1
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A little to your left,

2
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a little more to your right.

3
00:00:09,780 --> 00:00:10,780
Okay, and flip it.

4
00:00:13,590 --> 00:00:14,069
Yeah, wait up.

5
00:00:14,070 --> 00:00:15,070
And do a somersault.

6
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Beautiful.

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Thank you.

8
00:00:20,470 --> 00:00:22,051
Our camera's speed, mark it.

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Hold for focus.

10
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Over focus...

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Okay, and whenever you're ready.

12
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We're rolling? We're rollin'.

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All right, Jerry, we're rollins'.

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All right so let's just jump right

15
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in. Why don't you just tell me about

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the holiday growing up on

17
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the farm, Christmas is

18
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coming, tell me that.

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00:00:52,660 --> 00:00:54,159
What's the excitement in the air?

20
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What are you guys doing? What's your

21
00:00:55,160 --> 00:00:56,369
mom doing?

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Christmas on the farm, when I was

23
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a kid, was one

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of those things that we

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00:01:02,190 --> 00:01:04,488
looked forward to all year long

26
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because that was one of the few

27
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celebrations that we really

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celebrated.

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Thanksgiving and Christmas were

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the important ones.

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And once the Sears robot

32
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catalog arrived in

33
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our mailbox, we

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knew that Christmas was

35
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on its way.

36
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And I have two brothers, Donald

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and Daryl, twin brothers.

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And when the catalog arrived,

39
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we would fight over who could

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have it first.

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And whoever would win that had

42
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a chance to page through it

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and see this wondrous

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collection of toys

45
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that you might get

46
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for Christmas, which we

47
00:01:45,770 --> 00:01:47,669
never got for Christmas.

48
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There was also in

49
00:01:49,690 --> 00:01:51,749
that catalog all

50
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kinds of gifts.

51
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That we could possibly

52
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receive and so what was

53
00:01:57,440 --> 00:02:00,219
the pattern at our house?

54
00:02:00,220 --> 00:02:02,079
My mother had decided we were poor

55
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as poor could be this is the middle

56
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of the depression in the

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1930s and she

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would say to us you can select

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one toy and

60
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one piece of clothing

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and That's it.

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And so can you imagine these

63
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three kids?

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All sitting around the wood

65
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stove in the dining room, because

66
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we had no central heating of

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any kind, all sitting round

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the dining-room table after

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we had come home from the country

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school.

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Paging through the catalog,

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we finally decided that

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we could work together rather

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than fight over it.

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So I, being the older one,

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I would turn the page.

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Anything on this page?

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No.

79
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Another page. Anything on on this

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one? Nope.

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00:02:49,140 --> 00:02:50,179
How about this?

82
00:02:50,180 --> 00:02:52,199
Well, maybe, and that's

83
00:02:52,200 --> 00:02:54,259
how we went through the Sears

84
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Roadbook catalog.

85
00:02:55,660 --> 00:02:57,619
It was something to see.

86
00:02:57,620 --> 00:02:59,559
I'm sure my dad was off to

87
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the side smiling because

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he underlined

89
00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:05,459
the fact that we didn't have enough

90
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money to buy very many presents

91
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and then we could really only

92
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buy two for our

93
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three kids.

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00:03:12,960 --> 00:03:14,199
Or were some of the presents you

95
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remember distinctly getting as a

96
00:03:15,940 --> 00:03:16,139
kid?

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00:03:16,140 --> 00:03:17,959
My first present that I

98
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remember so well,

99
00:03:20,120 --> 00:03:21,619
and I still have it somewhere, I

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don't know where it is, is a

101
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wind up train.

102
00:03:26,100 --> 00:03:28,359
You wind a train up and

103
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it's got about four little metal

104
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cars and they go round

105
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and round and around the Christmas

106
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tree. That's the idea.

107
00:03:35,800 --> 00:03:36,859
I had two of them.

108
00:03:36,860 --> 00:03:38,379
The second present must have come

109
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the second year and that was a

110
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farm set up and there There's a

111
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barn and a house and the

112
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animals are all there.

113
00:03:45,820 --> 00:03:47,799
And the pig house was there, and

114
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I played farm.

115
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Why in the world was I

116
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playing farm when I was living farm?

117
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But I thought it was fun to

118
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play farm as well, and so

119
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I got that little set of

120
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farm toys.

121
00:04:01,540 --> 00:04:03,499
Those farm toys and the

122
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train, I don't have

123
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them. I wish I had the farm toys.

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I don't have those, but I still have

125
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that little train that you can wind

126
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up, And it had a little bell on it,

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ding, ding ding, and it'd

128
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go in a circle.

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Wonderful little presents and

130
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wonderful memories.

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When you're mom, yeah,

132
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I'm actually gonna cut.

133
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I'm gonna add cameras are speeding

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market.

135
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Okay, hold for focus.

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All right, we're rolling again.

137
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All right.

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All right, Jerry, let's go ahead and

139
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let's talk about the Christmas

140
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program at the school.

141
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Just tell me, again, what it was,

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the importance.

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Why don't you just tell me about the

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Christmas program.

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The next thing to remind us

146
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of Christmas, after

147
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the arrival of

148
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the Sears Kettle, was the

149
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fact that when we

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got back to school after

151
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Christmas break, we knew

152
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something was different.

153
00:05:02,590 --> 00:05:04,569
What was that?

154
00:05:04,570 --> 00:05:06,669
Well, the teacher had a

155
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whole pile of blue books

156
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on her desk

157
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and she was picking out

158
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something.

159
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What was she picking out?

160
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She was picking out little things

161
00:05:17,060 --> 00:05:18,899
that we could say, that we can

162
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sing, that we do.

163
00:05:20,860 --> 00:05:23,399
As part of a Christmas program.

164
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I wanted no part of the Christmas

165
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program! I was scared to death

166
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of talking to people.

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When people would visit us at home,

168
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I'd run out in the woods and hide,

169
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and now here I've got to perform

170
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on a stage in front of

171
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people. And the teacher, she didn't

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even tell me what, let

173
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me pick out, she said, I'm talking

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about first grade, she said, Jerry,

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here's what you're going to do.

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What am I going to?

177
00:05:48,340 --> 00:05:49,819
You're going I'm going to memorize

178
00:05:49,820 --> 00:05:51,439
this little piece, I don't know

179
00:05:51,440 --> 00:05:52,359
what!

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00:05:52,360 --> 00:05:54,199
I went home to my mother and

181
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I said, the teacher, Ms.

182
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Piasky, she wants me to

183
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memorize this thing and talk

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to the people, to say it

185
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to the the people.

186
00:06:03,320 --> 00:06:05,299
I'm not gonna do that.

187
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That's not what I do.

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I'm scared of people.

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00:06:08,260 --> 00:06:09,420
I don't wanna talk to people.

190
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You're gonna talk to to people,

191
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so here I am at

192
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the Christmas program.

193
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And it's filled with people,

194
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oh my God, way in

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the back, way in front, everywhere

196
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there are people.

197
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And I'm sitting in the front row,

198
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and I'm standing there, almost

199
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shaking like this, because I

200
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am the first person on the program.

201
00:06:32,310 --> 00:06:33,709
And what am I supposed to do?

202
00:06:33,710 --> 00:06:35,129
What am I suppose to say?

203
00:06:35,130 --> 00:06:36,970
And I have it very well memorized.

204
00:06:38,530 --> 00:06:40,669
And Miss Piazki had said to me,

205
00:06:40,670 --> 00:06:43,089
I know you're a bit afraid of

206
00:06:43,090 --> 00:06:44,949
doing this, Jerry, but here's

207
00:06:44,950 --> 00:06:46,739
something that you can do.

208
00:06:46,740 --> 00:06:48,939
To get past your fear.

209
00:06:48,940 --> 00:06:50,759
What in the world could that be,

210
00:06:50,760 --> 00:06:52,059
I wondered.

211
00:06:52,060 --> 00:06:53,799
And she said, here's what you do.

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00:06:53,800 --> 00:06:55,799
You look out in that

213
00:06:55,800 --> 00:06:57,619
schoolhouse and you look

214
00:06:57,620 --> 00:06:59,759
way in the back and you see

215
00:06:59,760 --> 00:07:01,719
a device

216
00:07:01,720 --> 00:07:03,559
on the

217
00:07:03,560 --> 00:07:06,779
chimney, on the stovepipe.

218
00:07:06,780 --> 00:07:08,739
And when you are, when we

219
00:07:08,740 --> 00:07:10,619
ask you to stand up to speak,

220
00:07:10,620 --> 00:07:12,579
You look at that

221
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wood

222
00:07:14,660 --> 00:07:16,839
at that stovepipe and everybody

223
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thinks that you're looking right at

224
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them and you're not.

225
00:07:19,660 --> 00:07:20,739
You don't see anybody.

226
00:07:20,740 --> 00:07:22,219
You see a stovepipe.

227
00:07:22,220 --> 00:07:24,239
And so Jerry stand up on the stage.

228
00:07:24,240 --> 00:07:26,159
Jerry's now on the stage and

229
00:07:26,160 --> 00:07:28,959
he says in a very clear voice,

230
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uh, we'd like to welcome you to

231
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our annual Christmas program.

232
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Uh, thank you for coming.

233
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And I sat down.

234
00:07:36,540 --> 00:07:38,639
That was the long spiel we

235
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Germans call a little speech.

236
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And everybody clapped

237
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in, oh my gosh, I'm about

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three and a half feet tall,

239
00:07:47,150 --> 00:07:48,929
I'm a little bit of a gut.

240
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So that was the start of

241
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the Christmas program.

242
00:07:52,330 --> 00:07:55,209
And as the years went on,

243
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each of us had a role

244
00:07:57,350 --> 00:07:58,850
in the Christmas Program.

245
00:08:00,190 --> 00:08:02,009
They became more complicated

246
00:08:02,010 --> 00:08:03,949
as the year went

247
00:08:03,950 --> 00:08:04,929
on.

248
00:08:04,930 --> 00:08:06,749
And we had some really

249
00:08:06,750 --> 00:08:08,589
interesting things happen along

250
00:08:08,590 --> 00:08:10,269
the way, in addition.

251
00:08:10,270 --> 00:08:11,750
To the program itself.

252
00:08:12,810 --> 00:08:14,689
And there adults like to

253
00:08:14,690 --> 00:08:15,629
bring presents.

254
00:08:15,630 --> 00:08:18,049
They like to add a little humor to

255
00:08:18,050 --> 00:08:19,989
what was going on.

256
00:08:19,990 --> 00:08:21,449
And for one year,

257
00:08:22,810 --> 00:08:24,889
the present that

258
00:08:24,890 --> 00:08:26,809
the farmers were sharing with each

259
00:08:26,810 --> 00:08:28,869
other, now don't fall off your

260
00:08:28,870 --> 00:08:30,889
chairs when I say this, but it was

261
00:08:30,890 --> 00:08:32,749
a pig's tail.

262
00:08:32,750 --> 00:08:34,308
When you butchered your pig, you

263
00:08:34,309 --> 00:08:36,489
chopped off the tail and saved it

264
00:08:36,490 --> 00:08:37,729
for the Christmas program.

265
00:08:38,789 --> 00:08:40,788
And then when the adults all got

266
00:08:40,789 --> 00:08:42,489
together and they sat around the

267
00:08:42,490 --> 00:08:44,489
wood stove, and it was time to

268
00:08:44,490 --> 00:08:46,269
open the presents, they ripped open

269
00:08:46,270 --> 00:08:48,329
the present, and each one

270
00:08:48,330 --> 00:08:51,129
got a pig tail,

271
00:08:51,130 --> 00:08:52,789
which was the stupidest thing in the

272
00:08:52,790 --> 00:08:53,809
world.

273
00:08:53,810 --> 00:08:56,229
And then another year,

274
00:08:56,230 --> 00:08:58,189
almost as bad, when the adult

275
00:08:58,190 --> 00:08:59,470
opened their presents,

276
00:09:00,550 --> 00:09:02,449
and they each, not each,

277
00:09:02,450 --> 00:09:05,229
several of them, got little boxes,

278
00:09:05,230 --> 00:09:06,439
but match boxes.

279
00:09:06,440 --> 00:09:08,279
And they could hear a little

280
00:09:08,280 --> 00:09:10,059
skittering sound in the matchbox.

281
00:09:10,060 --> 00:09:11,699
She used to matchbox, must be a

282
00:09:11,700 --> 00:09:13,039
present in there of some kind.

283
00:09:13,040 --> 00:09:15,499
Open the match box,

284
00:09:15,500 --> 00:09:17,619
and a sparrow flew out.

285
00:09:17,620 --> 00:09:19,499
Woosh! Sparrow roll, hit the guy in

286
00:09:19,500 --> 00:09:21,479
the nose, flew around the

287
00:09:21,480 --> 00:09:22,839
school room, and people would go,

288
00:09:22,840 --> 00:09:24,580
whoa, this is the best present ever.

289
00:09:25,619 --> 00:09:27,439
Sparow went round and round.

290
00:09:27,440 --> 00:09:28,619
Somebody open the door.

291
00:09:28,620 --> 00:09:30,659
Open the door, sparrow outside,

292
00:09:30,660 --> 00:09:31,660
end of that story.

293
00:09:32,880 --> 00:09:34,939
The Christmas program was

294
00:09:34,940 --> 00:09:36,819
just a wonderful time.

295
00:09:36,820 --> 00:09:38,739
For other kids as

296
00:09:38,740 --> 00:09:40,559
well as their parents.

297
00:09:40,560 --> 00:09:42,899
And it's one of the celebrations

298
00:09:42,900 --> 00:09:44,939
that was looked to every year

299
00:09:44,940 --> 00:09:46,839
by the parents, by

300
00:09:46,840 --> 00:09:49,339
the kids, by the

301
00:09:49,340 --> 00:09:51,239
relatives, because it

302
00:09:51,240 --> 00:09:53,119
was one of the

303
00:09:53,120 --> 00:09:55,659
few social events for

304
00:09:55,660 --> 00:09:57,359
many of the parents.

305
00:09:57,360 --> 00:09:59,519
And it was one of a few social

306
00:09:59,520 --> 00:10:01,719
events that was put on and

307
00:10:01,720 --> 00:10:03,620
sponsored by the country school.

308
00:10:04,970 --> 00:10:06,889
It was a wonderful thing to

309
00:10:06,890 --> 00:10:08,029
remember.

