My grandfather, Everett Lett, was a coal miner in Paint Creek, West Virginia. I've heard many stories over the years regarding life in a coal-mining town, however, the scariest I've ever heard was concerning a flood that hit the town when my aunts were toddlers.
The flood came up suddenly. My grandfather was coming from town with my Aunt Alice in tow. He came to a part of the creek where a man was on the other side, offering assistance. Everett had to make a quick decision and, in an attempt to save my aunt's life, tossed her across the creek to the man to insure her safety. He was planning to get back to the house and try to rescue the rest of his family.
My grandmother, Virginia, was home with my Aunt Betty. As the water rose, it started to fill the small house. Virginia, being only 18 years old herself, was terrified. She stood on furniture, holding my aunt in her arms, until the water rose too high for her to stay there. In a desperate moment, she climbed up and sat on the mantel of the fireplace, holding her little one around the waist. She knocked the picture off above the mantel, held on to the nail sticking out of the wall and stayed there all night until my grandfather was able to get to her.
My grandparents didn't find out until later the next day that my Aunt Alice was safe.
Years ago, a book was written about the flood. My Great-aunt Bertha, my Aunt Alice, and my Aunt Betty gave interviews. They also spoke to the man who caught Aunt Alice that night. In fact, a local paper had reunited them not long before. It had been the first time they had met since that horrific night. In the book, there is also a "lovely" sketch of my grandmother on the mantel with Aunt Betty.
The website I use for my West Virginia records has a brief story regarding the flood: Paint Creek Flood of 1932
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Advent Calendar - Dec 7 - Holiday Parties
I preface this by saying my mother is going to strangle me for posting this story.
When President Jimmy Carter was in office, a distant relative of ours lived in the D.C. area. She was very active in her church and called my mother to see if she would like to go with her ladies group to sign Christmas cards at the White House. My mom was thrilled!
As a thank you, the ladies were invited back to a special reception in their honor. They were able to tour the decorated rooms and have lunch while they were there. My mom was served a glass of punch and proceeded to go into a coughing fit. She didn't realize the punch had alcohol in it. A good bit of alcohol.
The server started patting her on the back, trying to help her catch her breath, but at the same time kept trying to offer her more punch, not realizing that was what started the whole mess!
We have a lovely photo album at home, with one of the Christmas cards, signed by the President and Mrs. Carter. There are pictures of the decorations, including Amy Carter's dollhouse.
Alas, there's no picture of Mom drinking punch.
When President Jimmy Carter was in office, a distant relative of ours lived in the D.C. area. She was very active in her church and called my mother to see if she would like to go with her ladies group to sign Christmas cards at the White House. My mom was thrilled!
As a thank you, the ladies were invited back to a special reception in their honor. They were able to tour the decorated rooms and have lunch while they were there. My mom was served a glass of punch and proceeded to go into a coughing fit. She didn't realize the punch had alcohol in it. A good bit of alcohol.
The server started patting her on the back, trying to help her catch her breath, but at the same time kept trying to offer her more punch, not realizing that was what started the whole mess!
We have a lovely photo album at home, with one of the Christmas cards, signed by the President and Mrs. Carter. There are pictures of the decorations, including Amy Carter's dollhouse.
Alas, there's no picture of Mom drinking punch.
Advent Calendar - Dec 6 - Santa Claus
There are pictures, of me, meeting Santa Claus.
I am screaming my lungs out.
Mind you, I was a little over one year old.
My favorite Santa Claus memory has more to do with a friend of mine and her family. Every year, she would have her two children leave cookies and milk for Santa before going to bed, like all good children do. In the morning, the milk would be half gone and the cookies reduced to crumbs. There were sooty footprints from the fireplace to the tree where presents would have magically appeared overnight. Reindeer prints were made in the backyard, if snow was back there.
But the best part of all? Santa would leave a note for the little ones.
The look on their faces when the note was read was worth every bit of getting up at 5 a.m. to be there with them when they got up. When they were younger, they were shocked at how Santa knew about achievements from the past year, as well as squabbles that had taken place between the two of them. He always left instructions for the year to come, as well.
Ok, so maybe I misjudged Santa when I met him. He sounds like a pretty good guy to me.
I am screaming my lungs out.
Mind you, I was a little over one year old.
My favorite Santa Claus memory has more to do with a friend of mine and her family. Every year, she would have her two children leave cookies and milk for Santa before going to bed, like all good children do. In the morning, the milk would be half gone and the cookies reduced to crumbs. There were sooty footprints from the fireplace to the tree where presents would have magically appeared overnight. Reindeer prints were made in the backyard, if snow was back there.
