Time spent with Dad. I just knew it
would be our topic...actually if it had not been the topic I was
going to make it the topic. I did a blog on the Needles in a Haystack
about times I spent with Dad and will do another here for our Shared
Smith Memories because I have many I can write about. Some are the
similar to Pam's but through Jan's eyes....
I too, remember Dad always had Tuesday
off. Actually I thought he had the whole day off, I just knew that
he was home when I got off the bus and if I was very lucky I could be
his helper for the rest of the day. OH, I just loved that! “
Holding the hammer or the bucket of nails, get the screwdriver or a
wrench....you name it, I would do it. I especially loved it if he had
a job to do on a ladder. Then my job would be to “ hold that
ladder”...Years later I decided that it wasn't much of a job...it
was more of a “keep her occupied” sort of thing but when I was
young...it made no difference to me. I would stand next to it and
hold it for dear life. Some times I would get bored and I would
climb a rung or two. As soon as he noticed, he would say, “ I need
you to hold it for me!” and I would scramble back down to the floor
and hold that ladder! I remember one time when I was about 10 years
old, he was repairing a leak in the roof with a bit of tar and he
letting me get up on the roof with him...I thought I could see for
miles! I did not move too far from his side but it was a view of the
world from a loftier place!
I remember the manure jobs as well and
one of these trips went very badly for me. Dad would borrow a
trailer from someone and we would go south on Mound Road to the
Ludkey Farm. You could see the farm from our house. Mr. Ludkey was
a pretty old man and he raised a few sheep. He had a ram or two,
several females and often babies in the spring. I loved to go up
there because I thought the babies were just the cutest. I wanted to
take one home. Dad use to back the trailer into the barn yard and
shovel the manure into the trailer. Before we left the house everyone
had to put their galoshes on ...you know...the rubber boots...
because this was quite the messy job walking around in the barn yard.
And if it had been rainy...then the mud and manure was slick and stinky!
One day when I was playing with the lambs and standing near a rather
large pile of mud /manure, one of Mr Ludkey's largest rams decided that my
butt made a really perfect target. He put his head down and crashed
right into me knocking me face first into the slimmy barnyard mess..
When I was finally able to right myself, I was mud from head to toe.... and "the audience"....Dad, Mr Ludkey, Sue and Pam thought it was the
funniest thing on earth! I really did not see the humor in it at
all. I busted into tears. When dad regained his composure, he did
come to my rescue with a hanky, a small square cotton white hanky.
I remember looking down at my clothes and thinking, “what am I
going to do with your hanky!” It will not clean me up, he read my
mind as usual and said “ well, we can at least wipe off your face!”
and I began to cry some more...I did not want just my face wiped
off, I wanted all this stinky slime off me! And now! Then it became
clear that it would be hard to even get me home... “I can't take
you in the car like that”, Dad told me! “but Dad!” I
protested through my tears! All I could think of was I would have to stay at the farm
in the barn! Old farmer Ludkey found a rag to help clean me up and
Dad stripped me down to my underwear...Still protesting I said,
“ but Dad not in front of Mr Ludkey!” He looked at Mr Ludkey and
they laughed again..”it's OK, really...Mr Ludkey won't look! Let's get those stinky clothes off! ”
He pulled off my boots pouring the slime out of them and sat me in my
underwear on the seat in the car...By now I am freezing and
shivering...Needless to say we were all done getting manure for today. So he drove me
home and he handed me over to Mom. She had a puzzled look on her face
as he gave me to her dressed in my underwear with mud in my hair.
“She's gonna need a good bath...” he told her ....and Mom said,
“yeah, what happen?” He said...”I'll tell you later!”
Well, I explained the whole story
through my tears as she washed me in the bath tub. She listen and
seemed so understanding...at least she wasn't laughing like everyone
else. Then she had to wash the terrible black ring in the bathtub left behind after my bath.
So there you have it...One of many
times I spent with my Dad! I can laugh about it today!
I hope you enjoyed it!
Love, Jan
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