Jackie before Sherry II

That is Sherry on the right, and she said she stayed at home waiting for me!!!

That is me, just over Grandma's head stone. This was Grandma Darnell's funeral, Yeah that is Shirl on the right of Mom and Dad.

This was a picture we have of Leonard Von Dale Tucker. Sherry got this from one of his many girl friends, I didn't write that crap on the picture.

This is the cool dude, I had a sore on my left ear at the time, I still remember it.

Above is one of my sisters during our time in Shelby.

The same sister, probably High Shoals.

Very few pictures from Albemarle, but this is Ray Sides. He was cool, he had four goats with 'real long horns' that pulled a wagon we all got to ride in.

Little Jackie when we moved to Burlington. (probably first grade)..

My oldest Brother Odis Darnell, home on leave in Shelby. Odis had a little problem with authority, he remained a seaman. Jr.(next oldest brother) advanced to First Class Gunner's mate. Odis was a Boxer, never lost a fight.

Ruth Davis Darnell, Od's wife. They had three boys: Howard, Harold (Bub), and Harry. Of the entire family, Ruth is the only one living today (80's). She is in an assisted living center. This is one of the nicest women I ever knew. He daughters' in law still call her blessed and look in on her.

The continuing story "As the stomach turns, Jack before Sherry, this is our anniversary month, we were REBORN as a family on the 22nd,"

While Sherry was sitting in Belmont waiting for us to get there, my life was exciting. WE moved to the country, the community was called High Shoals, NC.
Memories:
Tom, our family cat, jumped out of his box he had been moved in, and ran off. No amount of calling would get him back. Somehow Tom went back to his home in Shelby, about 40 miles.
Mama got us up one night, went to the back door with a gun and shot into the air. Someone or something was bothering her chickens.
Shirl fell with a glass pitcher in her hand and cut her had real bad. The girl could scream, especially when dad poured Alcohol on the cuts.
Shirl let me ride on the back fender of her bike.
High Shoals is where I was smoking rabbit tobacco and set a fire that burned many acres of broom straw.
Our closest neighbors were ‘colored’, which was a politically correct term at the time. I loved that family and had such a great time playing at their house. (that is where we (Shirl, yeah neat Shirl) and the rest of us played in the barn and jumped from the loft into a big soft pile of straw and manure that had been raked from the barn.)
WE moved to Burlington, my best friend there was Sonny Turner.AT six years old, I had never eaten in a restaurant. We ate at one there with Sonny and his family. I was embarrassed because Shirl and Sonny kept drinking their water and asking for refills when they found out the lady would do it. They drank at least ten glasses full.
The War ended while we were there, what a celebration. I also went thru the 3rd grade.( I was trying to hurry to get to Sherry who was patiently waiting at home for me to grow up (her comment, I still am!)).
We next moved to Albemarle where I met my lifelong friend Leonard Von Dale Tucker. Don’t you just love that name? The kid was tough. We had air rifle wars, he and I could whip several boys at a time. Tuck did not mind being shot, he charged in. Of course I watched his back! LOL
A funny thing happened, well not laughing, funny but…. Shirl and I were in the same elementary school. We were called to the principal’s office (I didn’t know where it was, having never had to go, but Shirl was very familiar with it.) We were told, “You kids run home, your dad is dying.” It was a mile or so and we ran most of the way. Now my dad was tough, but whatever this was, was rough. I got to see him, for a second. The Doctor was with him. Dad was literally yelling at times when pain struck him. Later we learned it was kidney stones, not life threatening but terrible painful.
I will finish Jackie before Sherry later. Thanks for coming this way.
Nite Shipslog
PS:

The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.

*****************

Support bacteria. They're the only culture most people have!