This site is best viewed using Mozilla Firefox browser.

Nostalgia

2008-10-01 08:48:00

Remember

Question: We read your column each month. You have so many stories, people and businesses in your articles that most of us don’t think about any more. The memories are refreshing. How about some November and Thanksgiving memories when you were a child?

Answer: What a nice compliment! Thank you for the question. I lived on Palisade. I remember walking home from Harry Street School past a huge white house that really stood out when the trees had lost their leaves. It was beautiful all year, but in November when the trees lost their leaves, the house really seemed to come alive. You could see the roof, the windows and the stately porticos on top. You could see the entire structure. The house was so striking to a 9 year old boy. I actually would stop and wonder what it would be like to live in a house that large. I don’t know who owned it. Perhaps by my description, one of you readers out there may know. If so, let me know. Other recollections I have are regarding the rapid change in temperature and the huge deep snows we would get back then. We got them in November. It doesn’t seem like it works like that any longer. We used to get much more snow accumulation than we do now. Maybe it seemed that way because at this time of my life, kids still walked to school and the snow was over the top of my rubber overshoes. Cars had to be equipped with chains. You don’t see those much anymore in Wichita. Some were the type that covered the whole wheel and many just had the smaller snap on chains. Even now if I think, I can hear the noise of the cars grinding to get out of their driveway, or just being stuck…even with chains. I suppose the fondest memory I have of November is going to my grandparents farm near Freeport. My dad had a large family and everyone would come. Most were farmers living in the area. We came from Wichita because my father was a paint contractor. Each family brought food for a M A J O R Thanksgiving family reunion. This would not usually occur right on Thanksgiving day because most of us would have our own family dinners that we would celebrate in our homes on Thanksgiving day. But in the next day or so we would come together as an entire family and see the preparation of the huge tables of all kinds of great creations those wonderful ladies had prepared. It was a feast that I have yet to see matched. Besides the turkey, there were other various meats that they had butchered themselves at their own farms. The potatoes were mashed, sweet, fried, shredded and cheezed. There were various dressings all passed down through the years, and an entourage of vegetable dishes. Then, topping off everything was a barrage of desserts that would make most dieters have nightmares through Christmas. All were made with whole milk, heavy farm cream, and lots of real sugar, whether brown, white or powdered. Frostings and toppings on cakes and pies. It just could not have been better. At the end of the day, following the kids performing badly with their various instruments and off key singing, would be the passing through the many stories of memories of the family that occurred through the years. At the end of the evening, we would load the food that was left and also place the added weight we all had gained through the day into our cars and drive home. The kids were all asleep in the back seat. Mom and Dad were always so happy that the entire family could get together at my grandparents’ farm home. hese are just a few of my memories of November as a nine year old boy. I am sure you all have many wonderful memories of your days during those early years too. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and upcoming holiday season.