19 DOWN-7.2 TO GO!

If you say it fast, "I ran 19 miles," it does not sound like much, but just try it! Three hours and 20 minutes later-FINISH-THE END-Etc. Etc. Whose bright idea was this marathon? I could spend hours telling you what a mental deal it is to run these long distances, but my legs might argue that point at this time. They are definitely pretty tired and I have them propped up and resting following a long shower and then a long soak in the tub. The mental part involves fueling your body for the effort. I got up and ate a banana and muffin at 4:30. Then I had to time my goo just right. I tried a new liquid energy drink that was like having a 2 ounce shot of concentrated kool aid. YUMMY! I am not sure if all of this stuff works or if it is all in my head, but whatever! Three more step ups-but trying to figure out my schedule during the next two weeks of traveling is a challenge. I'll think about that tomorrow.

Our evening at the Boersma's was great. We had the leaves up and the yard spic and span in about a hour. With lots of hands, rakes, and blowers, it does not take that long, even with a big yard. We all enjoyed burgers and laughs following the yard work. You need to ask Debbie about the black helicopters as she had us all going on that story. BE VERY CAREFUL what you look up on the internet! Something about a government conspiracy-that is all I have to say for fear of drawing attention to myself.

Here is the next chapter of Louise's story. I have tried a different voice for this story-just experimenting with styles.

IV
Maybe having Ora in our home wouldn’t be so bad. She was always sweet to me and Aunt Lora kept close watch over what was going on in our family. Just as I thought this might be alright, there was another change coming. Daddy told me that We would be having a baby. What did he mean, We? It seemed to me that he and Ora were having a baby and I was not sure at all what that would do to my place in my Daddy’s life. A Baby! Ora just got moved in and settled and our family was beginning to settle into a routine and then this! How could they?

Baby Bruce was born that year and I was almost 11 years old. He was a cute baby and they named him after Daddy. Now Daddy had that boy that he had always wanted and to top that off he had Daddy’s name. I didn’t stand a chance. Aunt Lora had me come spend the summer with her and Uncle Joe in south Texas. She made it her business to make sure that I was doing well in school, but she was mostly concerned that I was learning all of the social graces young ladies needed. We were always dressed like ladies, we always acted like ladies, and we most certainly spoke like ladies. Not much time for playing and certainly no getting dirty during my summer holiday. Uncle Joe was so sweet to me, but he dared never question anything Lora said. For a woman that wore a skirt, she definitely wore the pants in that family.

During the time that Bruce was a toddler, I became sick. I was having girl problems and the doctor said the best thing would be for me to stay in bed until the problems were better. My Aunts once again came to the rescue and made sure I always had books to read. Everyone else in the house was busy, with Daddy gone to work everyday and Ora was taking care of Bruce all day. I was in my room with my books and oh, how I loved those books. I could escape to wherever the characters in the book where and my mind would wander and I would imagine myself the heroine. It was a lonely time, but everyone was concerned and tried to find time to help entertain me. Those days of forced rest were probably were I got my love for napping. A year passed before the doctor said I could resume my normal activity. It was a time of limited medicine and minimal knowledge about women and their bodies, so time was the only medicine. Daddy was concerned and very sweet during this entire year and Ora, though busy with Bruce, did her best to tend to me. It was really alright with me to be confined that year, since everyone was once again concerned and paying attention to me. I had missed being the center of the household and glad when once again all eyes were upon me. Poor Little Brucey, he was the one that probably came up short, but after all, I was sick!

Following a year of being in the bed, it was quite an adjustment to go back to school. I did love my friends and think they might have been a little jealous of me. I was really cute and had wonderful manners that all of the adults loved. Could I help it if all of my teachers thought I was “the perfect child”? My Aunts had spent hours teaching me how to speak with adults and say and act in the perfect manner that every adult loved. I did have a few special friends, those that my Daddy and Aunts approved of. After all you had to be careful who you were spending time with, you might pick up some bad habits or mannerisms.

Daddy decided I was old enough to begin helping in the drug store about the time I started high school. During the years that I went to high school, you graduated after the eleventh grade. I actually loved working in the store. For one thing, I was with my sweet Daddy all day long. Now I suspect this was a way for him to keep his eye on me, but I didn’t mind since adults were always bragging on me and my manners to him while we were at the store. I discovered that there were quite a few good looking fellows around the area about that time and Daddy did not approve of that, one bit.

When I thought I was surely old enough to begin dating, Daddy did not agree. I was so unhappy with his obvious unfaltering stance on no dating. I kept on and on arguing that everyone else was dating and I actually had quite a few fellows asking me out. He finally relented and agreed to allow me to date-with one provision. I had to take Ora on all of my dates with me. OH BROTHER! I could not believe it! Now Ora was not really old-but she certainly was older than my friends and me. Imagine my surprise when Ora turned out to be great when we were out. She knew just the time to turn her eye and was always a lot of fun to be with. She probably enjoyed getting out of the house and having some fun. Daddy was not much on going anywhere, except fox hunting. A girl needed more of a social life than that, even if she were married and had a child. Brucey would either stay with Ora’s sisters or he would go with Daddy fox hunting. We always had a great time and I was relieved to find that Ora was so sweet about sticking up for me with Daddy. We all wanted to keep Daddy happy, because he was such a sweet man. Narrow minded, but still sweet.

I started dating Dan when we were in our last year of high school. We were so much in love and wanted to get married. I could not see anything wrong with marrying once we were out of high school and he was the man of my dreams. Dan came from a prominent family in Overton. His Daddy was the owner of the automobile dealership and they were well thought of by everyone in town. When Dan went to his parents with the plan for us to get married and him work for his father, they were very upset. They had plans for Dan to go to college, which most people did not even think about in those days. They were adamant about college and insisted upon Dan breaking it off with me. I was heart broken! How could they? I had my whole life planned out-to live happily ever after in the same town with Daddy and my family and they just stopped it. Why didn’t they like me? What had I done? They told my Daddy, “For right now just keep her away.” Once again, “Keep her away” echoed in my dreams and filled my thoughts day after day.
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