful roses and other flowers in Grandma's garden, using paper fans at church, thinking Popsicles were such an awesome treat, and always getting watermelon when the adults got to eat cantaloupe! I'm sure there are MANY more things I'm not thinking of. What comes to your mind when asked, what is a memory you have of summer?

Happy Birthday Mother!

Betty Ruth Luke Armga was born on Friday, March 13, 1923 in Driggs, Teton County, Idaho. She was the 4th child and 2nd daughter of Clinton Lemar and Emma Smith Luke. She was a sweet baby who was greatly loved by her family. She had a round face and cheery disposition. Dearest Mother, I will be thinking of you today as I do so often. Happy 90th birthday! I hope you know that you are loved.

How Well Do You Know Your Dad?

These are the questions and answers to the magazine quiz I mentioned in the previous post. While I'm tempted to just post the questions for now and let you guess the answers, I'm actually going to do the questions and answers. For the cousins, I'd encourage you to think about asking your dad these same questions. You might be surprised with some of his answers. 1. How did your father usually get to school as a kid? He walked. 2. How does your father sign his name? (nickname? Middle initial? Full name? ) Full or middle name (Larry H Armga) 3. Does your father remember where he took your mother on their first date together? He doesn't. 4. Can your father stand on his head? No. 5. Has your father ever written a letter to a Congressman or the President? Yes. It was about the trout business. 6. Does your father have any photograph of his own father and mother? Yes. Of his grandparents? Yes. 7. Has your father ever forgotten his (and your mother's) anniversary? He hasn't. 8. Is your father a morning person or a night person? A morning person. He likes to get up and go! 9. What section of the newspaper does your father read first? The front page. 10. If you said to your father, "Give me a five!" What would he do? (Ask why you need the money, ask "Five what?", or slap your hands?) Dad would have asked, why do you need the money? 11. Roughly how often does your father get a haircut? Every month. 12. What party has your father voted for in the most recent Presidential election? Republican. 13. Has your father ever had a beard? No. 14. Has your father ever owned a convertible car? No. 15. Does your father snore? Yes, frequently. 16. Does your father have any scars? Yes, on his thumb, left leg, right thigh (this one was from a barbed wire fence). 17. Some married men wear wedding bands, and some do not. Dad did not have one. 18. Can your father name at least three current rock music groups? Dad said 'yes'. (Dang, I didn't ask him to name them. I wish I would have.) 19. Where is your father most ticklish? On his ribs. 20. Does your father have any shoes that aren't black or brown? Yes. (Who could forget those white shoes. He loved them!) 21. Has your father ever driven a motorcycle? Yes. (I think Dad was pretty pleased about this answer.) Were you surprised at any of his answers? Next installment -- the four questions that Dad suggested. I learned something new.

Where Was Dad When You Were Born?

Do you know where Dad was when you were born? The younger generation may assume that he was in the delivery room holding mother's hand. He wasn't. Dads couldn't be in the delivery room until the 1980s. Prior to that, doctors felt it was risky to have non-medical personnel in with them. Now, how many dads really want to be in the delivery room, I'm not sure. I don't think our dad would have welcomed the idea at all, but I could be wrong. Anyway, I did a fun little 'interview' with dad in the early 80s. I had some questions from a magazine article titled "How Well Do You Know Your Dad?" I think Dad enjoyed filling me in on some of the questions. He even added a couple of extra ones he thought I should know about. I will do another post or two and give you all the other questions and his answers. But we'll start with this post and the title's question. It was one of the questions in the questionnaire. But now the low-down on where Dad was when each of us were born: LuAnn -- in Las Vegas (He was employed as the time keeper at a construction site. He didn't see LuAnn until September when she was 2 months old.); Lawrence -- admitting mother (so he was in another part of the hospital); Charles -- in the hallway (I do believe this was the birth where Dad had to run to get a taxi and the memory was that they barely made it to the hospital in time. I also remember that mother sent him to get the taxi with her first labor pain. Her labors were really fast.); Cherie -- waiting room; Carol -- waiting room; Pat -- picking up the doctor's clothes (I wish I could remember more detail on this one. I believe mother's doctor would have been her cousin -- Dr. Harvard Luke and perhaps for that reason they sent Dad to fetch the doctor's clothes from his house. Why he wouldn't have had clothes with him is anyone's guess. Dad didn't say he was somewhere in the hospital, like picking up the doctor's clothes off the floor so I do believe he wasn't at the hospital but was doing an errand.); Mike -- fishing on the Salmon River; Bruce -- waiting room; So, how did you do? Did you know any of these? Belated Happy Father's Day to all your dads out there. I always miss my Dad on Father's Day.

