MamaConnie's Blog

My Best Valentine

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 16:44:36 -0500

My best valentine was given to me by my husband, Von, in 1991 after 48 years of marriage. Today I found it and was reminiscing. I also found all of his love letters written in 1943. We met Dec. 1942 and were married on September 4,1943. We had 57 wonderful years together before he passed away in 2000.

Von was a large man physically—6 ft. 3inches tall and 220 lbs.But he was a real “teddy bear.” He wasn’t afraid to show his emotions by crying and he was so tender-hearted he wouldn’t go deer hunting. But—he was all man! He wasn’t afraid to show his affection for me or my kids(even in public). He never fired but one person who worked for him and he agonized over that.

I have just finished reading his love letters and he avowed his love for me in each one. But here is my favorite 1991 valentine.It was written on Valentine Day and he read it before about 40 people at a Valentine party.

My Valentine

Proverbsl 18: 22 says:”He that findeth a good wife findeth a good thing.” When I see something I really want I try to get it.The first time I saw you I said,’that’s for me.’ I proposed on our first date. I think I proposed on every other date but you would never say yes.I finally bought a ring and put it on your finger and told you we were going to get married. I must have really been in love because I sold my 28 Chevy to buy that ring.

One week before we married I quit my job.I was always real smart and you had to loan me 30 dollars to get married. I never paid you back but I have tried to keep the interest paid.

When you were asked if you would marry me again you said, yes, but you wanted to change the part of the wedding vows concerning POORER!

You have been a good mother to our children and a wonderful companion to me. I just want you to know I do not regret the decision I made over 48 years go—to chase you til you caught me!

You were my valentine then, and you are my valentine now.

Precious Memories—how they linger!

Gmail - Inbox (1) - bigconnie.reece@gmail.com

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 16:19:46 -0500

Gmail - Inbox (1) - bigconnie.reece@gmail.com

"You’ve seen the TV commercial of Citi Bank. They ask,”What’s in your wallet? But I..."

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 19:13:28 -0500

“

You’ve seen the TV commercial of Citi Bank. They ask,”What’s in your wallet? But I want to know what is in your freezer. I know what is in mine. Right now I have wonderful peaches that I put up recently.

Back in the 1970’s when we moved to the lake I saw more wild life than I had seen in my whole life. I saw my first painted bunting and indigo bunting. And I also saw my first ruby-throated humming bird. They fly into the sun and you see a brilliant burst of ruby red. I was hooked on wildlife. I put up humming bird feeders and a table for the birds and squirrels. I also found out that deer will fight each other for food.

We had a swimming pool and I put down an old red towel at my back sliding door—to wipe feet before coming in the house. A humming bird must have thought it was a flower and he dived for it and hit the plate glass and broke his neck. He was so beautiful . I had read in the newspaper if you put them in the freezer for 9 months you could take them out and display them. So that is exactly what I did.

We were having a party one night with about 40 people and I said to my friend,”I bet I have something in my freezer that you don’t have.” I told her it was a ruby-throated humming bird. And she informed me that she had one in her freezer also. I took the little bird out and held him to the light to show my guests how beautiful his ruby throat was. After that I showed him at every party and everyone was amazed. After 9 months I took him out and put him in a cup in the cabinet so I could look for a little glass dome to display him. Finally, I found one and when I went to get him—-all that was left was dust and a few feathers. So—-don’t believe everything you read in the newspaper. What’s in your freezer?
I probably don’t want to know.

”

- MamaConnie’s Blog: Archive

MamaConnie's Blog: Archive

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 18:59:48 -0500

MamaConnie's Blog: Archive

What's In Your Freezer?

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 18:59:12 -0500

MamaConnie’s Blog: Archive

Once A Prankster, Always A Prankster

Sat, 03 May 2008 16:30:08 -0500

Maybe! I thought I had learned my lesson when I pieced together the love letter of my sister, Fae’s, boyfriend. But that little imp kept creeping up.

We had a neighbor who lived 1/4 mile from us and we did not like her because we thought she killed our cat,”Pretty Sang.” So Norma and I vowed to get even.

