1
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No, that's good.

2
00:00:01,670 --> 00:00:03,649
You're good right there.

3
00:00:03,650 --> 00:00:05,109
I'm starting to intrude on the

4
00:00:05,110 --> 00:00:06,589
journey. Yes, here I am.

5
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Hold on, I'm going to cover this

6
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orange light. What?

7
00:00:08,830 --> 00:00:10,129
Thank you.

8
00:00:10,130 --> 00:00:11,709
I have to cover the fire light so it

9
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doesn't affect the white balance.

10
00:00:19,670 --> 00:00:21,209
Will you flip it to the other side?

11
00:00:25,700 --> 00:00:27,020
As I go over backwards.

12
00:00:30,240 --> 00:00:31,240
That's right, you know what I'm
saying.

13
00:00:36,290 --> 00:00:37,290
Beautiful.

14
00:00:37,610 --> 00:00:38,809
All right, and then, can you hold it

15
00:00:38,810 --> 00:00:39,810
up a little higher?

16
00:00:44,280 --> 00:00:46,080
Our camera's speed, mark it.

17
00:00:48,180 --> 00:00:49,180
Hold your focus.

18
00:01:03,900 --> 00:01:05,179
We're rolling?

19
00:01:05,180 --> 00:01:06,540
Alright, Jerry, we're rolling.

20
00:01:07,600 --> 00:01:08,919
Alright, so let's just jump right

21
00:01:08,920 --> 00:01:11,339
in. Why don't you just tell me about

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the holiday growing up on the

23
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farm, Christmas is coming.

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Tell me about that.

25
00:01:16,700 --> 00:01:18,199
What's the excitement in the air?

26
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What are you guys doing? What's your

27
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mom doing?

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The Christmas on the farm when I

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was a kid was

30
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one of those things that we

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looked forward to all year long

32
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because that was one the few

33
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celebrations that we really

34
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celebrated.

35
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Thanksgiving and Christmas were

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the important ones.

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And once the Sears Roebuck

38
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catalog arrived in

39
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our mailbox, we

40
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knew that Christmas was

41
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on its way.

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And I have two brothers, Donald

43
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and Daryl, twin brothers.

44
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And when the catalog arrived,

45
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we would fight over who could

46
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have it first.

47
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And whoever would win that had

48
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a chance to page through it

49
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and see this wondrous

50
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collection of toys

51
00:02:05,990 --> 00:02:07,849
that you might get

52
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for Christmas, which we

53
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never got for Christmas.

54
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There was also in

55
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that catalog all

56
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kinds of gifts.

57
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That we could possibly receive.

58
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And so what was the

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pattern at our house?

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00:02:24,120 --> 00:02:25,779
My mother had decided, and we were

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poor as poor could be, this is the

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middle of the depression, in

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the 1930s, and

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she would say to us, you can select

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one toy and

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one piece of

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clothing, and that's it.

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And so can you imagine these

69
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three kids?

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All sitting around the wood stove

71
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in the dining room because we had no

72
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central heating of any kind,

73
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all sitting round the dining-room

74
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table after we had come

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home from the country school.

76
00:02:57,100 --> 00:02:58,979
Paging through the catalog,

77
00:02:58,980 --> 00:03:00,799
we finally decided that

78
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we could work together rather

79
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than fight over it.

80
00:03:04,360 --> 00:03:06,599
So I, being the older one,

81
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I would turn the page.

82
00:03:08,100 --> 00:03:09,819
Anything on this page?

83
00:03:09,820 --> 00:03:10,719
No.

84
00:03:10,720 --> 00:03:12,179
Another page. Anything on on this

85
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one? Nope.

86
00:03:13,170 --> 00:03:14,149
How about this?

87
00:03:14,150 --> 00:03:15,469
Well, maybe.

88
00:03:15,470 --> 00:03:17,529
And that's how we went through

89
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the Sears Roadbook catalog.

90
00:03:19,650 --> 00:03:21,609
That was something to see.

91
00:03:21,610 --> 00:03:23,529
I'm sure my dad was off to

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the side smiling because

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he underlined

94
00:03:27,990 --> 00:03:29,429
the fact that we didn't have enough

95
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money to buy very many presents

96
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and that we could really only

97
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buy two for our

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three kids.

99
00:03:36,960 --> 00:03:38,219
Or were some of the presents you

100
00:03:38,220 --> 00:03:39,859
remember distinctly getting as a

101
00:03:39,860 --> 00:03:39,879
gift?

102
00:03:39,880 --> 00:03:41,959
My first present that I

103
00:03:41,960 --> 00:03:43,959
remember so well,

104
00:03:43,960 --> 00:03:45,659
and I still have it somewhere, I

105
00:03:45,660 --> 00:03:47,699
don't know where it is, is a

106
00:03:47,700 --> 00:03:50,119
wind-up train.

107
00:03:50,120 --> 00:03:52,199
You wind the train up,

108
00:03:52,200 --> 00:03:54,019
and it's got about four little metal

109
00:03:54,020 --> 00:03:55,939
cars, and they go round

110
00:03:55,940 --> 00:03:58,119
and around and around the Christmas

111
00:03:58,120 --> 00:03:59,779
tree, that's the idea.

112
00:03:59,780 --> 00:04:00,859
I had two of them.

113
00:04:00,860 --> 00:04:02,359
The second present must have come

114
00:04:02,360 --> 00:04:04,359
the second year, and that was a

115
00:04:04,360 --> 00:04:06,239
farm set up, and there was a

116
00:04:06,240 --> 00:04:08,279
barn and a house, and the

117
00:04:08,280 --> 00:04:09,919
animals are all there.

118
00:04:09,920 --> 00:04:11,619
And the pig house was there.

119
00:04:11,620 --> 00:04:13,259
And I played farm.

120
00:04:13,260 --> 00:04:15,239
Why in the world was I

121
00:04:15,240 --> 00:04:17,799
playing farm when I was living farm?

122
00:04:17,800 --> 00:04:19,659
But I thought it was fun

123
00:04:19,660 --> 00:04:21,838
to play farm as well.

124
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And so I got that little set of

125
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farm toys.

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00:04:25,580 --> 00:04:27,479
Those farm toys and the

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train, I

128
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wish I had the farm toys,

129
00:04:31,300 --> 00:04:32,519
I don't have those.

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But I still have that little train

131
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that you can wind up.

132
00:04:35,120 --> 00:04:36,519
And it had a little bell on it.

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Ding, ding, ding and it'd go in

134
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a circle. Wonderful little

135
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presents and wonderful memories.

136
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When you're, um...

137
00:04:43,850 --> 00:04:45,709
Can you pause for a second?

138
00:04:45,710 --> 00:04:46,829
I'm actually going to cut.

139
00:04:46,830 --> 00:04:48,209
I'm going to add a little more.

140
00:04:48,210 --> 00:04:50,009
All right. The cameras are speeding.

141
00:04:50,010 --> 00:04:51,010
Mark it.

142
00:04:52,800 --> 00:04:53,800
Okay, hold the clock.

143
00:04:58,990 --> 00:05:01,229
All right, we're rolling again.

144
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All right, Jerry, let's go ahead and

145
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let's talk about the Christmas

146
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program at the school.

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Just tell me again what it was,

148
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the importance, why don't you just

149
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tell me about the Christmas program.

150
00:05:11,100 --> 00:05:13,119
The next thing to remind us

151
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of Christmas, after

152
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the arrival of the

153
00:05:17,280 --> 00:05:19,159
Sears Kettle, was the fact

154
00:05:19,160 --> 00:05:21,039
that when we

155
00:05:21,040 --> 00:05:22,999
got back to school after

156
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Christmas break, we knew

157
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something was different.

158
00:05:27,460 --> 00:05:29,479
What was that?

159
00:05:29,480 --> 00:05:31,559
Well, the teacher had a

160
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whole pile of little books

161
00:05:33,620 --> 00:05:35,559
on her desk,

162
00:05:35,560 --> 00:05:37,499
and she was picking out

163
00:05:37,500 --> 00:05:38,559
something.

164
00:05:38,560 --> 00:05:40,059
What was she picking out?

165
00:05:40,060 --> 00:05:41,999
She was picking out little things

166
00:05:42,000 --> 00:05:43,899
that we could say, that we could

167
00:05:43,900 --> 00:05:45,829
sing, that we could do.

168
00:05:45,830 --> 00:05:48,409
As part of a Christmas program.

169
00:05:48,410 --> 00:05:50,109
I wanted no part of the Christmas

170
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program! I was scared to death

171
00:05:52,110 --> 00:05:53,829
of talking to people.

172
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When people would visit us at home,

173
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I'd run out in the woods and hide.

174
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And now here I've got to perform

175
00:06:00,110 --> 00:06:02,169
on a stage in front of

176
00:06:02,170 --> 00:06:04,069
people. And the teacher, she didn't

177
00:06:04,070 --> 00:06:06,009
even tell me what she, let

178
00:06:06,010 --> 00:06:07,909
me pick out, she said, I'm talking

179
00:06:07,910 --> 00:06:09,369
about first grade now, she said

180
00:06:09,370 --> 00:06:11,289
Jerry, here's what you're going

181
00:06:11,290 --> 00:06:12,209
to do.

182
00:06:12,210 --> 00:06:13,489
What am I gonna do?

183
00:06:13,490 --> 00:06:15,429
You're going to memorize this little

184
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piece. I go, what?

185
00:06:17,250 --> 00:06:19,109
I went home to my mother and

186
00:06:19,110 --> 00:06:20,969
I said, the teacher, Miss

187
00:06:20,970 --> 00:06:22,989
Pioski, she wants

188
00:06:22,990 --> 00:06:25,049
me to memorize this thing and

189
00:06:25,050 --> 00:06:27,009
talk to the people, to

190
00:06:27,010 --> 00:06:28,269
say it to the the people.

191
00:06:28,270 --> 00:06:30,229
I'm not going to do that.

192
00:06:30,230 --> 00:06:31,989
That's not what I do.

193
00:06:31,990 --> 00:06:33,189
I'm scared of people.

194
00:06:33,190 --> 00:06:34,389
I don't want to talk to people.

195
00:06:35,450 --> 00:06:37,050
You're gonna talk to People.

196
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So here I am at

197
00:06:40,270 --> 00:06:42,249
the Christmas program.

198
00:06:42,250 --> 00:06:44,149
And it's filled with people,

199
00:06:44,150 --> 00:06:45,969
oh my gosh, way in

200
00:06:45,970 --> 00:06:47,169
the back, way in the front,

201
00:06:47,170 --> 00:06:48,429
everywhere there are people.

202
00:06:48,430 --> 00:06:50,269
And I'm sitting in the fron row and

203
00:06:50,270 --> 00:06:51,749
I'm sitting there almost shaking

204
00:06:51,750 --> 00:06:53,669
like this because I am the

205
00:06:53,670 --> 00:06:55,570
first person on the program.

206
00:06:57,290 --> 00:06:58,649
And what am I supposed to do?

207
00:06:58,650 --> 00:07:00,069
What am I suppose to say?

208
00:07:00,070 --> 00:07:01,930
And I have it very well memorized.

209
00:07:03,510 --> 00:07:05,609
And Ms. Pioski had said to me,

210
00:07:05,610 --> 00:07:08,029
I know you're a bit afraid of

211
00:07:08,030 --> 00:07:09,889
doing this, Jerry, but here's

212
00:07:09,890 --> 00:07:11,729
something that you can do.

213
00:07:11,730 --> 00:07:13,869
To get past your fear.

214
00:07:13,870 --> 00:07:15,689
What in the world could that be,

215
00:07:15,690 --> 00:07:16,949
I wondered.

216
00:07:16,950 --> 00:07:18,689
And she said, here's what you do.

217
00:07:18,690 --> 00:07:20,729
You look out in that

218
00:07:20,730 --> 00:07:23,049
schoolhouse and you look way

219
00:07:23,050 --> 00:07:26,109
in the back and you see a

220
00:07:26,110 --> 00:07:28,489
device on the

221
00:07:28,490 --> 00:07:31,709
chimney, on the stovepipe.

222
00:07:31,710 --> 00:07:33,689
And when you are, when we

223
00:07:33,690 --> 00:07:36,189
ask you to stand up to speak,

224
00:07:36,190 --> 00:07:38,009
you look at that wood,

225
00:07:38,010 --> 00:07:39,829
at

226
00:07:39,830 --> 00:07:41,769
that stovepipe, And everybody

227
00:07:41,770 --> 00:07:43,169
thinks that you're looking right at

228
00:07:43,170 --> 00:07:44,489
them and you're not.

229
00:07:44,490 --> 00:07:45,689
You don't see anybody.

230
00:07:45,690 --> 00:07:47,029
You see a stovepipe.

231
00:07:47,030 --> 00:07:48,709
And so, Jerry, stand up on the

232
00:07:48,710 --> 00:07:50,390
stage. Jerry's now on the the stage

233
00:07:50,391 --> 00:07:52,429
and he says in a very

234
00:07:52,430 --> 00:07:54,449
clear voice, we'd

235
00:07:54,450 --> 00:07:56,609
like to welcome you to our annual

236
00:07:56,610 --> 00:07:58,049
Christmas program.

237
00:07:58,050 --> 00:07:59,529
Thank you for coming.

238
00:07:59,530 --> 00:08:00,530
And I sat down.

239
00:08:01,470 --> 00:08:03,549
That was the long spiel,

240
00:08:03,550 --> 00:08:06,089
we Germans call the little speech.

241
00:08:06,090 --> 00:08:08,229
And everybody clapped in.

242
00:08:08,230 --> 00:08:09,149
Oh my gosh.

243
00:08:09,150 --> 00:08:10,269
I'm about...

244
00:08:10,270 --> 00:08:12,229
Three and a half feet tall,

245
00:08:12,230 --> 00:08:14,109
a little bitty gut.

246
00:08:14,110 --> 00:08:15,969
So that was the start of the

247
00:08:15,970 --> 00:08:17,249
Christmas program.

248
00:08:17,250 --> 00:08:20,169
And as the years went on,

249
00:08:20,170 --> 00:08:22,309
each of us had a role

250
00:08:22,310 --> 00:08:23,829
in the Christmas Program.

251
00:08:25,090 --> 00:08:26,969
They became more complicated

252
00:08:26,970 --> 00:08:28,849
as the year went

253
00:08:28,850 --> 00:08:29,909
on.

254
00:08:29,910 --> 00:08:32,288
And we had some really interesting

255
00:08:32,289 --> 00:08:34,048
things happen along the way in

256
00:08:34,049 --> 00:08:36,029
addition to the program

257
00:08:36,030 --> 00:08:37,499
itself.

258
00:08:37,500 --> 00:08:39,619
And there adults like to

259
00:08:39,620 --> 00:08:40,558
bring presents.

260
00:08:40,559 --> 00:08:42,379
They like to add a little humor

261
00:08:42,380 --> 00:08:44,058
to what was going on.

