October 19, 1990: Ray and Aileen here in p.m. They came for a reunion of Aileen's cousins at Neligh."
I don't recall the apricot tree west of the house being a big producer, but I do vaguely remember the one north of the house. Seems it was barely outside the back door. Experts say the sense of smell is the most tied to nostalgia and I do associate the smell of apricots with going out that door. I also vaguely remember being quite upset that the tree had to be cut down. I am sure there was a very good reason, it was probably dead or dying. I also remember canned apricots. Sometimes I had to go to the basement to get canned goods. It was not my favorite place to go when I was young. It had a dirt floor and was rather dark and closed in and I didn't like the spiderwebs. Oh, and there was an opening in the wall on one side as you went down the stairs. I imagined all kinds of horrible things living in there and waiting to get me. But none ever did and when I got older, the basement wasn't scary anymore.
I need to grab the other family history book to get the low down on Uncle Ray. I remember him only as a great uncle and not as a young man. The only thing I can report with certainty is that when he died (in his 90's), the only medication he was taking was an aspirin a day and he was buried in his wedding suit. He is the only person in the family tree that I can figure Mitch gets his tall, lanky physique from. If that is the case, I certainly hope he gets Uncle Ray's good health genes.
The photo is of me. Someone who never has been and never will be tall and lanky.
Actually Uncle Ray was 93, the same age as Mom and Daddy when they died. Grandma Anna was just 3 months shy of 93.
ReplyDeleteI must say, I am quite appreciative of those tall and lanky genes. My fingers are crossed on the healthy genes, as well.
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