97

My cousin posted this on her blog (http://kaleenamariagonzales.blogspot.com/2011/02/97.html) and I liked it so much that I thought I would share it too!

My Great Grandma Clarissa (clare-see) Housley Talbot age 16

Today 10 February 2011 is my great grandma Talbot's 97th birthday.  In celebration I thought I would share with you a story that she wrote and gave to some of her grand and great grand kids in the early 1990's:

A long time ago on a cold February night I was born in Mapleton, Idaho or 'up Cub River' as it is sometimes called; to two proud parents.  My Father's name was Benjamin Housley and my Mother's name was Clarrissa Paulina Allen Housley.  They decided to name their new baby (which was me) after my mother - - - - 'Clarissa Paulina.'

I was a cute little thing with greenish eyes and very little hair.  My family loved me very much.

Besides me, there were 4 girls and 5 boys in my family.  My sister's names were Emma, Maria, Elva and Arvilla.  My brothers were Fred, Calvin, Marshall, Walden, and Glen.

As I was growing up, some things were very different than they are now.  On the farm we had no electricity, so our lights were kerosene lamps and lanterns.  Our water was carried in from an outside hydrant.  We had no automatic washers or clothes dryers.  Our wet clothes were hung on an outdoor clothes line with clothes-pins.  In the winter the clothes would freeze stiff before drying - so we had to bring them in the house and hang them up again to finish drying,

With a nickel I could buy a box of my favorite cookies which were ginger-snaps; or a big candy bar.  With one dime I could buy a banana; and a penny would buy an all day sucker, a stick of "Oh-boy" gum, or a stick of candy.

Our favorite games in the summer were 'Give us a Wave'; 'Hide and seek'; 'No Bears out tonight'; and 'Kick the Can.'  In the winter we popped corn, made candy and went sleigh riding or played indoor games such as Fruit Basket, Send a letter, guessing games and Croqunole.

I started school when I was 6 years old, in a one room school house in Richmond, Utah.  I loved school.  One of the stories I liked to read in my first grade book when like this:

"A,B,C, tumbled down D.  The cat's in the cupboard and can't see me."

We read this from our first grade reader so much we memorized it.  So our teacher Miss Edith Roskelly made us read it backwards.

I remember many fun times my family had together as I was growing up.  We liked to visit and play games, go sleigh riding or coasting and horseback riding.  My brother Glen and I even liked to herd cows together.  Or gather straw strings out of the straw stack then braid them into rope to play horse with.

In the spring we would gather wild flowers and have pretty bouquets of buttercups, curlies, Johny Jump Up and Lady slippers or Pinkies.

Sometimes in the winter our family would go in the big bob sleighs.  Then we would take hot rocks to put by our feet and quilts to wrap up in.  It was fun singing or listening to the sleigh bells jingle as the horses trotted along through the snow.

In the summer I enjoyed helping my Father and my brothers haul the hay in and put it in the big barn or the outside hay stacks.  I also enjoyed working with my Mother and sisters to make our home neat and pretty.

My hobbies included sewing, reading, cooking and riding horses.

One evening when I was 19 years old I met a wonderful young man named 'Denzil Talbot.'  We met at a Halloween costume party.  My friend Thelma Auger and I were dressed as negroes.  We wore bib overalls and shirts backward and wrong side out.  I guess we looked pretty funny with a mixture of cold cream and cocoa on our faces.  I liked Denzil very much because he was a gentleman who was tall and handsome and treated me like a Queen..

After many fun dates he asked me to marry him, and I told him yes.  Then on 14 February 1935 we were married for time and all eternity in the Logan Temple in Logan Utah.

Your Great Grandpa Talbot was a wonderful man who loved me.  Our first home was at 161 So. 2 West in Lewiston, Utah.

Then along came our children: Clenn, ALeda, Vondelyn, Leatrice, Alden, Lyle, Elaine, Don, DuVal, DelRa, ReNae, Kim, Vada, and Venice.

 

My grandma Talbot is a great inspiration to me.  She is such a wonderful example to her family.  I know that I was blessed when I was born into such a great lineage.  I am sure she will have a great day with the many phone calls and visitors that I know she will have. 

I am so glad that I had the opportunity to talk with her today and I can wait to see her in May! She is such an incredible person!