Have you ever had the privilege of watching two people fall in love in their golden years? It is a beautiful sight really.
She calls him "my hubby" or "old fellow". He calls her "sweetie". She combs his hair with her fingertips. He squeezes her hand so softly. She would reach up and straighten his tie just right. Every sunrise, every sunset is beautiful to them, and they love to walk hand in hand under the full moon. There is that twinkle in their eyes when they look at one another across the room. Their whole world revolves around one another. This is what happened to my Jeannie, my "second mother."
In a city miles away, a man sits on his bed, his phone in his hand. He wants so badly to call her...but what would she say? "I'm going to call, if she says yes that's my answer." He makes the call....
It was a cloudy spring Sunday morning when our old wall phone rang and I ran to answer.
"Hello" she said into the receiver "You know I don't think I will go to Concordia with you this morning. I'll just go to Albert's instead.
"Ok " I answered "we will miss you."
Before doing the chores that evening we decided to check on Jeannie. It was getting dark and after all she was alone up there in that big farm house. We dialed her number and waited. Pretty soon that sweet
"Hello"
"Hi....we are just home and want to make sure you are tucked in before going out to do chores."
"Yes I'm in for the night. I had company this afternoon."
"Oh....yeah?"
"Can you guess who?"
"Oh....lets see....Harold?"
"How did you know?"
"Well..." Smile!!
Thus started a courtship that ended in a beautiful marriage for 23 years 5 months. 10 days, and ? hours. They were always having anniversary's. They knew the exact year, month, week and day. Maybe even minute and second!!
It was on that cloudy spring weekend, God looked down and saw a little widow living all alone and a little group of people who needed someone to care for them, and He sent us Harold for a beautiful eighteen and a half years.
Our little farm house became "the over night motel" during those courting days. He chose a little bedroom in the northwest corner of the basement. If we had only a "coal room" for him, he would never complain. He didn't know it, but a little girl and boy and their momma and dad were fast falling in love with that tall, thin, gray haired man, while he was falling in love with their Jeannie.
One afternoon he had come early. As he waited for his "sweetie" to get home from school, he sat in an old easy chair. On each knee sat our little girl and boy, They held in their little hands a piece of paper and a pencil. They looked up into their old friends eyes and said
"We want you to sign this paper that you will move here and not take our Jeannie away."
The dear old man started to chuckle. He took them both in his arms and squeezed them to his heart and said "I'm not going anywhere, we are staying right here."
He looked up at my husband and I as he held them there, his lips parted in that "Harold smile" and we were so happy.
Our weekends were spent with the sound of a car driving into the drive way, parking, and running feet up to the back door. He would set his old bags just inside and say with a wave "I'll see you sometime." Or sometimes we would drive up to Jeannie's empty house on the hill to check things, because she and her brown Buick had made a special trip south.
On and on it went through the springtime until there started to be "serious" talk about "wedding bell!!" Floyd and Lucille were getting cloths prepared for that special day, because they were going to stand up with them as they exchanged those "I do's" that would make them one for always....until death did them part. The date was set for the Monday following Memorial Day and we were all excited.
On May 23rd, the Friday before Memorial Day. I had just pulled my tractor out of the field, heading home for a fast bite of lunch. I had been disking all morning and was anxious to get back at it so I could finish before the kids got home from school. Have you ever had your whole day turned upside down? Will, that happens sometimes when Harold is around.
I was coming up to the yield sign of McReynolds and Cunningham when I saw his white Honda come bombing up over the hill, right at me. I stopped to let him pass, but he threw on his brakes and hopped out of the car right there in the middle of the road. In a few long strides he was at the tractor. I opened the door and asked:
"Are you ok?"
"I was wondering if you and Stan could met Jeannie and I at the courthouse in a hour?"
"What?"
"We're getting married and we want you and Stan to stand up with us."
"Harold look at me. My hair is a mess, I haven't ate and what about Floyd and Lucille?"
"We don't care about your hair, and can't you eat and get ready in a hour? Floyd and Lucille are visiting out west and we don't want to wait another day."
So it was that we became "Floyd and Lucille" real fast like. I came home to find that my husband had a small lunch on the table, thank goodness. I walked in and announced: "Well....we are to be at the courthouse in an hour!!" "What on earth for?" "Harold just stopped me and told me they were getting married and we are to stand up with them!" So on with the aftershave, and perfume and up went the messy hair, and on went some cloths and out the door to the car we flew.