310
00:10:08,030 --> 00:10:10,249
It provided wonderful

311
00:10:10,250 --> 00:10:12,879
opportunities to the kids

312
00:10:12,880 --> 00:10:14,709
to learn how to

313
00:10:14,710 --> 00:10:16,829
say their piece.

314
00:10:16,830 --> 00:10:19,309
I have been forever thankful.

315
00:10:20,450 --> 00:10:22,349
I'm choking up for

316
00:10:22,350 --> 00:10:25,169
Ms. Piasky to

317
00:10:25,170 --> 00:10:27,289
help me see that I could talk

318
00:10:27,290 --> 00:10:28,290
to a group.

319
00:10:29,550 --> 00:10:31,869
And I've been talking to groups ever

320
00:10:31,870 --> 00:10:32,669
since.

321
00:10:32,670 --> 00:10:34,239
I've given thousands speeches.

322
00:10:34,240 --> 00:10:36,319
The people, all because

323
00:10:36,320 --> 00:10:38,359
of Ms.

324
00:10:38,360 --> 00:10:40,239
Piaski saying, you can do it,

325
00:10:40,240 --> 00:10:42,039
Jerry, look at the stovepipe.

326
00:10:42,040 --> 00:10:43,839
I've been looking at this stovepipe

327
00:10:43,840 --> 00:10:45,719
for 65 years,

328
00:10:45,720 --> 00:10:46,720
people.

329
00:10:48,060 --> 00:10:49,619
Sounds like this very special,

330
00:10:49,620 --> 00:10:50,620
special teacher.

331
00:10:51,680 --> 00:10:52,899
Tell me a little bit, just some more

332
00:10:52,900 --> 00:10:54,159
about that.

333
00:10:54,160 --> 00:10:55,959
How did you guys decorate for the

334
00:10:55,960 --> 00:10:57,179
Christmas program?

335
00:10:57,180 --> 00:10:59,039
And talk about Santa coming to visit

336
00:10:59,040 --> 00:10:59,779
at the end.

337
00:10:59,780 --> 00:11:01,119
Now, we decorated for the Christmas

338
00:11:01,120 --> 00:11:03,259
program, again, shortly after

339
00:11:03,260 --> 00:11:05,179
Thanksgiving, and we would

340
00:11:05,180 --> 00:11:06,979
put snowflakes in all the

341
00:11:06,980 --> 00:11:08,379
schoolhouse windows.

342
00:11:08,380 --> 00:11:09,939
That was the decoration.

343
00:11:09,940 --> 00:11:11,839
We also had a Christmas tree in

344
00:11:11,840 --> 00:11:13,699
the corner, which we would

345
00:11:13,700 --> 00:11:14,759
decorate.

346
00:11:14,760 --> 00:11:17,958
So, actually, the school house

347
00:11:17,959 --> 00:11:19,819
was better decorated than

348
00:11:19,820 --> 00:11:20,779
our own house.

349
00:11:20,780 --> 00:11:22,299
They were far ahead of us.

350
00:11:22,300 --> 00:11:24,119
All of that in preparation for

351
00:11:24,120 --> 00:11:25,079
Christmas.

352
00:11:25,080 --> 00:11:27,239
Santa Claus was someone

353
00:11:27,240 --> 00:11:28,559
that was selected.

354
00:11:31,129 --> 00:11:33,229
Quietly from the adults,

355
00:11:33,230 --> 00:11:35,109
parents, and

356
00:11:35,110 --> 00:11:36,269
some others. I got to tell you a

357
00:11:36,270 --> 00:11:37,149
little story about this.

358
00:11:37,150 --> 00:11:38,929
This got fun.

359
00:11:38,930 --> 00:11:40,929
Evelyn Kolko was one

360
00:11:40,930 --> 00:11:42,749
of the neighbor girls in her,

361
00:11:42,750 --> 00:11:44,269
she attended the country school,

362
00:11:44,270 --> 00:11:46,249
graduated from the country's school,

363
00:11:46,250 --> 00:11:48,349
and was now a school teacher

364
00:11:48,350 --> 00:11:50,309
herself in

365
00:11:50,310 --> 00:11:52,269
Springwater Township.

366
00:11:52,270 --> 00:11:53,590
And I was in college.

367
00:11:54,860 --> 00:11:57,199
And Evelyn said to me, Jerry,

368
00:11:57,200 --> 00:11:59,039
could you be our Santa

369
00:11:59,040 --> 00:12:00,439
Claus this year?

370
00:12:00,440 --> 00:12:02,659
I said, yeah, of course

371
00:12:02,660 --> 00:12:04,279
I could be your Santa Claus.

372
00:12:04,280 --> 00:12:06,219
So I all dressed up in the

373
00:12:06,220 --> 00:12:08,039
old Santa Claus, nobody there knew

374
00:12:08,040 --> 00:12:09,499
who the heck this was.

375
00:12:09,500 --> 00:12:11,439
And the deal was,

376
00:12:11,440 --> 00:12:13,299
when it was time for Santa Claus you

377
00:12:13,300 --> 00:12:14,899
ran around the schoolhouse three

378
00:12:14,900 --> 00:12:15,759
times.

379
00:12:15,760 --> 00:12:17,519
And it was shaking bells, so

380
00:12:17,520 --> 00:12:19,739
vroom-dum-ding-a-ding, ding, vroom,

381
00:12:19,740 --> 00:12:21,639
dum, ding-a, ding. And I burst

382
00:12:21,640 --> 00:12:23,579
into the door and ran up to

383
00:12:23,580 --> 00:12:25,379
the teacher. And I gave her a big

384
00:12:25,380 --> 00:12:27,739
kiss. And she turned bright

385
00:12:27,740 --> 00:12:30,319
red, and everybody clapped.

386
00:12:30,320 --> 00:12:32,459
And it was one of the highlights of

387
00:12:32,460 --> 00:12:34,319
the evening at the school

388
00:12:34,320 --> 00:12:35,999
house, of which I don't remember the

389
00:12:36,000 --> 00:12:37,000
name.

390
00:12:37,410 --> 00:12:39,349
Oh, so you're saying

391
00:12:39,350 --> 00:12:40,849
that the school house was usually

392
00:12:40,850 --> 00:12:43,089
better decorated than your house.

393
00:12:43,090 --> 00:12:44,609
How did your parents or your mom

394
00:12:44,610 --> 00:12:46,509
decorate your house for the house?

395
00:12:46,510 --> 00:12:48,169
We had very, I would say we had

396
00:12:48,170 --> 00:12:49,789
limited, very limited decoration

397
00:12:49,790 --> 00:12:51,909
because we had a

398
00:12:51,910 --> 00:12:54,009
need to understand what was

399
00:12:54,010 --> 00:12:55,869
like during the Depression,

400
00:12:55,870 --> 00:12:57,789
when I say this, and I'm talking

401
00:12:57,790 --> 00:13:01,089
about 1930s.

402
00:13:01,090 --> 00:13:02,969
We, almost everybody

403
00:13:02,970 --> 00:13:04,909
else in our community had next to

404
00:13:04,910 --> 00:13:06,069
nothing.

405
00:13:06,070 --> 00:13:07,909
And so you decorated,

406
00:13:07,910 --> 00:13:09,929
we decorated a Christmas tree,

407
00:13:09,930 --> 00:13:11,889
which was one that we

408
00:13:11,890 --> 00:13:13,219
grew ourselves.

409
00:13:13,220 --> 00:13:15,099
And beyond the Christmas tree,

410
00:13:15,100 --> 00:13:17,279
my mother made some special cookies.

411
00:13:17,280 --> 00:13:18,539
And that was about it.

412
00:13:18,540 --> 00:13:20,379
We were very

413
00:13:20,380 --> 00:13:22,599
minimalist in terms of Christmas

414
00:13:22,600 --> 00:13:24,079
decorations.

415
00:13:24,080 --> 00:13:26,079
What decorations would be put on

416
00:13:26,080 --> 00:13:27,559
the tree?

417
00:13:27,560 --> 00:13:29,679
My mother got some very special

418
00:13:29,680 --> 00:13:31,059
bulbs. I don't know where she got

419
00:13:31,060 --> 00:13:32,199
them, great big ones.

420
00:13:32,200 --> 00:13:34,319
We had no electricity.

421
00:13:34,320 --> 00:13:36,299
So these great big bulbs hung on

422
00:13:36,300 --> 00:13:37,300
the trees.

423
00:13:37,860 --> 00:13:40,639
And then there were fake icicles

424
00:13:40,640 --> 00:13:43,079
on those on the street.

425
00:13:43,080 --> 00:13:45,259
If we would drop one of Mother's

426
00:13:45,260 --> 00:13:47,219
big bulbs, I mean, that's

427
00:13:47,220 --> 00:13:48,739
something you wouldn't dare even

428
00:13:48,740 --> 00:13:49,740
think I'm doing.

429
00:13:50,440 --> 00:13:52,419
But the big bulbs and

430
00:13:52,420 --> 00:13:54,639
the icicles, I remember most

431
00:13:54,640 --> 00:13:56,619
as decorations on the

432
00:13:56,620 --> 00:13:58,859
tree. Oh, there was some kind of

433
00:13:58,860 --> 00:14:00,499
a do-dee-doo on the top.

434
00:14:00,500 --> 00:14:02,359
I don't know what it was

435
00:14:02,360 --> 00:14:04,239
made of, but on

436
00:14:04,240 --> 00:14:05,819
the very top of the tree, there was

437
00:14:05,820 --> 00:14:07,679
maybe a, I don't know, something

438
00:14:07,680 --> 00:14:09,519
that's called attention to

439
00:14:09,520 --> 00:14:10,399
itself.

440
00:14:10,400 --> 00:14:12,339
And I know you didn't

441
00:14:12,340 --> 00:14:13,679
get many presents or whatever.

442
00:14:13,680 --> 00:14:15,639
When would the presents, did they

443
00:14:15,640 --> 00:14:16,619
go under the tree?

444
00:14:16,620 --> 00:14:18,459
Would it be like Christmas morning?

445
00:14:18,460 --> 00:14:19,460
When would those happen?

446
00:14:21,370 --> 00:14:23,409
The presents found

447
00:14:23,410 --> 00:14:25,409
their way under the tree as

448
00:14:25,410 --> 00:14:27,269
they were purchased, as

449
00:14:27,270 --> 00:14:28,729
best I could understand.

450
00:14:30,250 --> 00:14:33,249
And the Montgomery Award

451
00:14:33,250 --> 00:14:35,829
had cataloged, the Sears cataloged

452
00:14:35,830 --> 00:14:37,789
presents found their

453
00:14:37,790 --> 00:14:40,429
way onto the tree during

454
00:14:40,430 --> 00:14:41,949
the weeks up to Christmas.

455
00:14:41,950 --> 00:14:43,709
And in fact, that was a really fun

456
00:14:43,710 --> 00:14:45,689
time because when the folks

457
00:14:45,690 --> 00:14:47,429
weren't looking, we'd see this.

458
00:14:47,430 --> 00:14:49,459
You shake

459
00:14:49,460 --> 00:14:51,599
this package to see what was in it.

460
00:14:51,600 --> 00:14:52,799
And my brother, Darrell, would say,

461
00:14:52,800 --> 00:14:54,199
I think that's the package that

462
00:14:54,200 --> 00:14:55,539
you're looking for.

463
00:14:55,540 --> 00:14:57,659
It was, I could hear it rattling

464
00:14:57,660 --> 00:14:58,459
something.

465
00:14:58,460 --> 00:15:00,279
We had more fun trying to figure

466
00:15:00,280 --> 00:15:02,879
out what was it in these packages

467
00:15:02,880 --> 00:15:05,279
when the parents weren't looking.

468
00:15:05,280 --> 00:15:07,719
And we had several weeks to do that.

469
00:15:07,720 --> 00:15:09,239
How, what were they wrapped in?

470
00:15:11,080 --> 00:15:13,159
Somehow wrapping, Christmas wrapping

471
00:15:13,160 --> 00:15:15,259
paper was available on

472
00:15:15,260 --> 00:15:16,209
the Jeep.

473
00:15:16,210 --> 00:15:18,169
Because my mother had gotten

474
00:15:18,170 --> 00:15:19,969
Christmas wrapping paper to wrap

475
00:15:19,970 --> 00:15:22,329
these things, and she did.

476
00:15:22,330 --> 00:15:23,330
Another interesting thing,

477
00:15:24,470 --> 00:15:26,689
this relates

478
00:15:26,690 --> 00:15:28,189
to Ruth's family.

479
00:15:28,190 --> 00:15:30,309
When Ruth's Family, when they opened

480
00:15:30,310 --> 00:15:32,409
a present of any kind, any package

481
00:15:32,410 --> 00:15:35,069
of any kinds, she ironed

482
00:15:35,070 --> 00:15:36,929
the paper so they could use

483
00:15:36,930 --> 00:15:39,129
it another time.

484
00:15:39,130 --> 00:15:41,198
That's another story.

485
00:15:41,199 --> 00:15:43,199
Did your, did you

486
00:15:43,200 --> 00:15:44,499
get your parents anything or did

487
00:15:44,500 --> 00:15:46,199
they get gifts for each other?

488
00:15:46,200 --> 00:15:47,479
Did your mom and dad get gifts from

489
00:15:47,480 --> 00:15:47,899
each other.

490
00:15:47,900 --> 00:15:49,739
They may have, but not that

491
00:15:49,740 --> 00:15:50,740
I knew of.

492
00:15:53,280 --> 00:15:55,459
I doubt it.

493
00:15:55,460 --> 00:15:58,239
It was really a tough time.

494
00:15:58,240 --> 00:15:59,659
When did you open presents?

495
00:15:59,660 --> 00:16:00,760
Did you guys open presents.

496
00:16:00,761 --> 00:16:02,200
Oh, this, when did we open?

497
00:16:03,420 --> 00:16:05,379
The presents stayed under the

498
00:16:05,380 --> 00:16:08,459
tree until

499
00:16:08,460 --> 00:16:10,899
Christmas morning.

500
00:16:10,900 --> 00:16:12,979
Lots of people opened presents on

501
00:16:12,980 --> 00:16:14,899
Christmas Eve. We did not.

502
00:16:14,900 --> 00:16:16,899
My dad said, the cows

503
00:16:16,900 --> 00:16:19,339
always come first.

504
00:16:19,340 --> 00:16:21,039
And in fact, on Christmas morning,

505
00:16:22,060 --> 00:16:24,019
we milked the cows before

506
00:16:24,020 --> 00:16:25,599
we opened the presents.

