Susie Geneva Hawes Harris, THE mother-in-law

Historical Photo

And then there was Susie Geneva Hawes Harris

The best mother in law in the world. One of the wisest women I knew. Such a woman others dream of being. She knew the value of silence (there are people who will never know that). She worked in tobacco fields until she was 12 and then cotton mills from 12 years old.

 The girls and husbands went east to visit  Susie's childhood home. This is the old tobacco barn. Then in the middle of a corn field.

She knew poverty & sadness. If she ever knew her father, it wasn’t for long. He deserted a wife and 8 children in the tobacco farming country of eastern NC. The family was allowed to live in a tobacco barn before Susie’s mama made her way to Gaston County to find work in the cotton mills (leaving the oldest 3 in Eastern NC working in tobacco)

Yes, Children worked in the cotton mills just like they worked on the farms.  Because just like on the farms the labor was needed to survive and survive they did.

I am a fan of ‘Sean of the South’ (thanks to Sheila). I read his blog today about meatloaf and since that used to be a staple (and my specialty) in GITMO, I mentioned it to my Sherry.  I was shocked, she said “Meatloaf is not one of my favorites.” Hey, I did meatloaf at least once a week aboard GITMO. Usually before putting it in the oven I wrote DARNELL across the top in ketchup! I thought that was cool, she had to like it.

Sherry (who remembers EVERYTHING) said, “Mama fixed meatloaf and then cut Mark and Daddy’s hair the day she died.” That sweet woman died in my arms later that day as I was performing CPR until the medics arrived.

A woman named Susie only lived 61 years. Sherry was a mama’s girl. Susie came to Mississippi for Jack Jr’s birth and also to Missouri for Mark’s birth. 

 

(Picture taken on one of their walks along the beach in Biloxi, before jack jr) 

 Susie in our trailer in Missouri. Mark was just home from the hospital and jack holding him, hey, we even had a dial phone!)

 

She and her husband Wiley worked in the cotton mill on different shifts so one of them was always home with the family. BUT Susie was determined to have something. She managed the finances. On cotton mill wages she birthed 7 kids and had three houses built. They were debt free before her death. Sherry & family loved Wiley but they adored Susie she was a gem.

Leaving family and friends Susie headed west with the family in 1916. That was a BIG step it was about a 200 mile bus trip. Then arriving in the area of Belmont the year of the great flood that took all bridges and RR trestles out on the Catawba the last few miles was not easy for the family and especially an 11-12 year old girl named Susie. She learned to be tough.

I am blessed in that Sherry brought into our family that frugality and determination.  I was raised the same way holding to the philosophy, try to owe no man.

All that came from the standard meal featuring Meatloaf!

Nite Shipslog

That old lazy liver and busy tongue

Historical Photo:
 The Tree

Now, today.....
Have you ever eaten beef or buffalo tongue? I do not think I ever have, but in most western novels I read that the pioneers loving buffalo tongue.  I would assume beef tongue would be good.

Liver? I know it goes against the grain with many, but I am a lover of Liver and onions.  I just cannot imagine anyone NOT liking it.  Of course chocoholics cannot imagine why everyone is not head over heels in love with chocolate. I do like chocolate, but I would pass up chocolate for vanilla, walnut, pecan or orange sherbet with vanilla center. (Thinking of an ‘orange push up’ from my youth.)

But none of that is relevant here. 
I just answered the trivia question of the day: Which organ of the body can replenish itself?

Of course my answer was liver. Then I got to thinking, “Then why do people die of liver related disease?” You can lose up to 75% of the liver and it can replenish itself. The liver weighs about 3lbs and does a fantastic job of detoxifying the body. It also separates and stores nutrition and actually distributes them to the correct parts of the body when needed. (Mine must have pounds of ‘apple and nut’ stuff stored up and nowhere left to send it.LOL) 

The liver eliminates the waste after purifying alcohol, meds and ‘stuff’ as bile or urine. SOOOOO jack, you still like liver? ………Imma thinking? ……… Well I did say it also stores nutritious stuff, so the next time at Cracker Barrel I might order liver and onions. 

 I have never seen L & O served with a 'sprig o green' but I would eat it.

Yeah, I knew you were just waiting for a delicious discussion of Liver and onions.  LOL

Now about the tongue. I don’t think it is an organ, but if I remember my 8^th grade health class it is the only muscle in our body that is attached at one end only.

The Bible mentions liver often in relation to animals, but does talk a lot about the human tongue. The tongue is a contradiction. It can be the sweetest and meanest part of our body. Most of us have taken a ‘tongue lashing’ (hopefully not given many) and I hope we all can remember being told we are loved. The smart person THINKS before they speak. I remember dad saying, two ears and one tongue means listen two times more than you speak. LOL

I have known several people (myself at times) who just did not know: it is TIME to ‘bite your tongue’.

Okay Imma shut up. Thanks for reading this drivel.
Nite Shipslog

 1941 Chrysler Thunderbolt, I never did see one of these!

Old people and Love songs

Historical Photo:
 Robin Williams once joined the Bronco Cheer leaders as a spoof.

We, Sherry & I are at the age that our friends are spending more time at the Doctor’s office than walking or shooting the breeze with old classmates. Some friends on canes and using walkers. One of Shirl’s comments when it seemed that youngsters did not understand old folks slow walk or unsure driving was: “I want you to know I wasn’t born this old.”
I would have to remind her back when we were teens and young men and women we did not understand the aged no more than they do today. Age is something you must experience to understand it (then it ain’t guaranteed! LOL)

I read this on ‘The Packardman’s blog’ today:

100 years ago only the rich had cars and the poor had horses.
Now everyone has a car and only the rich have horses.
WOW, how the stables have turned.
We have a new pastor. We took him and his wife out to dinner tonight. We had a good time. (I was just brown-nosing for a better seat on the next bus out!)
Not really, he is a great kid, not 60 yet! His wife is very pretty and sweet.  We are proud to have them aboard. He was our associate pastor for a few years, so we knew him. I had been promising him a meal at the best steak house in this area, “The Woodshed” up in Stanley,NC. I finally followed thru.
I just wanted you to know we are not too old to double date. Since Sherry reached the 80 mark she is a little frisky but She was good and kept her hands to herself on the date, with the pastor along.
Tonight as we do many times we cuddled a little and I started one of the old love songs and she joined in. 

Oh, my heart skips a beat when we walk down the street
I feel a trembling in my knees
And just to know you're mine until the end of time
Makes my heart skip a beat

Well, I did a double take the day I met you
My heart turned a flip as I stood next to you
And I knew right there I never could forget you
For you are my every dream come true.

Funny that, I wonder if there are love songs now that kids will remember when they are old.  Old Buck Owens sang that, he wasn’t my favorite singer, but I loved the words because that is how I felt as a 16 year old when I dated Sherry!



Nite Shipslog

 1942 Hudson woody.