Babysitters

Recently, I was reminiscing with my mom about the couple who used to babysit me. My mom went back to work when I was 10 weeks old. We still lived out in the country at that time (in the same house that my dad lives in today - it's a weird story about how this house has stayed in the family). Just down the little rock road that runs by that house is another little white house where Florence and Albert lived.

Florence and Albert were in their 60's when they started keeping me (and they are distantly related to me - same last name). Their two sons were grown and married and living in another town. Albert and Florence were super nice people that I remember fondly. Albert died when I was really young so I barely remember him, but I do know I liked him a lot.

Their house had 5 rooms - a living room, 2 bedrooms, a dining room, and a kitchen. That's it. They did not have indoor plumbing so there was no bathroom. They had an outhouse. They also had a well and a hand pump near their backdoor. On the counter in the kitchen, they kept a bucket and dipper - this is where you went to get a drink of water. Everybody used the dipper to get a drink, and I loved using the dipper. I will always believe that that was the best tasting water. As I got older, and when we didn't live nearby anymore, I would go to visit Florence and always got a drink while I was there - I craved the taste of that water.

I think they kept me until I was three years old (when we moved to town). I guess they had to potty train me. Did they take me to the outhouse? Or did they have a potty chair? I don't remember.

I remember that they had a few toys - just a few, simple ones. My mom said they held me a lot. I wonder what I did all day. Sit on their lap? Watch t.v.? My mom thinks they had a t.v. - a small, black & white t.v.

I wish I could remember more.