507
00:16:26,600 --> 00:16:28,379
And people would say, what?

508
00:16:28,380 --> 00:16:30,159
How did you manage that?

509
00:16:30,160 --> 00:16:32,159
Well, you managed it

510
00:16:32,160 --> 00:16:34,049
because it was the rule.

511
00:16:34,050 --> 00:16:35,989
And no presents were opened

512
00:16:35,990 --> 00:16:38,269
until the cows were milked.

513
00:16:38,270 --> 00:16:40,229
And then we sat around the

514
00:16:40,230 --> 00:16:42,129
tree, opening

515
00:16:42,130 --> 00:16:44,809
these presents and wondering,

516
00:16:44,810 --> 00:16:46,669
did I get the present I

517
00:16:46,670 --> 00:16:47,789
wanted as a toy?

518
00:16:48,970 --> 00:16:50,789
Did I get another pair of socks

519
00:16:50,790 --> 00:16:51,870
for a present?

520
00:16:54,620 --> 00:16:56,719
Did I get a pretty sweater of

521
00:16:56,720 --> 00:16:58,299
some kind?

522
00:16:58,300 --> 00:17:00,199
And then I forgot to mention that

523
00:17:00,200 --> 00:17:02,139
I would get presents from my

524
00:17:02,140 --> 00:17:04,159
grandma Witt,

525
00:17:04,160 --> 00:17:05,838
who was a knitter.

526
00:17:05,839 --> 00:17:08,118
And she would knit me

527
00:17:08,119 --> 00:17:09,959
and my brothers

528
00:17:09,960 --> 00:17:11,939
a pair of woolen

529
00:17:11,940 --> 00:17:12,940
mittens.

530
00:17:13,480 --> 00:17:15,059
And I've never forgotten that

531
00:17:15,060 --> 00:17:16,959
because a woolen, it was

532
00:17:16,960 --> 00:17:19,019
all darn cold some mornings walking

533
00:17:19,020 --> 00:17:21,059
to the country school

534
00:17:21,060 --> 00:17:23,059
and those woolen Mittens were

535
00:17:23,060 --> 00:17:24,529
just wonderful.

536
00:17:24,530 --> 00:17:25,809
Except when they got wet.

537
00:17:28,909 --> 00:17:29,739
Oh, yes.

538
00:17:29,740 --> 00:17:31,739
Did your mom for Christmas

539
00:17:31,740 --> 00:17:33,719
morning, did she make any type of

540
00:17:33,720 --> 00:17:35,559
special breakfast or meal for

541
00:17:35,560 --> 00:17:36,420
you on Christmas morning?

542
00:17:36,421 --> 00:17:37,339
Not really.

543
00:17:37,340 --> 00:17:39,359
On Christmas Eve, this sounds like

544
00:17:39,360 --> 00:17:41,219
no connection, on Christmas

545
00:17:41,220 --> 00:17:44,179
Eve we had oyster stew.

546
00:17:44,180 --> 00:17:47,139
That was a very special dish.

547
00:17:47,140 --> 00:17:48,640
My grandparents had it.

548
00:17:49,840 --> 00:17:51,839
It passes through the family

549
00:17:51,840 --> 00:17:53,959
for generations back to Germany

550
00:17:53,960 --> 00:17:55,899
and Ruth's family the

551
00:17:55,900 --> 00:17:56,959
same way. It's strange.

552
00:17:58,440 --> 00:18:00,479
But oyster stew on Christmas

553
00:18:00,480 --> 00:18:02,339
eve and I

554
00:18:02,340 --> 00:18:04,239
don't remember anything special

555
00:18:04,240 --> 00:18:06,269
other than our maybe

556
00:18:06,270 --> 00:18:08,249
flapjacks extra and some

557
00:18:08,250 --> 00:18:09,649
scrambled eggs or something for

558
00:18:09,650 --> 00:18:10,869
breakfast. I don't remember things

559
00:18:10,870 --> 00:18:11,709
special.

560
00:18:11,710 --> 00:18:13,189
We were not hungry.

561
00:18:13,190 --> 00:18:15,249
We were wanting to open presents

562
00:18:15,250 --> 00:18:17,129
Christmas morning.

563
00:18:17,130 --> 00:18:19,329
Where would your mom get the oysters

564
00:18:19,330 --> 00:18:20,339
at?

565
00:18:20,340 --> 00:18:20,839
What did you-

566
00:18:20,840 --> 00:18:22,839
Where would she buy the oysters

567
00:18:22,840 --> 00:18:24,499
from? Would they just be at the

568
00:18:24,500 --> 00:18:24,500
mercantile?

569
00:18:24,501 --> 00:18:27,119
Well, the mercantile store,

570
00:18:27,120 --> 00:18:28,999
I knew that there was a

571
00:18:29,000 --> 00:18:30,979
goodly number of

572
00:18:30,980 --> 00:18:32,819
Germans and Norwegians living

573
00:18:32,820 --> 00:18:34,759
in the community, most

574
00:18:34,760 --> 00:18:37,159
of whom ate oysters, too.

575
00:18:37,160 --> 00:18:38,979
It was a tradition that was passed

576
00:18:38,980 --> 00:18:41,199
on, as I mentioned, from generation

577
00:18:41,200 --> 00:18:42,579
to generation.

578
00:18:42,580 --> 00:18:44,619
And so the mercatile store had

579
00:18:44,620 --> 00:18:46,599
a supply of fresh

580
00:18:46,600 --> 00:18:48,479
oysters. Why in the world

581
00:18:48,480 --> 00:18:49,299
would they have it?

582
00:18:49,300 --> 00:18:51,199
They didn't at any other time.

583
00:18:51,200 --> 00:18:52,859
I mean, who would eat an oyster?

584
00:18:52,860 --> 00:18:54,679
Not in a stove, for heaven's

585
00:18:54,680 --> 00:18:55,559
sakes.

586
00:18:55,560 --> 00:18:58,639
So, only on

587
00:18:58,640 --> 00:19:00,719
preparations at Christmas Eve did

588
00:19:00,720 --> 00:19:02,559
the store have oysters to

589
00:19:02,560 --> 00:19:03,399
purchase.

590
00:19:03,400 --> 00:19:05,029
And do you still?

591
00:19:05,030 --> 00:19:07,309
To Oyster Stew to this day?

592
00:19:07,310 --> 00:19:08,349
We do.

593
00:19:08,350 --> 00:19:10,389
We're passing it on from generation

594
00:19:10,390 --> 00:19:12,009
to generation.

595
00:19:12,010 --> 00:19:13,849
My attorney grandson

596
00:19:13,850 --> 00:19:15,969
has learned how to do it.

597
00:19:15,970 --> 00:19:17,889
And I'm so proud of

598
00:19:17,890 --> 00:19:19,849
Josh that he is cranking

599
00:19:19,850 --> 00:19:22,049
up the Oyster Stoo on Christmas

600
00:19:22,050 --> 00:19:23,279
Eve.

601
00:19:23,280 --> 00:19:25,019
Were you surprised when you the

602
00:19:25,020 --> 00:19:26,919
first time or when you and

603
00:19:26,920 --> 00:19:28,779
Ruth celebrated

604
00:19:28,780 --> 00:19:31,019
Christmas together that oyster

605
00:19:31,020 --> 00:19:32,779
stew was a tradition in both your

606
00:19:32,780 --> 00:19:33,989
families?

607
00:19:33,990 --> 00:19:36,170
I was. I was surprised.

608
00:19:38,250 --> 00:19:40,009
I don't know why.

609
00:19:40,010 --> 00:19:41,050
I still don't why.

610
00:19:42,490 --> 00:19:44,749
The Norwegians and the Germans both

611
00:19:44,750 --> 00:19:46,529
have the same tradition.

612
00:19:46,530 --> 00:19:48,489
I didn't know the Norwegian

613
00:19:48,490 --> 00:19:49,709
tradition. I don't know where that

614
00:19:49,710 --> 00:19:50,710
started.

615
00:19:51,990 --> 00:19:54,209
It was a surprise to me that

616
00:19:54,210 --> 00:19:55,229
that happened.

617
00:19:55,230 --> 00:19:58,649
I think we probably handled it,

618
00:19:58,650 --> 00:20:01,049
worked with it differently than

619
00:20:01,050 --> 00:20:01,989
the two families.

620
00:20:01,990 --> 00:20:03,049
I don't know that for sure.

621
00:20:04,230 --> 00:20:06,129
Um just because we're on food you

622
00:20:06,130 --> 00:20:07,609
said that you're you know you guys

623
00:20:07,610 --> 00:20:09,009
didn't have a lot you had presents

624
00:20:09,010 --> 00:20:11,349
and your mom's

625
00:20:11,350 --> 00:20:12,989
decorating was minimal but she did

626
00:20:12,990 --> 00:20:14,929
maybe make some special cookies

627
00:20:14,930 --> 00:20:16,749
or what kind of holiday

628
00:20:16,750 --> 00:20:18,029
treats or cookies do you remember

629
00:20:18,030 --> 00:20:18,899
your mom making

630
00:20:18,900 --> 00:20:20,579
Well, the ones that I liked best are

631
00:20:20,580 --> 00:20:22,039
what called, I think, pinwheel

632
00:20:22,040 --> 00:20:23,959
cookies, was dates.

633
00:20:23,960 --> 00:20:25,259
I really liked those, still do.

634
00:20:27,700 --> 00:20:29,719
And then she made several kinds

635
00:20:29,720 --> 00:20:31,699
of other cookies that were

636
00:20:31,700 --> 00:20:33,379
from her German tradition.

637
00:20:33,380 --> 00:20:35,239
I don't remember exactly what

638
00:20:35,240 --> 00:20:37,319
they were, but she

639
00:20:37,320 --> 00:20:39,339
did make cookies for

640
00:20:39,340 --> 00:20:40,259
Christmas.

641
00:20:40,260 --> 00:20:42,099
And we ate them on Christmas

642
00:20:42,100 --> 00:20:43,100
Eve.

643
00:20:43,640 --> 00:20:45,479
And then the days following

644
00:20:45,480 --> 00:20:47,559
in our school lunch, we

645
00:20:47,560 --> 00:20:49,879
had Christmas leftover

646
00:20:49,880 --> 00:20:51,099
cookies.

647
00:20:51,100 --> 00:20:52,839
So then that was the end of cookies

648
00:20:52,840 --> 00:20:54,759
and we're back to our

649
00:20:54,760 --> 00:20:55,760
regular story.

650
00:20:56,290 --> 00:20:58,229
Was there any exchange of

651
00:20:58,230 --> 00:21:00,330
presents or gifts amongst neighbors?

652
00:21:02,060 --> 00:21:04,079
Not that I recall,

653
00:21:04,080 --> 00:21:06,019
that could have happened,

654
00:21:06,020 --> 00:21:08,059
other than the big

655
00:21:08,060 --> 00:21:10,179
tail at the schoolhouse.

656
00:21:10,180 --> 00:21:12,179
These were neighbors, and the

657
00:21:12,180 --> 00:21:14,519
sparrow, not caught,

658
00:21:14,520 --> 00:21:16,479
but allowed to fly away at

659
00:21:16,480 --> 00:21:17,339
the schooIhouse.

660
00:21:17,340 --> 00:21:19,079
Those are the two presents that I

661
00:21:19,080 --> 00:21:21,319
remember the

662
00:21:21,320 --> 00:21:23,339
people in the community

663
00:21:23,340 --> 00:21:24,379
sharing with each other.

664
00:21:24,380 --> 00:21:25,499
That's silly.

665
00:21:25,500 --> 00:21:27,579
I can't remember any

666
00:21:27,580 --> 00:21:29,819
present shared beyond that.

667
00:21:29,820 --> 00:21:31,720
Now, need to understand.

668
00:21:34,900 --> 00:21:36,899
Wherever a neighbor

669
00:21:36,900 --> 00:21:38,619
needed some help,

670
00:21:40,040 --> 00:21:42,119
another neighbor was ready to help

671
00:21:42,120 --> 00:21:43,120
them.

672
00:21:43,800 --> 00:21:44,800
And if they needed,

673
00:21:45,880 --> 00:21:47,939
let's say they were

674
00:21:47,940 --> 00:21:50,839
without clothing of any kind,

675
00:21:50,840 --> 00:21:52,759
and I have a story in one of

676
00:21:52,760 --> 00:21:54,259
my books about that,

677
00:21:55,400 --> 00:21:57,619
my mother would give them something

678
00:21:57,620 --> 00:21:59,399
to wear.

679
00:21:59,400 --> 00:22:01,419
I mean, people were in

680
00:22:01,420 --> 00:22:03,339
dire straits, and those who

681
00:22:03,340 --> 00:22:05,299
were the most dire strait,

682
00:22:05,300 --> 00:22:06,919
another neighbor would help them

683
00:22:06,920 --> 00:22:09,099
because, well,

684
00:22:09,100 --> 00:22:11,039
that was what a

685
00:22:11,040 --> 00:22:12,979
part of our community was

686
00:22:12,980 --> 00:22:13,959
about.

687
00:22:13,960 --> 00:22:15,999
And the words I used are,

688
00:22:16,000 --> 00:22:18,379
we were sharing and

689
00:22:18,380 --> 00:22:19,380
caring.

690
00:22:20,100 --> 00:22:21,999
Those are two important phrases

691
00:22:22,000 --> 00:22:24,699
that country people lived by,

692
00:22:24,700 --> 00:22:27,019
sharing and carrying.

693
00:22:27,020 --> 00:22:28,599
And I still use those today.

694
00:22:31,770 --> 00:22:32,969
That's so poignant.

695
00:22:32,970 --> 00:22:33,849
I just love when you're talking

696
00:22:33,850 --> 00:22:35,809
about that and just how

697
00:22:35,810 --> 00:22:37,689
just those little things meant much

698
00:22:37,690 --> 00:22:40,349
so much to some of these families.

699
00:22:40,350 --> 00:22:42,289
How long of a school, I mean,

700
00:22:42,290 --> 00:22:44,389
just like, you know, kids today,

701
00:22:44,390 --> 00:22:45,729
they get a break around Christmas

702
00:22:45,730 --> 00:22:46,769
from school.

703
00:22:46,770 --> 00:22:48,449
Did you and how long were those like

704
00:22:48,450 --> 00:22:50,209
your Christmas break?

