Dawn Shepard Olivier

Like Rod and Dave, I had the pleasure of spending more time in Enterprise than many of our cousins. I lived with them when I was too young to start school. Mama and Daddy both worked so that was the best place for me at the time. I do remember having feeling of sadness when I missed home but that never lasted very long. I got to have Grandma and Grandpa all to myself. Of course, Grandpa was the funny one. Always playing jokes on me; making me laugh. Grandma was the sweetheart but very strict with the day to day running of the house.

I remember that I had a pink plastic tea-set that was my pride and joy. Most toys consisted of old coffee cans, Jergen's cold cream jars, and old metal spoons. When I knew the cousins were coming for a visit I would get Grandma to hide the tea-set under her bed. I didn't want to share! That was the first of many tea-sets that I would have as a child. The irony here is that I never became a Susie Homemaker as an adult. Jolene still likes to pick at me for always asking for a tea-set for Christmas when I was little.

There were many daily chores to be done around the house. I would follow Grandma around until I got bored and then go play. I would help pick up pecans that we took into town and sold to the local grocery store. One time Grandma caught me taking pecans from the bag she had picked and putting them into my bag. She had told me that whatever I picked and put in my bag I could have the money. Greedy me wanted to make more money. In her calm voice she explained that I was being dishonest by taking her pecans. This was my first lesson (and maybe my last) in not taking something that doesn't belong to you. I was quiet ashamed. Now, I can laugh about it.

I am sure many cousins can agree that the best of times was when we were all gathered as a family for those fabulous meals served on the big (yellow) lazy susan table. As soon as we were finished the kids all ran outside to play. Usually it was baseball in the front yard using the trees as bases. The only time we didn't go out to play after the meal was when we all gathered under the giant Christmas tree and passed out gifts. Such wonderful memories of the chaos!