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We were settled in Manassa, in Lucille Jackson's house. Donnie, Kent and Bonnie were in school. Grandma Dunn was taking care of Larry. Arlo was home after surgery and life was going on as usual. Arlo was working at the Conejos County Gas and Oil Company, for Boyd Pagett. I was working at hot lunch at the school where the children were going.

We were there until Larry was in school. LaRue and Doris Faye and Leon were living with Grandma and Grandpa at that time. We were surrounded with aunts and uncles. Elma and Boyd lived on the same street, but on the next block to the north. Loyd and Catherine lived in the northeast side of town. Edgar and Laverl lived on the highway about three blocks into the town on the west . We had Christmas eve parties with the family and always had a big Thanksgiving Dinner at different houses. Belonging to a big family was wonderful to me.

Life was simpler then. We didn't have television and I don't remember if we had a radio. Cousins and friends came often or you each had things to do. We picked asparagas and pepermint off the ditch banks. Grandma had a big garden and had milk and eggs. we took advantage of those thinga. Life was good.

One day Lena Sowards called me and said that Donnie was on the roof and she was afraid he was going to fall. There was always things to keep kids having fun.

We had the chance to buy a house in the northwest side of town. It was across from Maggie Weston. I think I mentioned that in my last chapter.

I worked at hot lunch with Maggie for several years. She taught me a lot and I enjoyed working with her.

Through these years we went camping with Arlo's sisters and their families. One year we went up on Wolf Creek Pass. We went with I sabel and Don and Raedeen and Alta and Tiny and their two girls. Bonnie was quite young. We probably lived in LaJara at that time. I suspect that I will have a memory jog and add things out of time. One time we went up the Conejos Canyon camping with them, when Alta and Tiny came to visit. We made a Brigham Bed. It was quilts on the bottom and the top. It was spread out long. The ends were dads, then their children then the mom, next was a mom and their children and then that dad, then the next dad and the children and then the mom. There were three families of us. That was so fun. The camp fires and the stories told around them. The meals. were all fun.

TO BE CONTINUED