As I said Dad Pat and I moved to the "Free Housing" on the Mathews Bros. Ranch. It was a rundown old place but the roof didn't leak. Downstairs was the Kitchen/dining area, and a small add on room that we made Dad's Room. and you had to go outside to go upstairs to what was my bedroom and Pat's bedroom, you had to go through my room to get to Pat's, There was no Bathroom, it had an outhouse! Yes a two-holer outhouse out by the garage. It had no hot water, we had to heat water on the stove.
It had a shower, out in the garage, with a metal tank on top to fill with water so it would heat in the daytime sun. The floor was a pallet, and yes there was some grass growing in their. LOL During the winter, we would use a #3 wash tub in the kitchen to take baths. Also going to the Bathroom could be tricky in the winter. But it was FREE!!.
I as you might expect do not have a lot of fond memories of this place. But it was home and I was forced to make do with the accommodations. I got used to the bathroom and shower part, but hated having to get up in the middle of the night to go out there. We lived there for the next four years.
I remember my our dog having pups, then getting her head stuck in a jar and dying. I raised those pups on small bottles. I hated it when I would feed one in the middle of the night just to have another wake me a few minutes later, and My sister Phyllis was visiting and told me when one wakes up, wake them all up and feed them. This worked great. Also I remember there were Walnut trees lining the drive way. We would gather the nuts as they fell, and bag them for the owners. and he would pay us for them. Then the Shaker would come in and harvest the trees, and any nuts that fell after that were ours. Also we had Lemon, and Orange trees that we got all we wanted of.
I had started the 8th grade in Ceres but soon transferred to Lebright Jr. High in Hughson. Things were fine at first and I made some friends, but just before Christmas, the new Jr. High was ready and we helped move our classrooms to Emilie J. Ross Jr High. Lebright them became a middle school for 5th and 6th Grades. After Christmas Break, I managed to make an enemy of one of the "In Crowd" girls, and all of a sudden my popularity dropped. I still had a few friends, but mostly I was a loner. The bullies were always sure to get on me a lot, and this was to continue for the next 4 years. I never got hurt bad, but was pushed around and humiliated often. Mostly just threats to keep me in my place. I got to where I hated going to school and would miss every chance I got. All I wanted was to return to my hometown where I still had friends and relatives. In June 1962 I graduated to Hughson High School.
Other memories of living here were"
1 "Fog Holidays" yeas the fog would get too thick for the buses to run so we would get Fog Days.
2. Dad using a broom handle to pound on the ceiling to wake Pat and I up.
3. Pat and I deliberately missing the bus not to have to go to school.
4. My first snow storm.
5. Weekends at Turlock Lake
6. Movies at the Starlight Drive In in Keyes.
7 the Births of many of my nieces and nephews.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Friday, July 29, 2011
Ceres California
Just after the sixth grade, in the spring of 1960, We again went on the move. We were basically "Fruit Tramps", the whole family going from ranch to ranch, crop to crop. Working the harvest to make a living. We moved from Ballico to some cabins my Dad's Uncle Homer owned on Highway 99 on the edge of Ceres. Like it the Trailers it took more than one cabin for our family, I am thinking we used three but might have been just 2. I think shortly after we moved dad got a job on a different ranch. But Mom the girls and I would drive around looking for a harvest to join to make money. We picked Apricots, Blackberries, peaches, and Strawberries that year. One day Mom was not with us and Phyllis had the car, we found a Strawberry Harvest and joined in. The girls would pick the berries, and I would carry the trays, to the trailer to be counted. Well we had a problem in that the girls would constantly leave too long of stems on the Berry's, and I would get told and return to tell them. Well at some point Phyllis said that's ok I am tired and getting ready to quit any way. so when I went back with the next load the foreman again started complaining and I said that's ok we are going to quit anyway! and with that were were no longer picking Strawberries. He told Phyllis that he had planned to move us to the Frozen Strawberry crew where stems could be longer, But I had quit for us LMAO.
I loved picking apricots, the trees were smaller in this field and I could really help. We did not stay in the cabins long and found a house to live in.