705
00:22:51,600 --> 00:22:54,259
Now, the Christmas break was

706
00:22:54,260 --> 00:22:56,599
a fun time for all of us.

707
00:22:56,600 --> 00:22:58,219
It was, let's see, it would be from

708
00:22:58,220 --> 00:23:00,359
Christmas day,

709
00:23:00,360 --> 00:23:02,299
it would start on

710
00:23:02,300 --> 00:23:04,359
Christmas day and last

711
00:23:04,360 --> 00:23:05,740
probably for two weeks.

712
00:23:06,860 --> 00:23:08,799
Yes, two weeks, and

713
00:23:08,800 --> 00:23:10,619
during those two weeks we did all

714
00:23:10,620 --> 00:23:11,620
kinds of things.

715
00:23:12,580 --> 00:23:14,139
One of the things we did, of course,

716
00:23:14,140 --> 00:23:16,339
we had wood stoves and

717
00:23:16,340 --> 00:23:17,340
we cut wood.

718
00:23:18,970 --> 00:23:20,909
Take the ax and the cross cut saw

719
00:23:20,910 --> 00:23:21,910
out

720
00:23:22,750 --> 00:23:24,829
and they fought a little wood

721
00:23:24,830 --> 00:23:26,489
pile, but not wood pile.

722
00:23:26,490 --> 00:23:28,569
Woods we had next to the house and

723
00:23:28,570 --> 00:23:30,509
bring in wood that we could

724
00:23:30,510 --> 00:23:32,609
saw up and put in the stoves.

725
00:23:32,610 --> 00:23:34,089
That was an important part of what

726
00:23:34,090 --> 00:23:34,889
we did.

727
00:23:34,890 --> 00:23:36,589
We also went ice fishing.

728
00:23:36,590 --> 00:23:38,269
Almost all, we couldn't go every day

729
00:23:38,270 --> 00:23:40,169
because we were hauling wood

730
00:23:40,170 --> 00:23:41,369
half the time.

731
00:23:41,370 --> 00:23:43,529
But ice fishing was just the most

732
00:23:43,530 --> 00:23:45,409
important part of what were

733
00:23:45,410 --> 00:23:46,449
doing.

734
00:23:46,450 --> 00:23:48,279
And we ice fished.

735
00:23:48,280 --> 00:23:50,119
Just because, not just because it

736
00:23:50,120 --> 00:23:52,159
was fun, but it provided us

737
00:23:52,160 --> 00:23:54,119
with another source of food.

738
00:23:54,120 --> 00:23:56,679
We caught, I'm bragging now folks,

739
00:23:56,680 --> 00:23:57,799
a lot of fish.

740
00:23:59,159 --> 00:24:01,179
Northern pike was

741
00:24:01,180 --> 00:24:03,319
the premier fish that we caught

742
00:24:03,320 --> 00:24:05,179
on tip hooks.

743
00:24:05,180 --> 00:24:06,979
And those that we didn't eat

744
00:24:06,980 --> 00:24:09,139
immediately, we

745
00:24:09,140 --> 00:24:11,459
freeze them to eat later.

746
00:24:11,460 --> 00:24:13,379
Those that we did not freeze

747
00:24:13,380 --> 00:24:15,319
to eat later,

748
00:24:15,320 --> 00:24:17,419
my dad pickled them.

749
00:24:17,420 --> 00:24:19,439
So we had Northern Pike

750
00:24:19,440 --> 00:24:21,319
for a very long time to

751
00:24:21,320 --> 00:24:22,659
eat.

752
00:24:22,660 --> 00:24:24,479
And thus, that period of

753
00:24:24,480 --> 00:24:26,999
time when Christmas

754
00:24:27,000 --> 00:24:28,959
was let out and Christmas

755
00:24:28,960 --> 00:24:30,859
began again, provided

756
00:24:30,860 --> 00:24:32,919
us a chance to not

757
00:24:32,920 --> 00:24:34,759
only have fun, but

758
00:24:34,760 --> 00:24:36,779
also to get the wood pile

759
00:24:36,780 --> 00:24:39,119
reinforced, which in most instances

760
00:24:39,120 --> 00:24:40,120
needed doing.

761
00:24:41,209 --> 00:24:42,569
Um, just because we were talking

762
00:24:42,570 --> 00:24:44,609
about ice fishing anyway, tell me

763
00:24:44,610 --> 00:24:46,949
about, I know you were,

764
00:24:46,950 --> 00:24:48,429
uh, I read in your book and you were

765
00:24:48,430 --> 00:24:50,249
talking that at some point

766
00:24:50,250 --> 00:24:52,169
you guys got an ice shanty, where

767
00:24:52,170 --> 00:24:54,029
was, tell about the ice shandy of

768
00:24:54,030 --> 00:24:55,130
what your dad made it from.

769
00:24:57,689 --> 00:24:59,629
Prior to our having

770
00:24:59,630 --> 00:25:01,689
an ice shanty,

771
00:25:01,690 --> 00:25:03,509
which was what most

772
00:25:03,510 --> 00:25:04,890
ice fishermen wanted,

773
00:25:06,090 --> 00:25:08,169
we sat on shore by

774
00:25:08,170 --> 00:25:10,289
a campfire and warmed

775
00:25:10,290 --> 00:25:12,749
ourselves and

776
00:25:12,750 --> 00:25:14,569
warmed our sandwiches and

777
00:25:14,570 --> 00:25:15,649
all the rest of it.

778
00:25:15,650 --> 00:25:17,549
But then we one day

779
00:25:17,550 --> 00:25:19,149
said, as we looked out at the

780
00:25:19,150 --> 00:25:20,519
shanties in the...

781
00:25:20,520 --> 00:25:22,339
On this lake where we were.

782
00:25:22,340 --> 00:25:24,279
I think I said to my dad, how

783
00:25:24,280 --> 00:25:26,059
come we don't have a shanty for

784
00:25:26,060 --> 00:25:27,779
heaven's sake? We're sitting by a

785
00:25:27,780 --> 00:25:28,780
fire.

786
00:25:29,860 --> 00:25:31,519
My dad said, I don't know.

787
00:25:31,520 --> 00:25:33,779
I don t think we can afford one.

788
00:25:33,780 --> 00:25:35,619
But then he said, you know,

789
00:25:35,620 --> 00:25:36,620
I have an idea.

790
00:25:37,800 --> 00:25:39,759
When we raised potatoes

791
00:25:39,760 --> 00:25:41,899
by the

792
00:25:41,900 --> 00:25:43,859
20, 30 acres,

793
00:25:43,860 --> 00:25:45,599
we hauled them to town.

794
00:25:45,600 --> 00:25:48,119
In January,

795
00:25:49,140 --> 00:25:51,169
when the sleigh and on

796
00:25:51,170 --> 00:25:53,449
the sleigh was a sleigh

797
00:25:53,450 --> 00:25:54,450
coop.

798
00:25:54,830 --> 00:25:56,249
And what's a sleig coop?

799
00:25:56,250 --> 00:25:58,189
A sleig coupe is

800
00:25:58,190 --> 00:26:00,229
a place where you, well,

801
00:26:00,230 --> 00:26:02,089
for potatoes, you

802
00:26:02,090 --> 00:26:03,929
sat in there with a stove

803
00:26:03,930 --> 00:26:05,949
and the lines for the horses

804
00:26:05,950 --> 00:26:07,769
went out the window and

805
00:26:07,770 --> 00:26:09,649
you were nice and cozy warm while

806
00:26:09,650 --> 00:26:11,170
you were hauling potatoes to Tom.

807
00:26:13,910 --> 00:26:15,749
Cut the bottom off that thing, put a

808
00:26:15,750 --> 00:26:17,689
new bottom on it with runners,

809
00:26:17,690 --> 00:26:18,969
pulled it out on the lake,

810
00:26:20,170 --> 00:26:21,689
had a hole in it if you wanted to

811
00:26:21,690 --> 00:26:23,549
fish for bluegills, and it

812
00:26:23,550 --> 00:26:25,449
was started a fire, had those,

813
00:26:25,450 --> 00:26:26,589
it kept the stove.

814
00:26:26,590 --> 00:26:28,449
And it was the most wonderful little

815
00:26:28,450 --> 00:26:29,329
place.

816
00:26:29,330 --> 00:26:31,549
It was, there were about four of us,

817
00:26:31,550 --> 00:26:33,069
and it's was like shoulder to

818
00:26:33,070 --> 00:26:34,729
shoulder. And if you looked out the

819
00:26:34,730 --> 00:26:36,649
window and you

820
00:26:36,650 --> 00:26:39,209
could see a flag go up on a tip-up,

821
00:26:39,210 --> 00:26:41,029
there was a crush to go through the

822
00:26:41,030 --> 00:26:42,889
little door of

823
00:26:42,890 --> 00:26:43,859
the shanty.

824
00:26:43,860 --> 00:26:45,719
To attend to the fish that

825
00:26:45,720 --> 00:26:47,799
surely must be on that guy's

826
00:26:47,800 --> 00:26:49,619
hook. So it was a

827
00:26:49,620 --> 00:26:51,419
wonderful thing, this little shanty.

828
00:26:51,420 --> 00:26:53,100
And we even had music.

829
00:26:54,160 --> 00:26:55,419
I don't know where I got it, but I

830
00:26:55,420 --> 00:26:57,259
got a Victrola record

831
00:26:57,260 --> 00:26:59,139
player, the kind that you put a

832
00:26:59,140 --> 00:27:00,979
33 and a third record on,

833
00:27:00,980 --> 00:27:03,059
you crank up the bugger, and it'll

834
00:27:03,060 --> 00:27:04,939
play for 15, well, 10

835
00:27:04,940 --> 00:27:06,289
minutes at least.

836
00:27:06,290 --> 00:27:07,909
So we had music.

837
00:27:07,910 --> 00:27:10,489
I mean, we had the most up-to-date

838
00:27:10,490 --> 00:27:12,069
deal you could imagine.

839
00:27:12,070 --> 00:27:13,849
Listening to music while we were

840
00:27:13,850 --> 00:27:15,150
waiting for a fish to bite.

841
00:27:16,510 --> 00:27:18,549
Sorry, I didn't know about that.

842
00:27:18,550 --> 00:27:20,329
Tell me this story, cause I think it

843
00:27:20,330 --> 00:27:22,309
just thought it was hilarious

844
00:27:22,310 --> 00:27:24,189
about, cause you had this ice shanty

845
00:27:24,190 --> 00:27:25,369
for a long time.

846
00:27:25,370 --> 00:27:27,429
Tell me how it

847
00:27:27,430 --> 00:27:29,349
shrunk by a couple inches one year.

848
00:27:29,350 --> 00:27:30,729
Did I think, didn't it melt and get

849
00:27:30,730 --> 00:27:32,069
stuck and then you had to saw it off

850
00:27:32,070 --> 00:27:32,279
or?

851
00:27:32,280 --> 00:27:34,259
Well, one of the rules that

852
00:27:34,260 --> 00:27:36,099
the DNR had for all

853
00:27:36,100 --> 00:27:38,019
of us with shanties is

854
00:27:38,020 --> 00:27:40,679
that they had to be off the lakes,

855
00:27:40,680 --> 00:27:42,519
let's say by March

856
00:27:42,520 --> 00:27:44,199
1st.

857
00:27:44,200 --> 00:27:46,099
And for some

858
00:27:46,100 --> 00:27:48,199
reason, we did not get our shanty

859
00:27:48,200 --> 00:27:50,339
off the lake by March first.

860
00:27:51,340 --> 00:27:53,279
And things melted.

861
00:27:53,280 --> 00:27:55,199
And now our shandy is

862
00:27:55,200 --> 00:27:57,379
sinking into the soft

863
00:27:57,380 --> 00:27:59,539
ice. And my auntie

864
00:27:59,540 --> 00:28:01,159
said, Pa, what are we gonna do?

865
00:28:01,160 --> 00:28:03,099
We're losing our shanty.

866
00:28:03,100 --> 00:28:04,799
It's sinking into the lake and I'm

867
00:28:04,800 --> 00:28:06,339
not going out there to do anything.

868
00:28:07,780 --> 00:28:08,619
Go out there.

869
00:28:08,620 --> 00:28:11,519
Go out here and saw the bottom off.

870
00:28:11,520 --> 00:28:13,379
Wouldn't that be illegal?

871
00:28:13,380 --> 00:28:14,499
Yeah, but we're never gonna tell

872
00:28:14,500 --> 00:28:15,500
anybody.

873
00:28:16,820 --> 00:28:18,579
So we saw the bottle off and pulled

874
00:28:18,580 --> 00:28:19,859
it off the lake and I never knew

875
00:28:19,860 --> 00:28:20,860
what happened to the bottle.

876
00:28:22,580 --> 00:28:24,579
What else besides ice fishing did

877
00:28:24,580 --> 00:28:26,439
you do for during break or

878
00:28:26,440 --> 00:28:28,499
during um did you do any ice skating

879
00:28:28,500 --> 00:28:29,939
or do any snowball fights or

880
00:28:29,940 --> 00:28:30,940
anything like that?

881
00:28:31,930 --> 00:28:32,930
We did,

882
00:28:33,910 --> 00:28:35,489
it depended on the weather of

883
00:28:35,490 --> 00:28:37,349
course, but

884
00:28:37,350 --> 00:28:38,909
ice skating was something that we

885
00:28:38,910 --> 00:28:41,209
would often do and

886
00:28:41,210 --> 00:28:43,569
that depended whether or not the,

887
00:28:43,570 --> 00:28:45,229
especially if the lake, like Chana

888
00:28:45,230 --> 00:28:47,769
Lake, which is nearest to our

889
00:28:47,770 --> 00:28:49,789
house, oh, it's frozen over,

890
00:28:49,790 --> 00:28:51,549
we could go there, shovel off some

891
00:28:51,550 --> 00:28:53,809
of the snow and

892
00:28:53,810 --> 00:28:55,229
ice skate.

893
00:28:55,230 --> 00:28:57,209
And when, I've forgotten what year

894
00:28:57,210 --> 00:28:59,129
it was, but it must've been when we

895
00:28:59,130 --> 00:29:00,029
were.

896
00:29:00,030 --> 00:29:02,109
When my brothers and I were maybe

897
00:29:02,110 --> 00:29:04,269
close to our teens,

898
00:29:04,270 --> 00:29:06,189
Paul said, you guys, you

899
00:29:06,190 --> 00:29:07,709
haven't been ice skating, have you?

