Helladian Vistas (1909)

My earliest childhood memories are of me in the kitchen helping my aunt cook for our very large family. We never knew how many people we were going to have to cook for. After my father’s accident, my aunt and uncle took in me, my two brothers, and of course my dad, who was a paraplegic. They only had one biological child, my brother Don. If ever anyone (family members) needed a place to live, they came to our home. We had several cousins, uncles and aunts that lived with us one time or another. My aunt and uncle never complained. I remember that they would say, We will just put another bean in the pot. They are both gone now, but I know that they have a very special place in heaven, as they gave so much of themselves here on earth. Another person who had a large influence on me as a child is my aunt Dorothy. She made the best biscuits on earth! I loved to go to her house for summer vacation. They were the best times of my childhood. I am very fortunate that she is still with us. She is more like a mother to me than an aunt. She is still a big influence in my life.