Fae, our beauty queen, held a mirror too close to our Alladin lamp and it broke. Norma and I quickly confiscated a couple of pieces. Mrs. Duncan sat on her front porch in the summer to do her sewing. We took those pieces of mirror and held them to the sun and flashed them in her eyes. It took her a while to know what was going on. She gave us a good tongue-lashing but it didn’t phase us.

So that little imp kept creeping up again. My sister, Lois, was scared of everything, and as a result she got lots of teasing.She would scream at a cotton worm. My dad raised cotton and corn and sometimes potatoes to eat and to sell. He came along with the plow and dug the potatoes and we picked them up and put them in bushel baskets. One day as he was plowing a tiny little field mouse ran out from under the plant and I saw my opportunity. I was going to catch him and put him on Lois. So I grabbed him and he bit my thumb and it hurt so bad I turned him loose. My thumb started swelling and Mama took me to the house and soaked it in warm turpentine water. She said,”Will your ever learn to quit playing pranks?” I told her I had but I am sure that after 65 years I will still think of something else the little imp wanted me to do. Will I ever learn? Once a prankster, always a prankster!

Cars, Cars, Cars

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 17:27:00 -0500

My husband, Von, always loved cars. When we were dating he had a 1926 Chev. that he named Geneva. It was a boxy car but very nice. He sold it to buy my wedding rings. He loved me more than the car.

Our next car was a 1938 Ford that he bought from his brother. It was so dilapidated but we drove it from Amarillo to Houston. He was taking a job as an announcer for KTHT.

Our first apartment in Houston we shared a bath with another couple and I did not like that, so we took a small garage apartment in the Heights. It was so small I was constantly afraid Von would fall down the stairs if he sat on the sofa.

I was in the kitchen in the apt. one afternoon when I heard a honk and I looked down and there he was in a 1939 La Salle convertible—with no fenders! I nearly had a heart attack. But not to worry! He found fenders at a junk yard, had them mounted and had it painted a bright yellow! Everywhere we went people waved at us and I was embarrassed. People just didn’t buy bright colored cars then. If we had that car now it would be worth a fortune.

The last 18 years of his life we had antique and classic car auctions in several states. It was a good business but we retired in 1991.

Von loved cars all his life and decided since he was so tall that he would buy only Cadillacs to drive. I inherited his love for Cadillacs and I am driving a 1991—the last of the big ones. I am sure if there are cars in Heaven Von is driving a 2008 Cadillac.

This lizard has good taste. He obviously likes cut glass, so he...

Sat, 26 Apr 2008 11:33:00 -0500

This lizard has good taste. He obviously likes cut glass, so he must be kin to us.

Moving Is Not For The Faint Of Heart

Sat, 26 Apr 2008 11:06:00 -0500

It had been 38 years since I had moved and I had no idea what would transpire. The kids convinced me we all needed to move in together and now was the time.

Two huge trucks pulled up in our driveways and started loading at 9 AM in the morning. They finished at 6:30. Then they told us the news: We can’t really get everything in today so we will have to come back tomorrow. They did unload 2 beds and a sofa at the new house. The next morning they started to unload and it was like a grade B movie. We were trying to tell them where to put things. We ended up with a 3 car gargage full of boxes. We cannot park our cars in there as of now.

That night I could not find any of my undies as I had marked everything! We called our friend Sonya and she came out and we still could not find them. Fortunately, I had packed a few things in my little suitcase. But the next day I was at WalMart bright and early to get unmentionables. That was a week ago and I just found them last night. Whew! I could envision finding them in 5 years out in the garage and that I had lost weight and could no longer wear them. Well. Jockey’s do last a long time!

The first thing that greeted me in the new house was a little Billy Martin lizard. Thank the Lord I am not afraid of them and will probably be okay with the co-habitation ! I don’t think they will get in bed with you.

Today we are still unpacking and will likely be doing that for a long, long, time. We have met 2 neighbors and they seem really nice.

Thank God for our friends at church who have helped us move. People who need people are the luckiest people in the world!