900
00:29:07,710 --> 00:29:08,989
Well, I haven't ice skated in any of

901
00:29:08,990 --> 00:29:10,009
these skates.

902
00:29:10,010 --> 00:29:11,869
So we went to Hotch's

903
00:29:11,870 --> 00:29:13,789
Hardware and

904
00:29:13,790 --> 00:29:15,749
bought four

905
00:29:15,750 --> 00:29:17,749
sets of skates, can you believe

906
00:29:17,750 --> 00:29:18,649
it?

907
00:29:18,650 --> 00:29:20,049
Four sets of skate.

908
00:29:20,050 --> 00:29:21,050
No, three sets.

909
00:29:22,150 --> 00:29:23,290
Yeah, no, it was four, there were

910
00:29:23,291 --> 00:29:24,291
four of us.

911
00:29:26,110 --> 00:29:27,829
And 50 cents a pair.

912
00:29:29,050 --> 00:29:31,669
You clamped them on your shoes.

913
00:29:31,670 --> 00:29:33,549
And if you didn't do it right, it

914
00:29:33,550 --> 00:29:35,749
pulled your heel off for sure.

915
00:29:35,750 --> 00:29:38,029
Pulls the sole off also.

916
00:29:38,030 --> 00:29:40,509
The buggers were not good for

917
00:29:40,510 --> 00:29:41,630
that kind of skating.

918
00:29:42,730 --> 00:29:44,949
But we skated.

919
00:29:44,950 --> 00:29:46,629
And we didn't know how to skate.

920
00:29:46,630 --> 00:29:48,069
I mean, we'd never been on skates.

921
00:29:48,070 --> 00:29:49,769
We'd slide on the ice and fall on

922
00:29:49,770 --> 00:29:51,749
our two-toed, get up again and fall

923
00:29:51,750 --> 00:29:53,128
again and run.

924
00:29:53,129 --> 00:29:54,129
Well,

925
00:29:54,990 --> 00:29:56,969
in front of our house,

926
00:29:56,970 --> 00:29:58,349
one year the ice.

927
00:29:58,350 --> 00:30:01,369
Lake was there, snowmelted,

928
00:30:01,370 --> 00:30:02,469
we're gonna skate out there.

929
00:30:03,650 --> 00:30:05,189
My dad comes along, I wonder what

930
00:30:05,190 --> 00:30:07,009
the heck's he coming along for.

931
00:30:07,010 --> 00:30:08,549
He comes along.

932
00:30:08,550 --> 00:30:10,769
We put on our skates,

933
00:30:10,770 --> 00:30:13,069
fall down, get up, go around.

934
00:30:13,070 --> 00:30:14,829
My dad said, let me try this.

935
00:30:15,910 --> 00:30:17,809
He clamps on one pair of these

936
00:30:17,810 --> 00:30:19,709
skates. He's going forward

937
00:30:19,710 --> 00:30:20,829
around the lake.

938
00:30:20,830 --> 00:30:22,689
He's go backward around the Lake.

939
00:30:22,690 --> 00:30:23,039
Oh

940
00:30:23,040 --> 00:30:25,699
Oh my gosh, this old guy,

941
00:30:25,700 --> 00:30:26,700
he can skate.

942
00:30:27,940 --> 00:30:29,619
He can skate forward, he could skate

943
00:30:29,620 --> 00:30:31,659
backward, he can state sideways,

944
00:30:31,660 --> 00:30:32,739
and he didn't say anything.

945
00:30:32,740 --> 00:30:34,380
Just smiled, just smiled, went

946
00:30:34,381 --> 00:30:35,520
around, around, and around.

947
00:30:36,670 --> 00:30:39,429
So there was our model.

948
00:30:39,430 --> 00:30:41,369
Okay, anybody skate as well as Paul?

949
00:30:41,370 --> 00:30:43,349
Well, nobody could.

950
00:30:43,350 --> 00:30:44,350
That was Steve.

951
00:30:45,270 --> 00:30:47,269
Was he just naturally talented

952
00:30:47,270 --> 00:30:51,009
or had he skated before

953
00:30:51,010 --> 00:30:53,249
as a kid or is he just talented

954
00:30:53,250 --> 00:30:54,339
for skating?

955
00:30:54,340 --> 00:30:56,559
He, I think he had skated

956
00:30:56,560 --> 00:30:58,839
a lot when he was a kid,

957
00:30:58,840 --> 00:31:00,839
and he never told anybody that he

958
00:31:00,840 --> 00:31:01,939
had.

959
00:31:01,940 --> 00:31:04,799
And now he was being smart and

960
00:31:04,800 --> 00:31:06,779
skating with his nose up in the air,

961
00:31:06,780 --> 00:31:08,499
and you guys can't.

962
00:31:09,830 --> 00:31:12,309
Did your dad enjoy the

963
00:31:12,310 --> 00:31:13,589
winter activities? I know when he

964
00:31:13,590 --> 00:31:14,869
wasn't working or whatever, but did

965
00:31:14,870 --> 00:31:16,689
he enjoy skating and ice

966
00:31:16,690 --> 00:31:17,879
fishing?

967
00:31:17,880 --> 00:31:20,019
My dad, you can't imagine

968
00:31:20,020 --> 00:31:22,279
how much he enjoyed ice fishing.

969
00:31:22,280 --> 00:31:24,119
Even when we weren't in school,

970
00:31:25,360 --> 00:31:27,199
he would go ice fishing

971
00:31:27,200 --> 00:31:29,759
with other neighbors all

972
00:31:29,760 --> 00:31:31,519
through the winter, he did.

973
00:31:31,520 --> 00:31:33,079
Ice fishing was one of the special

974
00:31:33,080 --> 00:31:34,999
things that a farmer could

975
00:31:35,000 --> 00:31:36,659
do because you could do the chores

976
00:31:36,660 --> 00:31:38,479
in the morning and

977
00:31:38,480 --> 00:31:40,319
then you could go fishing in the

978
00:31:40,320 --> 00:31:41,320
afternoon.

979
00:31:43,060 --> 00:31:45,059
Chores took place the

980
00:31:45,060 --> 00:31:46,859
rest of the year. You were doing

981
00:31:46,860 --> 00:31:48,419
work. You were.

982
00:31:48,420 --> 00:31:50,539
Handling grain and silage

983
00:31:50,540 --> 00:31:51,899
and all that kind of stuff.

984
00:31:51,900 --> 00:31:53,979
But in the wintertime, you could

985
00:31:53,980 --> 00:31:55,939
be off in the afternoon and

986
00:31:55,940 --> 00:31:57,799
you could go ice fishing.

987
00:31:57,800 --> 00:31:59,159
And there were a whole bunch of

988
00:31:59,160 --> 00:32:00,160
these old farmers

989
00:32:01,120 --> 00:32:03,399
would get together in

990
00:32:03,400 --> 00:32:05,399
these various shacks and

991
00:32:05,400 --> 00:32:07,199
sit there and lie to each other,

992
00:32:07,200 --> 00:32:09,199
tell stories to each of

993
00:32:09,200 --> 00:32:11,219
them all of the

994
00:32:11,220 --> 00:32:12,519
afternoon.

995
00:32:12,520 --> 00:32:14,599
And that went on

996
00:32:14,600 --> 00:32:15,939
all winter long.

997
00:32:15,940 --> 00:32:17,839
It was wonderful as I looked

998
00:32:17,840 --> 00:32:18,840
in on it.

999
00:32:19,610 --> 00:32:20,549
Do you need a break at all?

1000
00:32:20,550 --> 00:32:21,369
I want some water.

1001
00:32:21,370 --> 00:32:22,370
Yeah, I'll need some water

1002
00:32:27,330 --> 00:32:29,489
Yeah, it's going great.

1003
00:32:29,490 --> 00:32:30,869
What are you thinking Susie?

1004
00:32:30,870 --> 00:32:31,769
Oh my God.

1005
00:32:31,770 --> 00:32:32,770
Yeah, okay.

1006
00:32:35,230 --> 00:32:36,549
Keen, you didn't talk about Keen.

1007
00:32:36,550 --> 00:32:36,550
No.

1008
00:32:36,551 --> 00:32:37,969
Yeah, what can we come back to?

1009
00:32:37,970 --> 00:32:39,789
Game yes

1010
00:32:39,790 --> 00:32:40,870
oh my gosh you gotta guess

1011
00:32:40,871 --> 00:32:42,029
I'm gonna show you, put each wire

1012
00:32:42,030 --> 00:32:42,251
out of the way.

1013
00:32:42,252 --> 00:32:43,709
You gotta ask me about skiing.

1014
00:32:43,710 --> 00:32:44,710
You'll put the water back.

1015
00:32:45,450 --> 00:32:46,450
How's this if I just put it here?

1016
00:32:48,630 --> 00:32:49,749
Is it okay with water? Oh, yeah,

1017
00:32:49,750 --> 00:32:50,729
that's clear.

1018
00:32:50,730 --> 00:32:51,769
Are we still recording?

1019
00:32:51,770 --> 00:32:53,209
Okay, why don't you, why didn't you

1020
00:32:53,210 --> 00:32:55,329
tell me about, tell me,

1021
00:32:55,330 --> 00:32:56,330
about skiing?

1022
00:32:57,830 --> 00:32:58,830
One of the things,

1023
00:32:59,990 --> 00:33:01,829
one of the memories that I

1024
00:33:01,830 --> 00:33:03,989
have most is

1025
00:33:03,990 --> 00:33:05,869
skiing, because

1026
00:33:05,870 --> 00:33:07,749
my dad could not

1027
00:33:07,750 --> 00:33:10,589
afford to buy me skis.

1028
00:33:10,590 --> 00:33:12,489
He couldn't afford to by any of

1029
00:33:12,490 --> 00:33:14,569
us skis, so what

1030
00:33:14,570 --> 00:33:16,629
he did, and it's

1031
00:33:16,630 --> 00:33:18,389
fascinating what he did as I think

1032
00:33:18,390 --> 00:33:20,069
back on it.

1033
00:33:20,070 --> 00:33:22,909
Those of you familiar with barrels,

1034
00:33:22,910 --> 00:33:25,009
wooden barrels, There are

1035
00:33:25,010 --> 00:33:26,869
staves, they're called, on wooden

1036
00:33:26,870 --> 00:33:27,679
barrels.

1037
00:33:27,680 --> 00:33:30,019
And they have a little bend to them.

1038
00:33:30,020 --> 00:33:32,539
And my first skis

1039
00:33:32,540 --> 00:33:34,419
were a pair of

1040
00:33:34,420 --> 00:33:36,059
wooden barrels.

1041
00:33:36,060 --> 00:33:38,339
My dad nailed a leather over

1042
00:33:38,340 --> 00:33:40,439
the middle and those were

1043
00:33:40,440 --> 00:33:42,639
my skis. They didn't slide,

1044
00:33:42,640 --> 00:33:44,539
but you could kind of walk on

1045
00:33:44,540 --> 00:33:45,779
them.

1046
00:33:45,780 --> 00:33:47,979
And I can't imagine

1047
00:33:47,980 --> 00:33:49,939
anybody having skis made out

1048
00:33:49,940 --> 00:33:51,979
of barrel staves, but we did.

1049
00:33:52,980 --> 00:33:55,379
And then we graduated

1050
00:33:55,380 --> 00:33:56,219
up to.

1051
00:33:56,220 --> 00:33:57,220
Well.

1052
00:33:58,860 --> 00:34:00,859
To homemade skis

1053
00:34:00,860 --> 00:34:02,939
that my grandpa Witt

1054
00:34:02,940 --> 00:34:05,339
made by

1055
00:34:05,340 --> 00:34:07,279
cutting out

1056
00:34:07,280 --> 00:34:09,238
birch bores that are about

1057
00:34:09,239 --> 00:34:11,158
this long, about this

1058
00:34:11,159 --> 00:34:15,399
wide, and holding them over

1059
00:34:15,400 --> 00:34:17,379
steam, a fire with

1060
00:34:17,380 --> 00:34:19,479
creating wood steam.

1061
00:34:19,480 --> 00:34:21,499
And that way he could bend up the

1062
00:34:21,500 --> 00:34:23,499
ends of the, I have

1063
00:34:23,500 --> 00:34:25,319
one of those skis left in my

1064
00:34:25,320 --> 00:34:26,849
shed at the farm.

1065
00:34:26,850 --> 00:34:29,908
It was wonderful, I just thought,

1066
00:34:29,909 --> 00:34:31,509
my gosh, my grandpa couldn't have

1067
00:34:31,510 --> 00:34:32,888
done anything better.

1068
00:34:32,889 --> 00:34:34,029
Because of course they didn't have

1069
00:34:34,030 --> 00:34:35,869
any slots in the bottom so

1070
00:34:35,870 --> 00:34:37,769
you'd go sideways down

1071
00:34:37,770 --> 00:34:39,849
the hill, forward on the hill shone

1072
00:34:39,850 --> 00:34:41,829
straight away down the hills and

1073
00:34:41,830 --> 00:34:42,830
run over somebody.

1074
00:34:43,970 --> 00:34:45,849
But then it wasn't,

1075
00:34:45,850 --> 00:34:48,009
I don't know what year it was,

1076
00:34:48,010 --> 00:34:49,968
but that year I

1077
00:34:49,969 --> 00:34:51,869
always asked for a pair of

1078
00:34:51,870 --> 00:34:52,870
skis.

1079
00:34:53,889 --> 00:34:55,549
And my dad had been in Hotch's

1080
00:34:55,550 --> 00:34:57,589
Hardware in Wildrose.

1081
00:34:57,590 --> 00:34:59,669
And Mr. Hotts said to my dad,

1082
00:34:59,670 --> 00:35:01,409
you're looking for a skis, aren't

1083
00:35:01,410 --> 00:35:04,309
you? My dad said, well, yes, I am.

1084
00:35:04,310 --> 00:35:06,229
Gerald has always wanted a pair of

1085
00:35:06,230 --> 00:35:07,829
skis.

1086
00:35:07,830 --> 00:35:09,109
And Mr Hotts says, I'll tell you

1087
00:35:09,110 --> 00:35:10,969
what I'll do for you.

1088
00:35:10,970 --> 00:35:12,809
I've got a pair skis out in the

1089
00:35:12,810 --> 00:35:15,049
back and they

1090
00:35:15,050 --> 00:35:17,069
are not,

1091
00:35:17,070 --> 00:35:18,909
each one lost its pair.