262
00:08:45,060 --> 00:08:46,359
And for one year,

263
00:08:47,780 --> 00:08:49,839
the present that

264
00:08:49,840 --> 00:08:51,739
the farmers were sharing with each

265
00:08:51,740 --> 00:08:53,559
other, now don't fall off

266
00:08:53,560 --> 00:08:55,379
your chairs when I say this,

267
00:08:55,380 --> 00:08:57,719
but it was a pig's tail.

268
00:08:57,720 --> 00:08:59,239
When you butchered your pig, you

269
00:08:59,240 --> 00:09:01,419
chopped off the tail and saved it

270
00:09:01,420 --> 00:09:02,659
for the Christmas program.

271
00:09:03,730 --> 00:09:05,749
And then when the adults all got

272
00:09:05,750 --> 00:09:07,429
together and they sat around the

273
00:09:07,430 --> 00:09:09,449
wood stove, and it was time to

274
00:09:09,450 --> 00:09:11,209
open the presents, they ripped open

275
00:09:11,210 --> 00:09:13,269
the present, and each one

276
00:09:13,270 --> 00:09:15,989
got a pig tail,

277
00:09:15,990 --> 00:09:17,409
which was the most stupidest thing

278
00:09:17,410 --> 00:09:18,789
in the world.

279
00:09:18,790 --> 00:09:21,109
And then another year,

280
00:09:21,110 --> 00:09:23,129
almost as bad, when the adult

281
00:09:23,130 --> 00:09:24,409
opened their presents,

282
00:09:25,510 --> 00:09:27,429
and they each, not each,

283
00:09:27,430 --> 00:09:30,129
several of them, got little boxes,

284
00:09:30,130 --> 00:09:31,519
but match boxes.

285
00:09:31,520 --> 00:09:33,199
And they could hear a little

286
00:09:33,200 --> 00:09:34,999
skittering sound in the matchbox.

287
00:09:35,000 --> 00:09:35,939
She's the match box.

288
00:09:35,940 --> 00:09:37,459
Must be a present in there of some

289
00:09:37,460 --> 00:09:39,519
kind. Open the

290
00:09:39,520 --> 00:09:41,439
match-box and a sparrow flew

291
00:09:41,440 --> 00:09:42,459
out.

292
00:09:42,460 --> 00:09:43,239
Woosh!

293
00:09:43,240 --> 00:09:44,499
Sparrow roll, hit the guy in the

294
00:09:44,500 --> 00:09:46,419
nose. Flew around the

295
00:09:46,420 --> 00:09:48,139
school room. And people said, whoa,

296
00:09:48,140 --> 00:09:49,499
this is the best present ever.

297
00:09:50,580 --> 00:09:52,379
Sparow went round and round.

298
00:09:52,380 --> 00:09:53,539
Somebody open the door.

299
00:09:53,540 --> 00:09:55,539
Open the door, sparrow outside.

300
00:09:55,540 --> 00:09:57,139
End of that story.

301
00:09:57,140 --> 00:09:58,479
Ha ha ha.

302
00:09:58,480 --> 00:10:00,439
The Christmas program was just a

303
00:10:00,440 --> 00:10:01,809
wonderful time.

304
00:10:01,810 --> 00:10:03,669
For other kids as

305
00:10:03,670 --> 00:10:05,509
well as their parents.

306
00:10:05,510 --> 00:10:07,849
And it's one of the celebrations

307
00:10:07,850 --> 00:10:09,969
that was looked to every year

308
00:10:09,970 --> 00:10:12,029
by the parents, by the

309
00:10:12,030 --> 00:10:14,269
kids, by the

310
00:10:14,270 --> 00:10:16,189
relatives, because it

311
00:10:16,190 --> 00:10:18,049
was one of the

312
00:10:18,050 --> 00:10:20,589
few social events for

313
00:10:20,590 --> 00:10:22,329
many of the parents.

314
00:10:22,330 --> 00:10:24,429
And it was, one of the few of social

315
00:10:24,430 --> 00:10:26,669
events that was put on and

316
00:10:26,670 --> 00:10:28,549
sponsored by the country school.

317
00:10:29,910 --> 00:10:31,829
It was a wonderful thing to

318
00:10:31,830 --> 00:10:33,089
remember.

319
00:10:33,090 --> 00:10:35,189
It provided wonderful

320
00:10:35,190 --> 00:10:37,829
opportunities to the kids

321
00:10:37,830 --> 00:10:39,649
to learn how to

322
00:10:39,650 --> 00:10:41,709
say their piece.

323
00:10:41,710 --> 00:10:45,349
I have been forever thankful.

324
00:10:45,350 --> 00:10:47,289
I'm choking up for

325
00:10:47,290 --> 00:10:50,169
Miss Piosky to

326
00:10:50,170 --> 00:10:52,229
help me see that I could talk

327
00:10:52,230 --> 00:10:53,230
to a group.

328
00:10:54,330 --> 00:10:56,829
And I've been talking to groups ever

329
00:10:56,830 --> 00:10:57,619
since.

330
00:10:57,620 --> 00:10:59,479
I've given thousands of speeches to

331
00:10:59,480 --> 00:11:02,839
people, all because of

332
00:11:02,840 --> 00:11:04,699
Ms. Piaski saying, you can

333
00:11:04,700 --> 00:11:06,979
do it, Jerry, look at the stovepipe.

334
00:11:06,980 --> 00:11:08,759
I've been looking at the stovpipe

335
00:11:08,760 --> 00:11:10,659
for 65 years,

336
00:11:10,660 --> 00:11:11,660
people.

337
00:11:13,010 --> 00:11:15,049
So this is a very special, special

338
00:11:15,050 --> 00:11:16,050
teacher.

339
00:11:16,590 --> 00:11:17,809
Tell me a little bit, just a little

340
00:11:17,810 --> 00:11:19,129
more about that.

341
00:11:19,130 --> 00:11:20,909
How did you guys decorate for the

342
00:11:20,910 --> 00:11:22,169
Christmas program?

343
00:11:22,170 --> 00:11:23,989
And talk about Santa coming to visit

344
00:11:23,990 --> 00:11:24,719
at the end.

345
00:11:24,720 --> 00:11:26,039
Now, we decorated for the Christmas

346
00:11:26,040 --> 00:11:28,199
program, again, shortly after

347
00:11:28,200 --> 00:11:30,119
Thanksgiving, and we would

348
00:11:30,120 --> 00:11:31,899
put snowflakes in all the

349
00:11:31,900 --> 00:11:33,339
schoolhouse windows.

350
00:11:33,340 --> 00:11:34,859
That was the decoration.

351
00:11:34,860 --> 00:11:36,779
We also had a Christmas tree in

352
00:11:36,780 --> 00:11:38,619
the corner, which we would

353
00:11:38,620 --> 00:11:39,719
decorate.

354
00:11:39,720 --> 00:11:41,619
So, actually the school house

355
00:11:41,620 --> 00:11:44,099
was better

356
00:11:44,100 --> 00:11:45,679
decorated than our own house.

357
00:11:45,680 --> 00:11:47,239
They were far ahead of us.

358
00:11:47,240 --> 00:11:49,059
All of that in preparation for

359
00:11:49,060 --> 00:11:50,039
Christmas.

360
00:11:50,040 --> 00:11:52,179
Santa Claus was someone

361
00:11:52,180 --> 00:11:53,500
that was selected.

362
00:11:56,110 --> 00:11:58,169
Quietly from the adults'

363
00:11:58,170 --> 00:12:00,009
parents and

364
00:12:00,010 --> 00:12:01,189
some others. I got to tell you a

365
00:12:01,190 --> 00:12:02,109
little story about this.

366
00:12:02,110 --> 00:12:03,889
This is kind of fun.

367
00:12:03,890 --> 00:12:05,869
Evelyn Kolko was one

368
00:12:05,870 --> 00:12:07,749
of the neighbor girls and her,

369
00:12:07,750 --> 00:12:09,209
she attended the country school,

370
00:12:09,210 --> 00:12:10,829
graduated from the country's school

371
00:12:10,830 --> 00:12:12,769
and was now a school

372
00:12:12,770 --> 00:12:14,709
teacher herself

373
00:12:14,710 --> 00:12:17,209
in Springwater Township.

374
00:12:17,210 --> 00:12:20,289
And I was in college and

375
00:12:20,290 --> 00:12:22,039
Evelyn said to me, Cheerio!

376
00:12:22,040 --> 00:12:23,959
Could you be our Santa

377
00:12:23,960 --> 00:12:25,319
Claus this year?

378
00:12:25,320 --> 00:12:27,139
I said, yeah, of

379
00:12:27,140 --> 00:12:29,159
course I could be your Santa Claus.

380
00:12:29,160 --> 00:12:31,019
So I all dressed up in

381
00:12:31,020 --> 00:12:32,559
the old Santa Claus, nobody there

382
00:12:32,560 --> 00:12:34,399
knew who the heck this was.

383
00:12:34,400 --> 00:12:36,319
And the deal was,

384
00:12:36,320 --> 00:12:38,239
when it was time for Santa Claus you

385
00:12:38,240 --> 00:12:39,859
ran around the schoolhouse three

386
00:12:39,860 --> 00:12:42,379
times and it was shaking bells.

387
00:12:42,380 --> 00:12:44,219
So, rum-dum, ding-de-ding-ding,

388
00:12:44,220 --> 00:12:46,319
brum-dumb, dinga-dinga-dink, and I

389
00:12:46,320 --> 00:12:48,179
burst into the door and ran

390
00:12:48,180 --> 00:12:50,019
up to the teacher and I gave her

391
00:12:50,020 --> 00:12:51,780
a big kiss and she turned...

392
00:12:53,270 --> 00:12:55,349
And everybody clapped,

393
00:12:55,350 --> 00:12:57,389
and it was one of the highlights of

394
00:12:57,390 --> 00:12:59,489
the evening at the schoolhouse

395
00:12:59,490 --> 00:13:01,070
of which I don't remember the name.

396
00:13:03,150 --> 00:13:05,129
So you're saying that the school

397
00:13:05,130 --> 00:13:06,809
house was usually better decorated

398
00:13:06,810 --> 00:13:08,089
than your house.

399
00:13:08,090 --> 00:13:09,569
How did your parents or your mom

400
00:13:09,570 --> 00:13:11,279
decorate your house for the house?

401
00:13:11,280 --> 00:13:13,099
We had very, I would say we had

402
00:13:13,100 --> 00:13:14,739
limited, very limited decoration

403
00:13:14,740 --> 00:13:16,799
because we had,

404
00:13:16,800 --> 00:13:18,979
you need to understand what was

405
00:13:18,980 --> 00:13:20,979
like during the Depression when

406
00:13:20,980 --> 00:13:22,119
I say this.

407
00:13:22,120 --> 00:13:25,999
And I'm talking about 1930s.

408
00:13:26,000 --> 00:13:27,919
We, almost everybody

409
00:13:27,920 --> 00:13:29,839
else in our community had next to

410
00:13:29,840 --> 00:13:30,979
nothing.

411
00:13:30,980 --> 00:13:32,859
And so you decorated,

412
00:13:32,860 --> 00:13:34,839
we decorated a Christmas tree,

413
00:13:34,840 --> 00:13:36,819
which was one that we

414
00:13:36,820 --> 00:13:38,159
grew ourselves.

415
00:13:38,160 --> 00:13:40,059
And beyond the Christmas tree,

416
00:13:40,060 --> 00:13:42,099
my mother made some special cookies,

417
00:13:42,100 --> 00:13:43,599
and that was about it.

418
00:13:43,600 --> 00:13:45,819
We were very minimalist

419
00:13:45,820 --> 00:13:48,180
in terms of Christmas decorations.

420
00:13:49,600 --> 00:13:51,319
What decorations would be put on the

421
00:13:51,320 --> 00:13:52,320
tree?

422
00:13:52,510 --> 00:13:54,649
My mother got some very special

423
00:13:54,650 --> 00:13:55,989
bulbs. I don't know where she got

424
00:13:55,990 --> 00:13:57,129
them, great big ones.

425
00:13:57,130 --> 00:13:59,229
We had no electricity.

426
00:13:59,230 --> 00:14:01,269
So these great big bulbs hung on

427
00:14:01,270 --> 00:14:02,270
the tree.

428
00:14:03,170 --> 00:14:05,469
And then there were fake icicles.

429
00:14:05,470 --> 00:14:07,989
We hung those on the trees.

430
00:14:07,990 --> 00:14:10,209
If we would drop one of mother's

431
00:14:10,210 --> 00:14:12,129
big bulbs, I mean, that's

432
00:14:12,130 --> 00:14:13,709
something you wouldn't dare even

433
00:14:13,710 --> 00:14:15,289
think of doing.

434
00:14:15,290 --> 00:14:17,109
But the big bulbs

435
00:14:17,110 --> 00:14:19,009
and the icicles, I remember

436
00:14:19,010 --> 00:14:20,989
most as decorations

437
00:14:20,990 --> 00:14:21,899
on the street.

438
00:14:21,900 --> 00:14:23,819
Oh, there was some kind of

439
00:14:23,820 --> 00:14:25,479
a do-de-do on the top.

440
00:14:25,480 --> 00:14:27,299
I don't know what it was

441
00:14:27,300 --> 00:14:29,199
made of, but on

442
00:14:29,200 --> 00:14:30,759
the very top of the tree there was

443
00:14:30,760 --> 00:14:32,619
maybe a, I don't know, something

444
00:14:32,620 --> 00:14:34,439
that called attention to

445
00:14:34,440 --> 00:14:35,339
itself.

446
00:14:35,340 --> 00:14:37,299
And I know you didn't

447
00:14:37,300 --> 00:14:38,859
get many presents or whatever, when

448
00:14:38,860 --> 00:14:40,819
would the presents, did they go

449
00:14:40,820 --> 00:14:42,479
under the tree? Would it be like

450
00:14:42,480 --> 00:14:43,379
Christmas morning?

451
00:14:43,380 --> 00:14:44,380
When would those happen?

452
00:14:46,270 --> 00:14:48,349
The presents found

453
00:14:48,350 --> 00:14:50,329
their way under the tree as

454
00:14:50,330 --> 00:14:52,189
they were purchased, as

455
00:14:52,190 --> 00:14:53,690
best I could understand.

456
00:14:55,230 --> 00:14:58,169
And the Montgomery Award

457
00:14:58,170 --> 00:14:59,449
had cataloged it.

458
00:14:59,450 --> 00:15:02,489
The Sears catalog of presents found

459
00:15:02,490 --> 00:15:05,349
its way under a tree during

460
00:15:05,350 --> 00:15:06,909
the weeks up to Christmas.

461
00:15:06,910 --> 00:15:08,929
In fact, that was a really fun time

462
00:15:08,930 --> 00:15:10,889
because when the folks weren't

463
00:15:10,890 --> 00:15:12,309
looking, we'd See this?

464
00:15:12,310 --> 00:15:13,310
That's you.