We four sisters were good girls

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 13:17:03 -0500

Our Mama and Daddy taught us to be good. We went to church every Sunday. In fact, our Presbyterian pastor told us we were only allowed to miss if we were sick or out of town. It was during the depression and we certainly did not go out of town often.

We were good girls but you know how the youth love to experiment. This was an experiment gone awry. At the time we had moved to another farming community and the schools weren’t as good as our hometown one—so my Dad felt sorry for us and decided we would go back to our old school.

There were two spinsters( Miss Haattie and Miss Bertha) who had a large old two-story house they made into a boarding house with rooms or small apartments. He rented us a large room w/ 2 double beds, a couple of chairs, a table and a hot plate. We thought we were really cool. Our own place away from Mom and Dad—just the four of us.

My older sisters, Lois and Fae, had read in a magazine how to make wine. So they got a jug and filled it with grape juice, water, sugar, and I don’t know what else. They set it in the corner of the room out of sight—to “age”. After a couple of weeks it had not aged.

One afternoon a knock on the door and our Presbyterian Pastor, Bro. Joe Everhart said:”Girls, I have come to check on you.” You should have seen all the scrambling. They pushed that jug under the bed post haste. Fortunately those old iron bedsteads were tall and the bedspreads touched the floor. They were saved! No wine in sight. God must having been smiling!

A couple of weeks later they thought the wine was ready. The took a sip and nearly threw up. It was bitter and vinegary. All that trouble for nothing.

There’s a lesson in here somewhere—oh yes,”Be sure your sins will find you out.” We were still good girls—although older and wiser.

I Always Knew I Would Some Day Marry

Sun, 23 Mar 2008 17:17:24 -0500

And I wanted a man who would be faithful to me all of our married life. I found that person in 1942 but it was a while before I fell in love with him.

He was a radio engineer at WFAA in Dallas. I met him at the drugstore where I was cashier. I went to work one day and he whistled at me and I turned around and smiled and he was hooked.

He wanted to make more money than an engineer so he sent a demo to several radio stations and KFDA in Amarillo wanted him. So off he went. He hated to leave me and Dallas but he wanted to get ahead. A little later he went to Goliad Texas to work on a seismograph group. He always would do anything honest to make money except manual labor. While he was gone I got sometimes 2 letters a day telling me how much he missed me and loved me. It was during WW 11 and we got 2 mail delieveries a day for the morale of the troups and their families. He finally had had enough of manual labor and he called me and told me to save April 24 for him as he was coming to Dallas and taking an announcing job with KSKY.

We went out that night with friends and we stayed in the car while they went inside. He pulled out a beautiful blue white diamond ring from Zales and asked me to marry him. I wondered where his old 26 chevrolet was. He sold it to buythe rings.I had to confess I didn’t love him but promised to keep the ring, date awhile, and then if I fell in love we would be officially engaged. He though that was good enough. When I got home I showed the ring to my sister, Norma, and she said,”When are you giving that back to him-you don’t love him.”

Valentine Day came around and he went to the drug store to buy me a box of candy and was going to buy the 5 dollar one. But my sister says,”Get her the 2 dollar one—she doesn’t care for you.” But he got the 5 dollar one anyway.Needless to say—she did not get any of my candy.

A few weeks later as I was listening to him on the radio I asked myself what love was and just at that time he said:”Now for a new song—At Last—-At last my love has come along, my lonely nights are over and life is like a song.” It was fate—-I was in love! We got married that year. I was 19 and he was 20. I told everyone I was old enough but he wasn’t. Since he was an honorable man he had his mother go with him to get the license.

Fast forward seven years. Happily married but no children. I wanted at least two and he would take any amount. My sister, Fae, who already had 4 kids by then remarked that she was going to “pray me up a baby.” The next month I called her and told her the good news.

I prayed that my kids would have musical talent to be used for the Lord and that they would be healthy. Connie Lavon was born in 1950 and was the apple of our eye. Von was so proud he ran up a phone bill of 80 dollars and that was a lot of money in 1950. We moved to Austin and that year Laurie was born and life was perfect—-well almost. Two wonderful and talented kids. Laurie had health problems but she has never let it keep her from doing most anything. They both graduated from the University of Texas and have good jobs. They don’t have husbands, but they are happy anyway. There just weren’t any more men like their Dad.

