Families of the Lounge

[Babydoll]

Please tell her I send my congratulations on a job well done. Teaching is a noble profession. You will never get rich in monetary terms, but the real "rewards" are beyond measure.

Part of her teaching time was spent in Liberia where she and my uncle were missionaries for many years.

 

[Big Man]

Part of her teaching time was spent in Liberia where she and my uncle were missionaries for many years.

I imagine she has some interesting stories to tell of those times. One of my aunts on my Mother's side was a missionary to the Congo in the early 1960s. Interesting times then, for sure.

 

[Babydoll]

They had to leave (rather quickly) in 1980 because of the coup d'etat in Monrovia. Unfortunately she had to leave behind several family heirloom pieces - including a cuckoo clock that belonged to my great-grandparents.

 

[1mach1]

The boy with his uncle's Ducati (my wife's brother).
Stearmen would be proud.

 

[jamespowers]

The boy with his uncle's Ducati (my wife's brother).
Stearmen would be proud.

That reminds me, I have to drag out my old BSA and stick my son on it for a picture.

 

[Babydoll]

I had Lily try on a vintage outfit I've been holding onto for her.

It's the same outfit her cousin (my niece) wore 15 years ago when I used to take her out swing dancing with me.

My niece is getting married next week. How crazy is that? Time went by in the blink of an eye.

 

[Big Man]

I had Lily try on a vintage outfit I've been holding onto for her.

It's the same outfit her cousin (my niece) wore 15 years ago when I used to take her out swing dancing with me.

My niece is getting married next week. How crazy is that? Time went by in the blink of an eye.

That's great. My mother-in-law was a prolific seamstress who made dress upon dress for my daughters and their cousins when they were children. As all four of the girls (my two daughters and their two cousins) were of different ages and wore the dresses at different times in their lives, almost all of the dresses were (fortunately) put away and saved. Now my little granddaughter is wearing the same dresses as her mother and aunts wore as children, and were made by her great grandmother.

I have one shirt put away that my grandmother made for my Dad. I have worn that shirt and my sons have worn that shirt. When my grandsons are big enough to wear the shirt, they will as well.

 

[Big Man]

After church yesterday, we all went out to eat at a little restaurant near the house. We were sitting at the table talking about Mackenna starting to school this Fall. I began to tell the story about how my Dad used to slip away from school his first. His first grade teacher in 1930 was Miss Maggie Taylor. The ironic thing about that story was Miss Taylor ended up teaching FOR my Dad after HE became principal of Oak Hill School. My little granddaughter just sat there and intently listened to the story, not missing a single word.

I think it’s important to pass down stories like this to the next generations. Not only are they interesting stories, but in a small way they help keep “alive” those family members who have passed on.

 

[Fading Fast]

Big Man, your "story telling" face and your granddaughter's "story listening intensely" face are fantastic. The generational connect, the closeness, the hortatory stories - I am incredibly impressed by you and your family. I'm sure you have challenges as all families do, but you are doing something very good with your family. I almost always show your post to my girlfriend (she only occasionally checks our FL on her own) and she and I are big fans.

 

[Big Man]

Big Man, your "story telling" face and your granddaughter's "story listening intensely" face are fantastic. The generational connect, the closeness, the hortatory stories - I am incredibly impressed by you and your family. I'm sure you have challenges as all families do, but you are doing something very good with your family. I almost always show your post to my girlfriend (she only occasionally checks our FL on her own) and she and I are big fans.

Thank you for the kind words. I am flattered, and humbled.

We're not Ozzie and Harriett by any stretch of the imagination, but more like John and Olivia Walton. If you recall, the Walton family was very close and shared a lot of family traditions and history, but were often times met with challenges, disagreements, heartache, and disappointment. But, in the end, they somehow were able to come together and were a stronger family.

I'd like to think of myself as a cross between John Walton and his Pa, Zeb Walton. I'm kind of easy going and slow to anger (just don't push me over the edge - I've been there and it ain't nice). My wife is not quite the cross between Olivia and Grandma, as she's not the "Bible thumper" those two were, but she does have a much shorter temper than I do. Sometimes I think it makes her mad that I don't get mad.

In the end, we all have fun. Life has been incredibly good to me and my family. I know it, and I thank God every day for that blessing.

 

[Big Man]

Big Man, your "story telling" face and your granddaughter's "story listening intensely" face are fantastic ...

