Two Shorts and One Long

Well, since I am on the topic my home town of Reliance, South Dakota, I am having fond memories of 'how it was waaay back then', circa 1945. I am remembering when Mama & Daddy first moved to the farm that is forever imprinted into my mind. It was three miles south of town. I am thinking they had (two) already constructed shells put in place..(thinking graneries), both positioned into a short 'T' shape. I am remembering 'Junior Schelle and Russell Black' coming out during the summertime to help Daddy construct a house from these two buildings. There was no plumbing to be concerned with, nor electricity. We had an 'outhouse' for a toilet, and lamps to give us lighting during the evenings and nite time. We were very happy and content. In our winter time, we sometimes placed food in snowbanks. We used an 'ice box', where we placed a huge block of ice into it's compartment, to keep food 'cool'...hence, the icebox. I can't remember the kitchen stove, it must have been wood burning, or possibly propane gas. We had one heating stove in our living room. Our humble home consisted of a kitchen, living room & two bedrooms, probably no more than eight or nine hundred square feet, and by the middle of the decade, they had four girls. We had a community telephone line with an 'operator'. All calls went thru this operator. We were on a 'country line'. Our signal was : two short rings & one long ring. (that's when we knew it was for our house), but, being on a country line meant that everyone else on this line could 'listen in' to all conversations. So, this was a good 'gossip' tool. And, believe me!, Everyone listened in.

I remember Mama getting her 'Singer sewing machine' while we lived there, (I have it @my home today) & remember that she and about three other ladies traveled to Mitchell, SD (which was 80 or 90 miles away) periodically to 'take sewing & tayloring' lessons. Irene Cullen was one of the ladies. Mama turned out to be a wonderful seamstress. She made all of our clothes, including our coats, & Daddy's suits. She sewed most of her life. I loved my Mama unconditionally all of her life, no matter how many up's & down's we encountered. HAPPY MOTHERS DAY, MAMA.

barbara, you are allowed to make any corrections to 'my memory'.......I know yours is better than mine.