Jim remembers... My memories of growing up are a little different from my sisters', yet a lot of them are the same.

My thoughts are all of the people who were taken in by our parents. If you needed a place to stay for a week, a year or the rest of your life, Elmer and Gertie's was it.

I was very young when Uncle Jim (Auntie's husband) died, but I have some memories of eating breakfast with him and seeing milk drip from his snow white moustache; also Uncle Jim showing me how to prepare and eat soft boiled eggs. I can remember turning the old whetstone for him so he could sharpen axes or whatever needed sharpening. I can remember following him to the work shop where he would repair shoes or make something out of wood. As I remember Uncle Jim, I think of Grandpa Walton from the TV show, except that Uncle Jim was soft spoken and didn't waste any moves. it seems everything he did had a purpose. His wife, Auntie lived until I was a teenager and we did many thing together. [Jimmy & Auntie] When I was very young we would feed the chickens and gather eggs. I don't know why, but she could reach under the chickens and gather the eggs with no trouble at all. When I tried, the hens would make lots of noise and peck me unmercifully. I also remember watching her make homemade bread. This was a sight to see; how she kneaded and worked that dough! I couldn't wait to get a slice, but it took all day and when it was finally baked, you still had to wait for it to cool a little. It was worth it! Whoever is reading this is probably thinking, "all of this over a slice of bread"... Well, if you could have tasted it, you would know what I mean! some of my sisters and even my wife tried to duplicate this bread, and it was all very good but, it just wasn't Auntie's. Auntie and I were very close and I could go on for hours but I must move on.

Vernon Stone was a big part of my life. He lived with us for as long as I can remember. Because my father worked away all week and was only home on weekends, Vernon was my father figure during the week. On weekends Dad and I did a lot together when I was young, but we'll get to that later. Vernon owned a garage and a snack bar in Austerlitz. Almost all of my sisters ran that snack bar at one time or another and I was there playing or working in practically from the time I could walk. I started out with a salary of $5.00 per week, for six days. Although it sounds like a lot of work, the actual work only took a few hour a day and the rest of the time was spent driving some old car around the field, or learning how to fix it. Vernon bought my my first real good car, a 1959 Chevy convertible. He told me he would but it, but I had to work to pay it off, which I did. I do miss that car and I miss Vernon too. I could write a book here too but, I must go on...

Three other people who lived with us, Lillian, Ike and Johnny Brooks stand out in my memories because they lived with us longer and helped out around the house most. Lillian would bake, cook, create and take care of beautiful flower beds. She also did a lot of sewing and crocheted doilies. She and Mother were very good friends.

Ike was a man that had helped Mom and Dad in the early Albany days. When he needed a placed to stay he was welcome at Elmer's. Ike would do odd jobs and take care of our lawns and do a lot of things for Elmer, so when he came home on weekends, he would have some spare time. Ike and Dad were good friends and did a lot together; from home repairs and painting to talking and having a beer and relaxing. When Ike moved back to Albany shortly before he died, I could tell that Dad missed him and the help he provided.

Johnny Brooks was just a young man when the Badertschers moved to Austerlitz. They became friends right away. Johnny was kind of a misfit in his own home, but found a place in Elmer and Gertie's home. Johnny went in the service and was gone for 25 years or more, yet he kept in touch every once in a while during that time. When Johnny's wife died in the early sixties he called Mother and said he just couldn't live in the home he and his wife shared anymore. So, he came to live with us. To describe Johnny would take too long, but he was a person who could do almost anything and did. When he lived with us he painted the house, took care of the garden, did carpentry work and much much more. Johnny and Elmer spent many hours together; a lot of it was spent fishing, either in the streams by our house or from the boat at Kinderhook Lake.

Now, as for me, I was the only boy out of 10 children and the youngest. Back in the early years, I remember Dad and I doing a lot together; from working on scale models to fishing, woodchuck hunting or setting up my train set. It seems I was always with him when he was home. I remember every spring going to Chatham to the Western Auto Store to get fishing supplies for trout season. When Dad and I (mostly Dad) caught enough trout, he would fry them up. To this day I haven't tasted a fish as good as those trout! I have tried but, can't make them taste as good.

Christmas was always special because Dad and I would take presents to Janice and Shirley. We would always stop at his brother John's and his sister Clara's houses on the trip too. I always looked forward to it.

I can't keep going into detail or I'll never get through with my memories, so I'll just give you an overview of the rest.

My younger years are full of memories like... listening to my Mother and sisters sing and play the old player piano; sitting in front of the TV and watching a test pattern while waiting for the Saturday morning shows to come on; feeding pigs, chickens, dogs and cats; helping to pluck chickens to eat; sneaking into Dad's smoke house to steal a piece of ham; talking to Mother about everything and anything and never being afraid of criticism for asking stupid questions; watching Mother tell fortunes for people, mostly Eloise (step cousin and best friend to Mother); playing cards with Mom and checkers with Dad.

My teenage years were something else. Mother understood and was always there for me. Dad, on the other hand, had a lot of trouble understanding teens of the late 50's & 60's, but somehow we got though it. I understand now that I'm older, some of the things he had trouble with. I have the same problems with my own children; different times, different ways of the world. When you're brought up a certain way, it is very difficult to adapt to changing times. Through it all, I know now that he loved me and only wanted what was best. I sure do miss him and mom and the support and love they provided.

One thing I remember Mother teaching me was never to go to sleep mad at your spouse, children or family because you never know what tomorrow will bring.

Like I said before, I love them both and miss them dearly, but I know they are looking down on their family, smiling and saying to each other "We did OK, they are just fine".