[FONT=&amp]
You make mention about my “story telling.” Well, I guess I get it honest. I grew up hearing about the stories my grandfather and great grandfather used to tell. From what my grandmother, aunts, and great aunts used to say, it must have been really interesting to sit down and listen to both my granddad and great granddad “spin a yarn.”[/FONT][FONT=&amp]I also must get some of my “story telling genes” from my Mother’s side of the family. Here is a transcription of a letter talking about my 4X great grandfather, Joseph Dobson, Jr. He was a soldier of the Revolution and, later in life was a County Surveyor. The information below comes from the Draper Manuscripts; Avery and McDowell Papers, and may be found on microfilm at the Burke County Public Library. The following is a transcription of the original hand-written letter from Silas McDowell to Lyman C. Draper, written in the 1870s, and recalling some of McDowell’s personal remembrances of some of Burke County’s old Revolutionary War veterans, specifically Joseph Dobson.[/FONT]

[FONT=&amp]The quoted letter is a bit long, so I apologize in advance for that, but I do think it’s an interesting story and does fit in well with the families of the lounge theme. The location of my 4X great grandfather Joseph Dobson's place, as described in McDowell's letter, is only about four or five miles from where I live.[/FONT]
[FONT=&amp]



... to your questions, I knew: Joseph Dobson and his place on the Catawba river and some miles below where Col. Carson lived. I also know of an Islet in the river - around large rock, with a tray - shaped depression in it, and it still is known by the name of Dobson's feed trough, because it was there that Dobson and his house spent their nights when ever the Tories were in the ajcend cut. Once when the Tories made a plundering raid, Dobson learned of their coming and prepared for them and as the road to his house led through a wide swampy bottom the road made many zigzag bends, and at each one of these Dobson placed a gun and when the raid was made Dobson killed and wounded several Tories by passing the river cuts from one gun to another and in this way had six fires on them before they got through. This caused him for months afterwards to spend his nights on his rock in the river. He was an amicable man of funlike fancy and his friends pitted him against all liars to break them down by telling the biggest lie. I will give you but one specimen - In the year 1807 my grandfather gave a dinner and a treat to many of his old companions of the Revolution and amongst them a man by the name of James Bowls who had served with my grandfather at the siege of Ninety-Six, where Bowls was wounded in the head by a spent ball that did him but little damage. As the day wore away the old men all became mellowed by Whisky and to talk of their bravery in the Revolution. At length one of the old men observed - "brothers let us all show our scars!" With this many of them stripped to the skin and exhibited their wounds and the man who exhibited the greatest number of scars was named David Miller of Capt. Snypes company of Sumters command at the time of his being surprised at Fishing Creek. That his right and left arms had been terribly hacked by the swords of Tarleton's troopers and a ball had passed through one of his ears where it joined the head. This had saved his life by it stunned him and he was left up dead. Next Bill Gilmer was called on to show his scars when he did show that he had received a wound of some kind about the front of his shoulder blade. This led to a vow of Miller by this time was loudly drunk and a fool and exclaimed “Only you David old Miller just where I would have expected - shot in the back as you ran !” - at which the two old men went into a fight but were immediately parted and the show continued. It was now James Bowls turn to exhibit and to the astonishment of all present, save my grandfather, he showed where at the siege of Ninety Six a ball struck him betwixt the eyes and came out at the back part of his head! and as he claimed, after passing directly through the brain. (Truth was, he had a receding forehead and the spent ball only entered under the skin and ran around to the back of his head). It was now that Joseph Dobson who could exhibit no scars accepted by his fellow Revolutionists stated this. "Well, my brothers, I have no scars to show - some of you know, however, that I am no coward and have done some good fighting - and ahead and of this, I have the bravery and skill of my relatives to fall back on. The tomb of my brother John stands on the battle ground of Ramseur's Mills he commanded a company of brave Burke boys that helped to gain that victory. I was one of them. But to meet the extraordinary case of friend Bowls I must act on the principals that we farmers do to save our fences when the woods are on fire - meet fire with fire. It is a tough story I will tell you but not mostly show like that of Bowls. The incident was this - my father was a finished Surgeon - extraordinary indeed in his profession. He was ever with our army during the Revolution and performed surgical cures that will hand his name down to the last generation, but, one of these will suffice. At the time Tarleton was in the country I commanded a squad of men sent out to watch his motions, but we were discovered and charged upon by Tarleton's rear guard and the only damage we sustained, a trooper of Tarleton's took clean off the head of one of our men at a single stroke - the thing was beautifully done. Tarleton's troopers scalped one and left us. My father, the Surgeon, was hard by and hastily replaced the man's head on his shoulders - It was a beautiful fit. - He began to breath and the blood to circulate and after having his neck well bandaged was taken to a house to await final recovery." “But Dobson, did he recover ?” asked Bowls. “Yes, I may say he did! - He was doing very well on the sixth week after his decapitation, but unfortunately then took a severe cold and in an effort to blow his nose he threw his head in the fire and the jig was up with time - he died!" – “Dobson, that is a damned lie" observed Bowls. To which Dobson replied, "That is granted, but so is also your tale James Bowls."