465
00:15:14,010 --> 00:15:15,989
Shake this package to see what was

466
00:15:15,990 --> 00:15:17,589
in it. And my mother there would

467
00:15:17,590 --> 00:15:19,129
say, I think that's the package that

468
00:15:19,130 --> 00:15:20,548
you're looking for.

469
00:15:20,549 --> 00:15:22,329
It was, I could hear it, it was a

470
00:15:22,330 --> 00:15:23,349
rattling sound.

471
00:15:23,350 --> 00:15:25,229
We had more fun trying to figure

472
00:15:25,230 --> 00:15:27,409
out what was within these package.

473
00:15:27,410 --> 00:15:28,949
Package is when the parents weren't

474
00:15:28,950 --> 00:15:30,229
looking.

475
00:15:30,230 --> 00:15:32,708
And we had several weeks to do that.

476
00:15:32,709 --> 00:15:33,909
What were they wrapped in?

477
00:15:35,720 --> 00:15:37,619
Somehow, wrapping, Christmas

478
00:15:37,620 --> 00:15:39,719
wrapping paper was available

479
00:15:39,720 --> 00:15:41,579
on the cheap, because

480
00:15:41,580 --> 00:15:43,619
my mother had gotten Christmas

481
00:15:43,620 --> 00:15:45,239
wrapping papers to wrap these

482
00:15:45,240 --> 00:15:47,219
things, and she did.

483
00:15:47,220 --> 00:15:48,220
Another interesting thing,

484
00:15:49,700 --> 00:15:51,639
this relates

485
00:15:51,640 --> 00:15:53,139
to Ruth's family.

486
00:15:53,140 --> 00:15:54,519
When Ruth's families, when they

487
00:15:54,520 --> 00:15:56,459
opened a present of any

488
00:15:56,460 --> 00:15:58,699
kind, any package of any kind,

489
00:15:58,700 --> 00:16:00,719
she ironed the paper

490
00:16:00,720 --> 00:16:03,099
so they could use it another time.

491
00:16:03,100 --> 00:16:05,019
But that's, that's another

492
00:16:05,020 --> 00:16:06,020
story.

493
00:16:07,280 --> 00:16:09,179
Did you get your parents anything

494
00:16:09,180 --> 00:16:10,899
or did they get gifts for each

495
00:16:10,900 --> 00:16:12,039
other? Did your mom and dad get

496
00:16:12,040 --> 00:16:12,839
gifts from each other.

497
00:16:12,840 --> 00:16:14,879
They may have, but not that I

498
00:16:14,880 --> 00:16:15,880
knew of.

499
00:16:18,540 --> 00:16:20,399
I doubt it.

500
00:16:20,400 --> 00:16:23,199
It was really a tough time.

501
00:16:23,200 --> 00:16:24,579
When did you open presents?

502
00:16:24,580 --> 00:16:25,720
Did you guys open presents- OH

503
00:16:25,721 --> 00:16:27,590
Oh, when did we open presents?

504
00:16:28,690 --> 00:16:31,049
The presents stayed under the tree

505
00:16:31,050 --> 00:16:33,389
until

506
00:16:33,390 --> 00:16:35,869
Christmas morning.

507
00:16:35,870 --> 00:16:37,949
Lots of people opened presents on

508
00:16:37,950 --> 00:16:39,849
Christmas Eve. We did not.

509
00:16:39,850 --> 00:16:41,809
My dad said, the cows

510
00:16:41,810 --> 00:16:44,289
always come first.

511
00:16:44,290 --> 00:16:45,950
And in fact, on Christmas morning,

512
00:16:47,030 --> 00:16:48,969
we milked the cows before

513
00:16:48,970 --> 00:16:51,129
we opened the presents.

514
00:16:51,130 --> 00:16:53,289
And people would say, what?

515
00:16:53,290 --> 00:16:55,249
How did you manage that?

516
00:16:55,250 --> 00:16:57,109
Well, you managed it

517
00:16:57,110 --> 00:16:58,229
because it was the rule.

518
00:16:59,410 --> 00:17:01,389
And no presents were opened until

519
00:17:01,390 --> 00:17:03,229
the cows were milked.

520
00:17:03,230 --> 00:17:05,189
And then we sat around the

521
00:17:05,190 --> 00:17:07,068
tree, opening

522
00:17:07,069 --> 00:17:09,749
these presents and wondering,

523
00:17:09,750 --> 00:17:11,608
did I get the present I

524
00:17:11,609 --> 00:17:12,709
wanted as a toy?

525
00:17:13,869 --> 00:17:15,729
Did I get another pair of socks

526
00:17:15,730 --> 00:17:16,829
for a present?

527
00:17:19,560 --> 00:17:21,639
Did I get a pretty sweater of

528
00:17:21,640 --> 00:17:23,259
some kind?

529
00:17:23,260 --> 00:17:25,139
And then I forgot to mention that

530
00:17:25,140 --> 00:17:27,078
I would get presents from my

531
00:17:27,079 --> 00:17:29,099
grandma Witt,

532
00:17:29,100 --> 00:17:30,759
who was a knitter.

533
00:17:30,760 --> 00:17:33,139
And she would knit me

534
00:17:33,140 --> 00:17:35,259
and my brothers a

535
00:17:35,260 --> 00:17:37,399
pair of woolen mittens.

536
00:17:38,480 --> 00:17:39,999
And I've never forgotten that

537
00:17:40,000 --> 00:17:41,879
because a woolen, it was

538
00:17:41,880 --> 00:17:43,939
so cold some mornings walking

539
00:17:43,940 --> 00:17:46,359
to the country school,

540
00:17:46,360 --> 00:17:48,499
and those woolen mitten were just

541
00:17:48,500 --> 00:17:49,479
wonderful.

542
00:17:49,480 --> 00:17:50,719
Except when they got wet.

543
00:17:53,760 --> 00:17:54,899
Oh, yes.

544
00:17:54,900 --> 00:17:57,299
Did your mom, for Christmas morning,

545
00:17:57,300 --> 00:17:59,319
did she make any type of special

546
00:17:59,320 --> 00:18:01,279
breakfast or meal for you?

547
00:18:01,280 --> 00:18:02,279
Not really.

548
00:18:02,280 --> 00:18:04,279
On Christmas Eve, this sounds like

549
00:18:04,280 --> 00:18:06,239
no connection, on Christmas

550
00:18:06,240 --> 00:18:09,099
Eve we had oyster stew.

551
00:18:09,100 --> 00:18:12,079
That was a very special dish.

552
00:18:12,080 --> 00:18:13,579
My grandparents had it.

553
00:18:14,780 --> 00:18:16,779
It passes through the family

554
00:18:16,780 --> 00:18:18,939
for generations back to Germany

555
00:18:18,940 --> 00:18:20,839
and Ruth's family the

556
00:18:20,840 --> 00:18:21,920
same way. It's strange.

557
00:18:23,400 --> 00:18:25,419
But oyster stew on Christmas

558
00:18:25,420 --> 00:18:27,279
eve and I

559
00:18:27,280 --> 00:18:29,179
don't remember anything special

560
00:18:29,180 --> 00:18:31,169
other than our maybe

561
00:18:31,170 --> 00:18:33,149
flapjacks extra and some

562
00:18:33,150 --> 00:18:34,589
scrambled eggs or something for

563
00:18:34,590 --> 00:18:35,789
breakfast. I don't remember things

564
00:18:35,790 --> 00:18:36,629
special.

565
00:18:36,630 --> 00:18:38,129
We were not hungry.

566
00:18:38,130 --> 00:18:40,649
We were wanting to open presents.

567
00:18:40,650 --> 00:18:42,079
Christmas morning.

568
00:18:42,080 --> 00:18:44,279
Where would your mom get the oysters

569
00:18:44,280 --> 00:18:45,219
at?

570
00:18:45,220 --> 00:18:45,860
What did she what?

571
00:18:45,861 --> 00:18:47,799
Where would she buy the oysters

572
00:18:47,800 --> 00:18:49,369
from? Would they just be at the...

573
00:18:49,370 --> 00:18:51,489
Well, the mercantile store

574
00:18:51,490 --> 00:18:53,349
knew that

575
00:18:53,350 --> 00:18:55,389
there was a goodly

576
00:18:55,390 --> 00:18:57,389
number of Germans and Norwegians

577
00:18:57,390 --> 00:18:59,209
living in the community,

578
00:18:59,210 --> 00:19:01,369
most of whom ate oysters,

579
00:19:01,370 --> 00:19:03,289
too. It was a tradition that

580
00:19:03,290 --> 00:19:05,329
was passed on, as I mentioned,

581
00:19:05,330 --> 00:19:07,469
from generation to generation.

582
00:19:07,470 --> 00:19:09,589
And so the mercatile store had

583
00:19:09,590 --> 00:19:11,529
a supply of fresh

584
00:19:11,530 --> 00:19:12,649
oysters.

585
00:19:12,650 --> 00:19:14,129
Why in the world would they have it

586
00:19:14,130 --> 00:19:16,049
if they didn't at any other time?

587
00:19:16,050 --> 00:19:17,769
I mean, who would eat an oyster?

588
00:19:17,770 --> 00:19:19,609
Not in a stove, for heaven's

589
00:19:19,610 --> 00:19:20,829
sakes.

590
00:19:20,830 --> 00:19:23,589
So only on

591
00:19:23,590 --> 00:19:25,629
preparation to Christmas Eve did

592
00:19:25,630 --> 00:19:27,509
the store have oysters to

593
00:19:27,510 --> 00:19:28,349
purchase.

594
00:19:28,350 --> 00:19:30,509
And do you still do

595
00:19:30,510 --> 00:19:32,119
oysters to this day?

596
00:19:32,120 --> 00:19:34,239
We do, we're passing it

597
00:19:34,240 --> 00:19:37,099
on from generation to generation.

598
00:19:37,100 --> 00:19:39,279
My attorney grandson has

599
00:19:39,280 --> 00:19:41,419
learned how to do it and

600
00:19:41,420 --> 00:19:43,339
I'm so proud of Josh that

601
00:19:43,340 --> 00:19:45,539
he is cranking up the oyster

602
00:19:45,540 --> 00:19:47,220
stew on Christmas Eve.

603
00:19:48,230 --> 00:19:49,969
Were you surprised when you the

604
00:19:49,970 --> 00:19:51,909
first time or that you when you and

605
00:19:51,910 --> 00:19:54,249
Ruth celebrated Christmas

606
00:19:54,250 --> 00:19:56,189
together that oyster stew

607
00:19:56,190 --> 00:19:57,749
was a tradition in both your

608
00:19:57,750 --> 00:19:58,929
families?

609
00:19:58,930 --> 00:19:59,729
I was.

610
00:19:59,730 --> 00:20:01,150
I was surprised.

611
00:20:03,430 --> 00:20:04,909
I don't know why.

612
00:20:04,910 --> 00:20:05,930
I still don't why.

613
00:20:07,390 --> 00:20:09,669
The Norwegians and the Germans both

614
00:20:09,670 --> 00:20:11,549
have the same tradition.

615
00:20:11,550 --> 00:20:13,449
I didn't know the Norwegian

616
00:20:13,450 --> 00:20:14,649
tradition. I don't know where that

617
00:20:14,650 --> 00:20:15,650
started.

618
00:20:17,410 --> 00:20:19,389
It was a surprise to me that that

619
00:20:19,390 --> 00:20:20,169
happened.

620
00:20:20,170 --> 00:20:23,589
I think we probably handled it,

621
00:20:23,590 --> 00:20:25,969
worked with it differently in

622
00:20:25,970 --> 00:20:26,849
the two families.

623
00:20:26,850 --> 00:20:27,989
I don't know that for sure.

624
00:20:29,399 --> 00:20:31,259
Just because we're on food, you said

625
00:20:31,260 --> 00:20:33,199
that you guys didn't have a

626
00:20:33,200 --> 00:20:35,159
lot, you had a present, and your

627
00:20:35,160 --> 00:20:37,319
mom's decorating was minimal,

628
00:20:37,320 --> 00:20:39,219
but she did maybe make some

629
00:20:39,220 --> 00:20:41,099
special cookies, or what kind

630
00:20:41,100 --> 00:20:42,739
of holiday treats or cookies do you

631
00:20:42,740 --> 00:20:43,849
remember your mom making?

632
00:20:43,850 --> 00:20:45,509
Well, the ones that I like best are

633
00:20:45,510 --> 00:20:46,949
what called, I think, pinwheel

634
00:20:46,950 --> 00:20:48,889
cookies with dates.

635
00:20:48,890 --> 00:20:50,250
I really like those, still do.

636
00:20:52,680 --> 00:20:54,659
And then she made several kinds

637
00:20:54,660 --> 00:20:56,659
of other cookies that were

638
00:20:56,660 --> 00:20:58,319
from her German tradition.

639
00:20:58,320 --> 00:21:00,179
I don't remember exactly what

640
00:21:00,180 --> 00:21:02,259
they were, but she

641
00:21:02,260 --> 00:21:04,359
did make cookies for

642
00:21:04,360 --> 00:21:05,219
Christmas.

643
00:21:05,220 --> 00:21:07,039
And we ate them on Christmas

644
00:21:07,040 --> 00:21:08,040
Eve.

645
00:21:08,620 --> 00:21:10,819
And then the days following in

646
00:21:10,820 --> 00:21:13,399
our school lunch, we had

647
00:21:13,400 --> 00:21:16,039
Christmas leftover cookies.

648
00:21:16,040 --> 00:21:17,779
So then that was the end of cookies

649
00:21:17,780 --> 00:21:19,679
and we're back to our

650
00:21:19,680 --> 00:21:20,680
regular stuff.

651
00:21:21,250 --> 00:21:23,169
Was there any exchange of

652
00:21:23,170 --> 00:21:25,250
presents or gifts amongst neighbors?

653
00:21:27,000 --> 00:21:28,999
Not that I recall,

654
00:21:29,000 --> 00:21:30,959
that could have happened.

655
00:21:30,960 --> 00:21:33,019
Other than the big

656
00:21:33,020 --> 00:21:35,179
tail at the schoolhouse,

657
00:21:35,180 --> 00:21:37,139
these were neighbors, and the

658
00:21:37,140 --> 00:21:39,439
sparrow, not caught,

659
00:21:39,440 --> 00:21:41,419
but allowed to fly away at

660
00:21:41,420 --> 00:21:42,279
the schooIhouse.

661
00:21:42,280 --> 00:21:44,479
Those are the two presents that I

662
00:21:44,480 --> 00:21:47,439
remember the people

663
00:21:47,440 --> 00:21:48,979
in the community sharing with each

664
00:21:48,980 --> 00:21:50,419
other. That's silly.

665
00:21:50,420 --> 00:21:52,519
I can't remember any

666
00:21:52,520 --> 00:21:54,859
present shared beyond that.

667
00:21:54,860 --> 00:21:56,660
Now, you need to understand...