While we were in Ballico, Betty had gotten married and moved back to the Imperial Valley to El Centro. Her Husband was abusive, and she left him and returned to us, but he came to try to get him back. I remember the confrontation between him and her and Dad. At one point he got into his car and we think he was going to try to pin Dad between the cars. Anyway he finally left without Betty and they got a divorce.
I started 7th Grade at Walter White junior High School, I had never heard of a Junior High, Where I had been it was elementary till 8th grade then high school. I joined the "Safety Patrol" and was guarding crosswalks before and after school. I made a few friends, and even made friends of the prettiest girl in school. Lela Burg!! Long Silky Blond hair, and not a stuck up girl. I talked to her many times on the phone. Had quite a few friends, but wasn't Mr popular either. It was here that a neighbor friend and I tried smoking "grapevine" cause it was supposed to be just like cigarettes! maybe that is why I never took up smoking. I enjoyed may friends there and was hoping we would stay there but we would be moving again the next Fall.
The biggest event to happen in Ceres, was when Mom got mad and moved out. She made it look like an argument gone bad, but we found out later that she had planned it with a male friend and she ran off with him. Dad and Pat went to try to bring her back but he refused.She had left many times that I could remember and I was tired of it when Pat came back I simply told her "I am Glad shes gone, and I hoped she would not return this time" She didn't!!! At some point Dad got a job on a ranch in Hughson Ca. The "Matthews Brothers Ranch" and was offered free housing again. By this time, Betty had met another man, Jake, and moved out with him and Phyllis had hooked up with his Brother Charles. So Dad Pat and I moved to a two story rundown house in the middle of a peach ranch. LOL More on that later.
I loved picking apricots, the trees were smaller in this field and I could really help. We did not stay in the cabins long and found a house to live in.
While we were in Ballico, Betty had gotten married and moved back to the Imperial Valley to El Centro. Her Husband was abusive, and she left him and returned to us, but he came to try to get him back. I remember the confrontation between him and her and Dad. At one point he got into his car and we think he was going to try to pin Dad between the cars. Anyway he finally left without Betty and they got a divorce.
I started 7th Grade at Walter White junior High School, I had never heard of a Junior High, Where I had been it was elementary till 8th grade then high school. I joined the "Safety Patrol" and was guarding crosswalks before and after school. I made a few friends, and even made friends of the prettiest girl in school. Lela Burg!! Long Silky Blond hair, and not a stuck up girl. I talked to her many times on the phone. Had quite a few friends, but wasn't Mr popular either. It was here that a neighbor friend and I tried smoking "grapevine" cause it was supposed to be just like cigarettes! maybe that is why I never took up smoking. I enjoyed may friends there and was hoping we would stay there but we would be moving again the next Fall.
The biggest event to happen in Ceres, was when Mom got mad and moved out. She made it look like an argument gone bad, but we found out later that she had planned it with a male friend and she ran off with him. Dad and Pat went to try to bring her back but he refused.She had left many times that I could remember and I was tired of it when Pat came back I simply told her "I am Glad shes gone, and I hoped she would not return this time" She didn't!!! At some point Dad got a job on a ranch in Hughson Ca. The "Matthews Brothers Ranch" and was offered free housing again. By this time, Betty had met another man, Jake, and moved out with him and Phyllis had hooked up with his Brother Charles. So Dad Pat and I moved to a two story rundown house in the middle of a peach ranch. LOL More on that later.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Ballico CA.
