Oh the Life: Time in a Small Town
You will have to forgive me, I grew up in Russellville Arkansas; if we went anywhere else is was to Little Rock. So Russellville was as small as it got for me. Marshal on the other hand was born, and lived a good part of his childhood, in Hector. Now I can't say what the population of Hector was back then, but passing through a couple weeks ago I noticed the population sign said 455. Isn't that adorable?
Now notice I said passing through. Well that's because we were not really on or way to Hector; our destination was actually Alread, Arkansas. To help you get a better idea of where that is ( since I know you've never heard of it) it is right beside Nogo, Arkansas. Clears it right up now, right. Ha!
Marshal's dads family was from Alread. In fact the only real street I have been on other than the highway is called Watson Road.
Marshal, the kids, and I were there to visit the cemetery where Marshal's dad and grandparents are buried.
They have decoration every year on the first Sunday of June. We actually went up on Saturday, as we were already in town for my Aunts birthday. Because no one was really at the cemetery we had to figure out what to do with the money to help with clean up and maintenance fees. What better to do then head down Watson road to see who we could find, right.
That is exactly what we did. Now I would need Marshal's mom to explain to me exactly who everyone is because my memory gets a little fuzzy, but the first home on Watson road belongs to Lillian Watson. I believe she is Marshal's dads aunt. Anyway none the less we haven't seen her in 7 years and really hardly saw her before that. I tell you this because it isn't exactly like Marshal would be a familiar face to her. Yet he walked up to her door and we ended up spending the next hour in her house visiting with her and letting her love on the kids ( my kids were all sorts of confused).
The very cool thing is Lillian has a granddaughter named Ashlyn Watson too. Here I thought my daughters name was unique. Her Ashlyn is one year older than my Ashlynn so I guess I technically took her name, even though I had no idea she existed until my Ashlynn was over a year old. As we were leaving a car flagged us down on the road and darn if I can't remember the ladies name, but she invited us to the family reunion and was very insist that we come. Sadly we couldn't, but their never met a stranger everyone is family attitude was just the cutest! ( I know technically we are family, but without the name they wouldn't know us from Adam.)
We were still doing great on time and were going to make it to my Aunt's bday party just in time, until Marshal spotted this.
Now granted the sign said the store hours were Monday-Friday 8:00 to 5:00, but someone was there so that didn't stop Marshal from walking right up to the door. The door was locked, but as Marshal started walking away the owner opened the door and invited Marshal in. I don't know about you but that has never happened to me at Walgreens. Ha! Anyway Marshal got his ammo and even checked out the gun collection while he was in there. Sorry Aunt Arene, Marshal/ guns=we are officially late.
We did eventually make it to the party. I have to say, as an only child, I absolutely love love being around my mom and her brothers and sisters. They have the best stories; even if none of them agree on the endings. They just warm my heart and being with them reminds me of the days when we would all gather at my grandparents house. Huge family potlucks (seriously they don't make food as good as that anymore), slobbery kisses on both checks from relatives, laughing, talking, just plain and simple love.
Five of the seven siblings: Rudy, Roger, Charlotte, Ione, and birthday girl Arene in the front.
I may love my big town life, but my day in the small towns was a lot of heart warming
fun.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Now notice I said passing through. Well that's because we were not really on or way to Hector; our destination was actually Alread, Arkansas. To help you get a better idea of where that is ( since I know you've never heard of it) it is right beside Nogo, Arkansas. Clears it right up now, right. Ha!
Marshal's dads family was from Alread. In fact the only real street I have been on other than the highway is called Watson Road.
Marshal, the kids, and I were there to visit the cemetery where Marshal's dad and grandparents are buried.
They have decoration every year on the first Sunday of June. We actually went up on Saturday, as we were already in town for my Aunts birthday. Because no one was really at the cemetery we had to figure out what to do with the money to help with clean up and maintenance fees. What better to do then head down Watson road to see who we could find, right.
That is exactly what we did. Now I would need Marshal's mom to explain to me exactly who everyone is because my memory gets a little fuzzy, but the first home on Watson road belongs to Lillian Watson. I believe she is Marshal's dads aunt. Anyway none the less we haven't seen her in 7 years and really hardly saw her before that. I tell you this because it isn't exactly like Marshal would be a familiar face to her. Yet he walked up to her door and we ended up spending the next hour in her house visiting with her and letting her love on the kids ( my kids were all sorts of confused).
The very cool thing is Lillian has a granddaughter named Ashlyn Watson too. Here I thought my daughters name was unique. Her Ashlyn is one year older than my Ashlynn so I guess I technically took her name, even though I had no idea she existed until my Ashlynn was over a year old. As we were leaving a car flagged us down on the road and darn if I can't remember the ladies name, but she invited us to the family reunion and was very insist that we come. Sadly we couldn't, but their never met a stranger everyone is family attitude was just the cutest! ( I know technically we are family, but without the name they wouldn't know us from Adam.)
We were still doing great on time and were going to make it to my Aunt's bday party just in time, until Marshal spotted this.
Now granted the sign said the store hours were Monday-Friday 8:00 to 5:00, but someone was there so that didn't stop Marshal from walking right up to the door. The door was locked, but as Marshal started walking away the owner opened the door and invited Marshal in. I don't know about you but that has never happened to me at Walgreens. Ha! Anyway Marshal got his ammo and even checked out the gun collection while he was in there. Sorry Aunt Arene, Marshal/ guns=we are officially late.
We did eventually make it to the party. I have to say, as an only child, I absolutely love love being around my mom and her brothers and sisters. They have the best stories; even if none of them agree on the endings. They just warm my heart and being with them reminds me of the days when we would all gather at my grandparents house. Huge family potlucks (seriously they don't make food as good as that anymore), slobbery kisses on both checks from relatives, laughing, talking, just plain and simple love.
Five of the seven siblings: Rudy, Roger, Charlotte, Ione, and birthday girl Arene in the front.
I may love my big town life, but my day in the small towns was a lot of heart warming
fun.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
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