1092
00:35:19,990 --> 00:35:22,009
And so if you will

1093
00:35:22,010 --> 00:35:23,869
buy them,

1094
00:35:23,870 --> 00:35:25,949
I will give you a half price because

1095
00:35:25,950 --> 00:35:27,879
you're only getting half of it.

1096
00:35:27,880 --> 00:35:30,099
Half a pair anyway,

1097
00:35:30,100 --> 00:35:31,179
and those will be your skis.

1098
00:35:31,180 --> 00:35:33,319
My dad brought those skis home

1099
00:35:33,320 --> 00:35:35,759
and the memory I

1100
00:35:35,760 --> 00:35:37,219
have, one was brown and one was

1101
00:35:37,220 --> 00:35:39,439
black, and

1102
00:35:39,440 --> 00:35:41,659
they were both way

1103
00:35:41,660 --> 00:35:43,819
long, five, six feet long,

1104
00:35:43,820 --> 00:35:45,739
and my dad painted the brown one

1105
00:35:45,740 --> 00:35:46,919
black.

1106
00:35:46,920 --> 00:35:49,039
So my memory of Christmas is

1107
00:35:49,040 --> 00:35:50,709
this wonderful pair of

1108
00:35:51,710 --> 00:35:53,529
But why did they smell like

1109
00:35:53,530 --> 00:35:54,530
that?

1110
00:35:57,990 --> 00:35:59,489
Where would you go ski?

1111
00:35:59,490 --> 00:36:01,089
Was it cross country downhill or

1112
00:36:01,090 --> 00:36:01,839
where would you go?

1113
00:36:01,840 --> 00:36:05,019
Oh we had hills all over the place.

1114
00:36:05,020 --> 00:36:08,059
We could cross country on our farm.

1115
00:36:08,060 --> 00:36:09,479
There were enough hills on our farm

1116
00:36:09,480 --> 00:36:12,019
you could go downhill pretty

1117
00:36:12,020 --> 00:36:12,879
well.

1118
00:36:12,880 --> 00:36:14,359
And there's a nice hill right back

1119
00:36:14,360 --> 00:36:15,899
of the schoolhouse that you could go

1120
00:36:15,900 --> 00:36:18,699
down. Now, we had plenty of

1121
00:36:18,700 --> 00:36:20,669
amateur hills, so to speak.

1122
00:36:20,670 --> 00:36:22,929
Did you do skiing just

1123
00:36:22,930 --> 00:36:24,789
for fun, or was there a

1124
00:36:24,790 --> 00:36:26,549
function to it that it was great to

1125
00:36:26,550 --> 00:36:26,690
have skis?

1126
00:36:26,691 --> 00:36:28,499
There was a function of just for fun

1127
00:36:28,500 --> 00:36:30,499
in our community anyway,

1128
00:36:30,500 --> 00:36:32,479
and we would ski to the

1129
00:36:32,480 --> 00:36:34,639
neighbors. In fact, I would

1130
00:36:34,640 --> 00:36:36,719
ski at school when

1131
00:36:36,720 --> 00:36:38,539
the snow was really deep.

1132
00:36:38,540 --> 00:36:40,439
It was my way of

1133
00:36:40,440 --> 00:36:42,339
transportation and this I

1134
00:36:42,340 --> 00:36:44,019
will share and some people will be

1135
00:36:44,020 --> 00:36:45,979
put off by it, but I

1136
00:36:45,980 --> 00:36:48,579
had a trapline when I was a kid.

1137
00:36:48,580 --> 00:36:50,639
Trapline is something where you

1138
00:36:50,640 --> 00:36:52,519
hope to catch a

1139
00:36:52,520 --> 00:36:54,359
wild animal and then sell

1140
00:36:54,360 --> 00:36:56,189
it. Sell it for

1141
00:36:56,190 --> 00:36:57,769
a little bit of money.

1142
00:36:57,770 --> 00:36:59,609
And I had a trapline for

1143
00:36:59,610 --> 00:37:00,949
fox.

1144
00:37:00,950 --> 00:37:03,629
And every morning at

1145
00:37:03,630 --> 00:37:05,589
sunlight in the winter,

1146
00:37:05,590 --> 00:37:07,789
I would put on my grandpa's

1147
00:37:07,790 --> 00:37:10,749
skis and ski my traplines

1148
00:37:10,750 --> 00:37:13,329
one after, I never, don't

1149
00:37:13,330 --> 00:37:15,429
tell anybody, I never caught

1150
00:37:15,430 --> 00:37:17,749
one fox, people.

1151
00:37:17,750 --> 00:37:19,789
But that was my goal, because

1152
00:37:19,790 --> 00:37:21,669
I think we'd get 25 cents for a

1153
00:37:21,670 --> 00:37:22,759
fox tail.

1154
00:37:22,760 --> 00:37:24,759
And I never even saw a fox,

1155
00:37:24,760 --> 00:37:27,739
but can

1156
00:37:27,740 --> 00:37:29,979
you imagine how stupid I was?

1157
00:37:29,980 --> 00:37:31,179
I don't know how stupid is the right

1158
00:37:31,180 --> 00:37:33,339
word. Every morning at daybreak,

1159
00:37:33,340 --> 00:37:34,859
it might have been 10 below zero.

1160
00:37:34,860 --> 00:37:36,939
I'm strapped on my skis and do my

1161
00:37:36,940 --> 00:37:38,819
step, my, my

1162
00:37:38,820 --> 00:37:40,619
tripling. And that's clearly

1163
00:37:40,620 --> 00:37:42,379
cross-country skiing of the first

1164
00:37:42,380 --> 00:37:43,380
order.

1165
00:37:43,689 --> 00:37:45,749
Just let's keep on going with that.

1166
00:37:45,750 --> 00:37:47,029
So you're out there, you're skiing,

1167
00:37:47,030 --> 00:37:47,949
you're checking your trapline.

1168
00:37:47,950 --> 00:37:50,169
Just can you give me a sense of what

1169
00:37:50,170 --> 00:37:52,209
sounds are you hearing?

1170
00:37:52,210 --> 00:37:53,469
What are you smelling?

1171
00:37:53,470 --> 00:37:55,219
You know, just- It's interesting.

1172
00:37:55,220 --> 00:37:57,139
To be out with

1173
00:37:57,140 --> 00:37:59,419
a pair of skis at

1174
00:37:59,420 --> 00:38:01,839
10 below zero in

1175
00:38:01,840 --> 00:38:03,259
the morning.

1176
00:38:03,260 --> 00:38:05,279
The sounds of the

1177
00:38:05,280 --> 00:38:07,000
ski itself was scrunch.

1178
00:38:10,460 --> 00:38:12,339
Sound and then

1179
00:38:12,340 --> 00:38:14,279
sound of silence when

1180
00:38:14,280 --> 00:38:16,379
you stop and

1181
00:38:16,380 --> 00:38:19,039
you don't hear anything and

1182
00:38:19,040 --> 00:38:21,479
then you hear a crow way off

1183
00:38:21,480 --> 00:38:22,480
in the distance.

1184
00:38:24,350 --> 00:38:26,089
And then you wonder what's that poor

1185
00:38:26,090 --> 00:38:28,049
crow is thinking when his tin blows

1186
00:38:28,050 --> 00:38:29,050
through.

1187
00:38:30,270 --> 00:38:32,509
And then, you hear,

1188
00:38:32,510 --> 00:38:34,349
you here a chickadee.

1189
00:38:34,350 --> 00:38:36,389
What is this poor little

1190
00:38:36,390 --> 00:38:37,689
chickadees doing?

1191
00:38:37,690 --> 00:38:39,629
Chickadee, chickade,

1192
00:38:39,630 --> 00:38:41,529
chickatee.

1193
00:38:41,530 --> 00:38:43,589
And these sounds I

1194
00:38:43,590 --> 00:38:45,409
have never forgotten

1195
00:38:45,410 --> 00:38:47,329
because I move along the

1196
00:38:47,330 --> 00:38:48,449
snow scrunch.

1197
00:38:51,670 --> 00:38:54,539
I hear this stuff in the background

1198
00:38:54,540 --> 00:38:56,709
and I anticipate, will I

1199
00:38:56,710 --> 00:38:58,890
see a fox this time?

1200
00:38:59,910 --> 00:39:01,849
I never did.

1201
00:39:01,850 --> 00:39:03,789
But I skied, I don't know

1202
00:39:03,790 --> 00:39:05,829
how many winters with my

1203
00:39:05,830 --> 00:39:07,949
grandfather's skis,

1204
00:39:07,950 --> 00:39:09,829
checking to see if

1205
00:39:09,830 --> 00:39:12,009
I had trapped a fox on

1206
00:39:12,010 --> 00:39:13,010
my trap line.

1207
00:39:13,990 --> 00:39:15,369
It was a good outing.

1208
00:39:15,370 --> 00:39:17,369
I was wide awake when I came home,

1209
00:39:17,370 --> 00:39:19,869
ready for breakfast, I tell you,

1210
00:39:19,870 --> 00:39:21,559
after doing that.

1211
00:39:21,560 --> 00:39:23,379
But my father taught me

1212
00:39:23,380 --> 00:39:24,259
to do that. Why?

1213
00:39:24,260 --> 00:39:25,260
I don't know,

1214
00:39:26,160 --> 00:39:27,079
but he did.

1215
00:39:27,080 --> 00:39:28,459
And I thank him for it.

1216
00:39:28,460 --> 00:39:30,849
It was an interesting experience.

1217
00:39:30,850 --> 00:39:32,369
Just along those lines, this is one

1218
00:39:32,370 --> 00:39:33,509
of my first ones and I should have

1219
00:39:33,510 --> 00:39:35,629
done this earlier, but so

1220
00:39:35,630 --> 00:39:36,829
when you when we talk about

1221
00:39:36,830 --> 00:39:38,669
Christmas or circling back to that

1222
00:39:38,670 --> 00:39:40,549
and sound or smells,

1223
00:39:40,550 --> 00:39:42,309
what kind of sounds or smells do you

1224
00:39:42,310 --> 00:39:44,209
associate with Christmas or the

1225
00:39:44,210 --> 00:39:45,210
holidays?

1226
00:39:47,250 --> 00:39:49,109
Like, like the smells of

1227
00:39:49,110 --> 00:39:50,309
like certain like cookies or

1228
00:39:50,310 --> 00:39:51,370
whatever or pines or whatever.

1229
00:39:51,371 --> 00:39:52,769
What are you asking, the sounds of

1230
00:39:52,770 --> 00:39:52,959
Christmas?

1231
00:39:52,960 --> 00:39:54,259
Let's start with the smells.

1232
00:39:54,260 --> 00:39:55,859
What smells do you associate with

1233
00:39:55,860 --> 00:39:56,899
Christmas? Like, you remember

1234
00:39:56,900 --> 00:39:58,519
growing up with smells of your mom

1235
00:39:58,520 --> 00:40:00,329
cooking or...

1236
00:40:00,330 --> 00:40:02,549
Well, I told you about my skis and

1237
00:40:02,550 --> 00:40:04,409
that particular smell,

1238
00:40:04,410 --> 00:40:07,509
but the smells of the

1239
00:40:07,510 --> 00:40:09,549
Christmas tree itself

1240
00:40:09,550 --> 00:40:11,649
provided a litany

1241
00:40:11,650 --> 00:40:13,289
of sounds.

1242
00:40:13,290 --> 00:40:15,469
There's nothing for me that smells

1243
00:40:15,470 --> 00:40:17,329
better than a

1244
00:40:17,330 --> 00:40:19,149
freshly cut pine tree.

1245
00:40:20,150 --> 00:40:22,909
And to smell the ashes and

1246
00:40:22,910 --> 00:40:24,929
to smell that tree when you're

1247
00:40:24,930 --> 00:40:26,829
setting it up, that's so

1248
00:40:26,830 --> 00:40:28,689
special. I haven't

1249
00:40:28,690 --> 00:40:30,349
ever found anyone.

1250
00:40:30,350 --> 00:40:32,449
Able to create

1251
00:40:32,450 --> 00:40:34,649
artificially a smell

1252
00:40:34,650 --> 00:40:36,089
that's like that.

1253
00:40:36,090 --> 00:40:37,969
It's so special.

1254
00:40:37,970 --> 00:40:39,789
Other smells of Christmas would

1255
00:40:39,790 --> 00:40:40,790
be.

1256
00:40:42,280 --> 00:40:44,139
Oyster stew,

1257
00:40:44,140 --> 00:40:45,540
bubbling on the stove.

1258
00:40:47,040 --> 00:40:48,999
And that's kind of an

1259
00:40:49,000 --> 00:40:50,539
interesting smell.

1260
00:40:50,540 --> 00:40:52,279
The cookies that my mother had

1261
00:40:52,280 --> 00:40:54,259
prepared were always a

1262
00:40:54,260 --> 00:40:56,039
special smell.

1263
00:40:56,040 --> 00:40:57,760
And well, what else?

1264
00:40:58,960 --> 00:41:01,139
Winter itself had its own

1265
00:41:01,140 --> 00:41:03,219
smells and you

1266
00:41:03,220 --> 00:41:05,219
can associate those with

1267
00:41:05,220 --> 00:41:06,959
Christmas because they're the

1268
00:41:06,960 --> 00:41:07,960
background for Christmas.

1269
00:41:09,160 --> 00:41:11,019
I think I had read one thing in this

1270
00:41:11,020 --> 00:41:12,499
book, let me see if I can find it

1271
00:41:12,500 --> 00:41:14,259
out, just with your mom baking and

1272
00:41:14,260 --> 00:41:15,260
cooking.

1273
00:41:17,120 --> 00:41:18,979
I had this thing and I don't quite

1274
00:41:18,980 --> 00:41:20,059
remember, you can just tell me the

1275
00:41:20,060 --> 00:41:21,499
story. Tell me about how things

1276
00:41:21,500 --> 00:41:23,919
changed after,

1277
00:41:23,920 --> 00:41:25,139
did you read the light book?

1278
00:41:25,140 --> 00:41:25,939
Yeah, can we pause for a second?

1279
00:41:25,940 --> 00:41:26,960
Yep, we're going to pause for a

1280
00:41:26,961 --> 00:41:27,961
second so we can hear it.

1281
00:41:30,060 --> 00:41:31,060
You just have to replace.

1282
00:41:33,260 --> 00:41:34,279
I'm going to cut.

1283
00:41:34,280 --> 00:41:35,219
Yep.

1284
00:41:35,220 --> 00:41:37,219
All right. All right, both cameras

1285
00:41:37,220 --> 00:41:38,220
rolling. Mark it.

