Thursday, January 12, 2017

Day 45---Cookie Jar Sweet Memories!


Day 45
 
Becky and the Flintstone float
that “got a slow leak”
 
I truly am a “humble” man, the epitome of an Independent-Individual, but, I like “fine” things. Won’t wear any “brand” name, eschew Nike, Oakley, Levis, Cadillac, Lexus, “popular”.
Long ago, now, when I was a pre-teen sprout, my Levis were held in place by a thin half-inch belt worn just for “show” to highlight the jeans, Cool! I reckon. The length of the legs, just long enough to turn up the heavy cuff, one turn equal to the thin seam; in the right rear pocket, a white handkerchief ironed flat to a perfect square, folded neatly into a triangle-half with just a quarter peak of the tip extended above the top of the “winged” logo. Perfect. Real Cool!
Soon enough, I passed beyond the need to be seen; an aloof self-imposed shyness settled in.
At sixteen, I bought a convertible. Now, even I think that rag-top was Cool!
I enjoyed a few of those “fun” machines; proudly, I’ve been blessed to give away some, too.
For Lovely Lady Candice Leah’s fortieth birthday, I presented her ladyship with a brand spanking new, red shiny chariot: a Mustang GT convertible, red with a white top. Cool!
While she dearly loved that conveyance, two months and one day later, Candy gave it away! Daughter Rachel Rebecca turned sweet sixteen; Candy presented her with that red  Mustang!
Now, that generosity is: Cool! An expression of pure love is an un-selfish humble pride.
So, to the float with the convenient slow leak “hole” in it.
When we built our first house, we located a ten acre piece of real estate sitting high on the bluff of Monroe County with a million dollar view across the bottoms to the mighty Mississippi River and on westward into Missouri for thirty miles; I still miss that vista panorama.
We had lived in a basement apartment while we finished college, then bought an older home in town which we fixed up and decorated---and…sold. At twenty-six I challenged building a new home; Candy drew up the plan on graph paper and I hired a contractor doing much of the work, myself. Turns out, I had a penchant for construction enjoying all phases of the challenge. Even operated some heavy equipment over the years, built ponds, roads, and, houses.
When our first try at a home was completed with that great view, I decided to build a pool.
Now, I knew nothing about such an endeavor; that didn’t phase me. I found a pool contractor who installed pools for a livelihood, worked out a deal to purchase a “kit”, hired a high lift and a back hoe and laid out the design, dug a hole---put it together…filled it with water. Voila!
I landscaped all around the new “toy”, found a thirty foot cedar tree which I pressed into service as a flag pole and enjoyed bar-b-ques and parties. Beth, 9, could swim; Becky was only three and while not afraid of the water, or anything else, then, or since, she paddled around in the shallow end in a float the likeness of Fred Flintstone. Life is good!
One afternoon, Beth, Candy and I were at the end by the diving board; Becky in the shallow.
All of a sudden Beth yelled, “Becky is under the water!”
Looking toward the urchin, all I saw was her little white leg sticking out of the float holding her under water.. I swam to the side and right onto the deck and ran to her, jumping back in the pool. Her eyes were open and she was holding her breath, not excited. I sure was; Candy and Beth, too. I got her turned right side up and all was okay. Thank God!
She didn’t want to give up that float, so, it mysteriously got a “purposed” slow leak in it.
Becky learned to swim and now holds a scuba diving license. Pay attention! It’s mandatory!
Ah! Pleasant and Thankful! Cookie Jar Sweet Memories!
 


No comments:

Post a Comment