Times Remembered
Today, not unlike many days, I was in my sewing studio. Nothing heavy going on. Just preparing some quilt batting for the next item on the list.
I did spend a lot of time remembering the fun times with my sister Elvera. Elvera was not quite six when I was born. Most likely a huge infringement. On my fourth Christmas, I do recall the fright when in my Christmas sock, right on top, was a dead mouse. It was a good thing, the bits of treasures from Santa were wrapped. Elvera was my Dad’s right hand man. She was able to help run errands for Dad. It didn’t take long she was able to run the hand clutch on the tractor when her and Dad went out in the spring to pick rocks up that the last winter’s frost had brought to the surface.
When Dad cut wood for our home’s winter heating, we knew what MEA school break had in store for us. Elvera was at the tractor getting the loads of wood pulled up to the house from the pasture where Dad had his saw set up. Calvin, Michael and I were in charge of unloading it into the basement and stacked before she came back with another load. Elvera and Dad filled the next load as we were using two wagons. It kept everyone humping. All four of us did make fun of it all. It didn’t hurt that Mom had cookies and Watkins nectar for break time.
The six year difference was apparent with Elvera and I until we both had kids and lived only six miles apart. Both of us were doing farm work right along side of our husbands. When we had a chance to visit each other over a cup of coffee it was always with an eye on the clock. Afternoon livestock chores started around four in the afternoon. School buses around the same time of day would be dropping kids off that would be hungry.
I enjoyed sewing clothing right out of high school. I was sewing Carrie and Kevin’s clothing from the time they got out of their 24/7 sleepers. Elvera slowly picked up the bug as Tim, Kay and Larry started school. It was always a fun trip when Mom, Elvera and I headed out to Hopkins on the outskirts of the metro to ravish one of the fabric warehouses. I am not sure what our husbands and our kids thought, as one Christmas every last one of them sported either a smoking style jacket for the boys and dads, or a jumper for Carrie and Kay out of the same plaid. It was a fantastic buy on the whole bolt of fabric.
Who knew how much fun it could be going to “Bumps” in St. Cloud! Mom, Elvera and I would head off to the damaged freight place. It was dented cans, and any type of dry goods a pantry would like to hold. There was no “use by sell date” importance. Elvera and Orville had a station wagon and the three of us loaded it down with the back bumper no doubt dragging. To top it all off, McDonalds for a treat.
As often as Orlin and I moved, Elvera and I stayed connected for the most part. There was a several year period where a conflict within our family separated us. The death of my father brought Elvera and I back together. We realized how much support our Mother needed.
In the years when our Mother was in a health care facility I made the trip north every several weeks. Elvera and I always shared that time with Mom. After Mom passed away, I did not head north as often on the highways and the highway south for Elvera to travel to me was seldom. Perhaps we visited in each of our homes once a year in the recent past. We did try to call each other once a week, seemingly taking turns for the three o’clock in the afternoons, with each of us having a cup of coffee as we visited.
Elvera was on the go non stop in the recent years. She loved being “someplace.” I have been one to enjoy being in my home. As different as Elvera and I were in so many respects, we did come together with our joy of quilting and reminiscing when we visited. Elvera will no longer have her days “double booked.” Elvera is home and at peace. I am within my home, content and thankful to have had Elvera as my “big sister.”