Yeah, I like to think I get some of MY story telling ability from my ancestors.

[/FONT]

 

[jamespowers]

Thank you for the kind words. I am flattered, and humbled.

We're not Ozzie and Harriett by any stretch of the imagination, but more like John and Olivia Walton. If you recall, the Walton family was very close and shared a lot of family traditions and history, but were often times met with challenges, disagreements, heartache, and disappointment. But, in the end, they somehow were able to come together and were a stronger family.

I'd like to think of myself as a cross between John Walton and his Pa, Zeb Walton. I'm kind of easy going and slow to anger (just don't push me over the edge - I've been there and it ain't nice). My wife is not quite the cross between Olivia and Grandma, as she's not the "Bible thumper" those two were, but she does have a much shorter temper than I do. Sometimes I think it makes her mad that I don't get mad.

In the end, we all have fun. Life has been incredibly good to me and my family. I know it, and I thank God every day for that blessing.

Funny, I was thinking about you and yours in that same context a while back. Do you all say good night like on the Waltons?

 

[HadleyH]

Big Man I said it before and I know many here in Fedora agree!

You are the best!


if I may...I dedicate this song to you.... nothing particular in the lyrics or anything ...it's a cover of a very popular song from late last century... but the music is very nice ....with love Big Man.... for you and your beautiful family!



[video=youtube;EQOgaCTPWMU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQOgaCTPWMU[/video]

 

[Big Man]

... Do you all say good night like on the Waltons?

As a matter of fact, we do.

The old house here doesn't have a hallway, so you have to pass through one room to get to another. When I was a boy and spending my weekends and summers here with my grandmother and aunt, on my way to bed every night I'd pass through my grandmother's bedroom, and I'd always tell her good night.

Now, all these years later, on my way to bed I still pass through the room where my grandmother slept so long ago. Ever so quietly under my breath I'll whisper, "Good night, Maw." I know she hears me, because I can "feel" her telling me, "good night, sweetheart."

 

[Big Man]

Big Man I said it before and I know many here in Fedora agree!

You are the best!


if I may...I dedicate this song to you.... nothing particular in the lyrics or anything ...it's a cover of a very popular song from late last century... but the music is very nice ....with love Big Man.... for you and your beautiful family!

Oh gosh, I don't know what to say except thank you, which really sounds inadequate for such an honor, but you have left me speechless.

 

[AtomicEraTom]

Wonderful story! It's great that you pass on those stories!
My father does the same thing. I've heard stories from my Great-Grandfather, Grandfather, and my father, who is the only one living, now. I write many of them down and will pass them onto my kids when I have some.

The world needs more people like you.

After church yesterday, we all went out to eat at a little restaurant near the house. We were sitting at the table talking about Mackenna starting to school this Fall. I began to tell the story about how my Dad used to slip away from school his first. His first grade teacher in 1930 was Miss Maggie Taylor. The ironic thing about that story was Miss Taylor ended up teaching FOR my Dad after HE became principal of Oak Hill School. My little granddaughter just sat there and intently listened to the story, not missing a single word.

I think it’s important to pass down stories like this to the next generations. Not only are they interesting stories, but in a small way they help keep “alive” those family members who have passed on.

 

[AtomicEraTom]

My Grandma (on my dad's side) came to visit last weekend. It's the first she has seen my house, where we were photographed.

I had a wonderful time with her, and with my Grandfather's passing in November (he was 84), Grandma is the Matriarch of the family, at 79.

 

[Fading Fast]

Fantastic story - exaggerations and all - Big Man. Letters like the one you posted show not only how story telling styles have changed, but how society evolves overtime - one of the reason I love FL. All that said, the desire to tell and hear stories is timeless, as proven by your family.

 

[carouselvic]

GD#3....My Brown Eyed Girl

 

[Big Man]

Can't go wrong reading to a child.