We had moved to Ballico CA, in the summer of 59. Mom had decided that we could make more money there. We moved to a Peach and Grape ranch and Dad got a job operating equipment while Mom and the older girls worked in the harvest. Patsy was old enough to help, and I was kinda there for the ride, although I did assist where I could. Picking peaches they would have certain "drives" in the field, every 8 trees or so. they would go ahead of the pickers and put fruit boxes between the first two trees on the Drive and then skip a spot and put more boxes. This was called a set. each family would pick a set of trees, then move down the drive to the next available set and pick those 4 trees. We all had Numbers to write on the top box of each stack so that the boss could credit us with our boxes, as we were paid by the box. Mom Phyllis and Betty had to carry long ladders to get the fruit in the top of the tree, while Patsy and I would pick the lower fruit. I would also "check" the fruit, I had a small plastic ring and if a peach fell through the ring it was too small and had to be discarded. The fuzz on the peaches was very itchy, and combined with the heat, you would be miserable by quitting time. We did this all harvest. At some point after dad got his operators job we were given a house on the ranch to live in rent free. We stayed in Ballico for my sixth grade year, and I had the most fantastic teacher that year. I do not know why but out of all my Teachers, he is the one I remember most for good things, a couple of others I remember because I really disliked them though. LOL His name was Carl Ditch, Don't know what ever happened to him Hope he had a great career and a great life.
I remember we were raising baby chicks as a class project, and we kept them in a small glass sided box he had helped us make. I was one of the ones that got to take them out for exercise in the school yard, and one day I had them following me around, I was walking backwards, and I tripped over the box breaking 2 sides. He just took it in the room and replaced the sides and said Just be more careful next time. I met my first love there, her name was Margaret, She had long curly hair and was just so beautiful. Of course I was too shy and never did get to let her know how pretty and sweet I Thought she was.
Also i got to go to a week long "Summer Camp", it was great, we went to the coast of California, in the Redwoods. I loved it it was your typical 50's summer camp, cabins, swimming, hikes, crafts, and other activities, like archery. I didn't want it to end.
My Mom and Dad did a lot of drinking at that time, and I never realized they had a problem. Just what they did for relaxation. One of the Breweries at that time had a commercial that in it said "Go Go Go For Falstaff" Well we were playing baseball at school one day when our team had a runner going around the bases for encouragement every one was yelling "Go Go" so I yelled "Go Go Go For Falstaff" and another boy yelled something about "Just Because Your Dad is a Drunk!" Well the fight was on, and it was a pretty good one, I did come out on top, but it would be about the last fight I won for 5 years after that.
Another memory is the folks on the ranch of the Mennonite Religion, they had very strict Rules of course and if they had a car it had to be black, they could not own a television, and so on. We lived next to one of these families on the ranch, and on Saturday, the kids would be gathered around our window watching cartoons with us. I felt sorry for them, but it was my first knowledge of religion other than my own. I in fact had no real religion, I went to church at various churches depending on where I was living and who I was hanging with. From the 5th Grade until I was a Senior in high school I attended no organized church. Some time between 5th and sixth grade, we were on the move again, to some cabins owned by my Dad's Uncle Homer in a town named Ceres CA.
I will never forget walking through the orchards the smell in fall the animals running around and the birds singing.
I remember we were raising baby chicks as a class project, and we kept them in a small glass sided box he had helped us make. I was one of the ones that got to take them out for exercise in the school yard, and one day I had them following me around, I was walking backwards, and I tripped over the box breaking 2 sides. He just took it in the room and replaced the sides and said Just be more careful next time. I met my first love there, her name was Margaret, She had long curly hair and was just so beautiful. Of course I was too shy and never did get to let her know how pretty and sweet I Thought she was.
Also i got to go to a week long "Summer Camp", it was great, we went to the coast of California, in the Redwoods. I loved it it was your typical 50's summer camp, cabins, swimming, hikes, crafts, and other activities, like archery. I didn't want it to end.
My Mom and Dad did a lot of drinking at that time, and I never realized they had a problem. Just what they did for relaxation. One of the Breweries at that time had a commercial that in it said "Go Go Go For Falstaff" Well we were playing baseball at school one day when our team had a runner going around the bases for encouragement every one was yelling "Go Go" so I yelled "Go Go Go For Falstaff" and another boy yelled something about "Just Because Your Dad is a Drunk!" Well the fight was on, and it was a pretty good one, I did come out on top, but it would be about the last fight I won for 5 years after that.
