The Kinfolk (repost with photos)

Maybe ya want to know a little more about the kinfolk. Course there were Ma and Daddy, then me, then two little sisters. Daddy drove truck over the road and wasn't around much. So chores and things were pretty much up to ma and me.

                             That's me on the end by daddy and mom's holding Jan. Our collie dog, Lady is in front.

My next youngest sister was bornd crippled. Daddy was gone when she was born and ma had her all by herself. Course, I was there, but at 3, probly wasn't much help.

Ma always blamed herself for Jan bein like she was, or the moon phase, or some other such silly nonsense. Ma always babied her and took things away from the rest of us if Jan wanted it.

Then the county nurse, they came to the house back in them days, found some help for Jan. If we took her all the way to this one hospital, they could get her a wheelchair, and maybe even some braces so she could walk.

Them doctors down there found all sorts of stuff messed up inside Jan. They said it was a wonder she had even survived. They did get her a nice wheelchair, but the braces just didn't work. Jan's skin was so sensitive that the braces would rub it right off a her.

They did straighten her out right nice. See she was bornd in a sittin position and couldn't never straighten herself out. They also gave her a bunch of new blood and boy, did she ever pink right up.

Anyway, Jan never came home anymore, exceptin at holidays or maybe a weekend once in awhile.

We was a little luckier when the youngest sister was bornd. Daddy was home and she got to be bornd in a hospital. I got to stay with Granma and Granpa and got to name her. I was really into Shirley Temple movies back then, when I got a chance to see some TV. So guess what I named her? That was too easy weren't it. Yep, Shirley.

Speaking of TV, see we had no electricity or runnin water or none of those nice things back where we lived. So course, no TV. But on weekends and summers when I got to spend time with Granma and Granpa, oh boy, did I watch me some TV. I remember Sky King, and Fury. And Granpa loved to watch the wrestlin. I'd sit on his lap and watch it too, though sometimes I'd have to cover my eyes.

Granma was always in the kitchen cookin somethin up. Boy, her pies were the bestest around. And her chicken and biscuits and gravy, yum, yum! Daddy would always tease ma that she sure couldn't make biscuits like Granma. He always said ma's were hard as those rocks we was always a pickin.

Cepting for granma and granpa's house, we never much went anywheres. Ma had never learnt to drive, so when Daddy was gone, we was like just stuck. Our driveway was bout a mile long and it only led to another ole deserted country road. No body lived no wheres around us. We was just out by ourselves in them hills.

I member a time or two, we went all the ways to the big city where ma was bornd to visit some of her kin. Man, she had a passel of 'em. Granma and Granpa C and Aunts and Uncles and cousins. But we never got real close to none of them cuz they were so far away. Then most of em died afor I got growed up big.

That's ma on the left in back, Aunt Elaine is next, then Granpa and Granma C., Aunt Mrytle is in front of them, then Uncle Bud and Aunt Darlene, and Aunt Bonnie down in front. Aunt Darlene is the only one still living.

Daddy had him one sister that lived a piece away, but they didn't get along so good. So holidays at Granma's house was bout the only time got to see that part of the family.

                                             Daddy holding the camera, ma behind him, Uncle Hi in plaid shirt and Aunt Ruth holding me.

He had had him a brother once too, but he died in a car crash fore any of us were born. Daddy was just a younun then too. Daddy always did have a scar on his forehead from that very crash though. Seems he was sittin in the middle and the rear view mirror darn near scalped him.

Even with all them sisters and a brother that ma had, she had her a sister that died way for any of us was around. Even before any of the rest of her family was bornd. But we all went to see her grave once. Had a nice little stone with an angel on it. Granma C and one of ma's other sister's was buried right there next to her.

Somethin really weird about Granma and Granpa C, Granma had only one leg and Granpa had only one arm. I think that is really strange to be all in one family like that. Granma lost her leg to the sugar, and she was blind from that too. Granpa used to work for the county drivin a truck and one day he had the dump part of it up, he reached under to get his shovel out and 'boom' that thing come down and took his arm right off.

Granma did always wear her leg, ceptin she took it off and leaned it in the corner at night. But Granpa never would wear his fake arm. I member one time going to visit after Granma was gone, he had it hangin on the wall. Like a trophy or somethin.