I was going through a notebook that belonged to my mom. I found this tale told by my grandmother. I found it an interesting insight into her life. The family she talks about were the Buckinghams. They had a cabin near my grandparents cabin on Lake St. Mary. We always knew them as my grandparents best friends.
"At one time, cleared the upstairs floor of our barn and had three ping pong tables and basketball hoops up there for the young folks of the church and community. Cleo Harrison was always there to guide and watch over them. They had tournaments. We had a blackboard to keep score on.
One evening I was going out to the barn to see how the attendance was, so to know about refreshments; when I saw the Aurora Borealis (Great Northern lights). The only time in my life that I saw them. This was a beautiful sight never to be forgotten.
When friends of ours with six children had a fire and their home burned, we took two boys and one girl and kept them. We sent them to West Alexandria to school and sent our three to Lanier school until the parents could care for their own.
The two little boys were put in bed with our little boy and the one girl was bedded down with our two girls. This was fun for the children, we got along fine. Sometimes we wondered if there was clothes for all.They called me their second mom. Seems like I have enough love for all.
I don't know why, but Barbara seemed more like a sister to me than did my own two who were married to preachers and lived farther away. I was with her when her last four babies were born. I took the last one to the hospital when he died after 2 days of life (Denny)."
I don't remember ever meeting my grandmother's two sisters, Zelma and Naomi or their families. But, I definitely remember Aunt Barbie and Uncle Mardo.
There is a picture of Ruth in the photo above. She is framed behind us.
