Valentine's Day (Introducing Cricket's Corner

My parents were a hardworking, American farm family.  Dad was the strong, silent type who only talked when he had something important to say.  Mom (Cricket to her family) was a spunky, smart, and loving woman.  They met and married July 27, 1935 and stayed married until Mom passed away in 2005. 

70 years of togetherness.  They survived the Great Depression and lived through times of prosperity.  They had their share of sickness as well as good health.  Their first daughter was born weighing 3 ½ lbs and almost died in February of 1937.   The doctor said, “Walker, don’t put much hope in that one; she’s too little and probably won’t survive.”  They wrapped her in blankets and laid her into a Clabber Girl (baking soda) wooden box.  They used quart canning jars filled with hot water and wrapped with cloth as ‘hot water bottles’ to keep the wooden box a warm environment.  They kept the fire going day and night for weeks to keep the house warm (no small task keeping a wood fire going in February.) This daughter says “I would not have survived without Mom & Daddy’s loving care and attention.”  She’s an active retiree living in Arizona today. 

Valentine’s Day means love and hearts.  I cannot imagine a human love bigger than for a man and woman to love each other, live together, and choose to support their children and each other for 70 years.  They made choices:  to marry, to care for their children, and to stay married through good times and bad time.

Cricket’s Corner will share folk wisdom from this couple and inspiring quotes that they would have approved –if they were here.  But I like to believe they are looking down and watching over us. 

Happy Valentine’s Day Mom & Pop.  I salute you.