668
00:21:59,710 --> 00:22:01,829
Wherever a neighbor

669
00:22:01,830 --> 00:22:03,509
needed some help,

670
00:22:04,970 --> 00:22:06,809
another neighbor was ready to

671
00:22:06,810 --> 00:22:07,810
help them.

672
00:22:08,710 --> 00:22:09,710
And if they needed,

673
00:22:10,790 --> 00:22:12,869
let's say they were

674
00:22:12,870 --> 00:22:15,749
without clothing of any kind,

675
00:22:15,750 --> 00:22:17,709
and I have a story in one of

676
00:22:17,710 --> 00:22:19,189
my books about that,

677
00:22:20,250 --> 00:22:22,129
my mother would give them

678
00:22:22,130 --> 00:22:23,410
something to wear.

679
00:22:24,530 --> 00:22:26,569
I mean, people were in dire

680
00:22:26,570 --> 00:22:28,489
straits. And those who were

681
00:22:28,490 --> 00:22:30,709
the most dire straits, another

682
00:22:30,710 --> 00:22:33,129
neighbor would help them because,

683
00:22:33,130 --> 00:22:35,469
well, that was what

684
00:22:35,470 --> 00:22:37,529
a part of our community

685
00:22:37,530 --> 00:22:38,889
was about.

686
00:22:38,890 --> 00:22:40,949
And the words I use are,

687
00:22:40,950 --> 00:22:43,309
we were sharing and

688
00:22:43,310 --> 00:22:44,310
caring.

689
00:22:45,050 --> 00:22:46,909
Those are two important phrases

690
00:22:46,910 --> 00:22:48,749
that country people lived

691
00:22:48,750 --> 00:22:50,809
by, sharing and

692
00:22:50,810 --> 00:22:51,809
carrying.

693
00:22:51,810 --> 00:22:53,549
And I still use those today.

694
00:22:56,720 --> 00:22:57,919
That's so poignant.

695
00:22:57,920 --> 00:22:58,819
I just love when you're talking

696
00:22:58,820 --> 00:23:00,779
about that and just how

697
00:23:00,780 --> 00:23:02,439
just those little things meant so

698
00:23:02,440 --> 00:23:05,279
much to some of these families.

699
00:23:05,280 --> 00:23:07,099
How long did the school, I mean

700
00:23:07,100 --> 00:23:08,959
just like you know kids

701
00:23:08,960 --> 00:23:10,279
today, they get a break around

702
00:23:10,280 --> 00:23:11,739
Christmas from school.

703
00:23:11,740 --> 00:23:13,419
Did you and how long were those like

704
00:23:13,420 --> 00:23:15,200
your Christmas breaks?

705
00:23:16,610 --> 00:23:19,189
Now the Christmas break was

706
00:23:19,190 --> 00:23:21,469
a fun time for all of us.

707
00:23:21,470 --> 00:23:23,169
It was, let's see, it would be from

708
00:23:23,170 --> 00:23:25,309
Christmas day.

709
00:23:25,310 --> 00:23:27,069
It would started, yeah, it was start

710
00:23:27,070 --> 00:23:28,929
on Christmas day and

711
00:23:28,930 --> 00:23:30,690
last probably for two weeks.

712
00:23:31,810 --> 00:23:33,749
Yes, two weeks, and

713
00:23:33,750 --> 00:23:35,549
during those two weeks we did all

714
00:23:35,550 --> 00:23:36,550
kinds of things.

715
00:23:37,570 --> 00:23:38,929
One of the things we did, of course

716
00:23:38,930 --> 00:23:41,249
we had wood stoves and

717
00:23:41,250 --> 00:23:42,250
we cut wood.

718
00:23:43,910 --> 00:23:45,809
Take the ax and the cross-cut saw

719
00:23:45,810 --> 00:23:46,810
out,

720
00:23:47,730 --> 00:23:49,809
and they fought a little wood

721
00:23:49,810 --> 00:23:51,409
pile, but not wood pile.

722
00:23:51,410 --> 00:23:53,249
Woods we had next to the house,

723
00:23:53,250 --> 00:23:55,089
and bring in wood that

724
00:23:55,090 --> 00:23:56,829
we could saw up and put in the

725
00:23:56,830 --> 00:23:58,729
stoves. That was the important part

726
00:23:58,730 --> 00:23:59,809
of what we did.

727
00:23:59,810 --> 00:24:01,989
We also went ice fishing, almost

728
00:24:01,990 --> 00:24:03,189
all. We couldn't go every day

729
00:24:03,190 --> 00:24:05,109
because we were hauling wood

730
00:24:05,110 --> 00:24:06,309
half the time.

731
00:24:06,310 --> 00:24:08,469
But ice fishing was just the most

732
00:24:08,470 --> 00:24:10,369
important part of what were

733
00:24:10,370 --> 00:24:11,289
doing.

734
00:24:11,290 --> 00:24:13,239
And we ice fished.

735
00:24:13,240 --> 00:24:15,059
Just because, not just because it

736
00:24:15,060 --> 00:24:17,099
was fun, but it provided us

737
00:24:17,100 --> 00:24:18,979
with another source of food.

738
00:24:18,980 --> 00:24:21,579
We caught, I'm bragging now folks,

739
00:24:21,580 --> 00:24:22,719
a lot of fish.

740
00:24:24,179 --> 00:24:26,119
Northern pike was

741
00:24:26,120 --> 00:24:28,219
the premier fish that we caught

742
00:24:28,220 --> 00:24:30,159
on tip-ups.

743
00:24:30,160 --> 00:24:31,939
And those that we didn't eat

744
00:24:31,940 --> 00:24:34,059
immediately, we

745
00:24:34,060 --> 00:24:36,399
freeze them to eat later.

746
00:24:36,400 --> 00:24:38,319
Those that we did not freeze

747
00:24:38,320 --> 00:24:40,259
to eat later,

748
00:24:40,260 --> 00:24:42,399
my dad pickled them.

749
00:24:42,400 --> 00:24:44,379
So we had Northern Pike

750
00:24:44,380 --> 00:24:46,239
for a very long time to

751
00:24:46,240 --> 00:24:48,739
eat, and thus that

752
00:24:48,740 --> 00:24:50,859
period of time,

753
00:24:50,860 --> 00:24:52,819
when Christmas was

754
00:24:52,820 --> 00:24:55,479
let out and Christmas began again,

755
00:24:55,480 --> 00:24:57,339
provided us a chance to

756
00:24:57,340 --> 00:24:59,499
not only have fun,

757
00:24:59,500 --> 00:25:01,439
but also to get the wood

758
00:25:01,440 --> 00:25:03,259
pile reinforced, which in

759
00:25:03,260 --> 00:25:04,719
most instances needed doing.

760
00:25:06,169 --> 00:25:07,529
Um, just because we were talking

761
00:25:07,530 --> 00:25:09,569
about ice fishing, anyway, tell me

762
00:25:09,570 --> 00:25:11,829
about, I know you were,

763
00:25:11,830 --> 00:25:13,389
uh, I read in your book, you were

764
00:25:13,390 --> 00:25:15,389
talking that at some point you

765
00:25:15,390 --> 00:25:17,809
guys got an ice shanty, where was,

766
00:25:17,810 --> 00:25:19,069
tell about the ice shandy and what

767
00:25:19,070 --> 00:25:20,070
your dad made it from.

768
00:25:22,929 --> 00:25:25,009
Prior to our having an

769
00:25:25,010 --> 00:25:26,969
ice shanty, which

770
00:25:26,970 --> 00:25:28,909
was what most ice

771
00:25:28,910 --> 00:25:29,910
fishermen wanted,

772
00:25:30,990 --> 00:25:33,129
we sat on shore by

773
00:25:33,130 --> 00:25:35,229
a campfire and warmed

774
00:25:35,230 --> 00:25:37,669
ourselves and

775
00:25:37,670 --> 00:25:39,509
warmed our sandwiches and

776
00:25:39,510 --> 00:25:41,169
all the rest of it.

777
00:25:41,170 --> 00:25:42,989
But then we one day said as

778
00:25:42,990 --> 00:25:45,709
we looked out at the shanties on

779
00:25:45,710 --> 00:25:47,749
this lake where we were, I think

780
00:25:47,750 --> 00:25:49,739
I said to my dad How come we

781
00:25:49,740 --> 00:25:51,359
don't have a shanty, for heaven's

782
00:25:51,360 --> 00:25:53,059
sakes? We're sitting by a fire.

783
00:25:54,360 --> 00:25:56,439
I said, I don't know.

784
00:25:56,440 --> 00:25:58,739
I don't think we can afford one.

785
00:25:58,740 --> 00:26:00,559
But then he said, you know,

786
00:26:00,560 --> 00:26:01,560
I've an idea.

787
00:26:02,860 --> 00:26:04,839
When we raised potatoes

788
00:26:04,840 --> 00:26:06,839
by the

789
00:26:06,840 --> 00:26:08,779
20, 30 acres,

790
00:26:08,780 --> 00:26:10,559
we hauled them to town.

791
00:26:11,900 --> 00:26:13,139
In January,

792
00:26:14,320 --> 00:26:16,379
with a sleigh, and on the

793
00:26:16,380 --> 00:26:18,339
sleigh was a sleig

794
00:26:18,340 --> 00:26:19,340
coupe.

795
00:26:19,750 --> 00:26:21,169
And what's a sleigh coop?

796
00:26:21,170 --> 00:26:23,129
A sleigh coop is

797
00:26:23,130 --> 00:26:25,169
a place where you, well,

798
00:26:25,170 --> 00:26:27,029
for potatoes, you

799
00:26:27,030 --> 00:26:28,929
sat in there with a stove

800
00:26:28,930 --> 00:26:30,889
and the lines for the horses

801
00:26:30,890 --> 00:26:32,809
went out the window and you

802
00:26:32,810 --> 00:26:34,849
were nice and cozy warm while you

803
00:26:34,850 --> 00:26:36,809
were hauling potatoes to town.

804
00:26:36,810 --> 00:26:37,810
Now,

805
00:26:38,750 --> 00:26:40,369
we cut the bottom off that thing,

806
00:26:40,370 --> 00:26:42,669
put a new bottom on it with runners,

807
00:26:42,670 --> 00:26:43,909
pulled it out on the lake,

808
00:26:45,090 --> 00:26:46,609
had a hole in it if you wanted to

809
00:26:46,610 --> 00:26:48,119
fish for bluegills.

810
00:26:48,120 --> 00:26:49,959
And it was, started a fire, had a

811
00:26:49,960 --> 00:26:51,499
little, it kept the stove.

812
00:26:51,500 --> 00:26:53,419
And it was the most wonderful little

813
00:26:53,420 --> 00:26:54,719
place.

814
00:26:54,720 --> 00:26:56,699
There were about four of us and

815
00:26:56,700 --> 00:26:58,579
it it was like shoulder to shoulder.

816
00:26:58,580 --> 00:27:00,979
And if you looked out the window

817
00:27:00,980 --> 00:27:02,919
and you could see a flag go up

818
00:27:02,920 --> 00:27:04,819
on a tip-up, there was a

819
00:27:04,820 --> 00:27:07,378
crush to go through the little door

820
00:27:07,379 --> 00:27:09,199
of the shanty to

821
00:27:09,200 --> 00:27:11,279
attend to the fish that surely must

822
00:27:11,280 --> 00:27:13,279
be on that guy's hook.

823
00:27:13,280 --> 00:27:15,219
So it was a wonderful thing,

824
00:27:15,220 --> 00:27:17,259
this little shantyt And we even

825
00:27:17,260 --> 00:27:18,779
had music.

826
00:27:18,780 --> 00:27:20,359
I don't know where I got it, but I

827
00:27:20,360 --> 00:27:22,199
got a Victrola record

828
00:27:22,200 --> 00:27:24,079
player, the kind that you put a

829
00:27:24,080 --> 00:27:25,939
33 and a third record on,

830
00:27:25,940 --> 00:27:27,999
you crank up the bugger, and it'll

831
00:27:28,000 --> 00:27:29,879
play for 15, well, 10

832
00:27:29,880 --> 00:27:31,539
minutes at least.

833
00:27:31,540 --> 00:27:32,939
So we had music.

834
00:27:32,940 --> 00:27:35,419
I mean, we had the most up-to-date

835
00:27:35,420 --> 00:27:36,979
deal you could imagine.

836
00:27:36,980 --> 00:27:38,779
Listening to music while we were

837
00:27:38,780 --> 00:27:40,119
waiting for a fish to bite.

838
00:27:41,449 --> 00:27:43,489
Sorry, I didn't know about that.

839
00:27:43,490 --> 00:27:45,049
Tell me this story, because I think

840
00:27:45,050 --> 00:27:47,269
it just caught us hilarious

841
00:27:47,270 --> 00:27:48,809
about, because you had this high

842
00:27:48,810 --> 00:27:50,329
shanty for a long time.

843
00:27:50,330 --> 00:27:52,369
Tell me how it

844
00:27:52,370 --> 00:27:54,329
shrunk by a couple inches one year.

845
00:27:54,330 --> 00:27:55,669
Did I think, did it melt and get

846
00:27:55,670 --> 00:27:57,049
stuck and then you had to saw it off

847
00:27:57,050 --> 00:27:57,239
or?

848
00:27:57,240 --> 00:27:59,199
Well, one of the rules that

849
00:27:59,200 --> 00:28:01,059
the DNR had for all

850
00:28:01,060 --> 00:28:02,959
of us with shanties is

851
00:28:02,960 --> 00:28:05,639
that they had to be off the lakes,

852
00:28:05,640 --> 00:28:07,459
let's say by March

853
00:28:07,460 --> 00:28:09,139
1st.

854
00:28:09,140 --> 00:28:11,019
And for some

855
00:28:11,020 --> 00:28:13,139
reason, we did not get our shanty

856
00:28:13,140 --> 00:28:15,279
off the lake by March first.

857
00:28:16,360 --> 00:28:18,219
And things melted.

858
00:28:18,220 --> 00:28:20,119
And now our shanti is

859
00:28:20,120 --> 00:28:22,339
sinking into the soft

860
00:28:22,340 --> 00:28:23,139
ice.

861
00:28:23,140 --> 00:28:24,979
And I said, Pa,

862
00:28:24,980 --> 00:28:26,079
what are we gonna do?

863
00:28:26,080 --> 00:28:27,959
We're losing our shanty.

864
00:28:27,960 --> 00:28:29,759
It's sinking into the lake and I'm

865
00:28:29,760 --> 00:28:31,279
not going out there to do anything.

866
00:28:32,680 --> 00:28:34,579
Go out there, go out there and

867
00:28:34,580 --> 00:28:36,459
saw the bottom off.

868
00:28:36,460 --> 00:28:38,339
Oh, wouldn't that be illegal?

869
00:28:38,340 --> 00:28:39,439
Yeah, but we're not gonna tell

870
00:28:39,440 --> 00:28:40,440
anybody.

