Mabel House-Page 2

From My Mother's Notes

Phyllis Fricker's Memory Book

Mother's stepmother:

Mabel Evelyn House

When we lived in Valpo, Dad made a tennis court and was bound he and Mother were going to learn how to play tennis. One day Mother reached up to try to return a high ball. She lost her balance, fell, and rolled over and over on the court. Dad and I doubled up with laughter - but that was the end of tennis for Mother. She was indignant about making a fool of herself.

One time when Daddy and Mother lived in Galt we sent Sonia down to stay with them while we went on a camping trip. Mother was doing the washing and so she put Sonia out in the back yard to play and locked the screen door in the kitchen. Pretty soon Sonia was yelling to come in. Mother said, "you can't come in ‘til I finish my washing." Dad always had a beautiful flower garden in the back yard. Sonia threatened, "If you don't let me come in I's going to pick ALL the flowers." Of course Mother relented.

I remember Mother saying, You won't ever spank Sonia, will you?" I was amazed and said, "You used to spank the daylights out of me'"
She replied, " Well, this is different.
When we lived in Cadillac, Mother learned to drive our car, an old Stanley Steamer with running boards and side curtains which were snapped on if it was raining. I used to go down to the shirt factory after school to visit Daddy. This one day, Mother was supposed to pick us up. She drove up the street with a great flourish. Waved to us as she drove by and said, "Hi" and ran the car right up a telephone pole!