Thoughts on Bob and Inez

My parents never, ever, gave up on helping young people...or old people...or anyone for that matter. There were times when they took people to the city cafe and bought them a meal because they were in our town, had gone into their place of business to see about work, and confided in mom their stories.

However, they did not bring them home, because they were wary about strangers as well. I asked my dad once why they bought people a meal, for total strangers, if they weren't sure about their character. Dad said that "Helping others doesn't mean you give them access to your treasures". He meant us kids because frankly, we were not that well-to -do.

One time they gave our dog to a family passing through. It was a puppy (little golden haired spaniel and something mix) that we'd only had for about a week. This family was moving from Indiana (or Iowa) to California and their dog had been killed at a rest stop. The children were devastated. Mom knew we could get another pup much easier than those parents would be able to ease the sorrow of the children on the move. Our own sorrow at losing the pup after a week was secondary. We survived the loss, and we did get another spaniel within the week. I had great parents.

My dad used to tell me that if I ever wanted to smoke or drink, to please let him be the person that gave me the first 'taste'. RIGHT! I finally asked him one day to let me have a sip of his beer. He gave me the can, I took a sip, and that is the one and only time I ever tasted beer. (At least on purpose. I used to sneak one and rinse my hair with it, he wasn't appreciative). It was the nastiest tasting stuff and a great learning experience, because if peers ever tried to pressure me, I KNEW I didn't like it and would never have said yes. Smoking, well, I had to breathe the second hand stuff and smell like it, so it was never something I wanted to try as a teen. (However, as an eight year old, I was pressured by two thirteen year old twins to 'take' some of my folks cigs and we'd go smoke them). I took a whole carton, not just a pack, a carton! Because after all, these girls were five years older than me and 'liked' me. We went up into the sand hills behind our house in Colorado and smoked that entire carton. I have NEVER been so ill in my life. When I got home I couldn't get the taste out of my mouth, or off of my clothes. I took a bath, brushed my teeth 'til my gums bled, ate green apples and then brushed again, more apples, etc. I was truly miserable and as green as the apples, I know this because many years later, I asked my mom if she ever wondered about where the carton of cigarettes had gone. She was pretty sure of when and where they went, she said , "You were ill for two days after they disappeared". I asked why she or Dad didn't accost me or ground me or something. She said, "We figured you'd been punished enough." And I had been. Great teachers to know WHEN the lesson has been taught. Sometimes, I resent their passing because you younger "Ridings" don't get to hear their wit and wisdom. They were good parents.

Seriously, if I don't post another thing for weeks, it's because I have HOMEWORK. I have to get an endorsement for the librarianship and am involved in online classes YIKES!! I do love all of you and am so glad to be a part of this family. The picture I posted was from a family reunion in the South last year. I'll try and find one of some more family and get them posted. We are blessed to have had the heritage we enjoy.