Snapshots

A couple of my favorite Snapshots and my thoughts about them.

Heidi, Me, Ellen
Mesa, AZ 1971?

• Do you see my face? No. Because I was so intent on my dive that I couldn't be bothered to smile for the camera. 
• This was taken at my aunt's apartment, she and her husband were the managers. Going there was sooo fun! They were young newlyweds.  They sort of spoiled us.
• I wish I could have that tanned, perfect skin again. 
• Our heights have become the opposite--Heidi is the shortest, Ellen the tallest. I'm still stuck in the middle.
• Doesn't it look like we get along so well?  Hehe. Oh, could we fight. We still call each other 'sissy kicker' as a joke. That's what we said when, in a desperate attempt to not get pummeled, one of us would sit in a chair and kick our legs at the attacker. Didn't matter what your sister called you, it worked!

Dad the dairy farmer
Declo, Idaho 1983

• Dad is smiling. This must be before the milking started. He lost his patience with the cows a lot. You really can't blame him. Cows are famously stupid.
• I hated having to help him milk.  Looking back, I should have enjoyed it.  It was great one on one time with him.  Even when the cows tried to kick me and I spilled the teat dip all over myself. (Okay,they weren't really trying to kick me, that was impossible from where they were. They just lifted their legs, but it always scared me.)
• My brothers used to ride the calves. Not me. I avoided them at all cost. It was bad enough that I had to feed them every morning. 
• One morning, I got up for school to find a calf in our kitchen.  She was born sick and it was freezing cold. So, dad brought her home, turned on the oven, opened the door, and laid her in front of it to keep her warm.  That was the worst our kitchen ever smelled.
• This picture is a testament to my dad's work ethic. Over the years, he had many different jobs, but he always worked when he could. He wasn't 'above' anything.