I was so fortunate to have many aunts, uncles and cousins in my family. I loved them all, but there was an uncle who became my favorite. Uncle Jim was as loving as any father could be. Unfortunately he and my Aunt Marie had no children of their own. When I was eight, my father moved us to from Pennsylvania to Florida and I missed my aunt and uncle terribly. I was always so happy to visit with them every summer.
Uncle Jim worked in the steel mills all of his working life. He worked the swing shift, so his hours changed weekly. It was wonderful when he was working the day shift, because we could spend so much more time together. He loved to go to the local baseball games and fortunately there was a playground in the park. I could spend my time partly on the bleachers with him or… at the playground on the swings, slides and seesaws or on the monkey bars that I loved. Of course there was always five cents available for a Popsicle.
In the late 40’s and early 50’, my grandparents and three of my aunts lived in the big house next to my Aunt Marie and Uncle Jim’s little house. They shared a large yard, a grape arbor and a summer vegetable and flower garden. During the summers that I visited them, they had plenty of grape jam stored in the fruit cellar.
I remember the summer of 1949 so well. It was the year my grandparents bought their first 16 inch television. The programs were usually 15 or 30 minutes long at first. As I look at the television sets today, I marvel at the enjoyment we had watching those black and white programs.
I slept in the big house, but spent most of my time at the little house with Aunt Marie and Uncle Jim. Aunt Marie played board games with me and Uncle Jim taught me several card games. We would sit for hours playing Rummy or Solitaire. Sometimes Uncle Jim and I would sit on the porch swing and watch the world go by.
As you can see by the photo, Uncle Jim also played with me in other ways. I recall the day that he allowed me to dress him up with a sheet and the hat that I wore years before as a flower girl. I know that he enjoyed it as much as I did. That to me is Love.
Uncle Jim worked in the steel mills all of his working life. He worked the swing shift, so his hours changed weekly. It was wonderful when he was working the day shift, because we could spend so much more time together. He loved to go to the local baseball games and fortunately there was a playground in the park. I could spend my time partly on the bleachers with him or… at the playground on the swings, slides and seesaws or on the monkey bars that I loved. Of course there was always five cents available for a Popsicle.
In the late 40’s and early 50’, my grandparents and three of my aunts lived in the big house next to my Aunt Marie and Uncle Jim’s little house. They shared a large yard, a grape arbor and a summer vegetable and flower garden. During the summers that I visited them, they had plenty of grape jam stored in the fruit cellar.
I remember the summer of 1949 so well. It was the year my grandparents bought their first 16 inch television. The programs were usually 15 or 30 minutes long at first. As I look at the television sets today, I marvel at the enjoyment we had watching those black and white programs.
I slept in the big house, but spent most of my time at the little house with Aunt Marie and Uncle Jim. Aunt Marie played board games with me and Uncle Jim taught me several card games. We would sit for hours playing Rummy or Solitaire. Sometimes Uncle Jim and I would sit on the porch swing and watch the world go by.
As you can see by the photo, Uncle Jim also played with me in other ways. I recall the day that he allowed me to dress him up with a sheet and the hat that I wore years before as a flower girl. I know that he enjoyed it as much as I did. That to me is Love.
And so it is,
Barbara
Rev. Dr. Barbara Rasp
www.wisdomsvoice.com
Rev. Dr. Barbara Rasp
www.wisdomsvoice.com
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