Thursday, December 10, 2020

Throwback Thursday-Bob's House

 

All Images from Google earth

We spent our first hour one day this past week, drinking coffee while Bob talked about memories from this home above. His family, parents, 2 son and 3 daughters lived in the half a house, your left.
The moved here in 1941, when Bob was 6 years old, he was the baby of the family. His brother was  14 and the girls were between.
His room was not the two windows with the wreath, but the attic room, you can't see. there were 3 bedrooms, one or the three girls, one for the 2 boys, but Bob chose to live in the attic, because he liked it there.
His dad died when Bob was 16 and Bob  lived there until he was 17.


Across the street was a sewing factory, and his mother worked there every day, and when she went home to cook dinner for 7 people, Bob's dad and the 5 children, went across the street to clean the floors and empty the trash. Bob's job as a 6 year old was sweeping with a push broom all the lint and threads from under the sewing machines. He worked there until he was 16, at age 13 he became a presser, using an iron to press the seams his mother sewed. The factory made men's suits, his mother sewed on the collars and he pressed the seams. 
Bob left the sewing factory at age 16 when his dad died, to take a full time job at a gas station, to help support his mom. His brother had gone in the Army.

In spite of all this, he loved his life. During the summer, the factory closed and Bob went to spend his days at the local swimming pool and played baseball and rode his bike.

In 1998, at age 62, I suggested he retire early, since he had been working from age 6.
Now he has been retired 22 years.
I found these photos on google earth to preserve with his story.
On the FUNNY Side, he married in 1957, his wife was one of 9 children, but had never learned to cook.

He came home from work to find Elaine in tears because she had ruined the spaghetti's sauce.
She did not brown the ground beef, but brought the sauce to a boil and put the raw meat in it.
UCK! 
Another day  he came home to find her in tears again. He had told her to make pigs in  a blanket, by splitting the hotdogs, stuff with cheese, wrap with bacon and use tooth pics to hold the bacon fast and bake in the over.
She fried the bacon crisp, FIRST! and tried to wrap it around the hot dog..
these buildings are almost 100 years old and look in great condition.



20 comments:

CheerfulMonk said...

Even though his life was hard in one way, I'm glad he was happy and had a chance to reminisce.

Ginny Hartzler said...

I had noticed how good the buildings look. And his house is really nice. I love the wrap around porch. SO, did she ever learn how to cook, or did Bob have to become the chef?

easyweimaraner said...

I love the idea to have your kingdom at the attic, that place would be mine too ;O) the wife of a friend tried to cook a whole frozen turkey in the microwave... it was... well the day they went to mc donalds for dinner...

Hootin Anni said...

I would choose the attic too I think...have my own little world up there! Our lives long ago were so different wasn't it? I often wonder how THIS generation, knowing what they know, would know nothing how to survive "our youth"! Great post. My first job was babysitting in the summer months.

eileeninmd said...

Hello,

It is great Bob was happy and loved his life. I would think Bob learned how to cook, took over that job too. The images of the houses from Google are a great find and neat memories for Bob. Take care, have a happy day!

Ann said...

His childhood is so different from what kids experience these days. It doesn't sound like it was bad though.
Laughing at the cooking stories about his first wife.

Rose said...

Though this sounds hard now, and it was...but stories like this were so much more common back then. Bob really was a man from a young age. What did his mom do after the sewing factory closed? I just wish love reading this.

R's Rue said...

Wow

Linda P said...

I love to hear these old stories. Life was hard and it's difficult to explain that to our grandchildren.However, they do appreciate hearing about a very different era. I'm glad Bob had some free time in between all the work that he did at such a young age.

~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

I love looking at old homes and buildings with google earth. My little town in AR was destroyed by a tornado a few years ago but my little house survived...one of the few. It has been painted blue now. I love hearing the memories that Bob has. Even a hard life can be remembered as a good one. Memories can make me very melancholy though! Hugs!

My Mind's Eye said...

Sandra what a wonderful story about Bob's life. Amazing.
My daddy started working at about 10. He sold a paper called "Grit" on the street corner. He was the only boy had 3 sisters.
Love that you found the buildings.
Hugs Cecilia

Martha said...

The buildings really are in great shape. I love that you looked up the info to preserve it here in your blog. Thanks for sharing it with us. Things sure were different back in those days, and I sure would have taken over the attic room too!

Mevely317 said...

FIRST, I think the account of Bob's childhood should be mandatory reading for all of America's youth. (Can you say, 'entitled'? Oops!) I think people appreciate more what they have to work for.
That said, wasn't the attic room insufferably hot in summer?
Now I'm going to have to suggest Tom take me on a similar (virtual) sentimental y journey.

PS - Laughing my b*** off about Elaine's cooking challenges.

Inger said...

I like the idea of documenting things on our blogs. I loved your suggestion that Bob retire early because he had worked since he was a child. Wow! I know Errol and all his brothers helped their dad in his construction business since they were young, but not that young.

I too am giggling about Elaine's cooking. So sweet in a way.

Forsythia said...

Imagine going to work at age 6! The war was on and even kids had to pitch in, I guess.

Ruth Hiebert said...

Those are some precious memories.

Grandma C said...

Bob has lived an interesting life. Thank you for sharing. Its possible you have the beginning to an interesting book.

photowannabe said...

I'm fascinated by Bob's life story. What a hard worker and it's wonderful that he took such good care of his mother and siblings.
I sure didn't know how to cook much of anything when I got married but I don't think I was as ill equipped as Bob's first wife.
Thank goodness for cookbooks, especially with pictures...that was my saving grace.
I want more stories about life long ago.
Sue

The Adventures of the LLB Gang said...

What wonderful memories...

DeniseinVA said...

That's a sweet story and special family history. Thanks for sharing Sandra :)