Another memory is the folks on the ranch of the Mennonite Religion, they had very strict Rules of course and if they had a car it had to be black, they could not own a television, and so on. We lived next to one of these families on the ranch, and on Saturday, the kids would be gathered around our window watching cartoons with us. I felt sorry for them, but it was my first knowledge of religion other than my own. I in fact had no real religion, I went to church at various churches depending on where I was living and who I was hanging with. From the 5th Grade until I was a Senior in high school I attended no organized church. Some time between 5th and sixth grade, we were on the move again, to some cabins owned by my Dad's Uncle Homer in a town named Ceres CA.
I will never forget walking through the orchards the smell in fall the animals running around and the birds singing.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Fourth & Fifth grades part 2
Before we moved into the little pink house we lived at 828 Orange in Holtville CA, I remember this well because it was my first introduction to sex. Just suffice to say a friends daughter taught me a couple of things her brother and cousin had been teaching her. LOL I was a great student by the way. and our relationship continued for a few months. Also I caught the neighbors two young sons giving each other oral sex. they were about 5 and 6 years old.
Also at this house I was watching TV and saw a man looking into the window above the television and yelled for my sisters. We all took off down the alley and ran to the bar where my parents were with friends and told them what had happened.
From here we moved to the little pink house and then to the house on ninth street. then the last house we lived in before leaving Holtville to move to Central California. This house was out in the country along highway 80 just a few miles out of Holtville heading to Yuma AZ. it was on a big curve in highway 80, and on the banks of a drainage ditch for the irrigation water from the fields. There was a large lot with out buildings and a nice large house. I enjoyed this house, and got my first puppy there, we had always had dogs but this one was Mine not ours. he had black circles around his eyes and so naturally I named him "Rings". We explored the countryside, and had a great life for a while. Mom and Dad had a lot of friends, and were always having parties. Mom would cook all day making pan after pan of her famous enchiladas, and a large pot of chili beans. Families came over and brought their kids, always a number 3 washtub of Iced down beer and another of Ice cold pop. We would play until the early morning hours when every one had left. On one of these occasion it was early after noon and all the kids my age were exploring the drainage ditch and came across ta fish trap for bait it was full of minnows and young cat and other small fishes, so we took it to the house and got another #3 washtub filled it with water and put them all in it. A few days later a guy came up all mad caused we had stole his trap lol.. but we gave it back and he left.
Another occasion Patsy and I were fighting, and I was chasing her around trying to hit her. Betty and Phyllis were encouraging us to get each other and enjoying the show which they did very often. Well Betty yells at me "Grab the frog gig James" so I did and pushed it between Betty and Phyllis trying to stick Patsy but I actually hit Betty in the head with it. It didn't penetrate very deep but was bleeding a lot. There was a young ,man hitchhiking and he had asked for a drink and watched the entire incident by the way. Well before we could get the bleeding stopped Mom & Dad came home and asked what happened. We weren't about to tell them the truth, and Betty said "I hit my head on a nail in the wall" We looked everywhere for a nail the right height and never found it but that was our story and we stuck to it. As far as I know none of us ever told them the truth about that night.
One day, Mom & Dad found out that a local Watermelon farmer had finished his harvest and was letting every one glean what was left in the field before he disced it under. we went out there and filled the trunk & back seat of our 55 Buick and brought them home. We put a sign along the road "Watermelon 25 cents or 5 for $1" made a lot of sales too. we had them under our old swamp cooler with the cool water dripping over them it was great to split on open and eat it.
This was also where I found out Elmer the skunk had got pneumonia and died. At some point My folks made the decision to move to central California and at first we just drove up there to visit Aunt Essie, but I did not return for about 6 years. Mom Dad Phyllis and Betty went back to the house to get our belongings, and almost left Rings behind. But Phyllis and Betty would not let them. We Moved into Aunt Essies wash house on the farm where her and her husband worked. our furniture was fruit crates, and we looked like a bunch of fruit tramps. Dad got a job operating equipment for the ranch, and Mom and the kids worked the harvest. We were in a small town named Ballico Ca. and I will never forget it. One main building was the down town, as you walked up the steps if you went straight you were in the general store, if you went right you were in the Post Office and if you went left you were in the bar. Oh there were other things there too, tractor shops. but the store was also the gas station. I went to 6th grade here so that is another story.