But the best part of all? Santa would leave a note for the little ones.
The look on their faces when the note was read was worth every bit of getting up at 5 a.m. to be there with them when they got up. When they were younger, they were shocked at how Santa knew about achievements from the past year, as well as squabbles that had taken place between the two of them. He always left instructions for the year to come, as well.
Ok, so maybe I misjudged Santa when I met him. He sounds like a pretty good guy to me.
Advent Calendar - Dec 5 - Outdoor Decorations
As a little girl, my family would take a drive to the next county over and visit the Cecil County Christmas Tree. I remember ornaments as big as basketballs and a tree so tall, you couldn't build a house high enough to hold it. So in lieu of MY outdoor decorations, I share with you: Cecil Holly Tree
Advent Calendar - Dec 4 - Christmas Cards
Even though it's been ages since I've sent out regular Christmas cards (thank you email!), I love receiving them. Especially ones from friends with photos, or even better, letters.
Yes, I'm one of "those" people.
I love when I get a letter from someone telling me what's happened in their lives, and their family, over the past year. Life is so busy these days that a lot of everyday events miss being shared, especially when you don't see some friends due to distance. It's sweet to hear the pride in a mom's voice as she tells you about her child graduating or getting married, or that a grandchild came to visit for the summer!
I have, on occasion, sent one of these Christmas updates via email and was amazed at the responses I received. Friends who I haven't heard from in years were emailing back, asking about specific events or inquiring about something that wasn't mentioned. It was a great re-connecting agent, if you will.
In other words, if you're short on people to send a card to, or have an urge to send a Holiday Letter, feel free to drop one in my inbox!
Yes, I'm one of "those" people.
I love when I get a letter from someone telling me what's happened in their lives, and their family, over the past year. Life is so busy these days that a lot of everyday events miss being shared, especially when you don't see some friends due to distance. It's sweet to hear the pride in a mom's voice as she tells you about her child graduating or getting married, or that a grandchild came to visit for the summer!
I have, on occasion, sent one of these Christmas updates via email and was amazed at the responses I received. Friends who I haven't heard from in years were emailing back, asking about specific events or inquiring about something that wasn't mentioned. It was a great re-connecting agent, if you will.
In other words, if you're short on people to send a card to, or have an urge to send a Holiday Letter, feel free to drop one in my inbox!
Friday, December 3, 2010
Advent Calendar - Dec 3 - Christmas Tree Ornaments
Over the years, my family has amassed a rather large collection of ornaments. Some were there before I was born, brought from Christmases in Chicago. Others are craft projects by me or my sister, fashioned in school or church, and looking more worn every year they've been drug out of the box.
You can look into the boxes and tell what we've collected over the years. Churches, pineapples, and lighthouses for Mom. Penguins for my sister. Soccer and baseball for my nephews. Barbies, angels, pigs, snow globes and Starbucks for me.
Some ornaments show places we've been: Chicago, Las Vegas, Williamsburg, Myrtle Beach, and more.
Others are from friends who have traveled and thought of us.
There are fragile, hand-blown ornaments that get hung at the very top, for fear of being bumped off the tree and broken, and then there are those that are safe to be on the bottom branches, even if the cat decides to play with them.
You can usually tell which of us decorated the tree by what ornaments make it to the tree, and which ones get left behind in the boxes. Some years we've set up a second tree in the family room to put the more fun, pop-culture type ornaments on it.
Every year we say that we're not going to put all of them out, and yet, not including certain ornaments feels like you aren't remembering the sentiment it represents. Therefore, there are always more on the tree than originally planned, and yet, still plenty more in the boxes that could be displayed.
Maybe we need three trees this year.
You can look into the boxes and tell what we've collected over the years. Churches, pineapples, and lighthouses for Mom. Penguins for my sister. Soccer and baseball for my nephews. Barbies, angels, pigs, snow globes and Starbucks for me.
Some ornaments show places we've been: Chicago, Las Vegas, Williamsburg, Myrtle Beach, and more.
Others are from friends who have traveled and thought of us.
There are fragile, hand-blown ornaments that get hung at the very top, for fear of being bumped off the tree and broken, and then there are those that are safe to be on the bottom branches, even if the cat decides to play with them.
You can usually tell which of us decorated the tree by what ornaments make it to the tree, and which ones get left behind in the boxes. Some years we've set up a second tree in the family room to put the more fun, pop-culture type ornaments on it.
Every year we say that we're not going to put all of them out, and yet, not including certain ornaments feels like you aren't remembering the sentiment it represents. Therefore, there are always more on the tree than originally planned, and yet, still plenty more in the boxes that could be displayed.
Maybe we need three trees this year.
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