Happy Birthday Dad.

Happy birthday my sweet dad on what would be your 91st birthday. I still miss you Dad. Even though it has been almost 20 years since you died, the hole hasn't been filled and the missing doesn't go away. I think of things I really need to ask you and I think of things you really need or would like to know. You'd be so pleased to know that Pat and I both drive with an eagle eye scanning the posted gas prices all around town so we can stay apprised of the best prices in the area. Of course, you just wouldn't believe that gas has been almost $4 all this year. It costs me over $60 to fill my gas tank. I know that would really get to you. You also wouldn't believe that a can of soup costs almost a dollar. Campbell soup! Isn't that incredible? See, when I think about these things, and notice how I react I realize I am definitely your daughter. You would have been scandalized by these high prices too. While you were pretty skeptical of technology Dad, it now totally pervades our life. I was a long-time hold out about getting a cell phone but pretty much everyone has them. And they are small. And really convenient. You can call someone while grocery shopping and have them remind you what you are suppose to get. And rendezvous are so much easier because you can call and coordinate by phone no matter where you are. We talk on the phone while traveling in the car -- no problem. When I am in Idaho I still easily receive phone calls from Texas on my little cell phone in my purse. And you would be dumbfounded to know that long distance rates don't really exist anymore. Wow, wouldn't that have saved you some money! For $50 a month, my phone bill, I can call and talk to LuAnn and Cherie for hours at a time and it doesn't cost me a penny more. It is so great to be able to stay in close contact with my family and not have to worry about what it is costing me. I am still behind the times with my phone because I can't afford a "smart phone". Those plans cost a $100 a month but wow, they can do incredible things. You can access information through something called the internet and it is like being able to quickly find information from a thousand HUGE libraries all at once. You can find maps, you can read the scriptures, you can listen to great music and it is all on the telephone. Who would have guessed! I think and I hope that you and mother are well aware of what is happening with your family. We have been so blessed. We have had the most beautiful spirits join our family -- we seem to have more boys than girls. Katie had triplets! I think you must know that. It is so incredible to see 3 beautiful babies. Lindsey has 3 boys that are so precious to me. I feel blessed to have been able to interact with them and get to know them. Not what I would have predicted but Michael is the one with the most grandchildren. He has 9 with a new one on the way just announced (I hope I have those numbers right). And it is like each one is cuter than the last. There was just a big family gathering at LuAnn's house. Did you get to visit or at least peek in on what was happening? Pat and I couldn't go but it sounds like it was so wonderful. And best of all, the cousins, your grandchildren, all really like each other and like to spend time together. I love love love hearing that they enjoy sitting and talking to one another and have really great relationships. You would be so sad Dad about what is happening with our government. I just get so discouraged. The different political parties have become more divided and working together for the good of the country just doesn't seem to happen. The abuse of power has always existed, I know, but it is such a problem with individuals becoming insanely wealthy while serving in elected positions. Corruption within both government and corporations is always in the news and no longer shocking. It seems that everyone is doing it and it is accepted until you get caught. We are trying as a family to honor what you taught us. We are all patriotic Americans and for the most part law-abiding citizens (sorry, I inherited my mother's lead foot, but Pat is a very safe and cautious driver just like you would want). We always include the American flag in our celebrations and love the fact that you taught us to cherish what it stands for. Thank you for being such a wonderful father to us, for all your sacrifices and for your desire to give us the best. We love you!! Carol