871
00:28:41,740 --> 00:28:43,519
So we saw the button off and pulled

872
00:28:43,520 --> 00:28:44,799
it off the lake and I never knew

873
00:28:44,800 --> 00:28:45,800
what happened to the bottom.

874
00:28:47,540 --> 00:28:49,539
What else besides ice fishing did

875
00:28:49,540 --> 00:28:51,399
you do for during break or

876
00:28:51,400 --> 00:28:53,459
during uh did you do any ice skating

877
00:28:53,460 --> 00:28:54,729
or do any snowball fights or?

878
00:28:54,730 --> 00:28:55,730
Well,

879
00:28:56,770 --> 00:28:57,770
we did,

880
00:28:58,750 --> 00:29:00,429
it depended on the weather, of

881
00:29:00,430 --> 00:29:02,269
course, but

882
00:29:02,270 --> 00:29:03,829
ice skating was something that we

883
00:29:03,830 --> 00:29:05,629
would often do.

884
00:29:05,630 --> 00:29:08,409
And that depended whether or not,

885
00:29:08,410 --> 00:29:10,169
especially if the lake, like Chana

886
00:29:10,170 --> 00:29:12,689
Lake, which is nearest to our

887
00:29:12,690 --> 00:29:14,769
house, oh, it's frozen over,

888
00:29:14,770 --> 00:29:16,509
we could go there, shovel off some

889
00:29:16,510 --> 00:29:18,749
of the snow and

890
00:29:18,750 --> 00:29:19,750
ice skate.

891
00:29:20,650 --> 00:29:22,649
I've forgotten what year it was,

892
00:29:22,650 --> 00:29:24,989
but it must have been when we were.

893
00:29:24,990 --> 00:29:27,029
When my brothers and I were maybe

894
00:29:27,030 --> 00:29:29,189
close to our teens,

895
00:29:29,190 --> 00:29:31,149
Pa said, you guys, you

896
00:29:31,150 --> 00:29:32,649
haven't been ice skating, have you?

897
00:29:32,650 --> 00:29:33,849
Well, I've been ice-skating, I mean,

898
00:29:33,850 --> 00:29:34,909
skates.

899
00:29:34,910 --> 00:29:36,809
So we went to Hotch's

900
00:29:36,810 --> 00:29:38,769
Hardware and

901
00:29:38,770 --> 00:29:40,709
bought four

902
00:29:40,710 --> 00:29:42,709
sets of skates, can you believe

903
00:29:42,710 --> 00:29:43,569
it?

904
00:29:43,570 --> 00:29:44,989
Four sets of skate.

905
00:29:44,990 --> 00:29:45,990
No, three sets.

906
00:29:47,090 --> 00:29:48,910
Yeah, no, it was four, four of us.

907
00:29:50,950 --> 00:29:52,770
And 50 cents a pair.

908
00:29:54,010 --> 00:29:55,589
You clamped them on your shoes.

909
00:29:56,630 --> 00:29:58,469
And if you didn't do it right, it

910
00:29:58,470 --> 00:30:00,869
pulled your heel off for sure,

911
00:30:00,870 --> 00:30:02,969
pulled the sole off also.

912
00:30:02,970 --> 00:30:05,509
The buggers were not good for

913
00:30:05,510 --> 00:30:06,570
that kind of skating.

914
00:30:07,670 --> 00:30:09,849
But we skated,

915
00:30:09,850 --> 00:30:11,569
and we didn't know how to skate.

916
00:30:11,570 --> 00:30:13,029
I mean, we'd never been on skates.

917
00:30:13,030 --> 00:30:14,689
We'd slide on the ice and fall on

918
00:30:14,690 --> 00:30:16,709
our two-toed, get up again and fall

919
00:30:16,710 --> 00:30:18,089
again and run.

920
00:30:18,090 --> 00:30:19,090
Well,

921
00:30:19,910 --> 00:30:22,129
in front of our house, When

922
00:30:22,130 --> 00:30:23,309
you hear the ice...

923
00:30:23,310 --> 00:30:26,309
Lake was there, no melded,

924
00:30:26,310 --> 00:30:27,429
we're gonna skate out there.

925
00:30:28,510 --> 00:30:30,109
My dad comes along, I wonder what

926
00:30:30,110 --> 00:30:31,949
the heck is he coming along for?

927
00:30:31,950 --> 00:30:33,469
He comes along.

928
00:30:33,470 --> 00:30:35,709
We put on our skates,

929
00:30:35,710 --> 00:30:37,989
fall down, get up, go around.

930
00:30:37,990 --> 00:30:39,769
My dad said, let me try this.

931
00:30:40,810 --> 00:30:42,729
He clamps on one pair of these

932
00:30:42,730 --> 00:30:44,649
skates. He's going forward

933
00:30:44,650 --> 00:30:45,749
around the lake.

934
00:30:45,750 --> 00:30:47,929
He's go backward around the Lake.

935
00:30:47,930 --> 00:30:50,569
Oh my gosh, this old guy,

936
00:30:50,570 --> 00:30:51,570
he can skate?

937
00:30:52,960 --> 00:30:54,339
He could skate forward, he could

938
00:30:54,340 --> 00:30:55,579
skate backward, he could state

939
00:30:55,580 --> 00:30:57,319
sideways, and he didn't say

940
00:30:57,320 --> 00:30:59,179
anything. Just smile, clear smile,

941
00:30:59,180 --> 00:31:01,599
run around, around, and around.

942
00:31:01,600 --> 00:31:04,299
So there was our model.

943
00:31:04,300 --> 00:31:05,879
Like anybody who skated as well as

944
00:31:05,880 --> 00:31:08,339
Paul, well, nobody could.

945
00:31:08,340 --> 00:31:10,779
That was the answer.

946
00:31:10,780 --> 00:31:12,519
Was he just naturally talented or

947
00:31:12,520 --> 00:31:15,999
had he skated before

948
00:31:16,000 --> 00:31:18,179
as a kid or is he just talented

949
00:31:18,180 --> 00:31:19,369
for skating?

950
00:31:19,370 --> 00:31:21,509
He, I think he had skated

951
00:31:21,510 --> 00:31:23,709
a lot when he was a kid,

952
00:31:23,710 --> 00:31:25,529
and he never told anybody that

953
00:31:25,530 --> 00:31:26,849
he had.

954
00:31:26,850 --> 00:31:29,229
And now he was being smart

955
00:31:29,230 --> 00:31:31,149
and skating with his nose up in

956
00:31:31,150 --> 00:31:32,529
the air, telling him, I can skate,

957
00:31:32,530 --> 00:31:33,530
you guys can't.

958
00:31:34,790 --> 00:31:37,269
Did your dad enjoy the

959
00:31:37,270 --> 00:31:38,529
winter activities? I know when he

960
00:31:38,530 --> 00:31:39,869
wasn't working or whatever, but did

961
00:31:39,870 --> 00:31:42,819
he enjoy skating and ice fishing?

962
00:31:42,820 --> 00:31:44,959
My dad, you can't imagine

963
00:31:44,960 --> 00:31:47,239
how much he enjoyed ice fishing.

964
00:31:47,240 --> 00:31:49,019
Even when we weren't in school,

965
00:31:50,220 --> 00:31:52,139
he would go ice fishing

966
00:31:52,140 --> 00:31:54,099
with other neighbors

967
00:31:54,100 --> 00:31:56,479
all through the winter, he did.

968
00:31:56,480 --> 00:31:58,019
Ice fishing was one of the special

969
00:31:58,020 --> 00:31:59,939
things that a farmer could

970
00:31:59,940 --> 00:32:01,599
do because you could do the chores

971
00:32:01,600 --> 00:32:03,479
in the morning, and

972
00:32:03,480 --> 00:32:05,259
then you could go fishing in the

973
00:32:05,260 --> 00:32:06,260
afternoon.

974
00:32:08,000 --> 00:32:09,999
Chores took place the

975
00:32:10,000 --> 00:32:11,799
rest of the year. You were doing

976
00:32:11,800 --> 00:32:13,339
work. You were.

977
00:32:13,340 --> 00:32:15,459
Handling grain and silage

978
00:32:15,460 --> 00:32:17,079
and all that kind of stuff.

979
00:32:17,080 --> 00:32:18,919
But in the wintertime, you could

980
00:32:18,920 --> 00:32:20,859
be off in the afternoon and

981
00:32:20,860 --> 00:32:22,699
you could go ice fishing.

982
00:32:22,700 --> 00:32:24,079
And there were a whole bunch of

983
00:32:24,080 --> 00:32:26,499
these old farmers who

984
00:32:26,500 --> 00:32:28,339
would get together in

985
00:32:28,340 --> 00:32:30,339
these various shacks and

986
00:32:30,340 --> 00:32:32,259
sit there and lie to—I'm sorry,

987
00:32:32,260 --> 00:32:34,579
tell stories to each other

988
00:32:34,580 --> 00:32:37,479
all of the afternoon.

989
00:32:37,480 --> 00:32:39,519
And that went on

990
00:32:39,520 --> 00:32:40,579
all winter long.

991
00:32:40,580 --> 00:32:42,599
It was wonderful as I

992
00:32:42,600 --> 00:32:43,600
looked in on it.

993
00:32:44,550 --> 00:32:45,509
Do you need a break at all?

994
00:32:45,510 --> 00:32:46,149
I want some water.

995
00:32:46,150 --> 00:32:47,150
Y'all need some water.

996
00:32:51,230 --> 00:32:52,409
Are we going okay?

997
00:32:52,410 --> 00:32:54,429
Yeah, it's going great.

998
00:32:54,430 --> 00:32:55,849
What are you thinking, Susie?

999
00:32:55,850 --> 00:32:56,789
Oh my gosh.

1000
00:32:56,790 --> 00:32:57,790
OK.

1001
00:33:00,130 --> 00:33:01,209
Keen, you didn't talk about the

1002
00:33:01,210 --> 00:33:01,411
keen, did you?

1003
00:33:01,412 --> 00:33:03,090
No, if we come back to skin...

1004
00:33:04,360 --> 00:33:05,780
Yes! Oh my gosh, you gotta guess!

1005
00:33:05,781 --> 00:33:06,448
What are you going to guess?

1006
00:33:06,449 --> 00:33:07,229
Get your water out of the way.

1007
00:33:07,230 --> 00:33:07,291
You got it.

1008
00:33:07,292 --> 00:33:08,610
You gotta ask me about skiing, you

1009
00:33:08,611 --> 00:33:09,611
know, put the water back.

1010
00:33:10,320 --> 00:33:11,139
I was going to say somebody just put

1011
00:33:11,140 --> 00:33:12,999
it here.

1012
00:33:13,000 --> 00:33:14,419
Thank you. Is it OK with water?

1013
00:33:14,420 --> 00:33:15,259
Oh, yeah, that's clear.

1014
00:33:15,260 --> 00:33:16,719
OK, thank you. Are we still
recording?

1015
00:33:16,720 --> 00:33:18,159
Still recording? OK, why don't you

1016
00:33:18,160 --> 00:33:20,219
tell me about

1017
00:33:20,220 --> 00:33:21,220
skiing?

1018
00:33:22,720 --> 00:33:23,759
One of the things,

1019
00:33:24,920 --> 00:33:26,779
one of the memories that I

1020
00:33:26,780 --> 00:33:28,939
have most is

1021
00:33:28,940 --> 00:33:30,819
skiing, because

1022
00:33:30,820 --> 00:33:32,679
my dad could not

1023
00:33:32,680 --> 00:33:35,779
afford to buy me skis.

1024
00:33:35,780 --> 00:33:37,619
He couldn't afford to by any of us

1025
00:33:37,620 --> 00:33:39,519
skis, so what

1026
00:33:39,520 --> 00:33:41,579
he did, and it's

1027
00:33:41,580 --> 00:33:43,319
fascinating what he did as I think

1028
00:33:43,320 --> 00:33:45,179
back on it, those

1029
00:33:45,180 --> 00:33:47,899
of you familiar with barrels,

1030
00:33:47,900 --> 00:33:49,919
wooden barrels, There are

1031
00:33:49,920 --> 00:33:51,819
staves, they're called, on wooden

1032
00:33:51,820 --> 00:33:52,679
barrels.

1033
00:33:52,680 --> 00:33:54,879
And they have a little bend to them.

1034
00:33:54,880 --> 00:33:57,459
And my first skis

1035
00:33:57,460 --> 00:33:59,359
were a pair of

1036
00:33:59,360 --> 00:34:00,999
wooden barrels.

1037
00:34:01,000 --> 00:34:03,279
My dad nailed a leather over

1038
00:34:03,280 --> 00:34:05,379
the middle and those were

1039
00:34:05,380 --> 00:34:07,559
my skis. They didn't slide,

1040
00:34:07,560 --> 00:34:09,459
but you could kind of walk on

1041
00:34:09,460 --> 00:34:10,678
them.

1042
00:34:10,679 --> 00:34:12,919
And I can't imagine

1043
00:34:12,920 --> 00:34:14,859
anybody having skis made out

1044
00:34:14,860 --> 00:34:16,899
of barrel stays, but we did.

1045
00:34:17,900 --> 00:34:20,319
And then we graduated

1046
00:34:20,320 --> 00:34:21,320
up to

1047
00:34:23,780 --> 00:34:25,799
to homemade skis

1048
00:34:25,800 --> 00:34:27,879
that my grandpa Witt

1049
00:34:27,880 --> 00:34:28,880
made

1050
00:34:29,740 --> 00:34:32,218
by cutting out

1051
00:34:32,219 --> 00:34:34,178
birch bores that are about

1052
00:34:34,179 --> 00:34:36,099
this long, about this

1053
00:34:36,100 --> 00:34:40,339
wide, and holding them over

1054
00:34:40,340 --> 00:34:42,339
steam, a fire with

1055
00:34:42,340 --> 00:34:44,439
creating wood steam.

1056
00:34:44,440 --> 00:34:46,439
And that way he could bend up the

1057
00:34:46,440 --> 00:34:47,959
ends of it.

1058
00:34:47,960 --> 00:34:49,999
I have one of those skis left in

1059
00:34:50,000 --> 00:34:51,649
my shed at the farm.

1060
00:34:51,650 --> 00:34:53,209
It was wonderful.

1061
00:34:53,210 --> 00:34:55,448
I just thought, my gosh,

1062
00:34:55,449 --> 00:34:56,589
my grandpa couldn't have done

1063
00:34:56,590 --> 00:34:58,429
anything better because, of course,

1064
00:34:58,430 --> 00:34:59,969
they didn't have any slots in the

1065
00:34:59,970 --> 00:35:02,269
bottom. So you'd go sideways

1066
00:35:02,270 --> 00:35:04,409
down the hill, forward on the hill.

1067
00:35:04,410 --> 00:35:05,849
Shoom, straight away down the Hill

1068
00:35:05,850 --> 00:35:07,630
and run over somebody.