1286
00:41:40,400 --> 00:41:41,400
And hope for focus.

1287
00:41:48,750 --> 00:41:50,669
Okay, we're rolling whenever you're

1288
00:41:50,670 --> 00:41:50,929
ready.

1289
00:41:50,930 --> 00:41:52,689
So going back and I think it was

1290
00:41:52,690 --> 00:41:54,249
probably this book that I read and

1291
00:41:54,250 --> 00:41:55,649
this is a note I made so you can

1292
00:41:55,650 --> 00:41:56,809
tell me more about it.

1293
00:41:56,810 --> 00:41:58,709
Talk about how things changed after

1294
00:41:58,710 --> 00:42:00,429
World War II when your cousins came

1295
00:42:00,430 --> 00:42:02,349
home safely and when your

1296
00:42:02,350 --> 00:42:04,170
mom could finally buy sugar again.

1297
00:42:06,930 --> 00:42:08,969
An interesting thing happened after

1298
00:42:08,970 --> 00:42:10,229
World War II.

1299
00:42:10,230 --> 00:42:11,609
Several interesting things, as a

1300
00:42:11,610 --> 00:42:12,610
matter of fact.

1301
00:42:13,650 --> 00:42:15,509
My mother had,

1302
00:42:15,510 --> 00:42:17,310
was a wonderful baker.

1303
00:42:18,750 --> 00:42:20,609
And World War Two required

1304
00:42:20,610 --> 00:42:22,829
everyone to ration

1305
00:42:22,830 --> 00:42:24,429
the amount of sugar.

1306
00:42:26,650 --> 00:42:28,749
And my mother was so put off by that

1307
00:42:28,750 --> 00:42:30,529
because she wanted to do all this

1308
00:42:30,530 --> 00:42:32,529
baking and no sugar.

1309
00:42:32,530 --> 00:42:34,449
We used sorghum.

1310
00:42:34,450 --> 00:42:36,309
We grew an acre

1311
00:42:36,310 --> 00:42:38,309
of sorgum to use it

1312
00:42:38,310 --> 00:42:40,269
because it was a sweetener.

1313
00:42:40,270 --> 00:42:42,709
And that's another story.

1314
00:42:42,710 --> 00:42:44,929
But as World

1315
00:42:44,930 --> 00:42:46,789
War II ended, the

1316
00:42:46,790 --> 00:42:48,789
first thing my mother said to my

1317
00:42:48,790 --> 00:42:51,029
dad, you go downtown, Herman,

1318
00:42:51,030 --> 00:42:53,149
and I want you to purchase a hundred

1319
00:42:53,150 --> 00:42:54,089
pounds of sugar.

1320
00:42:54,090 --> 00:42:56,759
A hundred pounds?

1321
00:42:56,760 --> 00:42:59,159
A hundred pounds.

1322
00:42:59,160 --> 00:43:01,179
And so my dad, who never

1323
00:43:01,180 --> 00:43:03,559
said no to my mother,

1324
00:43:03,560 --> 00:43:05,379
went to town and purchased

1325
00:43:05,380 --> 00:43:07,379
a hundred pounds of

1326
00:43:07,380 --> 00:43:09,199
sugar and stored

1327
00:43:09,200 --> 00:43:10,719
it in our attic,

1328
00:43:11,820 --> 00:43:13,759
which was there when we sold

1329
00:43:13,760 --> 00:43:14,760
the place.

1330
00:43:17,110 --> 00:43:19,029
But she was really upset.

1331
00:43:19,030 --> 00:43:20,389
The other thing of course that I

1332
00:43:20,390 --> 00:43:22,169
should mention because it made such

1333
00:43:22,170 --> 00:43:24,409
a difference for Christmas

1334
00:43:24,410 --> 00:43:25,449
was electricity.

1335
00:43:26,510 --> 00:43:27,570
In 1947,

1336
00:43:28,650 --> 00:43:30,509
we got electricity and

1337
00:43:30,510 --> 00:43:32,209
that meant Christmas lights,

1338
00:43:33,410 --> 00:43:35,389
all kinds of things changed,

1339
00:43:35,390 --> 00:43:36,589
different presents.

1340
00:43:36,590 --> 00:43:38,749
It was a very interesting

1341
00:43:38,750 --> 00:43:39,750
time.

1342
00:43:41,280 --> 00:43:42,280
World War II ended.

1343
00:43:43,720 --> 00:43:45,619
Tell me about any experiences you

1344
00:43:45,620 --> 00:43:47,619
had or seen Santa

1345
00:43:47,620 --> 00:43:48,620
Claus. I mean...

1346
00:43:50,030 --> 00:43:51,030
Well,

1347
00:43:52,270 --> 00:43:54,109
one of the interesting things that

1348
00:43:54,110 --> 00:43:55,949
happened, we'd see Santa

1349
00:43:55,950 --> 00:43:58,309
Claus twice, usually.

1350
00:43:58,310 --> 00:44:00,509
Once at the country school when

1351
00:44:00,510 --> 00:44:02,449
he ran around twice, jingling

1352
00:44:02,450 --> 00:44:04,529
the bells, that's

1353
00:44:04,530 --> 00:44:05,789
one time.

1354
00:44:05,790 --> 00:44:07,909
And the second time,

1355
00:44:07,910 --> 00:44:09,729
the Wild Rose Merchants

1356
00:44:09,730 --> 00:44:12,969
would organize a

1357
00:44:12,970 --> 00:44:15,070
time when they would give

1358
00:44:16,250 --> 00:44:17,350
presents to kids,

1359
00:44:18,490 --> 00:44:20,729
and Santa was there to do that.

1360
00:44:20,730 --> 00:44:23,329
And the present was usually

1361
00:44:23,330 --> 00:44:25,389
a cookie and maybe

1362
00:44:25,390 --> 00:44:26,390
an apple.

1363
00:44:27,970 --> 00:44:29,649
That was the little president of

1364
00:44:29,650 --> 00:44:30,449
SAC.

1365
00:44:30,450 --> 00:44:32,449
And that was the two times

1366
00:44:32,450 --> 00:44:34,089
he saw Santa.

1367
00:44:34,090 --> 00:44:35,949
And it wasn't long before we knew

1368
00:44:35,950 --> 00:44:38,029
that Santa was kind of a faking

1369
00:44:38,030 --> 00:44:38,599
guy.

1370
00:44:38,600 --> 00:44:39,600
Not for real.

1371
00:44:41,490 --> 00:44:43,449
My brothers and I were

1372
00:44:43,450 --> 00:44:44,569
great detectives.

1373
00:44:44,570 --> 00:44:46,629
We were always looking behind the

1374
00:44:46,630 --> 00:44:48,629
scenes to see what really was going

1375
00:44:48,630 --> 00:44:50,449
on. This didn't really

1376
00:44:50,450 --> 00:44:51,649
seem real.

1377
00:44:51,650 --> 00:44:53,409
This guy's whiskers were slipping.

1378
00:44:57,550 --> 00:44:59,729
Real Santa's whiskars don't

1379
00:44:59,730 --> 00:45:01,769
slip, for heaven's sakes.

1380
00:45:01,770 --> 00:45:02,770
Ah, yes.

1381
00:45:03,900 --> 00:45:05,979
So I'll go back to food briefly,

1382
00:45:05,980 --> 00:45:07,219
and then we're gonna start wrapping

1383
00:45:07,220 --> 00:45:09,699
it up with just some generic.

1384
00:45:09,700 --> 00:45:11,239
So I know you did oyster stew on

1385
00:45:11,240 --> 00:45:13,059
Christmas Eve. Did you do anything

1386
00:45:13,060 --> 00:45:14,919
special for Christmas dinner, or

1387
00:45:14,920 --> 00:45:16,679
did you go anywhere when you went

1388
00:45:16,680 --> 00:45:18,159
for Christmas to any relative's

1389
00:45:18,160 --> 00:45:18,929
house?

1390
00:45:18,930 --> 00:45:21,749
And on Christmas Day,

1391
00:45:21,750 --> 00:45:23,849
sometimes we would go to

1392
00:45:23,850 --> 00:45:26,029
visit, I remember clearly

1393
00:45:26,030 --> 00:45:28,349
my uncle Ed at

1394
00:45:28,350 --> 00:45:30,269
his place on East of

1395
00:45:30,270 --> 00:45:32,130
Wildrose for Christmas dinner.

1396
00:45:34,810 --> 00:45:36,869
My mother just didn't like

1397
00:45:36,870 --> 00:45:38,989
to do that because Uncle

1398
00:45:38,990 --> 00:45:40,729
Ed was so goddamn poor.

1399
00:45:40,730 --> 00:45:42,669
You came in the kitchen

1400
00:45:42,670 --> 00:45:44,549
door and there was a dead raccoon

1401
00:45:44,550 --> 00:45:46,469
laying out on the side,

1402
00:45:46,470 --> 00:45:47,969
and my mother would take one look at

1403
00:45:47,970 --> 00:45:49,589
that and say, good golly, we're

1404
00:45:49,590 --> 00:45:51,669
gonna have a raccoon for dinner,

1405
00:45:51,670 --> 00:45:53,589
and she didn't liked Uncle

1406
00:45:53,590 --> 00:45:54,989
Ed's stuff.

1407
00:45:54,990 --> 00:45:57,429
Uncle Ed, was a true,

1408
00:45:57,430 --> 00:45:58,809
was true native.

1409
00:45:58,810 --> 00:46:00,529
He lived off on nothing.

1410
00:46:00,530 --> 00:46:02,589
They were so goddamn, poor.

1411
00:46:02,590 --> 00:46:04,569
But my dad said, we will go

1412
00:46:04,570 --> 00:46:06,869
there and eat with them because he's

1413
00:46:06,870 --> 00:46:07,870
my brother.

1414
00:46:08,650 --> 00:46:10,769
The other time on Christmas

1415
00:46:10,770 --> 00:46:13,169
day was when my

1416
00:46:13,170 --> 00:46:15,009
mother would invite her family

1417
00:46:15,010 --> 00:46:16,969
to eat with us.

1418
00:46:16,970 --> 00:46:19,129
And that was quite a different

1419
00:46:19,130 --> 00:46:20,229
experience.

1420
00:46:20,230 --> 00:46:21,949
There were no dead raccoons laying

1421
00:46:21,950 --> 00:46:23,289
inside the door.

1422
00:46:24,430 --> 00:46:26,089
No dead anything.

1423
00:46:26,090 --> 00:46:28,089
It was just a very nice meal

1424
00:46:28,090 --> 00:46:30,369
prepared for our

1425
00:46:30,370 --> 00:46:32,439
aunts and the kids.

1426
00:46:32,440 --> 00:46:34,919
And it was a good time.

1427
00:46:34,920 --> 00:46:36,779
Did you guys go to church on

1428
00:46:36,780 --> 00:46:37,780
Christmas?

1429
00:46:38,240 --> 00:46:40,119
You know, I don't think we went

1430
00:46:40,120 --> 00:46:41,419
on Christmas Day.

1431
00:46:41,420 --> 00:46:43,439
We would go on

1432
00:46:43,440 --> 00:46:44,679
Christmas Eve.

1433
00:46:44,680 --> 00:46:47,139
We were not good churchgoers,

1434
00:46:47,140 --> 00:46:49,019
so I would be very, I

1435
00:46:49,020 --> 00:46:51,139
wouldn't be telling a

1436
00:46:51,140 --> 00:46:53,059
lie if I said we were.

1437
00:46:53,060 --> 00:46:54,419
But Christmas Eve, we would

1438
00:46:54,420 --> 00:46:55,679
generally go.

1439
00:46:55,680 --> 00:46:58,099
And I can't remember that sometimes

1440
00:46:58,100 --> 00:47:00,699
on Christmas Day as we got older,

1441
00:47:00,700 --> 00:47:02,639
but one of the problems was that

1442
00:47:02,640 --> 00:47:04,659
we did not have, this is my

1443
00:47:04,660 --> 00:47:06,619
mother talking now, we did

1444
00:47:06,620 --> 00:47:09,239
have our church yet

1445
00:47:09,240 --> 00:47:11,219
in Wild Rose, meaning

1446
00:47:11,220 --> 00:47:13,099
we did yet have a

1447
00:47:13,100 --> 00:47:15,579
German Luther Church.

1448
00:47:15,580 --> 00:47:17,259
The Luthans were all divided up,

1449
00:47:17,260 --> 00:47:18,599
there were Norwegian Luthians,

1450
00:47:18,600 --> 00:47:21,779
Swedish Luthens, German Luthins,

1451
00:47:21,780 --> 00:47:23,199
and it was something, you're just

1452
00:47:23,200 --> 00:47:25,069
not- We wouldn't go

1453
00:47:25,070 --> 00:47:26,250
to it. Why would you go to a

1454
00:47:26,251 --> 00:47:27,689
Norwegian church?

1455
00:47:27,690 --> 00:47:29,329
They would, oh.

1456
00:47:29,330 --> 00:47:31,389
Finally, in 1947,

1457
00:47:31,390 --> 00:47:33,549
41, we got a German

1458
00:47:33,550 --> 00:47:34,609
Lutheran church.

1459
00:47:34,610 --> 00:47:35,909
And then we went to church more

1460
00:47:35,910 --> 00:47:37,109
often.

1461
00:47:37,110 --> 00:47:39,069
Because our pastor was

1462
00:47:39,070 --> 00:47:41,209
now there speaking one

1463
00:47:41,210 --> 00:47:43,449
of the sermons in German.

1464
00:47:43,450 --> 00:47:45,289
And my dad thought, I'm not going

1465
00:47:45,290 --> 00:47:47,289
to listen to this German choir

1466
00:47:47,290 --> 00:47:49,229
trying to speak English

1467
00:47:49,230 --> 00:47:50,230
when I can't.

1468
00:47:52,220 --> 00:47:54,119
What were some of the other German

1469
00:47:54,120 --> 00:47:56,559
traditions that your parents brought

1470
00:47:56,560 --> 00:47:57,940
to Christmas?

1471
00:47:59,180 --> 00:48:00,360
Were there any certain ones?

1472
00:48:01,540 --> 00:48:03,279
Other traditions that the Germans

1473
00:48:03,280 --> 00:48:05,299
brought, I don't

1474
00:48:05,300 --> 00:48:06,659
think of any right off hand.

1475
00:48:06,660 --> 00:48:08,099
There probably are some.