We sat on that bench outside the courtroom and waited and waited. No Harold....no Jeannie. "Are you sure you heard right?" my husband asked. "I'm positive...should we call them?" Before he could answer a nervous Harold runs up to us. "We forgot the marriage licenses at home! We have to go back for them."
"The school bus will soon bring the kids home and they won't know where we are" I said. "Of course" it was Jeannie " You go get them and we will met back here at 4:30."
All seven of us stand together in that quiet little courtroom. Harold holding the hand of his nervous little bride, as they stood there before the judge. My husband stood next to Harold and I was beside Jeannie. Our little girl and boy stood in front of us, Harold's ring held tight in our daughter's little hand, Jeannie's in the hand of our son.
There in that quiet little courtroom we witnessed the most beautiful love story. We witnessed Harold and Jeannie placing the ring on each others finger. We witnessed tears as the new groom took his beautiful wife in his arms for their first kiss as husband and wife. Husband and wife in the golden years of life.
Outside Harold opened their car trunk. He took out two packages and handed one to our daughter and one to our son. In one was our daughter's first "Cabbage Patch Doll" In the other was a large model airplane set. Their little faces lite up as if it was Christmas. "Let's go eat" said the new groom, all smiles. Then off to a Bible study meeting in Lindsborg. Our fun filled years with Harold and Jeannie had began.
Life seemed so perfect there on McReynolds Road. That dear old farm that was once full of milk cows, pitch forks, tractors and silage wagons turned into a beautiful retirement home with a pond, beautiful trimmed lawns, a mailbox with its little yellow flag that "popped up" when the mail man came, and the little board sign at the end of the driveway with the name "Ponderosa" written across it.
Everyone was welcome at that old farm house on the hill. Many times Harold's sisters and husbands, and brother and wife would set around that old kitchen table. I can still picture their laughing faces, their kind spirit, their love for one another. Dear Floyd and Lucille would join them. or just drive out on a pretty spring day to enjoy the farm.
Our children had lots of fond memories of that home. They would stay there some afternoons while we worked in the field. Jeannie would show our daughter her many dolls, while Harold and our son talked "big talk". That is when our son said the words Harold loved to quote. He looked at Harold and said: "It must be nice to be retired and live on social security and do nothing."
One of the favorite memories our kids had of their time there was setting with them in their den off the kitchen. Harold would sit in his favorite chair and Jeannie in hers, doing the daily cryptoquip from the paper and soft music played in the background. Jeannie would let out her little sigh and say to Harold "We are so lucky" or "Why do we have it so good?" He would just smile.
It was in that little house we went to our Sunday morning church service. I can still picture Jeannie sitting in her chair. It was made so it appeared to have wings. She would sit so proper like, her Bible and hymnbook in her lap along with a pad and pencil. Harold sat along the other wall in the same kind of chair. The little table between them where a lamp cast it soft light. Harold would sit there, so straight and tall, one leg crossed over the other.
There were young families with their little ones and older couples. We all loved Jeannie and Harold. After the meeting, Harold would often take the hand of a little child in his big one and hold it and hold it. Finally he would say "Turn me loose!" Then he would laugh his laugh. Many a Sunday noon they would have George and Barbara stay for lunch. You could smell Jeannie's famous chicken and rice casserole cooking in the oven. Afterwards George and Harold would relax in the den while Barbara and Jeannie would talk "woman talk."
Jeannie loved Harold's children and Harold loved hers. They were always welcome , there on the farm. It was so special because they never forgot their first spouse. Every Memorial Day they would go to their graves and place flowers there. It was beautiful that they had each other to share these difficult times with.
There were times of happy tears mixed with sad ones. We lost our Floyd and Lucille had to move closer to family. My Grandpa and Grandma went away. Harold lost his dear sisters and I lost my dear old dad. There were grand babies born, graduations, college, and weddings. Life was a mixture of love and sorrow interwoven. Thus eighteen and a half years of beautiful memories passed one day at a time until......
One fall day Harold came to us and said:
"Its time for this old man to take my Jeannie and move back to Wichita."
"Oh no why?"
"I just can't keep up with all the outside work anymore."
"Oh no they were really going away."
Our hearts were as heavy as lead balls. We were to sad to even cry. We tried everything to make him change his mind. Nothing worked. He was going home....leaving us there with only memories whispering through the grasses, off the old farm house, through the tree branches and settling there beside the little sign at the end of that lane with the word "Ponderosa" written across it.