1069
00:35:08,850 --> 00:35:10,789
But then it wasn't,

1070
00:35:10,790 --> 00:35:12,909
I don't know what year it was,

1071
00:35:12,910 --> 00:35:14,869
but that year I

1072
00:35:14,870 --> 00:35:17,469
always asked for a pair skis.

1073
00:35:19,090 --> 00:35:20,509
And my dad had been in Hotz's

1074
00:35:20,510 --> 00:35:21,590
Hardware in Wildrose.

1075
00:35:22,940 --> 00:35:25,079
Mr. Hots said to my dad, you're

1076
00:35:25,080 --> 00:35:26,879
looking for a skis, aren't you?

1077
00:35:26,880 --> 00:35:29,259
My dad said, well, yes, I am.

1078
00:35:29,260 --> 00:35:31,179
Gerald always wanted a pair of

1079
00:35:31,180 --> 00:35:32,819
skis.

1080
00:35:32,820 --> 00:35:34,039
And Mr. Hotts said, I'll tell you

1081
00:35:34,040 --> 00:35:35,939
what I'll do for you.

1082
00:35:35,940 --> 00:35:37,739
I've got a pair skis out in the

1083
00:35:37,740 --> 00:35:38,740
back.

1084
00:35:39,460 --> 00:35:41,679
And they are not

1085
00:35:41,680 --> 00:35:43,539
each one lost its

1086
00:35:43,540 --> 00:35:44,540
pair.

1087
00:35:44,940 --> 00:35:46,979
And so if you will

1088
00:35:46,980 --> 00:35:49,319
buy them, I

1089
00:35:49,320 --> 00:35:50,879
will give you a half price because

1090
00:35:50,880 --> 00:35:52,829
you're only getting half of it.

1091
00:35:52,830 --> 00:35:55,109
Half a pair anyway,

1092
00:35:55,110 --> 00:35:56,109
and those will be your skis.

1093
00:35:56,110 --> 00:35:59,289
My dad brought those skis home,

1094
00:35:59,290 --> 00:36:01,349
and the memory I have, one was

1095
00:36:01,350 --> 00:36:02,489
brown and one was black.

1096
00:36:04,110 --> 00:36:06,589
And they were both way

1097
00:36:06,590 --> 00:36:08,749
long, five, six feet long.

1098
00:36:08,750 --> 00:36:10,669
And my dad painted the brown one

1099
00:36:10,670 --> 00:36:11,869
black.

1100
00:36:11,870 --> 00:36:14,069
So my memory of Christmas is

1101
00:36:14,070 --> 00:36:17,129
this wonderful pair of skis,

1102
00:36:17,130 --> 00:36:18,650
but why did they smell like that?

1103
00:36:22,930 --> 00:36:24,389
Where would you go ski?

1104
00:36:24,390 --> 00:36:26,049
Was it cross country downhill or

1105
00:36:26,050 --> 00:36:26,789
where would you go?

1106
00:36:26,790 --> 00:36:29,969
Oh we had hills all over the place.

1107
00:36:29,970 --> 00:36:31,989
We could cross country on our farm.

1108
00:36:33,010 --> 00:36:34,409
There were enough hills on our farm

1109
00:36:34,410 --> 00:36:36,929
you could go downhill pretty

1110
00:36:36,930 --> 00:36:37,809
well.

1111
00:36:37,810 --> 00:36:39,309
And there's a nice hill right back

1112
00:36:39,310 --> 00:36:40,589
of the schoolhouse that you could

1113
00:36:40,590 --> 00:36:41,469
come down.

1114
00:36:41,470 --> 00:36:43,629
Now we had plenty of

1115
00:36:43,630 --> 00:36:45,609
amateur hills so to speak.

1116
00:36:45,610 --> 00:36:47,889
Did you do skiing just

1117
00:36:47,890 --> 00:36:49,749
for fun, or was there a

1118
00:36:49,750 --> 00:36:51,389
function to it that it was great to

1119
00:36:51,390 --> 00:36:51,529
have?

1120
00:36:51,530 --> 00:36:52,969
That was not a function, it was just

1121
00:36:52,970 --> 00:36:54,789
for fun, in our community

1122
00:36:54,790 --> 00:36:56,049
anyway.

1123
00:36:56,050 --> 00:36:58,069
And we would ski to the neighbors.

1124
00:36:58,070 --> 00:37:00,009
In fact, I would ski at

1125
00:37:00,010 --> 00:37:01,929
school when the snow

1126
00:37:01,930 --> 00:37:03,249
was really deep.

1127
00:37:03,250 --> 00:37:05,109
It was my way

1128
00:37:05,110 --> 00:37:06,189
of transportation.

1129
00:37:06,190 --> 00:37:08,049
And this I will share and

1130
00:37:08,050 --> 00:37:10,209
some people will be put off by it.

1131
00:37:10,210 --> 00:37:12,049
But I had a trapline when

1132
00:37:12,050 --> 00:37:13,509
I was a kid.

1133
00:37:13,510 --> 00:37:15,549
Trapline is something where you

1134
00:37:15,550 --> 00:37:17,449
hope to catch a

1135
00:37:17,450 --> 00:37:19,309
wild animal and then sell

1136
00:37:19,310 --> 00:37:21,329
its. Sell it for a

1137
00:37:21,330 --> 00:37:22,689
little bit of money.

1138
00:37:22,690 --> 00:37:24,549
And I had a trapline for

1139
00:37:24,550 --> 00:37:25,550
fox.

1140
00:37:25,930 --> 00:37:28,589
And every morning at

1141
00:37:28,590 --> 00:37:30,549
sunlight in the winter,

1142
00:37:30,550 --> 00:37:32,729
I would put on my grandpa's

1143
00:37:32,730 --> 00:37:35,789
skis and ski my traplines

1144
00:37:35,790 --> 00:37:38,269
one after, I never, don't

1145
00:37:38,270 --> 00:37:40,369
tell anybody, I never caught

1146
00:37:40,370 --> 00:37:42,689
one fox, people.

1147
00:37:42,690 --> 00:37:44,729
But that was my goal, because

1148
00:37:44,730 --> 00:37:46,490
I think we'd get 25 cents for a

1149
00:37:46,491 --> 00:37:47,639
foxtail.

1150
00:37:47,640 --> 00:37:49,579
And I never even saw a fox.

1151
00:37:51,640 --> 00:37:53,939
But can you imagine how

1152
00:37:53,940 --> 00:37:54,939
stupid I was?

1153
00:37:54,940 --> 00:37:56,099
I don't know how stupid is the right

1154
00:37:56,100 --> 00:37:58,279
word. Every morning at daybreak,

1155
00:37:58,280 --> 00:37:59,779
it might have been 10 below zero.

1156
00:37:59,780 --> 00:38:02,019
I'm strapped on my skis and do my

1157
00:38:02,020 --> 00:38:04,399
step, my, my trapline.

1158
00:38:04,400 --> 00:38:06,339
And that's clearly cross-country

1159
00:38:06,340 --> 00:38:07,479
skiing of the first order.

1160
00:38:08,660 --> 00:38:10,679
Just let's keep on going with that.

1161
00:38:10,680 --> 00:38:11,959
So you're out there, you're skiing,

1162
00:38:11,960 --> 00:38:12,859
you're checking your trap line.

1163
00:38:12,860 --> 00:38:15,079
Just can you give me a sense of what

1164
00:38:15,080 --> 00:38:17,179
sounds are you hearing?

1165
00:38:17,180 --> 00:38:18,379
What are you smelling?

1166
00:38:18,380 --> 00:38:18,759
You know, just.

1167
00:38:18,760 --> 00:38:20,879
It's interesting to

1168
00:38:20,880 --> 00:38:23,399
be out with a pair of skis

1169
00:38:23,400 --> 00:38:25,719
when it's 10 below zero

1170
00:38:25,720 --> 00:38:28,199
in the morning.

1171
00:38:28,200 --> 00:38:30,219
The sounds of the

1172
00:38:30,220 --> 00:38:32,739
ski itself are scrunch,

1173
00:38:32,740 --> 00:38:35,059
scrunch scrunch

1174
00:38:35,060 --> 00:38:36,939
sound and

1175
00:38:36,940 --> 00:38:39,219
then sound of silence when

1176
00:38:39,220 --> 00:38:41,299
you stop and

1177
00:38:41,300 --> 00:38:43,959
you don't hear anything and

1178
00:38:43,960 --> 00:38:45,859
then you hear a crow way

1179
00:38:45,860 --> 00:38:47,280
off in the distance.

1180
00:38:49,290 --> 00:38:51,029
And then you wonder what's that poor

1181
00:38:51,030 --> 00:38:52,969
crow is thinking when his tin blows

1182
00:38:52,970 --> 00:38:53,970
through.

1183
00:38:55,090 --> 00:38:57,409
And then, you hear,

1184
00:38:57,410 --> 00:38:59,269
you'll hear a chickadee.

1185
00:38:59,270 --> 00:39:01,329
What is this poor little

1186
00:39:01,330 --> 00:39:02,330
chickadeee doing?

1187
00:39:03,090 --> 00:39:05,389
Chickadee, chickadees, chickadee.

1188
00:39:06,730 --> 00:39:08,749
And these sounds I have

1189
00:39:08,750 --> 00:39:10,729
never forgotten because

1190
00:39:10,730 --> 00:39:12,909
I move along the snow.

1191
00:39:12,910 --> 00:39:15,229
Scrunch, scrunch,

1192
00:39:15,230 --> 00:39:16,529
scrunch.

1193
00:39:16,530 --> 00:39:19,609
I hear this stuff in the background.

1194
00:39:19,610 --> 00:39:21,669
And I anticipate, will I

1195
00:39:21,670 --> 00:39:23,830
see a fox this time?

1196
00:39:24,910 --> 00:39:26,789
I never did,

1197
00:39:26,790 --> 00:39:28,749
but I skied, I don't know

1198
00:39:28,750 --> 00:39:30,769
how many winters, with my

1199
00:39:30,770 --> 00:39:32,889
grandfather's skis,

1200
00:39:32,890 --> 00:39:34,789
checking to see if

1201
00:39:34,790 --> 00:39:36,949
I had trapped a fox on

1202
00:39:36,950 --> 00:39:37,950
my trap line.

1203
00:39:38,950 --> 00:39:40,309
It was a good outing.

1204
00:39:40,310 --> 00:39:42,309
I was wide awake when I came home,

1205
00:39:42,310 --> 00:39:44,769
ready for breakfast, I tell you,

1206
00:39:44,770 --> 00:39:46,479
after doing that.

1207
00:39:46,480 --> 00:39:48,319
But my father taught me

1208
00:39:48,320 --> 00:39:50,080
to do that. Why, I don't know,

1209
00:39:51,100 --> 00:39:52,019
but he did.

1210
00:39:52,020 --> 00:39:53,399
And I thank him for it.

1211
00:39:53,400 --> 00:39:55,839
It was an interesting experience.

1212
00:39:55,840 --> 00:39:57,359
Just along those lines, this is one

1213
00:39:57,360 --> 00:39:58,499
of my first ones and I should have

1214
00:39:58,500 --> 00:40:00,599
done this earlier, but so

1215
00:40:00,600 --> 00:40:01,799
when you when we talk about

1216
00:40:01,800 --> 00:40:03,619
Christmas or circling back to that

1217
00:40:03,620 --> 00:40:05,519
and sound or smells,

1218
00:40:05,520 --> 00:40:07,279
what kind of sounds or smells do you

1219
00:40:07,280 --> 00:40:09,119
associate with Christmas or the

1220
00:40:09,120 --> 00:40:10,120
holiday?

1221
00:40:12,230 --> 00:40:14,049
Like, like the smells of

1222
00:40:14,050 --> 00:40:15,289
like certain like cookies or

1223
00:40:15,290 --> 00:40:16,290
whatever, or pies, or whatever.

1224
00:40:16,291 --> 00:40:17,709
Are you asking the sounds of

1225
00:40:17,710 --> 00:40:18,689
Christmas?

1226
00:40:18,690 --> 00:40:20,569
What smells do you associate

1227
00:40:20,570 --> 00:40:21,869
with Christmas like you remember

1228
00:40:21,870 --> 00:40:23,549
growing up of smells of your mom

1229
00:40:23,550 --> 00:40:25,289
cooking or

1230
00:40:25,290 --> 00:40:27,489
Well, I told you about my skis and

1231
00:40:27,490 --> 00:40:29,349
that particular smell,

1232
00:40:29,350 --> 00:40:31,229
but the smells of Christmas,

1233
00:40:32,250 --> 00:40:34,429
the Christmas tree itself

1234
00:40:34,430 --> 00:40:36,589
provided a litany

1235
00:40:36,590 --> 00:40:38,249
of sounds.

1236
00:40:38,250 --> 00:40:40,409
There's nothing for me that smells

1237
00:40:40,410 --> 00:40:42,269
better than a

1238
00:40:42,270 --> 00:40:44,089
freshly cut pine tree.

1239
00:40:45,110 --> 00:40:47,849
And to smell the ashes and

1240
00:40:47,850 --> 00:40:49,869
to smell that tree when you're

1241
00:40:49,870 --> 00:40:51,769
setting it up, that's so

1242
00:40:51,770 --> 00:40:52,749
special.

1243
00:40:52,750 --> 00:40:55,339
I haven't ever found anyone.

1244
00:40:55,340 --> 00:40:57,319
Able to create

1245
00:40:57,320 --> 00:40:59,619
artificially a smell

1246
00:40:59,620 --> 00:41:00,959
that's like that.

1247
00:41:00,960 --> 00:41:02,919
It's so special.

1248
00:41:02,920 --> 00:41:04,739
Other smells of Christmas would

1249
00:41:04,740 --> 00:41:05,740
be...

1250
00:41:07,220 --> 00:41:09,059
Oyster stew,

1251
00:41:09,060 --> 00:41:10,480
bubbling on the stove.

1252
00:41:12,300 --> 00:41:14,419
And that's kind of an interesting

1253
00:41:14,420 --> 00:41:15,499
smell.

1254
00:41:15,500 --> 00:41:17,219
The cookies that my mother had

1255
00:41:17,220 --> 00:41:19,179
prepared were always a

1256
00:41:19,180 --> 00:41:20,180
special smell.

1257
00:41:21,260 --> 00:41:22,679
And well, what else?

1258
00:41:23,900 --> 00:41:26,059
Winter itself had its own

1259
00:41:26,060 --> 00:41:28,179
smells, and you

1260
00:41:28,180 --> 00:41:30,139
can associate those with

1261
00:41:30,140 --> 00:41:31,899
Christmas because they're the

1262
00:41:31,900 --> 00:41:32,940
background for Christmas.

1263
00:41:34,090 --> 00:41:35,709
I think I have read one thing in

1264
00:41:35,710 --> 00:41:37,949
this book, just with

1265
00:41:37,950 --> 00:41:39,489
your mom baking and cooking.