1476
00:48:08,100 --> 00:48:09,599
Why don't you just talk about,

1477
00:48:09,600 --> 00:48:12,299
again, you mentioned it earlier,

1478
00:48:12,300 --> 00:48:14,299
the traditions that you had, that

1479
00:48:14,300 --> 00:48:16,399
you brought to your

1480
00:48:16,400 --> 00:48:18,379
marriage and that Ruth brought,

1481
00:48:18,380 --> 00:48:19,609
the difference between them.

1482
00:48:19,610 --> 00:48:21,489
Well, the differences were great

1483
00:48:21,490 --> 00:48:23,469
in that Ruth's

1484
00:48:23,470 --> 00:48:25,829
traditions were far more

1485
00:48:25,830 --> 00:48:28,049
religious-based than

1486
00:48:28,050 --> 00:48:30,269
were ours from our family.

1487
00:48:31,990 --> 00:48:34,489
And Ruth's Christmas, and

1488
00:48:34,490 --> 00:48:36,349
you'll find out about this

1489
00:48:36,350 --> 00:48:38,289
later, I'm sure, she was celebrated

1490
00:48:38,290 --> 00:48:40,529
on the second day, on

1491
00:48:40,530 --> 00:48:42,589
the 26th, and

1492
00:48:42,590 --> 00:48:44,629
that was foreign to us.

1493
00:48:44,630 --> 00:48:47,809
We celebrated on 25th.

1494
00:48:47,810 --> 00:48:49,669
On the 25th, as most

1495
00:48:49,670 --> 00:48:50,829
people did.

1496
00:48:50,830 --> 00:48:53,469
But she had the

1497
00:48:53,470 --> 00:48:55,509
Norwegian tradition for Christmas

1498
00:48:55,510 --> 00:48:57,729
as Ruth's

1499
00:48:57,730 --> 00:48:59,629
family celebrated it

1500
00:48:59,630 --> 00:49:01,889
was far, far

1501
00:49:01,890 --> 00:49:03,849
more elaborate than

1502
00:49:03,850 --> 00:49:05,149
ours.

1503
00:49:05,150 --> 00:49:07,689
And I think part of that was

1504
00:49:07,690 --> 00:49:09,829
the fact that we

1505
00:49:09,830 --> 00:49:11,649
co- afforded, it's

1506
00:49:11,650 --> 00:49:13,469
just- And it's kind of

1507
00:49:13,470 --> 00:49:15,409
embarrassing when people can't

1508
00:49:15,410 --> 00:49:16,769
afford something, they don't want to

1509
00:49:16,770 --> 00:49:18,589
let you know that.

1510
00:49:18,590 --> 00:49:20,509
But my folks never said,

1511
00:49:20,510 --> 00:49:22,469
I can't buy that for you, but

1512
00:49:22,470 --> 00:49:24,009
they meant that.

1513
00:49:24,010 --> 00:49:26,569
So that's a little bit of

1514
00:49:26,570 --> 00:49:29,209
the difference of why they're

1515
00:49:29,210 --> 00:49:31,729
probably far more

1516
00:49:31,730 --> 00:49:33,989
German songs and

1517
00:49:33,990 --> 00:49:35,909
other things that were brought

1518
00:49:35,910 --> 00:49:37,270
here and were practiced.

1519
00:49:39,010 --> 00:49:41,049
Not yet were

1520
00:49:41,050 --> 00:49:42,929
you were you able to as

1521
00:49:42,930 --> 00:49:45,029
you and and had as

1522
00:49:45,030 --> 00:49:46,989
you two celebrated christmas more

1523
00:49:46,990 --> 00:49:49,369
you and ruth were how were you

1524
00:49:49,370 --> 00:49:51,249
i'm sure you were able

1525
00:49:51,250 --> 00:49:52,689
to yes the answer is yes how were

1526
00:49:52,690 --> 00:49:54,449
you able or what traditions did you

1527
00:49:54,450 --> 00:49:55,969
guys use to combine like i'm going

1528
00:49:55,970 --> 00:49:57,749
to bring this my german part of this

1529
00:49:57,750 --> 00:49:59,709
but ruth brought this and you

1530
00:49:59,710 --> 00:50:01,409
made your own family tradition

1531
00:50:01,410 --> 00:50:02,109
you're unique

1532
00:50:02,110 --> 00:50:03,929
Well, we really

1533
00:50:03,930 --> 00:50:06,009
didn't do any of that.

1534
00:50:06,010 --> 00:50:08,109
As far as I'm concerned,

1535
00:50:08,110 --> 00:50:10,169
as I remember, not concerned,

1536
00:50:10,170 --> 00:50:13,449
I remember we kept,

1537
00:50:13,450 --> 00:50:14,969
Ruth's traditions were here, our

1538
00:50:14,970 --> 00:50:16,409
traditions, the few we had were

1539
00:50:16,410 --> 00:50:18,549
here. And I don't remember there was

1540
00:50:18,550 --> 00:50:20,709
anything, it would have been fun

1541
00:50:20,710 --> 00:50:22,769
as I think about it now to do

1542
00:50:22,770 --> 00:50:24,669
that, but I don't recall that we

1543
00:50:24,670 --> 00:50:25,670
did.

1544
00:50:26,360 --> 00:50:28,259
Um, why do you think it's, okay,

1545
00:50:28,260 --> 00:50:30,159
this is just a generic one, um,

1546
00:50:30,160 --> 00:50:31,539
why is celebrating the holidays

1547
00:50:31,540 --> 00:50:33,239
important as a family?

1548
00:50:33,240 --> 00:50:34,500
Why is that important?

1549
00:50:37,580 --> 00:50:38,760
As I recall,

1550
00:50:40,880 --> 00:50:42,739
the celebrations that we

1551
00:50:42,740 --> 00:50:44,639
had, Christmas and

1552
00:50:44,640 --> 00:50:46,599
Thanksgiving, were

1553
00:50:46,600 --> 00:50:48,579
so important to bring the

1554
00:50:48,580 --> 00:50:50,919
family together because

1555
00:50:50,920 --> 00:50:53,239
one of the things my father and

1556
00:50:53,240 --> 00:50:55,359
my mother and Ruth's

1557
00:50:55,360 --> 00:50:57,719
folks as well felt strongly

1558
00:50:57,720 --> 00:50:59,719
about was

1559
00:50:59,720 --> 00:51:01,579
family and family

1560
00:51:01,580 --> 00:51:03,780
traditions should continue.

1561
00:51:05,880 --> 00:51:08,079
And that goes back

1562
00:51:08,080 --> 00:51:09,919
to thinking about

1563
00:51:09,920 --> 00:51:12,239
rural communities and

1564
00:51:12,240 --> 00:51:14,779
the fact that rural America

1565
00:51:14,780 --> 00:51:17,139
was made up of families

1566
00:51:17,140 --> 00:51:19,619
who were sometimes struggling,

1567
00:51:20,900 --> 00:51:23,119
but mostly keeping together.

1568
00:51:24,180 --> 00:51:26,199
Family was foundational

1569
00:51:26,200 --> 00:51:28,099
for

1570
00:51:28,100 --> 00:51:30,019
the history of this

1571
00:51:30,020 --> 00:51:31,020
country.

1572
00:51:31,960 --> 00:51:33,899
And my judgment, no

1573
00:51:33,900 --> 00:51:34,900
question about it.

1574
00:51:35,870 --> 00:51:37,789
Families and we work

1575
00:51:37,790 --> 00:51:40,109
at it together some of us to

1576
00:51:40,110 --> 00:51:41,429
keep families together because

1577
00:51:41,430 --> 00:51:43,869
that's the foundation not

1578
00:51:43,870 --> 00:51:46,049
only for who we are but

1579
00:51:46,050 --> 00:51:48,209
who the community what the community

1580
00:51:48,210 --> 00:51:49,210
is.

1581
00:51:49,940 --> 00:51:51,779
Why don't you reflect just a little

1582
00:51:51,780 --> 00:51:53,939
bit as we're wrapping up today what

1583
00:51:53,940 --> 00:51:56,099
your general overwhelmed sense

1584
00:51:56,100 --> 00:51:58,239
of as a boy when Christmas

1585
00:51:58,240 --> 00:52:00,459
time came and how is

1586
00:52:00,460 --> 00:52:01,959
it still there today?

1587
00:52:01,960 --> 00:52:03,459
Say that again.

1588
00:52:03,460 --> 00:52:05,039
What feeling did you when you knew

1589
00:52:05,040 --> 00:52:07,039
Christmas was coming as a boy tell

1590
00:52:07,040 --> 00:52:08,579
me some of those feelings you had

1591
00:52:08,580 --> 00:52:10,679
about that and do you still have

1592
00:52:10,680 --> 00:52:12,519
those types of feelings today

1593
00:52:12,520 --> 00:52:13,869
when Christmas comes around?

1594
00:52:13,870 --> 00:52:15,809
Yes, do I have the same

1595
00:52:15,810 --> 00:52:17,649
feelings today toward

1596
00:52:17,650 --> 00:52:19,009
Christmas that I had when I was a

1597
00:52:19,010 --> 00:52:20,009
youngster?

1598
00:52:20,010 --> 00:52:22,129
And here I am now 91 years old

1599
00:52:22,130 --> 00:52:24,109
and I do have

1600
00:52:24,110 --> 00:52:27,049
exactly those same feelings.

1601
00:52:27,050 --> 00:52:29,289
Christmas is important to me.

1602
00:52:29,290 --> 00:52:31,209
It's a chance for me to see my

1603
00:52:31,210 --> 00:52:34,169
grandsons and their new wives.

1604
00:52:34,170 --> 00:52:36,209
It's the chance for my to see

1605
00:52:36,210 --> 00:52:38,049
great-grandsons.

1606
00:52:38,050 --> 00:52:39,689
My gosh!

1607
00:52:39,690 --> 00:52:41,529
And it's just wonderful to

1608
00:52:41,530 --> 00:52:43,549
see all the family.

1609
00:52:43,550 --> 00:52:46,229
Is now expanding and

1610
00:52:46,230 --> 00:52:48,329
yet they see the importance too

1611
00:52:48,330 --> 00:52:50,369
of coming together and

1612
00:52:50,370 --> 00:52:52,449
sharing and letting us know

1613
00:52:52,450 --> 00:52:54,269
that yes we are a part

1614
00:52:54,270 --> 00:52:57,129
of this APPS family and

1615
00:52:57,130 --> 00:52:58,969
I'm so proud of

1616
00:52:58,970 --> 00:53:00,469
that.

1617
00:53:00,470 --> 00:53:01,989
It makes me feel so good.

1618
00:53:03,750 --> 00:53:04,649
That's beautiful.

1619
00:53:04,650 --> 00:53:05,589
I think that's just a wonderful

1620
00:53:05,590 --> 00:53:06,569
cherry.

1621
00:53:06,570 --> 00:53:07,989
Does anyone else have anything we

1622
00:53:07,990 --> 00:53:09,029
feel like we should cover?

1623
00:53:09,030 --> 00:53:09,969
Otherwise, I think it's a great

1624
00:53:09,970 --> 00:53:11,489
place to stop.

1625
00:53:11,490 --> 00:53:12,529
Yeah?

1626
00:53:12,530 --> 00:53:13,329
That was awesome.

1627
00:53:13,330 --> 00:53:14,529
You did so great, Jerry.

1628
00:53:14,530 --> 00:53:15,889
Thank you, thank you, thank you.

1629
00:53:15,890 --> 00:53:16,769
I don't know.

1630
00:53:16,770 --> 00:53:17,629
You did great.

1631
00:53:17,630 --> 00:53:18,409
You did awesome.

1632
00:53:18,410 --> 00:53:19,289
It was wonderful.

1633
00:53:19,290 --> 00:53:20,449
I couldn't ask for more.

1634
00:53:20,450 --> 00:53:21,849
So some of this stuff gets me.

1635
00:53:21,850 --> 00:53:23,849
I know it does.

1636
00:53:23,850 --> 00:53:24,929
It gets us all emotional.

1637
00:53:24,930 --> 00:53:26,469
So that's the feeling a lot of

1638
00:53:26,470 --> 00:53:27,509
people do when you talk about

1639
00:53:27,510 --> 00:53:28,329
Christmas.

1640
00:53:28,330 --> 00:53:30,109
You get that warm feeling that makes

1641
00:53:30,110 --> 00:53:32,149
you, you know, I mean, both my

1642
00:53:32,150 --> 00:53:33,129
parents are gone now.

1643
00:53:33,130 --> 00:53:35,109
And so that's even more special for

1644
00:53:35,110 --> 00:53:36,169
me. I'm going to get around my

1645
00:53:36,170 --> 00:53:37,489
sisters. So am I.

1646
00:53:37,490 --> 00:53:38,490
Yeah.

1647
00:53:42,299 --> 00:53:44,179
I can't say enough about the

1648
00:53:44,180 --> 00:53:45,559
importance of family, as you can

1649
00:53:45,560 --> 00:53:45,969
tell.

1650
00:53:45,970 --> 00:53:47,649
Yes, it is and it's gonna be great

1651
00:53:47,650 --> 00:53:49,109
because I'm gonna love to get you

1652
00:53:49,110 --> 00:53:50,529
and Susie Tauron just talking about

1653
00:53:50,530 --> 00:53:50,799
that

1654
00:53:50,800 --> 00:53:51,799
You're just gonna make everybody

1655
00:53:51,800 --> 00:53:53,379
cry. I know, I'm just gonna cry.

1656
00:53:53,380 --> 00:53:55,419
I know, I know.

1657
00:53:55,420 --> 00:53:57,059
I'm sorry, when he did that it got

1658
00:53:57,060 --> 00:53:58,939
to me, but then I'm like, oh that's

1659
00:53:58,940 --> 00:54:00,239
going to be so good at the show!

1660
00:54:02,900 --> 00:54:04,399
Alright, we're going to start, yeah,

1661
00:54:04,400 --> 00:54:06,299
dismantling so we don't

1662
00:54:06,300 --> 00:54:07,319
trip over anything.

1663
00:54:07,320 --> 00:54:09,139
Wait, before we go, can we

1664
00:54:09,140 --> 00:54:11,159
do, can you slate me for

1665
00:54:11,160 --> 00:54:12,659
a room tone? Oh, a room tongue.

1666
00:54:12,660 --> 00:54:14,419
Okay, we have to do it.

1667
00:54:14,420 --> 00:54:15,879
What do we have do? We're happy.