I married an honorable man, a good husband, and a wonderful father. I am so thankful that I know he is in Heaven and we are looking forward to a reunion.

Why I Love Easter

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 13:57:00 -0500

Easter is so meaningful to me because my daughter, Laurie was healed on Easter Sunday. Cystic fibrosis is an incurable disease with virtually no treatment. Constanly the victims have breathing difficulties and because of lacking an enzyme their food is not digested. We didn’t know what it was to sleep the whole night and the doctors told us there was no treatment—no hope. But God gave me this child and I desperately wanted her healed. My family nicknamed her “Sweet darlin’ angel” and she was just that to us. So they fasted and prayed fervently and on Easter Sunday God healed her and she is still healed today. He arose! —A victor of the dark domain and he still heals today. We just have to believe. I never forget each Easter what God has done so it is a celebration of life for me.

Been There, Done That

Thu, 20 Dec 2007 16:48:05 -0600

moar funny pictures

Are There Pranksters In Your Family?

Wed, 19 Dec 2007 08:59:42 -0600

If not, they are out there somewhere! I was once a prankster but I learned my lesson and here is my story:

My older sister, Fae, was beautiful with blond wavy hair and blue eyes. I thought she was the most beautiful person in the world. She was 6 years older than I and I looked up to her. She had lots of boy friends. In fact, her sobriquet in high school was,”Mae West.” She often got letters from a boyfriend who lived in another city. I saw that she always read them and then tore them into little pieces and threw them in the trash. I thought:Those must be “smokin’ hot” hot if she threw them away and I was going to find out! So I retrieved the pieces of the next letter and got in the closet with a flashlight. Just as I had pieced them together and came to the best part: She caught me! She backed me into a corner and threatened to brand me with a red hot poker! She made a Christian out of me right then. I knew never to provoke her again.

Being a prankster has its drawbacks and believe me, it will come back to haunt you.

Be looking for a future blog on:When My Sisters Made Wine

I always have plenty to say!

Everyone Needs A Pearl Tie

Sat, 15 Dec 2007 03:58:44 -0600

I have one but I wouldn’t trade it for anything because I am having too much fun with it. It is in perfect condition because it has never been used!

Back in 1971 a lot of school girls were wearing pearl ties around the neck of their white shirts. I thought they were so cute. I bought one for my daughter, Laurie. On Christmas eve she opened her gift and said, “Thank you.” I noticed several weeks went by and she hadn’t worn it, so I knew then she was too nice to say she didn’t like it. I retrieved it and the next Christmas I wrapped it in a pretty box and when she opened it we had a good laugh. That was 36 years ago and we are still laughing. We do give nice gifts at Christmas but also our fool presents or gag gifts.

We have had other gifts too that have been passed around—Slim Whitmans records and tapes have been disguised in cereal boxes and suitcases. I have a collector’s item that I won’t part with either-a pair of gold mesh spring-a-lator shoes. I am afraid to give them as a gift because I might never get them back. They may be forthcoming in a later blog.

Christmas is a time of giving and rejoicing in the birth of our Savior. Having fun at Christmas makes it all the more memorable. What’s under your tree?

The Pearl Tie ~ an annual gift since 1971

Fri, 14 Dec 2007 17:02:18 -0600

The Pearl Tie ~ an annual gift since 1971

A Farmer With Seven Girls! Poor Grandpa!

Fri, 14 Dec 2007 09:47:20 -0600

Yes, my grandparents had seven daughters, my mother being the eldest. So naturally they had to do chores. My mother learned to sew when she was 9 and by the time she was 12, she was making wedding dresses for friends. She didn’t have patterns. She cut a pattern out of newspaper, then out of 5 cent a yard muslin. Then she fitted it on the bride and voila! I am sorry I did not inherit my mother’s ability to sew, however she did teach me to crochet and embroider. Now embroidering is a lost art.

