A Note from Catherine on Thanksgiving Memories.

Greetings to all of the extended family. Today in the Oregonian there is an article about what to do for Thanksgiving. It said This Thanksgiving Harvest Family History. It said that when an old person dies we lose a library. I am becoming aware of that because since I am almost the oldest (Uncle Dan has me beat) I am very aware of lost stories. Therefore as I was thinking about what Thanksgiving was like when I was a child I will recall some memories and write them down. There are few of us left that will be able to bring them to mind but perhaps this will trigger some thoughts and you younger folks can ask questions.

We, The Baker family almost always (weather permitting) went to Grandma and Papa Kerslakes for dinner. There was always lots of food but the eating habits were different. The men always ate first...the kids second and finally the women...who of course had done all of the work. Sometimes as I recall there was a side table and the kids got to eat somewhat at the same time. That is something that did not fly when I grew up. Think that we managed to have equal opportunity at the table.

We got to play in the Parlor on holidays. The piano was in there and that was a part of the usual activity on some holidays. Of course the cows always had to be milked and the chores done so often our Dad and the boys when they got older would go home to Aims, do the chores and come back for the remainder of the evening. I sometimes think of how good the roads are now as well as the vehicles in comparison to those when I was young and am amazed that they would make that trip twice in one day. It was the fun time together that made it a viable option I am sure. We were thankful for what we had.

Those are fond memories of my childhood because it was good to have a family who loved us.

I hope that we will all glean some good memories from our families as we gather together to enjoy thanksgiving. God Bless. Catherine

P.S. If anyone has heard stories of Uncle Fred catching a horse on Walkers Prairie in Aims please share it with me. I remember when he and Louie Berney and some others were involved in that but want to be accurate and it is vague in my mind.