This Old House

This house is located on Adams St. in Stillwater. Ok.

Pictures can bring back so many memories. My family was living in this house when I reached my 16th birthday. There were two little one room houses  behind this house and a pen. My brother Ray had a horse in the pen. He called the horse Sox because the horse wore white anklets as I called them. Ray always said, " They are not anklets they're socks".

The other shed was used for a laundry room. My Mom went into the business of doing laundry for the many service men that were stationed there during WW11. This was before clothes washers and dryers as we know them today. Everything was hung on a  clothes line to dry. She had an electric clothes washer with a ringer to ring the item with. She spent many hours standing by an ironing board ironing the uniforms. Dad had a job with the city driving the street sweeper and also spent time in the Fall working with the threshing crews when it was harvest time. Most of the time he was also the Preacher of the church they were attending. We moved from there because the landlord wanted to move into the house as I recall. My little sister, Carol was born when we lived in this house. She was the 8th child my mother gave birth to. All the births were home births except the last one. They all had a doctor assisting the birth except the one born in a hospital. A nurse ignored my mother when she told her the baby was coming and told her it would be hours before the baby will be born. She went on her merry way and mom gave birth all alone without anyone. When Dad got through discussing it with the head of the hospital it was decided there would be no charge.
They were the start of a very large Lockwood family. I know all of us are very grateful for Dennis and Letha Lockwood. 

Reasons for Dropping out of Church

 

One couple attended morning church very faithfully. She was wheel chair bound, and her husband would push the chair. One morning as they were going down the sloped aisle to their pew, the husband became distracted, and took his hands off the chair momentarily; it took off down the aisle like a speed boat. He realized the mistake and did the 20 yard dash in 3 seconds flat, and saved his wife from crashing into the altar.

They never again returned to church. I watched for his obituary after that, but I guess she didn’t kill him.

One time a woman was strolling down the aisle with the tail of her dress caught up in her underwear. Finally a lady leaped from her seat and did the 10 foot distance in one enormous giant flying step, and pulled her dress down for her. The lady with the dress problem never came to church after that.

One time a Good Samaritan volunteered weeks of her time organizing the church library.

Taking each book down, and making sure all books were in the correct order. The next week it was announced that the church would no longer have a library as that area would be included in the children’s nursery. The lady never again set foot in the church.

One time sitting in the pew in front of me was a lady and her teenage son. After the sermon droned on for quite some time the boy leaned over to his mother and in a whisper much louder than he realized asked, “When is that airbag going to finish?” I’m not sure if the teen was ever able to return to church or not.

One time I fell asleep during the sermon, and woke up suddenly when I heard music. Everyone was standing; I jumped to my feet, grabbed my bible, opened it and began singing. I don’t think anyone noticed it was the bible, and not the songbook.  I didn't either at first.

I have been debating whether to name this “Reasons for dropping out of church”

or “Things I miss about church”.