A Brother Found

Never thought that posting my stories here would lead to something so good! A niece, I never knew found me by reading this blog this week that was posted to facebook. What a surprise! Now I  am looking forward to meeting her father who is most likely my brother, and the family. I feel like it is a special present from God! The missing pieces of my life are being found. And there will be more stories to hear and share with family. I wonder about 2 other siblings who are out there somewhere.

Dad Time

Out with Dad! What a memory! He had come to church with his wife to take my sister and I out. The memory is pretty vivid even at 61. We went out to eat at some kind of dime store fountain. Everything, I said I liked, he bought for me. I remember thinking I better not say I liked anything else because he would feel he needed to buy it for me. Too bad I didn't know he was my dad. He was my "Uncle Bud". We went home with lots of goodies.

Coat Patch

Oh! Was I ever in trouble! I was in 2nd grade, 2nd girl from the left. I loved to play on the bars. We would hang our coats on the ends of the bars when we weren't using them under our knees as a cushion as we were twirling round and round on the bars. Well, my mother had told me not to play on the bars. I don't remember what I said to my mother when I found that someone had cut a square of fabric out of my coat. My mother came to the school. Don't know if we found out who did it but I am sure I learned a lesson in obedience, or did I?

Trains, Tunnels and a Child's Imagination

Back of the Photo

"Spanked later" was written on the back of this photo. I was two years old. My mother told me I was two, standing in the middle of the street and we were on a trip to see family in California. I really can't imagine it being that dangerous back in 1951 but, who knows? Those cars look pretty fast! I love this photo.

Basketball and Horses by Grandma Jo

I went to a one room country school when i was a kid so all the kids played soft ball , and then when i went to high school i played basketball two  years .  I didn't really like it , i thought it was to rough and i rode horses if thats a sport. I rode a horse to my brother's house on Sunday and changed clothes and went to ss and church, after lunch me and my neice would go to the neighbors and a bunch of us would ride horses, i never had a very spirited horse so i would try to ride this friend's , it would run etc. I was in the glee club and oh in grade school i did a lot of plays and always sang. 

I led a very boring life i guess but in the country its different, we thought riding a cow was fun and going out on the creeks for picnics, and weiner roasts.

Grandma Red, Daredevil Biker by Grandma Redlich

When I was a young girl I loved to play baseball, but did not get a chance too often.  I was a pretty good batter  and pitcher. But , of course  !!! I was always excited if I thought there may be a chance to play baseball !   I loved to ride a bicycle but never owned one. My parents would not get one for me.  So if I could I would borrow one without them knowing it, or I would have been in trouble.  I borrowed a bike once from a girl I knew when I lived in Madison Park area. I was a teenager. I took a long ride by Lake washington on a road close by. I had a blast but my parents never knew I would have been in big trouble !  I was all alone riding . It was fun because I loved to ride.  Another time I talked my girlfriend to ride double  with me on the bike down the Lee street hill and it was very steep . We didnt stop until we went several blocks and almost ended up at the swimming hole. We went thru the cross streets fast if a car would have came along we could have been killed. I was a daredevil.  Just telling it now  makes me shudder !!!!!  Thank God I had my guardian angels on duty.  We dont realize  how many times we are protected !  Well I finally grew up and dont do those  kind of things anymore!!  

A special gift

I remember one time when my sister Gail and I were crying and crying. Our father had come to visit. We were put in a room and told to wait. We didn't understand. We didn't know he was our father at that time. We just thought he was a nice uncle who came to see us from time to time. When they let us out of the room we were surprised by a nice gift. They had set up a play kitchen set for us. I never forgot that. I remember lots of fun with that kitchen set. I also remember our little sister, Sheila, running into the corner of the kitchen play set and gashing her eye. She still has the scar.

Al Jolson and my Father

My mom told me that my Dad, Ralph ( Bud ) Dinwiddie, use to sing like Al Jolson. Naturally that sparked my interest

My Eighth Birthday?

This is much like a birthday cake I had when I was maybe 8 years old. Or was I 11 years old. It seems like everything happened to me when I was 11 or 5 years old so...but I think that maybe I was eight for this. My mother's friend, Louise Ray, made this cake for me. That is all I remember about that birthday.