Welcome to Shirley's Blog - Dear Reader
Having lived 95 years, Shirley remains active in her community and drives herself almost daily to the library, grocery store, or to go shopping.
Shirley has lived through the great depression, World War II, and before the invention of computers, cell phones, penicillin, and even refrigeration.
I hope you enjoy reading about her life and times in this wonderful blog.
Questions and answers
People ask me what I do to live such a long life. Questions like
What do you eat? "Whatever I want to."
What do you do for fun? "I read, paint, watch movies, and shop."
How about exercise? " I shop! I also walk to the mailbox everyday but Sunday."
I had a pet, a little toy poodle that watched t.v. with me. He sadly passed away during an episode of "Lost"
He never did like that show!
Whenever someone asks me what I would like for my birthday I just say, "Another year would be nice."
The city girl meets the country boy
I've been thinking about the 'good ole days,' when "City Girl" (me) met "Country Boy," (future husband!) My family moved from Michigan to Arkansas and discovered that 'culture shock' was for real!
When he heard that I had sung on the radio in Detroit, he assumed that I could be the next "Loretta Lynn!" Little did he know I had never even heard a country song! When the local theatre had a talent show, he entered me in it, and I promptly learned to sing "Your Cheating Heart" in a weeks' time.
There was a loud applause afterward and I was called back for an encore. Unfortunately, it was the 'only' country song I knew! When I was called back, I was a no-show!
Early Memories
I was born in Michigan during the great depression. My Dad was laid off from "General Electric" and we moved to Arkansas where we had other family members. We lived in a small cabin with a well for water, and oil lamps for power.
When I was probably around 4 or 5, I remember waking up early one morning and smelling smoke. I walked barefoot into the kitchen and said, "Mama the house is on fire." She didn't believe me at first, crying, I tugged at her apron till she came outside. Sure enough, the roof was on fire. A group of men (neighbors) brought buckets of water and passed them down the line to throw water on the roof. (in those days there was no Fire Department to call) They eventually got the fire out but the smell of burning wood never went away.
We were a big family, and I had 3 brothers and 2 sisters. My Mother apparently had a green thumb and grew a big garden of vegetables. Even in a Depression, we never went hungry and had enough left over to help feed our neighbors too. One day I was sent to pick wild blackberries for a pie and stumbled into a bed of poison ivy. It itched and I scratched until I was so miserable I was unable to hardly sleep so I had to go see the Doctor. I was too embarrassed to admit I had the rash on my bottom too. He admonished me for sitting on my feet and when I was leaving thee room, I heard him telling my mother and laughing! Believe me, it wasn't funny.
Life in Michigan early teens
Winter in Michigan is fun when you're a kid. There are snowball fights, sledding, and ice skating but the streets are icy and dangerous. I was 15 and I was invited to go to a concert in downtown Detroit. He was a senior and I was a freshman in high school, so I was flattered! When he drove over to pick me up, he rang the door bell and my dad answered.
He explained that he was taking me to a concert and there would be another couple going also. My dad said, "She is too young to be talking to boys," and closed the door. He later came to my room and asked, "who was that?" I said through tears, "Othello"!
He then said," I know he's s a fellow but what's his name?"