If you didn't read the first chapter "From the Dairy to Ponderosa" please do. There will be a final chapter next week " Trails Home"
She calls him "my hubby" or "old fellow". He calls her "sweetie". She combs his hair with her fingertips. He squeezes her hand so softly. She would reach up and straighten his tie just right. Every sunrise, every sunset is beautiful to them, and they love to walk hand in hand under the full moon. There is that twinkle in their eyes when they look at one another across the room. Their whole world revolves around one another. This is what happened to my Jeannie, my "second mother."
In a city miles away, a man sits on his bed, his phone in his hand. He wants so badly to call her...but what would she say? "I'm going to call, if she says yes that's my answer." He makes the call....
It was a cloudy spring Sunday morning when our old wall phone rang and I ran to answer.
"Hello" she said into the receiver "You know I don't think I will go to Concordia with you this morning. I'll just go to Albert's instead.
"Ok " I answered "we will miss you."
Before doing the chores that evening we decided to check on Jeannie. It was getting dark and after all she was alone up there in that big farm house. We dialed her number and waited. Pretty soon that sweet
"Hello"
"Hi....we are just home and want to make sure you are tucked in before going out to do chores."
"Yes I'm in for the night. I had company this afternoon."
"Oh....yeah?"
"Can you guess who?"
"Oh....lets see....Harold?"
"How did you know?"
"Well..." Smile!!
Thus started a courtship that ended in a beautiful marriage for 23 years 5 months. 10 days, and ? hours. They were always having anniversary's. They knew the exact year, month, week and day. Maybe even minute and second!!
It was on that cloudy spring weekend, God looked down and saw a little widow living all alone and a little group of people who needed someone to care for them, and He sent us Harold for a beautiful eighteen and a half years.
Our little farm house became "the over night motel" during those courting days. He chose a little bedroom in the northwest corner of the basement. If we had only a "coal room" for him, he would never complain. He didn't know it, but a little girl and boy and their momma and dad were fast falling in love with that tall, thin, gray haired man, while he was falling in love with their Jeannie.
One afternoon he had come early. As he waited for his "sweetie" to get home from school, he sat in an old easy chair. On each knee sat our little girl and boy, They held in their little hands a piece of paper and a pencil. They looked up into their old friends eyes and said
"We want you to sign this paper that you will move here and not take our Jeannie away."
The dear old man started to chuckle. He took them both in his arms and squeezed them to his heart and said "I'm not going anywhere, we are staying right here."
He looked up at my husband and I as he held them there, his lips parted in that "Harold smile" and we were so happy.
Our weekends were spent with the sound of a car driving into the drive way, parking, and running feet up to the back door. He would set his old bags just inside and say with a wave "I'll see you sometime." Or sometimes we would drive up to Jeannie's empty house on the hill to check things, because she and her brown Buick had made a special trip south.
On and on it went through the springtime until there started to be "serious" talk about "wedding bell!!" Floyd and Lucille were getting cloths prepared for that special day, because they were going to stand up with them as they exchanged those "I do's" that would make them one for always....until death did them part. The date was set for the Monday following Memorial Day and we were all excited.
On May 23rd, the Friday before Memorial Day. I had just pulled my tractor out of the field, heading home for a fast bite of lunch. I had been disking all morning and was anxious to get back at it so I could finish before the kids got home from school. Have you ever had your whole day turned upside down? Will, that happens sometimes when Harold is around.
I was coming up to the yield sign of McReynolds and Cunningham when I saw his white Honda come bombing up over the hill, right at me. I stopped to let him pass, but he threw on his brakes and hopped out of the car right there in the middle of the road. In a few long strides he was at the tractor. I opened the door and asked:
"Are you ok?"
"I was wondering if you and Stan could met Jeannie and I at the courthouse in a hour?"
"What?"
"We're getting married and we want you and Stan to stand up with us."
"Harold look at me. My hair is a mess, I haven't ate and what about Floyd and Lucille?"
"We don't care about your hair, and can't you eat and get ready in a hour? Floyd and Lucille are visiting out west and we don't want to wait another day."
So it was that we became "Floyd and Lucille" real fast like. I came home to find that my husband had a small lunch on the table, thank goodness. I walked in and announced: "Well....we are to be at the courthouse in an hour!!" "What on earth for?" "Harold just stopped me and told me they were getting married and we are to stand up with them!" So on with the aftershave, and perfume and up went the messy hair, and on went some cloths and out the door to the car we flew.
