WE HAD GOOD TIMES AND HARD TIMES--HAPPY TIMES AND SAD TIMES. IT WAS A REALLY GOOD LIFE.

ONE OF MY MEMORIES IS OF DADDY AND MAMA STANDING IN THE BACK DOOR LOOKING OUT OVER THEIR TEN ACRES, HE ALWAYS HAD HIS ARM AROUND HER. I CAN SEE THEM SITTING IN THE SHADE UNDER THE WALNUT TREES, DADDY WITH HIS FLY SWATTER.

MAMA ALWAYS SAID SHE NEVER KNEW HOW MANY WOULD BE THERE WHEN SHE GOT UP IN THE MORNING. WE COULD ALWAYS BRING KIDS HOME TO SPEND THE NIGHT. WE WOULD SLEEP FOUR OR FIVE IN THE BED. SOMETIMES WE HAD TO SLEEP CROSSWISW.

MAMA LOVED TO COOK AND WHEN WE WOULD GET HOME FROM SCHOOL THERE WOULD BE HOME COOKED BREAD AND BUTTER OR CINNAMON ROLLS SO WE WOULD HAVE A SNACK BEFORE SUPPER.

I THINK OF THE HOUSE WE GREW UP AND I FEED ITS LONELY FOR ALL THE NOISE THAT WAS THERE WHEN WE WERE HOME.

WE WERE TAUGHT TO WORK. TO BE HONEST AND TO BE DECENT. THOUGH WE WERE NOT AFFECTIONATE THERE WAS ALWAYS THE FEELING OF BEING LOVED WE HAD FIGHTS WITH ONE ANOTHER BUT WE WOULD FIGHT FOR EACH OTHER.

THERE IS ONE OTHER THING I WANT TO WRITE ABOUT. MAMA HAD AN OLD BLACK COAT. SHE WORE IT FOR YEARS. EVERY WINTER SHE'D THINK MAYBE SHE WOULD GET A NEW ONE BUT THE KIDS ALWAYS NEEDED SOMETHING SO SHE DID NOT GET A COAT. I WILL NEVER FORGET HOW PROUD SHE WAS WHEN ELMER AND TREVAH BOUGHT HER A COAT FOR CHRISTMAS THE FIRST YEAR THEY WERE MARRIED.

THESE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS I REMEMBER. I KNOW EACH OF YOU HAVE YOUR OWN MEMORIES.