1266
00:41:42,230 --> 00:41:43,929
I have this thing, and I don't quite

1267
00:41:43,930 --> 00:41:44,909
remember, but you can just tell me

1268
00:41:44,910 --> 00:41:46,489
the story. Tell me about how things

1269
00:41:46,490 --> 00:41:48,849
changed after,

1270
00:41:48,850 --> 00:41:50,049
did you read the light bulb?

1271
00:41:50,050 --> 00:41:50,289
Yeah.

1272
00:41:50,290 --> 00:41:51,029
Three, five.

1273
00:41:51,030 --> 00:41:51,969
Yeah, we're going to pause for a

1274
00:41:51,970 --> 00:41:52,970
second so I hear it.

1275
00:41:55,000 --> 00:41:56,000
We just have to replay.

1276
00:41:58,200 --> 00:41:59,259
I'm gonna cut.

1277
00:41:59,260 --> 00:42:00,519
Yep, great.

1278
00:42:00,520 --> 00:42:02,279
All right, both cameras rolling,

1279
00:42:02,280 --> 00:42:03,280
mark it.

1280
00:42:05,000 --> 00:42:06,000
And hold the focus.

1281
00:42:13,190 --> 00:42:14,249
Okay, we're set.

1282
00:42:14,250 --> 00:42:15,479
We're rolling whenever you're ready.

1283
00:42:15,480 --> 00:42:17,219
So, going back, and I think it was

1284
00:42:17,220 --> 00:42:18,779
probably this book that I read, and

1285
00:42:18,780 --> 00:42:20,159
this is a note I made, so you can

1286
00:42:20,160 --> 00:42:21,859
tell me more about it, talk about

1287
00:42:21,860 --> 00:42:23,739
how things changed after World War

1288
00:42:23,740 --> 00:42:25,259
II when your cousins came home

1289
00:42:25,260 --> 00:42:27,119
safely, and when your mom

1290
00:42:27,120 --> 00:42:28,739
could finally buy sugar again.

1291
00:42:31,460 --> 00:42:33,479
An interesting thing happened after

1292
00:42:33,480 --> 00:42:34,679
World War II.

1293
00:42:34,680 --> 00:42:36,100
Several interesting things, as a

1294
00:42:36,101 --> 00:42:37,101
matter of fact.

1295
00:42:37,940 --> 00:42:40,419
My mother was

1296
00:42:40,420 --> 00:42:41,859
a wonderful baker.

1297
00:42:43,260 --> 00:42:45,119
And World War Two required

1298
00:42:45,120 --> 00:42:47,739
everyone to ration

1299
00:42:47,740 --> 00:42:49,739
the amount of sugar they

1300
00:42:49,740 --> 00:42:51,219
could purchase.

1301
00:42:51,220 --> 00:42:53,179
And my mother was so put off by that

1302
00:42:53,180 --> 00:42:54,999
because she wanted to do all this

1303
00:42:55,000 --> 00:42:57,039
baking and no sugar.

1304
00:42:57,040 --> 00:42:58,779
We used sorghum.

1305
00:42:58,780 --> 00:42:59,999
We grew.

1306
00:43:00,000 --> 00:43:02,079
An acre of sorghum to

1307
00:43:02,080 --> 00:43:04,839
use it because it was a sweetener.

1308
00:43:04,840 --> 00:43:06,239
And that's another story.

1309
00:43:07,720 --> 00:43:09,739
But as World War

1310
00:43:09,740 --> 00:43:11,579
II ended, the first

1311
00:43:11,580 --> 00:43:13,759
thing my mother said to my dad,

1312
00:43:13,760 --> 00:43:15,599
you go downtown, Herman,

1313
00:43:15,600 --> 00:43:17,679
and I want you to purchase a hundred

1314
00:43:17,680 --> 00:43:19,479
pounds of sugar.

1315
00:43:19,480 --> 00:43:21,359
A hundred pounds?

1316
00:43:21,360 --> 00:43:23,399
A hundred pound.

1317
00:43:23,400 --> 00:43:25,259
And so my dad who

1318
00:43:25,260 --> 00:43:27,889
never said no to my mother.

1319
00:43:27,890 --> 00:43:29,909
Went to town and purchased

1320
00:43:29,910 --> 00:43:31,789
a hundred pounds of

1321
00:43:31,790 --> 00:43:33,689
sugar and stored

1322
00:43:33,690 --> 00:43:35,190
it in our attic,

1323
00:43:36,230 --> 00:43:38,269
which was there when we sold

1324
00:43:38,270 --> 00:43:39,270
the place.

1325
00:43:41,630 --> 00:43:43,529
But she was really upset.

1326
00:43:43,530 --> 00:43:44,889
The other thing, of course, that I

1327
00:43:44,890 --> 00:43:46,669
should mention, because it made such

1328
00:43:46,670 --> 00:43:49,029
a difference for Christmas,

1329
00:43:49,030 --> 00:43:50,030
was electricity.

1330
00:43:50,990 --> 00:43:53,369
In 1947, we

1331
00:43:53,370 --> 00:43:54,829
got electricity.

1332
00:43:54,830 --> 00:43:56,690
And that meant Christmas lights.

1333
00:43:57,890 --> 00:43:59,749
All kinds of things changed.

1334
00:43:59,750 --> 00:44:01,049
Different presents.

1335
00:44:01,050 --> 00:44:03,209
It was a very interesting

1336
00:44:03,210 --> 00:44:04,210
time.

1337
00:44:05,780 --> 00:44:06,780
World War II ended.

1338
00:44:08,240 --> 00:44:10,119
Tell me about any experiences you

1339
00:44:10,120 --> 00:44:12,119
had or seen Santa

1340
00:44:12,120 --> 00:44:13,120
Claus.

1341
00:44:14,430 --> 00:44:15,430
Well,

1342
00:44:16,770 --> 00:44:18,609
one of the interesting things that

1343
00:44:18,610 --> 00:44:20,469
happened, we'd see Santa

1344
00:44:20,470 --> 00:44:22,809
Claus twice usually.

1345
00:44:22,810 --> 00:44:25,029
Once at the country school when

1346
00:44:25,030 --> 00:44:26,949
he ran around twice, jingling

1347
00:44:26,950 --> 00:44:29,029
the bells, that's

1348
00:44:29,030 --> 00:44:30,269
one time.

1349
00:44:30,270 --> 00:44:32,409
And the second time,

1350
00:44:32,410 --> 00:44:34,749
the Wild Rose merchants would

1351
00:44:34,750 --> 00:44:37,449
organize a

1352
00:44:37,450 --> 00:44:39,610
time when they would give

1353
00:44:40,730 --> 00:44:43,209
presents to kids and

1354
00:44:43,210 --> 00:44:45,279
Santa was there to do that.

1355
00:44:45,280 --> 00:44:47,859
And the present was usually

1356
00:44:47,860 --> 00:44:49,899
a cookie and maybe

1357
00:44:49,900 --> 00:44:50,900
an apple.

1358
00:44:52,490 --> 00:44:54,169
That was the little present in a

1359
00:44:54,170 --> 00:44:54,949
sack.

1360
00:44:54,950 --> 00:44:56,969
And that was the two times

1361
00:44:56,970 --> 00:44:58,549
he saw Santa.

1362
00:44:58,550 --> 00:45:00,469
And it wasn't long before we knew

1363
00:45:00,470 --> 00:45:02,709
that Santa was kind of a fakey

1364
00:45:02,710 --> 00:45:04,409
guy, not real.

1365
00:45:04,410 --> 00:45:06,329
Ha ha ha ha.

1366
00:45:06,330 --> 00:45:08,269
My brothers and I were great

1367
00:45:08,270 --> 00:45:10,149
detectives. We were always looking

1368
00:45:10,150 --> 00:45:12,169
behind the scenes to see what

1369
00:45:12,170 --> 00:45:13,649
really was going on.

1370
00:45:13,650 --> 00:45:16,069
This didn't really seem real.

1371
00:45:16,070 --> 00:45:17,949
This guy's whiskers were slipping.

1372
00:45:17,950 --> 00:45:20,489
And people,

1373
00:45:20,490 --> 00:45:23,219
Sanis, real Sanis.

1374
00:45:23,220 --> 00:45:25,139
Whiskers don't slip for heaven's

1375
00:45:25,140 --> 00:45:26,459
sakes.

1376
00:45:26,460 --> 00:45:27,460
Ah, yes.

1377
00:45:28,410 --> 00:45:30,489
So I'll go back to food briefly

1378
00:45:30,490 --> 00:45:31,449
and then we're going to start

1379
00:45:31,450 --> 00:45:32,909
wrapping it up with just some

1380
00:45:32,910 --> 00:45:34,229
generic.

1381
00:45:34,230 --> 00:45:35,769
So I know you did oyster stew on

1382
00:45:35,770 --> 00:45:37,569
Christmas Eve. Did you do anything

1383
00:45:37,570 --> 00:45:39,449
special for Christmas dinner or

1384
00:45:39,450 --> 00:45:41,169
did you go anywhere when you went

1385
00:45:41,170 --> 00:45:43,419
for Christmas, any relatives help?

1386
00:45:43,420 --> 00:45:46,259
On Christmas Day,

1387
00:45:46,260 --> 00:45:48,399
sometimes we would go to

1388
00:45:48,400 --> 00:45:50,759
visit, I remember clearly,

1389
00:45:50,760 --> 00:45:52,859
my Uncle Ed at

1390
00:45:52,860 --> 00:45:54,779
his place on East of

1391
00:45:54,780 --> 00:45:56,639
Wildrose for Christmas dinner.

1392
00:45:59,310 --> 00:46:01,369
My mother just didn't like

1393
00:46:01,370 --> 00:46:03,509
to do that because Uncle

1394
00:46:03,510 --> 00:46:05,249
Ed was so goddamn poor.

1395
00:46:05,250 --> 00:46:07,169
You came in the kitchen

1396
00:46:07,170 --> 00:46:09,029
door and there was a dead raccoon

1397
00:46:09,030 --> 00:46:10,969
laying out on the side,

1398
00:46:10,970 --> 00:46:12,469
and my mother would take one look at

1399
00:46:12,470 --> 00:46:14,089
that and say, good golly, we're

1400
00:46:14,090 --> 00:46:15,909
gonna have a raccoon for dinner,

1401
00:46:15,910 --> 00:46:17,809
and she didn't liked

1402
00:46:17,810 --> 00:46:19,429
Uncle Ed's stuff.

1403
00:46:19,430 --> 00:46:22,389
Uncle Ed, was a

1404
00:46:22,390 --> 00:46:23,249
true native.

1405
00:46:23,250 --> 00:46:25,009
He lived off of nothing.

1406
00:46:25,010 --> 00:46:27,109
They were so goddamn poors.

1407
00:46:27,110 --> 00:46:29,069
But my dad said, we will go

1408
00:46:29,070 --> 00:46:31,349
there and eat with them because he's

1409
00:46:31,350 --> 00:46:32,350
my brother.

1410
00:46:33,150 --> 00:46:35,289
The other time on Christmas

1411
00:46:35,290 --> 00:46:37,229
day was when

1412
00:46:37,230 --> 00:46:39,589
my mother would invite her family

1413
00:46:39,590 --> 00:46:41,489
to eat with us.

1414
00:46:41,490 --> 00:46:43,529
And that was quite a quite a

1415
00:46:43,530 --> 00:46:44,709
different experience.

1416
00:46:44,710 --> 00:46:46,449
There were no dead raccoons laying

1417
00:46:46,450 --> 00:46:48,709
inside the door.

1418
00:46:48,710 --> 00:46:50,609
No dead anything.

1419
00:46:50,610 --> 00:46:52,649
It was just a very nice meal

1420
00:46:52,650 --> 00:46:54,669
prepared for our

1421
00:46:54,670 --> 00:46:56,959
aunts and the kids.

1422
00:46:56,960 --> 00:46:59,439
And it was a good time.

1423
00:46:59,440 --> 00:47:00,840
Did you guys go to church on?

1424
00:47:02,700 --> 00:47:04,599
You know, I don't think we went

1425
00:47:04,600 --> 00:47:05,959
on Christmas Day.

1426
00:47:05,960 --> 00:47:07,919
We would go on

1427
00:47:07,920 --> 00:47:09,159
Christmas Eve.

1428
00:47:09,160 --> 00:47:11,279
We were not good churchgoers

1429
00:47:11,280 --> 00:47:13,379
to, I would be very,

1430
00:47:13,380 --> 00:47:15,659
I would telling a

1431
00:47:15,660 --> 00:47:17,759
lie if I said we were.

1432
00:47:17,760 --> 00:47:18,939
But Christmas Eve, we would

1433
00:47:18,940 --> 00:47:21,019
generally go, and I

1434
00:47:21,020 --> 00:47:22,939
can't remember that we, sometimes on

1435
00:47:22,940 --> 00:47:25,079
Christmas day as we got older,

1436
00:47:25,080 --> 00:47:27,119
but one of the problems was that

1437
00:47:27,120 --> 00:47:28,939
we did not have, this is

1438
00:47:28,940 --> 00:47:30,799
my mother talking now, We

1439
00:47:30,800 --> 00:47:32,360
did not have our church.

1440
00:47:33,370 --> 00:47:35,309
Yet in wild rose,

1441
00:47:35,310 --> 00:47:37,349
meaning we did not yet have

1442
00:47:37,350 --> 00:47:40,029
a German Lutheran Church.

1443
00:47:40,030 --> 00:47:41,769
The Lutherans were all divided up.

1444
00:47:41,770 --> 00:47:43,149
There were Norwegian Lutherans,

1445
00:47:43,150 --> 00:47:44,769
Swedish Lutherans and German

1446
00:47:44,770 --> 00:47:46,209
Lutherans.

1447
00:47:46,210 --> 00:47:48,449
And it was something you just not,

1448
00:47:48,450 --> 00:47:49,889
you wouldn't go to it.

1449
00:47:49,890 --> 00:47:51,349
Why would you go to a Norwegian

1450
00:47:51,350 --> 00:47:52,209
Church?

1451
00:47:52,210 --> 00:47:54,329
They would, oh, finally

1452
00:47:54,330 --> 00:47:56,329
in 1947, 41,

1453
00:47:56,330 --> 00:47:58,529
we got a German-Lutheran

1454
00:47:58,530 --> 00:48:00,389
Church and then we went church more

1455
00:48:00,390 --> 00:48:03,289
often because her pastor

1456
00:48:03,290 --> 00:48:05,729
was now there, speaking one

1457
00:48:05,730 --> 00:48:08,009
of the sermons in Charmin.

1458
00:48:08,010 --> 00:48:09,969
And my dad thought, I'm not going to

1459
00:48:09,970 --> 00:48:12,389
listen to this Charmin Christ

1460
00:48:12,390 --> 00:48:14,129
trying to speak English when he

1461
00:48:14,130 --> 00:48:15,130
can't.

1462
00:48:16,740 --> 00:48:18,639
What were some of the other German

1463
00:48:18,640 --> 00:48:21,059
traditions that your parents brought

1464
00:48:21,060 --> 00:48:22,440
to Christmas?