We sat on that bench outside the courtroom and waited and waited. No Harold....no Jeannie. "Are you sure you heard right?" my husband asked. "I'm positive...should we call them?" Before he could answer a nervous Harold runs up to us. "We forgot the marriage licenses at home! We have to go back for them."
"The school bus will soon bring the kids home and they won't know where we are" I said. "Of course" it was Jeannie " You go get them and we will met back here at 4:30."
All seven of us stand together in that quiet little courtroom. Harold holding the hand of his nervous little bride, as they stood there before the judge. My husband stood next to Harold and I was beside Jeannie. Our little girl and boy stood in front of us, Harold's ring held tight in our daughter's little hand, Jeannie's in the hand of our son.
There in that quiet little courtroom we witnessed the most beautiful love story. We witnessed Harold and Jeannie placing the ring on each others finger. We witnessed tears as the new groom took his beautiful wife in his arms for their first kiss as husband and wife. Husband and wife in the golden years of life.
Outside Harold opened their car trunk. He took out two packages and handed one to our daughter and one to our son. In one was our daughter's first "Cabbage Patch Doll" In the other was a large model airplane set. Their little faces lite up as if it was Christmas. "Let's go eat" said the new groom, all smiles. Then off to a Bible study meeting in Lindsborg. Our fun filled years with Harold and Jeannie had began.
Life seemed so perfect there on McReynolds Road. That dear old farm that was once full of milk cows, pitch forks, tractors and silage wagons turned into a beautiful retirement home with a pond, beautiful trimmed lawns, a mailbox with its little yellow flag that "popped up" when the mail man came, and the little board sign at the end of the driveway with the name "Ponderosa" written across it.
Everyone was welcome at that old farm house on the hill. Many times Harold's sisters and husbands, and brother and wife would set around that old kitchen table. I can still picture their laughing faces, their kind spirit, their love for one another. Dear Floyd and Lucille would join them. or just drive out on a pretty spring day to enjoy the farm.
Our children had lots of fond memories of that home. They would stay there some afternoons while we worked in the field. Jeannie would show our daughter her many dolls, while Harold and our son talked "big talk". That is when our son said the words Harold loved to quote. He looked at Harold and said: "It must be nice to be retired and live on social security and do nothing."
One of the favorite memories our kids had of their time there was setting with them in their den off the kitchen. Harold would sit in his favorite chair and Jeannie in hers, doing the daily cryptoquip from the paper and soft music played in the background. Jeannie would let out her little sigh and say to Harold "We are so lucky" or "Why do we have it so good?" He would just smile.
It was in that little house we went to our Sunday morning church service. I can still picture Jeannie sitting in her chair. It was made so it appeared to have wings. She would sit so proper like, her Bible and hymnbook in her lap along with a pad and pencil. Harold sat along the other wall in the same kind of chair. The little table between them where a lamp cast it soft light. Harold would sit there, so straight and tall, one leg crossed over the other.
There were young families with their little ones and older couples. We all loved Jeannie and Harold. After the meeting, Harold would often take the hand of a little child in his big one and hold it and hold it. Finally he would say "Turn me loose!" Then he would laugh his laugh. Many a Sunday noon they would have George and Barbara stay for lunch. You could smell Jeannie's famous chicken and rice casserole cooking in the oven. Afterwards George and Harold would relax in the den while Barbara and Jeannie would talk "woman talk."
Jeannie loved Harold's children and Harold loved hers. They were always welcome , there on the farm. It was so special because they never forgot their first spouse. Every Memorial Day they would go to their graves and place flowers there. It was beautiful that they had each other to share these difficult times with.
There were times of happy tears mixed with sad ones. We lost our Floyd and Lucille had to move closer to family. My Grandpa and Grandma went away. Harold lost his dear sisters and I lost my dear old dad. There were grand babies born, graduations, college, and weddings. Life was a mixture of love and sorrow interwoven. Thus eighteen and a half years of beautiful memories passed one day at a time until......
One fall day Harold came to us and said:
"Its time for this old man to take my Jeannie and move back to Wichita."
"Oh no why?"
"I just can't keep up with all the outside work anymore."
"Oh no they were really going away."
Our hearts were as heavy as lead balls. We were to sad to even cry. We tried everything to make him change his mind. Nothing worked. He was going home....leaving us there with only memories whispering through the grasses, off the old farm house, through the tree branches and settling there beside the little sign at the end of that lane with the word "Ponderosa" written across it.
If you didn't read the first chapter "From the Dairy to Ponderosa" please do. There will be a final chapter next week " Trails Home"
You did it again! Very nice!
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