Tuesday, February 10, 2009

80--CONTINUED--10


My children and I went on several trips. Arlo had to work and never was able to go with us. We went several times to Los Alamos, where Keith and Erma lived. A few times my sisters, Doris Faye, LaRue and Barbara and their children went at the same time. We went to Bandalier Indian Ruins, the Laboratories where they worked on the atomic bomb. Keith worked in one of the places were they did some kind of scientific research. That was always fun.

My dad, Ted Bingham worked in LosAlamos when they were working on the atomic bomb. Of course he didn't know what was going on there. He would work away from home in the winter, sometimes, when the farm work was done. and the boys could take care of the farm. Mom sometimes took him to work, so she had the car. At other times he rode with someone else. At that time there was not a very well finished road up the mountain and it was a scary ride. There was a gate at the entrance where nobody could pass, without a pass. I never went with them to LosAlamos then, because I stayed home to keep the house and whatever I had to do.

When we went up to visit Keith and Erma, Keith or Erma had to come to the gate and sign a pass, so we could go in. The gate was there for many years. It is no longer there.

We also went to Pueblo and visited with Nona and her children. One time we went in the VW pickup and it stalled and we had to find a ride home. Tom Rogers brought the pickup home in one of his trucks.

Arlo was pretty good about our little mishaps. I guess he was accustomed to our car problems. Sometimes we went through cars like women go through hosiery. I never had a car of for my use after our little Plymouth car was no longer usable, until Arlo bought Elma and Boyd's used car. It was short lived. Doris Faye took it to Alamosa to get some things for Grandpa Dunn's funeral and the car caught fire and that was the end of my car. I only had Arlo's pickup or one of my children's cars. I don't think I can even name all of the cars we wore out or wrecked.

Our Christmas' were special times. We had a hardwood floor, that had to be waxed and polished by hand. It was beautiful when it was polished. When Arlo and I married, he had never really celebrated Christmas the way we always did. He didn't think we needed a Christmas tree. I told him that when the time came that I didn't have a Christmas tree, he would know that I was too old. I have always had a tree. His family were very poor and didn't buy Christmas presents. Arlo learned to love Christmas. One of the traditions that we had was on Christmas Eve. we did the story of the birth of Christ and after had a family testimony meeting. Everyone didn't have to bear testimony, but everyone told of their love for each other and how special our family was. I believe that is one of the things that helped Arlo gain a testimony of the Gospel. He loved Christmas. He would sit in his chair by the fire and watch the lights on our beautiful tree. It shone on the floor where the floor was polished.

Arlo loved beautiful things. He was really interested in Bonnie Lynn's ballet concerts. He would watch an opera on television. He loved good music. Those are things that helped me to know how deep and sweet his feelings were for good thing.

3 comments:

Larry said...

I love you mom. Thanks for posting these interesting events from our lives.

Kent said...

I am really enjoying your history articles, Mom. I added a picture to your article that was taken in uncle Keith's back yard in Los Alamos.

I love my extended family and really miss the association that I had with them when we were young.

Gloria said...

I need to re-read your history in the book and compare to those things that you have remembered to add them some way.


Bingham family, about 1936