Also at this house I was watching TV and saw a man looking into the window above the television and yelled for my sisters. We all took off down the alley and ran to the bar where my parents were with friends and told them what had happened.
From here we moved to the little pink house and then to the house on ninth street. then the last house we lived in before leaving Holtville to move to Central California. This house was out in the country along highway 80 just a few miles out of Holtville heading to Yuma AZ. it was on a big curve in highway 80, and on the banks of a drainage ditch for the irrigation water from the fields. There was a large lot with out buildings and a nice large house. I enjoyed this house, and got my first puppy there, we had always had dogs but this one was Mine not ours. he had black circles around his eyes and so naturally I named him "Rings". We explored the countryside, and had a great life for a while. Mom and Dad had a lot of friends, and were always having parties. Mom would cook all day making pan after pan of her famous enchiladas, and a large pot of chili beans. Families came over and brought their kids, always a number 3 washtub of Iced down beer and another of Ice cold pop. We would play until the early morning hours when every one had left. On one of these occasion it was early after noon and all the kids my age were exploring the drainage ditch and came across ta fish trap for bait it was full of minnows and young cat and other small fishes, so we took it to the house and got another #3 washtub filled it with water and put them all in it. A few days later a guy came up all mad caused we had stole his trap lol.. but we gave it back and he left.
Another occasion Patsy and I were fighting, and I was chasing her around trying to hit her. Betty and Phyllis were encouraging us to get each other and enjoying the show which they did very often. Well Betty yells at me "Grab the frog gig James" so I did and pushed it between Betty and Phyllis trying to stick Patsy but I actually hit Betty in the head with it. It didn't penetrate very deep but was bleeding a lot. There was a young ,man hitchhiking and he had asked for a drink and watched the entire incident by the way. Well before we could get the bleeding stopped Mom & Dad came home and asked what happened. We weren't about to tell them the truth, and Betty said "I hit my head on a nail in the wall" We looked everywhere for a nail the right height and never found it but that was our story and we stuck to it. As far as I know none of us ever told them the truth about that night.
One day, Mom & Dad found out that a local Watermelon farmer had finished his harvest and was letting every one glean what was left in the field before he disced it under. we went out there and filled the trunk & back seat of our 55 Buick and brought them home. We put a sign along the road "Watermelon 25 cents or 5 for $1" made a lot of sales too. we had them under our old swamp cooler with the cool water dripping over them it was great to split on open and eat it.
This was also where I found out Elmer the skunk had got pneumonia and died. At some point My folks made the decision to move to central California and at first we just drove up there to visit Aunt Essie, but I did not return for about 6 years. Mom Dad Phyllis and Betty went back to the house to get our belongings, and almost left Rings behind. But Phyllis and Betty would not let them. We Moved into Aunt Essies wash house on the farm where her and her husband worked. our furniture was fruit crates, and we looked like a bunch of fruit tramps. Dad got a job operating equipment for the ranch, and Mom and the kids worked the harvest. We were in a small town named Ballico Ca. and I will never forget it. One main building was the down town, as you walked up the steps if you went straight you were in the general store, if you went right you were in the Post Office and if you went left you were in the bar. Oh there were other things there too, tractor shops. but the store was also the gas station. I went to 6th grade here so that is another story.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Fourth & Fifth Grades Pt.1
Fourth & Fifth grades are a bit of a jumble, I remember moving from the TB San, to a little pink house, it was one of two side by side with a connecting carport. Lucille Bird lived in the other. a few things happened in that house.
1. My Gourd Vine: I got some gourd seeds from a friend and planted them outside the back utility porch door. They sprouted and grew, up the side of the house, over the roof, (about 10 feet of roof), down the other side, across a 3 foot strip, and over the neighbors fence. Longest vine I have ever seen. We kept having to cut them off the door. And my mom met a reporter from the San Diego Union newspaper and she came over and took a picture and published it in the paper. I was famous for a few days!