The Easter Bunny

The Easter Bunny surely did come to the Armga household every year. We had a core group of sturdy blond-colored baskets that must have represented an investment one year. They endured well and I still have one. Those baskets were supplemented with flimsier, more colorful baskets that didn't last as long.
We did have the plastic grass that today forms the cushion of the basket. I don't remember us having colors of grass to choose from. Perhaps they were available but we had green grass that I remember.
I've been trying to remember where we stored the baskets. Anyone remember? It could have been in the attic where the Christmas decorations were stored but I think I'd remember someone getting up there if that were true. Each bedroom (all 3) had a built-in closet with four pull-out draws underneath and four doors above that opened to reveal a deep storage space with one shelf. I've wondered if that is where they were stored.
The variety of Easter candies was nothing compared to what is available today. I remember jelly beans (very generic in flavor), marshmallow peeps (only yellow ones) and yucky marshmallow filled hard candy on the outside big (thumb sized) Easter eggs. I didn't like those. I do think we had the hollow chocolate bunnies that are still popular today but I don't think it was a high quality chocolate.
Snickers, Hershey's etc. were still candy bars and never included special papers or sizes to be included in Easter baskets. I don't think peanut M&Ms were marketed until the late 60s. The plain M&Ms only came in the primary-like colors. So none of these were considered Easter candy.
Plastic eggs to be filled with goodies also appeared in the 60s but I only remember jelly beans going in them.
I remember one year visiting with Peggy Kelker during the week after Easter. They lived on our block. Her dad was the professional photographer and newspaper man. Peggy still had lots of lovely candies and decorations in her basket. She explained to me how she only ate one or two candies a day. I was dumbfounded. That was totally foreign to my experience. I'm pretty sure it was always a candy fest at our house with me eating every last little candy I could get my grubby hands on the day OF the event and nothing lasted longer than that day unless it was yucky candy that I didn't really like and would only eat when there was no other candy to eat. Pacing myself was not a concept I had been introduced too. Eating TOO much candy was not possible. To eat as much candy as possible was the true meaning of the holiday (also true of Christmas and Halloween).
Yes, I do remember dying Easter eggs. I wasn't a fan of hard boiled eggs then (but I am now and LOVE egg salad sands) so was always confused about the excitement over eggs. My memory of dying the eggs was that it was a messy process involving a strong vinegar smell. We always had to buy the little kit that had pastel colored pellets for the dye and it included one wire egg holder. That didn't work well with four or more little kids wanting to help with the process.
While I don't personally remember going on an Easter Egg hunt, I remember helping my younger siblings at a hunt held at City Park across from the Junior High, near the Catholic church and where the band shell was.
At home the baskets were always hid and hard to find when we woke up Easter morning. I think they must have been labeled so we would know which one was prepared for us. I also think the baskets for the younger kids had to be easier to find while those hiding the baskets of the older kids worked harder at hiding them. But then, there was the ever changing line as to whether you were a younger or an older and at some point you got to be the basket preparer and hider. Mother and Dad seemed very willing to turn all that over to us which I remember being DELIGHTED to do.
The really big thing for Easter was the new clothes. And it was always the whole outfit: new dress, hat, purse, GLOVES, socks and shoes. Whoo! We would get so spiffed up! And taking a photo to document our gorgeousness was a big part of the thing. Many (most?) years we also had a little corsage. Doesn't seem like anyone wears a corsage today.
Since the date of Easter varies, some Easter were blustery and cold and some were warmer and balmy. We had a big dinner. I don't remember particulars. Probably a ham since that seems traditional in my mind. Plus Dad LOVED ham.
Going to church was important and that way we had a reason to dress up. The only significant year I remember in that regard would have been 1966. We were poor. So poor we couldn't get new Easter clothes. Somehow it was an embarrassment to not have those new clothes so we simply didn't go to church that Easter. That would never stop me now, but I think it was so expected that everyone -- at least the kids -- show up in new fancy clothes that it was feared that it would be a difficult visit at church and so staying home was the option to prevent pain.
Happy Easter Fam Damily!!! Please help me sort out these memories if I've got something wrong.

Happy Birthday Mother

I can't let this March 13 pass without remembering my mother on what would be her 89th birthday. Your family misses you mother. We are grateful for all you taught us and sacrificed for us.