JB (Joint Blog) – February 21st
A Walk Down Memory Lane

HAPPY 77th BIRTHDAY MA!

We could write a very long detailed description of our week together, but we decided it might be best to condense the events into an outline of such. Our walk down memory lane in Mobile, the place of our birth and early childhood years, triggered many pleasant thoughts from the past.

Thanks to our husbands, who patiently endured our walk!

This is a picture of the first house Papa and Ma built with the help of our Papa Rainer. It took six months and was completely paid for when we moved into the house. I (Brenda) was six weeks old; Ma & Papa were 19 & 20.

This is the second house that Papa and Ma built. It was also paid for when we moved into it. I, Mary Jo, was 3 years old and Brenda was in 1st grade. We walked to school everyday, often meeting our cousins at the corner.

Here is a picture of the elementary school we attended.

This is a picture of the big Oak tree that grew in the middle of the street on which the two houses were built. We both learned to ride our bicycles on this street and can remember riding around and around this huge tree.

This is a picture of the house where our Granny and Papa Rainer lived which was located down the hill and around the curve from our house.

We both have fond memories of the many hours we spent playing in this yard, swinging on the porch swing, wading in the water that flow ed down the drainage ditch on rainy days, sliding down the banister, drinking icy bottled cokes on the back porch, climbing in the pear tree, eating Granny’s chocolate cake and ice cream in front of the fire place, and aggravating our Papa when he was napping.

This is Uncle Bob and Aunt Aubrey’s house where Cheri and Debbie lived. It was just across the street from Granny’s house located on Dog River, where we fished, swam, and learned to ski. The backyard was the location of many birthday celebrations, Easter egg hunts, and family gatherings around the swimming pool. This pool was dug my hand with a shovel by Papa Rainer and Uncle Bob. The memories of iced tea, Brunswick stew and Aunt Aubrey’s burnt okra still make our mouths water. The stew was made from vegetables taken out of Granny’s freezer. She emptied it every summer to make room for fresh vegetables bought from the Farmer’s Market. Our job was to shell and shuck. Often the stew was followed by a gallon of hand-cranked homemade ice cream, frozen peaches, and a slice of one of Granny’s delicious cakes. To earn dessert, our job was to sit on top of the churn to keep it still while someone turned the crank. (To Be Continued)