My Mother was an avid reader and did well in school. When she finished as high as school went then(she was born in 1882)she would be allowed to teach the lower grades— if she went to Summer Normal. However, since my grandmother was crippled she opted to stay home and help her with the household chores.

My Dad was a farmer also with four girls. How cruel is that? We also had chores to do. My Dad spoiled us by planting an acre of cotton next to the house so when we took care of it we could go inside and make tea or lemonade. We had to thin it, chop, weed it and finally had to pick it.That acre of cotton would make a bale and that is what we had to spend on our school clothes. But don’t despair—you could buy pretty gingham and calicoes for 15 and 19 cents a yard, and since my Mother and my Aunt could sew we had it made.

My Dad wanted two things for us: To be good girls, go to Sunday School and Church and get a good education. If you have never lived in the black dirt you wouldn’t know this but: When black dirt gets wet it is like black tar and the only thing that can matriculate in it is a horse, wagon. or a Model T Ford. When the buses didn’t run my Dad rigged up a two-wheeled cart with a small pot-bellied heater and a tarp over it. He put 2 bales of hay on either side where we were to sit. Once we sat down we did not get up as the wagon would tilt. We were a funny looking bunch.

Since we lived in the country my sister, Lois, decided she would learn to drive the old Model T Ford. She was so tiny she sat on 2 pillows so she could see over the dash board. It took her and my older sister both to crank it. You should have seen us going to church in that. We were dressed to the nines and on Easter had our hats on!

Avid readers are usually good spellers so my sisters and I entered the UIL contests. My sister, Norma, and I entered four times and won four times. Lois and her classmate, Van Johnson, entered and won a first. My oldest sister, Fae, entered with our Presbyterian pastor’s daughter and won first AND a silver loving cup. By the time we younger ones entered they no long gave away loving cups and we just got a blue ribbon. Bummer! I understand that some of my great grand nieces are good spellers too.

I have more stories but don’t want to bore you so until next time I am Mama Connie signing off.

Do You Know Your Roots?

Thu, 13 Dec 2007 02:04:13 -0600

As we get older we realize our kids and grand kids need to know their roots! My nephew, Roger Prince, has documented hundreds of old family pictures and has visited cemeteries looking for the graves of our ancestors.

The Morgan family is a musical family.My grandfather, Thomas Huston Morgan, was a Santa Claus of a man with a long white beard. He played the violin left-handed. He held it in his right hand and bowed with his left. My Dad, Lewis Mc Minn Morgan could play any stringed instrument. He played violin, guitar, banjo, and mandolin. My mother, Zora Jane ,was taught music in the Methodist church. They had classes at church and she could sight-read any hymn with shaped notes.

Back in the early 20’s people had pound suppers and everyone brought a pound of something and then later would have music and square dancing. Since there was no TV and very few people had radios, it was a fun evening.

We also had cousins that were musical. My Aunt Hattie’s 2 daughters played the mandolin and their Dad, Uncle Horace, played a mean piano. As far back as I can remember we always had a piano and musical instruments. I learned to play on an old upright piano my grandfather bought. He bought if for my mother’s sister, Ella, who died at an early age. Her daughter, Ruth, also played the piano. Very few of the family had musical training, so it is and inborn talent.

My Dad being born in the Big Thicket in a log cabin—did not have access to music teachers etc. However, he knew all the chords and could play in any key.

He tells this on his Dad—Back in the days when ice cream first came on the scene they went to town and my grandfather bought Dad an ice cream cone. He always called my Dad “Babe” as he was the baby of eight children.My Dad was eating the ice cream and when he got to the cone part my grandpa said,”Babe, I don’t think you are supposed to eat the cardboard.”

If you are not sure about your roots( color them). Seriously, start documenting some of your family stories. Your children’s children will enjoy hearing about them.

Christmas Traditions

Sat, 08 Dec 2007 11:34:57 -0600

Each family probably has their own traditions. My Morgan family are Welsh and I married in to the Reece family which is also Welsh. I tell my kids they are stubborn because they are double Welsh.