1465
00:48:23,700 --> 00:48:24,860
Were there any certain ones?

1466
00:48:26,040 --> 00:48:27,799
Other traditions that the Germans

1467
00:48:27,800 --> 00:48:29,799
brought, I don't

1468
00:48:29,800 --> 00:48:31,119
think of any right off hand.

1469
00:48:31,120 --> 00:48:32,619
There probably are some.

1470
00:48:32,620 --> 00:48:33,939
Why don't you just talk about,

1471
00:48:33,940 --> 00:48:35,919
again, you mentioned it

1472
00:48:35,920 --> 00:48:37,759
earlier, the traditions that you

1473
00:48:37,760 --> 00:48:40,219
had, that you brought to

1474
00:48:40,220 --> 00:48:42,039
your marriage and that

1475
00:48:42,040 --> 00:48:43,799
Ruth brought, the difference between

1476
00:48:43,800 --> 00:48:44,159
them.

1477
00:48:44,160 --> 00:48:45,979
Well, the differences were great

1478
00:48:45,980 --> 00:48:47,959
in that Ruth's

1479
00:48:47,960 --> 00:48:50,359
traditions were far more

1480
00:48:50,360 --> 00:48:52,579
religious-based than

1481
00:48:52,580 --> 00:48:54,739
were ours from our family.

1482
00:48:56,460 --> 00:48:58,999
And Ruth's Christmas, and

1483
00:48:59,000 --> 00:49:00,859
you'll find out about this

1484
00:49:00,860 --> 00:49:02,799
later, I'm sure, she was celebrated

1485
00:49:02,800 --> 00:49:05,019
on the second day, on

1486
00:49:05,020 --> 00:49:07,079
the 26th, and

1487
00:49:07,080 --> 00:49:09,139
that was foreign to us.

1488
00:49:09,140 --> 00:49:11,099
We celebrated on

1489
00:49:11,100 --> 00:49:12,329
25.

1490
00:49:12,330 --> 00:49:14,169
On the 25th, as most

1491
00:49:14,170 --> 00:49:15,289
people did.

1492
00:49:15,290 --> 00:49:17,969
But she had the

1493
00:49:17,970 --> 00:49:20,049
Norwegian tradition for Christmas

1494
00:49:20,050 --> 00:49:22,169
as Ruth's

1495
00:49:22,170 --> 00:49:24,129
family celebrated it

1496
00:49:24,130 --> 00:49:26,049
was far,

1497
00:49:26,050 --> 00:49:28,369
far more elaborate than

1498
00:49:28,370 --> 00:49:29,609
ours.

1499
00:49:29,610 --> 00:49:32,109
And I think part of that was

1500
00:49:32,110 --> 00:49:34,329
the fact that we

1501
00:49:34,330 --> 00:49:37,229
could afford it as it just,

1502
00:49:37,230 --> 00:49:39,109
and it's kind of embarrassing when

1503
00:49:39,110 --> 00:49:40,649
people can't afford something, They

1504
00:49:40,650 --> 00:49:42,639
don't want to let you know that.

1505
00:49:42,640 --> 00:49:44,659
But I my folks never

1506
00:49:44,660 --> 00:49:46,639
said I can't buy that for it,

1507
00:49:46,640 --> 00:49:48,699
but they meant that So

1508
00:49:48,700 --> 00:49:50,799
that's that's a little bit of the

1509
00:49:50,800 --> 00:49:53,399
of the difference of why they're

1510
00:49:53,400 --> 00:49:55,319
they're probably more far

1511
00:49:55,320 --> 00:49:57,959
more German songs

1512
00:49:57,960 --> 00:49:59,939
and other things that were

1513
00:49:59,940 --> 00:50:01,759
brought here and were practiced

1514
00:50:01,760 --> 00:50:03,939
but Not not

1515
00:50:03,940 --> 00:50:04,940
yet

1516
00:50:05,400 --> 00:50:08,039
Were you able to,

1517
00:50:08,040 --> 00:50:09,899
as you two

1518
00:50:09,900 --> 00:50:11,799
celebrated Christmas for you and

1519
00:50:11,800 --> 00:50:13,400
Ruth, how were you,

1520
00:50:14,640 --> 00:50:15,999
I'm sure you were able to.

1521
00:50:16,000 --> 00:50:17,479
Yes, the answer is yes. How were you

1522
00:50:17,480 --> 00:50:19,199
able or what traditions did you guys

1523
00:50:19,200 --> 00:50:20,079
use to combine?

1524
00:50:20,080 --> 00:50:21,200
Like, I am going to bring this, my

1525
00:50:21,201 --> 00:50:23,099
German part of this, but

1526
00:50:23,100 --> 00:50:24,799
Ruth brought this and you made your

1527
00:50:24,800 --> 00:50:26,359
own family tradition.

1528
00:50:26,360 --> 00:50:26,579
You're unique.

1529
00:50:26,580 --> 00:50:28,399
Well we really

1530
00:50:28,400 --> 00:50:30,519
didn't do any of that.

1531
00:50:30,520 --> 00:50:32,639
As far as I'm concerned,

1532
00:50:32,640 --> 00:50:34,679
as I remember, not concerned,

1533
00:50:34,680 --> 00:50:37,959
I remember we kept,

1534
00:50:37,960 --> 00:50:39,479
Ruth's traditions were here, our

1535
00:50:39,480 --> 00:50:40,899
traditions, the few we had were

1536
00:50:40,900 --> 00:50:43,019
here. And I don't remember there was

1537
00:50:43,020 --> 00:50:45,499
anything that would have been fun,

1538
00:50:45,500 --> 00:50:47,999
as I think about it now, to do that.

1539
00:50:48,000 --> 00:50:49,320
But I don't recall that we did.

1540
00:50:51,000 --> 00:50:52,899
Why do you think it, okay this

1541
00:50:52,900 --> 00:50:54,779
is just a generic one, why

1542
00:50:54,780 --> 00:50:56,039
is celebrating the holidays

1543
00:50:56,040 --> 00:50:57,919
important as a family?

1544
00:50:57,920 --> 00:50:59,000
Why is that important?

1545
00:51:02,100 --> 00:51:03,340
As I recall,

1546
00:51:05,380 --> 00:51:07,239
the celebrations that we

1547
00:51:07,240 --> 00:51:09,159
had, Christmas and

1548
00:51:09,160 --> 00:51:11,119
Thanksgiving, were

1549
00:51:11,120 --> 00:51:13,079
so important to bring the

1550
00:51:13,080 --> 00:51:15,419
family together because

1551
00:51:15,420 --> 00:51:17,759
one of the things my father and

1552
00:51:17,760 --> 00:51:19,859
my mother and Ruth's

1553
00:51:19,860 --> 00:51:22,219
folks as well felt strongly

1554
00:51:22,220 --> 00:51:24,139
about was

1555
00:51:24,140 --> 00:51:26,079
family and family

1556
00:51:26,080 --> 00:51:28,320
traditions should continue.

1557
00:51:30,400 --> 00:51:32,599
And that goes back

1558
00:51:32,600 --> 00:51:34,419
to thinking about

1559
00:51:34,420 --> 00:51:36,559
rural communities.

1560
00:51:36,560 --> 00:51:38,419
And the fact that rural

1561
00:51:38,420 --> 00:51:40,539
America was made up

1562
00:51:40,540 --> 00:51:42,779
of families who were

1563
00:51:42,780 --> 00:51:44,099
sometimes struggling,

1564
00:51:45,420 --> 00:51:47,619
but mostly keeping together.

1565
00:51:48,680 --> 00:51:50,699
Family was foundational

1566
00:51:50,700 --> 00:51:52,599
for

1567
00:51:52,600 --> 00:51:54,519
the history of this

1568
00:51:54,520 --> 00:51:55,520
country.

1569
00:51:56,360 --> 00:51:58,379
And my judgment, no

1570
00:51:58,380 --> 00:51:59,380
question about it.

1571
00:52:00,410 --> 00:52:02,289
Families and we work

1572
00:52:02,290 --> 00:52:04,469
at it together, some of us,

1573
00:52:04,470 --> 00:52:05,929
to keep families together because

1574
00:52:05,930 --> 00:52:08,349
that's the foundation not

1575
00:52:08,350 --> 00:52:10,509
only for who we are but

1576
00:52:10,510 --> 00:52:12,269
who the community, what the

1577
00:52:12,270 --> 00:52:13,270
community is.

1578
00:52:14,480 --> 00:52:16,299
Why don't we reflect just a little

1579
00:52:16,300 --> 00:52:18,459
bit as we're wrapping up today what

1580
00:52:18,460 --> 00:52:20,619
your general overwhelmed sense

1581
00:52:20,620 --> 00:52:22,759
of as a boy when Christmas

1582
00:52:22,760 --> 00:52:24,999
time came and how is

1583
00:52:25,000 --> 00:52:26,319
it still there today?

1584
00:52:26,320 --> 00:52:27,749
Say that again.

1585
00:52:27,750 --> 00:52:29,569
What feeling did you, when you knew

1586
00:52:29,570 --> 00:52:31,469
Christmas was coming as a boy,

1587
00:52:31,470 --> 00:52:32,889
tell me some of those feelings you

1588
00:52:32,890 --> 00:52:35,309
had about that and do you still have

1589
00:52:35,310 --> 00:52:37,389
those types of feelings today when

1590
00:52:37,390 --> 00:52:38,489
Christmas comes around?

1591
00:52:38,490 --> 00:52:40,309
Yes, do I have the same

1592
00:52:40,310 --> 00:52:42,149
feelings today toward

1593
00:52:42,150 --> 00:52:43,529
Christmas that I had when I was a

1594
00:52:43,530 --> 00:52:44,509
youngster?

1595
00:52:44,510 --> 00:52:47,049
And here, I am now 91 years old.

1596
00:52:47,050 --> 00:52:49,349
And I do have exactly

1597
00:52:49,350 --> 00:52:51,569
those same feelings.

1598
00:52:51,570 --> 00:52:53,789
Christmas is important to me.

1599
00:52:53,790 --> 00:52:55,709
It's a chance for me to see my

1600
00:52:55,710 --> 00:52:58,689
grandsons and their new wives.

1601
00:52:58,690 --> 00:53:00,629
It's the chance for to see

1602
00:53:00,630 --> 00:53:02,509
my great-grandsons,

1603
00:53:02,510 --> 00:53:03,969
my gosh.

1604
00:53:03,970 --> 00:53:06,029
And it's just wonderful to

1605
00:53:06,030 --> 00:53:08,109
see how the family

1606
00:53:08,110 --> 00:53:10,709
is now expanding and

1607
00:53:10,710 --> 00:53:12,809
yet they see the importance too

1608
00:53:12,810 --> 00:53:14,869
of coming together and

1609
00:53:14,870 --> 00:53:16,969
sharing and letting us know

1610
00:53:16,970 --> 00:53:18,789
that yes we are a part

1611
00:53:18,790 --> 00:53:21,669
of this Aps family and

1612
00:53:21,670 --> 00:53:24,909
I'm so proud of that.

1613
00:53:24,910 --> 00:53:26,449
It makes me feel so good.

1614
00:53:28,260 --> 00:53:29,179
That's beautiful.

1615
00:53:29,180 --> 00:53:31,299
That's just a wonderful cherry does

1616
00:53:31,300 --> 00:53:32,679
anyone else have anything we feel

1617
00:53:32,680 --> 00:53:33,959
like we should cover otherwise I

1618
00:53:33,960 --> 00:53:36,199
think that's a great place to stop

1619
00:53:36,200 --> 00:53:37,799
Yeah That's awesome.

1620
00:53:37,800 --> 00:53:38,959
You did so great Jerry.

1621
00:53:38,960 --> 00:53:40,019
Thank you. Thank. You.

1622
00:53:40,020 --> 00:53:42,039
Thank You I don't know you did great

1623
00:53:42,040 --> 00:53:42,879
you did awesome.

1624
00:53:42,880 --> 00:53:43,699
It was wonderful.

1625
00:53:43,700 --> 00:53:44,929
I couldn't ask for more so

1626
00:53:44,930 --> 00:53:46,809
Some of this stuff gets me pretty

1627
00:53:46,810 --> 00:53:47,810
emotional.

1628
00:53:49,750 --> 00:53:51,149
That's the feeling a lot of people

1629
00:53:51,150 --> 00:53:52,969
do when you talk about Christmas you

1630
00:53:52,970 --> 00:53:54,849
get that warm feeling that makes you

1631
00:53:54,850 --> 00:53:56,689
you know I mean my both my

1632
00:53:56,690 --> 00:53:58,109
parents are gone now, and so that's

1633
00:53:58,110 --> 00:53:59,849
even more special for me.

1634
00:53:59,850 --> 00:54:01,429
I'm gonna get around my sister sure

1635
00:54:01,430 --> 00:54:02,430
mine

1636
00:54:04,430 --> 00:54:05,430
No, it's it

1637
00:54:06,830 --> 00:54:08,689
I can't say enough about the

1638
00:54:08,690 --> 00:54:10,049
importance of family, as you can

1639
00:54:10,050 --> 00:54:10,379
tell.

1640
00:54:10,380 --> 00:54:12,039
Yes, it is, and it's going to be

1641
00:54:12,040 --> 00:54:13,199
great because I'm going to love to

1642
00:54:13,200 --> 00:54:14,639
get you and Susie tomorrow just

1643
00:54:14,640 --> 00:54:15,419
talking about that.

1644
00:54:15,420 --> 00:54:16,279
You're just going to make everybody

1645
00:54:16,280 --> 00:54:18,439
cry. I know, it's gonna be great.

1646
00:54:18,440 --> 00:54:19,839
Oh, I know.

1647
00:54:19,840 --> 00:54:21,319
I'm sorry when he did that, I mean

1648
00:54:21,320 --> 00:54:22,119
it got me.

1649
00:54:22,120 --> 00:54:23,939
And I'm like, oh, that's going be so

1650
00:54:23,940 --> 00:54:24,940
good at the show.

1651
00:54:26,120 --> 00:54:27,339
It's going make everybody crying.

1652
00:54:27,340 --> 00:54:28,999
Alright, we're going to start, yeah,

1653
00:54:29,000 --> 00:54:30,859
dismantling so we don't

1654
00:54:30,860 --> 00:54:31,860
trip over anything.

1655
00:54:32,890 --> 00:54:34,989
Can we do, can you

1656
00:54:34,990 --> 00:54:36,369
slate me for a room tone?

1657
00:54:36,370 --> 00:54:36,850
Oh, room tone.

1658
00:54:36,851 --> 00:54:37,860
Oh, OK, we have to do it.

1659
00:54:39,020 --> 00:54:40,020
Have a good day.

1660
00:54:40,830 --> 00:54:41,830
Okay, go for it.

1661
00:55:05,190 --> 00:55:06,129
Okay, great.

1662
00:55:06,130 --> 00:55:07,130
Perfect.