2. We had a menegerie of pets, dogs cats birds, and always did have. Well a friend of my parents was going on vacation, and asked ifwe would sit their pets. They had a parrot, small dog, and a SKUNK! yes a black & white furry skunk, that had been de-oderized and only had a slight oder when very very close to you. His name was Elmer. He was a hoot and he and I became good friends. One evening, I was walking to the back porch and as I entered the kitchen, i saw the back porch was on fire. I yelled at my sisters, and they started reacting, they told me "get all the animals out", as they were going out to grab the water hose and fight the fire and call the fire department. I grabbed the bird cages and ran out handing them over the fence, to Patsy woh handed them to Ms lucille in her yard, then both dogs, and then started looking for Elmer. I could not find him anywhere. I thought and remembered he liked to hide behind the Kitchen stove so pulled it out and there he was I grabbed him up and ran to Ms. Lucilles. I was lucky because the back porch was a screened porch and the house was not filling up with smoke. The girls had the fire out before the fire department arrived, and everything ended good.
After That we moved to a house on ninth street where I had my first real crush she was a cute little blonde and I liked her very much. Alas it was not to be. nothing spectacular happened there but i did get to help install a septic tank, climbing intpo a deep hole and working with shovel and pick-axe. like a man LMAO.
Oh Yeah something else did happen in that house. As kids we would collect deposit bottles, on weekend drives, we would see a pop bottle and tell Dad or Mom and they would stop so we could grab it to cash in at the store. Well my neighbor had a certian toy set that I wanted bad so I started saving my share of the pop bottles to buy it. I saved and saved untilI had enough bottles and Phyllis took me to Hosies Market and we cashed them in. Then off to the Rexall to buy my toy!!! Well they were sold out, I was dissapointed but picked out a couple of toy cars and had money left. Phyllis had started smoking by this time and begged me to buy her a pack of smokes but I refused telling her it was my money I saved and I was not spending it on cigerettes. LOL
1. My Gourd Vine: I got some gourd seeds from a friend and planted them outside the back utility porch door. They sprouted and grew, up the side of the house, over the roof, (about 10 feet of roof), down the other side, across a 3 foot strip, and over the neighbors fence. Longest vine I have ever seen. We kept having to cut them off the door. And my mom met a reporter from the San Diego Union newspaper and she came over and took a picture and published it in the paper. I was famous for a few days!
2. We had a menegerie of pets, dogs cats birds, and always did have. Well a friend of my parents was going on vacation, and asked ifwe would sit their pets. They had a parrot, small dog, and a SKUNK! yes a black & white furry skunk, that had been de-oderized and only had a slight oder when very very close to you. His name was Elmer. He was a hoot and he and I became good friends. One evening, I was walking to the back porch and as I entered the kitchen, i saw the back porch was on fire. I yelled at my sisters, and they started reacting, they told me "get all the animals out", as they were going out to grab the water hose and fight the fire and call the fire department. I grabbed the bird cages and ran out handing them over the fence, to Patsy woh handed them to Ms lucille in her yard, then both dogs, and then started looking for Elmer. I could not find him anywhere. I thought and remembered he liked to hide behind the Kitchen stove so pulled it out and there he was I grabbed him up and ran to Ms. Lucilles. I was lucky because the back porch was a screened porch and the house was not filling up with smoke. The girls had the fire out before the fire department arrived, and everything ended good.
After That we moved to a house on ninth street where I had my first real crush she was a cute little blonde and I liked her very much. Alas it was not to be. nothing spectacular happened there but i did get to help install a septic tank, climbing intpo a deep hole and working with shovel and pick-axe. like a man LMAO.
Oh Yeah something else did happen in that house. As kids we would collect deposit bottles, on weekend drives, we would see a pop bottle and tell Dad or Mom and they would stop so we could grab it to cash in at the store. Well my neighbor had a certian toy set that I wanted bad so I started saving my share of the pop bottles to buy it. I saved and saved untilI had enough bottles and Phyllis took me to Hosies Market and we cashed them in. Then off to the Rexall to buy my toy!!! Well they were sold out, I was dissapointed but picked out a couple of toy cars and had money left. Phyllis had started smoking by this time and begged me to buy her a pack of smokes but I refused telling her it was my money I saved and I was not spending it on cigerettes. LOL
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