My great grandparents migrated to England and I think some of our traditions stem from that. We open our gifts on Christmas Eve. Another tradition that we have been doing for ages: All day on Chrismas Eve we say,”Christmas Eve Gift” to any family member. It we say it first they must give us an extra gift. I answer the phone all day with that remark and I get some funny responses. One person said,” I think I have the wrong number.” Another person said,”Say what?”

Another tradition started back in the 1930’s when a man my Daddy hired man to help him with the farm work(4 girls weren’t much help) said he needed a good alarm clock for Christmas. Daddy found a rusty old alarm clock someone had thrown away and he wrapped it nicely and put it under the tree. On Christmas eve we all had a good laugh and Daddy then presented him with a new clock.

We have given “fool presents” ever since, ranging from crocheted hats to pearl ties and an ugly ceramic monkey. Some of these having been going around for over 40 years.

Another tradition: We always pray before we open our gifts and thank God for another year. The family has grown so much we don’t all get together as we used to but we still celebrate Christmas in our own way.

We used to beg my mother to sing this little song that I am sure came from England. It went like this:

There was a little woman

in London she did dwell.

She loved her husband dearly

But another man twice as well.

She went unto the doctor

to see if she could find

somthing to make her old man go blind.

He said go buy 3 marbles

and make him eat them all

And he will go so very blind

He can’t see you at all.

She went and bought 3 marbles

and made him eat them all and

He became so very blind

He couldn’t see her at all.

He said,”I’d go and drown myself

If I could find the way

She said,”I’ll go with you,

for fear you’ll go astray.

They walked along the riverbank

The walked along the shore

He said,”My kind and loving wife,

you’ll have to push me o’er.”

She stepped back a step or two

to run and push him in.

He stepped to the other side and

let her tumble in.

She began to scream and she

began to sqwall

He said,My kind and loving wife,

I can’t see you at all.”

Now he being kindhearted,

For fear that she might swim

Went and got a great long pole

And pushed her further in.

If any of you have ever heard that—let me know.

Start your onw tradition and see how much fun it is.

Childhood Christmases

Tue, 04 Dec 2007 08:21:34 -0600

I remember vividly our childhood Christmases. They were magical. My dad was a farmer and during the depression we didn’t have very much. My Dad grew up in a log cabin in the Big Thicket. The log cabin was made by my grandfather. Daddy usually got a cap pistol for Christmas. So he was determined that we 4 girls would have the best Christmas. We had no electricity but we had a huge cedar tree with lots of light. Daddy had hooked up a dynamo so we had a glittery tree. Since we didn’t have much money we usually got about 2 or 3 dollars to buy gifts. However, back in those days you could get something pretty nice for 25 cents. So Mama usually got a pretty bowl or a handkerchief, and my Dad got socks or a hankie.

We agonized over the wrapping and everything had to look just right. We thought Christmas Eve would never come! We usually had hot chocolate and sang carols waiting for Santa. Daddy wanted us to believe in Santa for a long, long time, So he rigged up a wire from the tree and put the end of it in a hole by the fireplace. He backed his chair up to it and as we were singing carols—he pulled the wire that had a bell on it. We thought we had caught Santa in the act—but didn’t.

My two older sisters wrote a short skit or play that we performed on Xmas eve. Of course, they always had the lead parts!

We always knew that during the month of Nov. the old garage was off-limits. We didn’t know then—but Daddy was making wonderful doll furniture. I wish we had that furniture now.

I miss those Christmases that can never be brought back. We each have to make our own traditions though. I have given my daughter, Laurie, the same pearl tie for over 40 years. We call them “fool” presents. I gave my sister,Norma, the same ugly crocheted hat for over 40 years and then it got lost. Those were the good old days.

Mama and Daddy are gone and 2 of my sisters are gone , but in spite of everything we are still enjoying Christmas. After all it is Christs’ birthday. December 25th was my Dad’s birthday so he usually didn’t get birthday presents, but he was happy to have all his family around him.

Have you started a tradition in your family? Just do it!