Bonus Episode| Tales of Chickens

Every family quilt has its unique pattern, with stories as threads weaving through generations. Mine finds such warmth in the recollection of my aunt's life, a narration that'll captivate your heart as it did mine. She unveils a past painted with the hues of romance, the rustic charm of country living, and the delicate strands of spirituality through Hoodoo. It's an episode where the Beatitudes serve as our moral compass, guiding us through tales of familial bonds, the echoes of ancestors, and the soothing fizz of ginger ale representing our cultural elixirs.

As I sit with my aunt, her wisdom envelops us like the comfort of an old, well-loved armchair. She speaks to the soul of marriage, sharing advice that's as practical as it is profound, like the analogy of toothpaste and words – once out, they can't be taken back. The essence of communication and patience in nurturing a marital bond is underscored. We meander through the joys and tribulations of parenting, from the nerve-wracking first drive lesson to the poignant act of letting go as a child ventures off to college, all while exploring how these rites of passage are moments to cherish and learn from.

Join us for a tapestry of conversations, rich with the threads of cherished memories, the intricate patterns of our ancestry, and reflections on the natural ebbs and flows of life. You'll leave with a heart full of laughter, eyes brimming with tears, and a soul stirred by the profound moments that constitute the legacy of family love. My aunt's life stories are not just tales to be told but lived experiences to be felt, and they await you in this very special episode.

Transcript

Interview With Auntie

Speaker 1 0:29

Hey, hi, it's me Mama Q.

Speaker 1 0:31

I welcome you to Moments in Q. Let me interview you. Bonus episode In Q today Hi Y and Tales of Hi Y. I give you the greeting of the day and I'm explaining the why of this episode. Grand Rising.

Speaker 1 0:49

Today's episode, I interview my aunt. We stroll down memory lane with her as she explains how she met her hubby a little over two decades ago. Additionally, she talks about being part of a big family. The highlights for me was her, my cus and my uncle being owners of dogs, chickens and goats, whilst having a garden. She is really about that living off the land life. Notice, I said living off the land, not off the grid. They still have modern day amenities, but it's cool to see and learn about the things I forgot or my science teacher didn't teach. Tell us of these interviews, first and foremost, are for our ancestors and descendants. I want to honor their ancestors and the spiritual practice of Houdu by talking about our ancestors by name and explaining what this practice means to us. Then I want the descendants to learn more about their family members in hopes of learning something new about our family to share with future descendants. In short, a time capsule, if you will for all to hear. Besides, people perk up when you talk about them, so that's a bonus too.

Speaker 1 1:59

Today's episode is brought to you by this quote from Matthew 5, 3 through 10. The beatitudes he said "'Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comfort. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven'". ["blessed are the Peacemakers"].

Speaker 1 2:44

Hey, hi, it's me, mama Q. I welcome you to Moments in Q. I have another interview today. Today I am interviewing my auntie. She is my dad's sister and I'm so excited for this. You can say hi to the people's aunt. Hello people, okay, cool, all right. So I talked to my sister yesterday which this will probably premiere sometime in 2024, january, because I'm still on break until February and so I decided to continue talking to family members and just learning about life with him. So again, I'm like super, super excited and I can't wait for us to begin you ready.

Speaker 1 3:23

I guess, Okay cool, so we're gonna do the one more question. So what superpower do you wish that you had?

Speaker 2 3:32

The superpower that I wish I had is flying, because I've always wanted to fly, even as a little girl Used to play with my brothers, Her dad included. We used to get up, we had a barn like building and we get on top and we used to put things on our arms so we could pretend that we were flying. So, and I often have dreams that all I do is to just kind of flap my arms and I'm flying and it's just a beautiful feeling, that's it.

Speaker 1 4:01

Okay, that's kind of cool. When I have dreams, I have dreams about me flying too. So yeah, I can see that. The next question is what books have changed your life the most?

Speaker 2 4:13

What books have changed my life the most? Oh, you know what? I'm gonna tell you something? I'm not gonna say necessarily change my life, but probably why I'm the way. I may have played a part or role in why I'm the person I am today, because when I was growing up I used to like mysteries, hearty boys and what's the lady name, nancy Drew. Nancy Drew and Hearty Boys Mystery. But when I was a little bit older I loved Harlequin romance. So I think, okay for you those, those back in the 80s.

Speaker 2 4:49

So Harlequin romance would be the precursor to Hallmark movies. Okay, okay, okay, because everything was all night. Well, no, it didn't actually start off as a good relationship, but there were some kind of you know, angst or whatever. But then the female got together with the male and everything was rosy and beautiful. So I think that kind of changed my life and maybe why I'm a romantic type person.

Speaker 1 5:17

Oh, you're hoping it's romantic.

Speaker 2 5:18

Yes, I believe I am.

Speaker 1 5:20

Oh, that's cute. Yeah, when you said Harlequin, I don't know why I was thinking of Harley Quinn from Suicide Squad, so that's why it kind of put me on. No, no, no Harlequin romance Okay yeah, I just Googled it and so I think I've seen some of them at like Tarjay or something like that before.

Speaker 2 5:37

So I used to read one, just about one, every weekend problem when I was in high school.

Speaker 1 5:43

Okay, cool. What's your non-apoholic beverage of choice, like soda, tea or coffee, you know? Yeah, let's see what oh, ginger ale.

Speaker 2 5:51

I love ginger ale. Okay, I don't know why, but I well, a lot of times with I have problems with my stomach, upset stomach or whatever, but ginger ale, I just like the flavor of ginger ale.

Speaker 1 6:01

Okay, yeah, when you said that I about ginger ale, I thought about how it's a thing within our black community that you know I'm not feeling well. Ginger ale, like ginger ale, and what is that Vicks rub on your chest is like. As black people, it seems to be like our go-to medicine for everything.

Speaker 2 6:19

Well, for most it's stomach, ginger ale and voodoo chips.

Speaker 1 6:23

Okay, okay, I've seen them in the stores. Okay, interesting, wait, aren't they spicy?

Speaker 2 6:28

No, they're more like barbecues. Barbecue, oh, okay, the kind that I get. There's more than one kind. I think voodoo is the brand, maybe I don't know, but I like the. I forgot what it's called kettle chips.

Speaker 1 6:41

Oh, okay, I heard of those.

Speaker 2 6:42

It's like barbecue, barbecue kettle chips.

Speaker 1 6:44

Okay cool. Yeah, Okay, what, oh, not what. Who was your childhood celebrity crush?

Speaker 2 6:51

My childhood celebrity crush. Yeah, just say, let me see my childhood celebrity crush. Oh well, football player was Tony Dorsett, because I thought he was so cute. I just really love Tony Dorsett. He was a Dallas Cowboy player and I don't know, I don't know anything about football, just like the way he looked. And then on the other side of the ball was Elvis Presley. I used to love Elvis Presley movies growing up and I just I would just sit in awe and sing all the songs with him. Yeah, that was just me.

Speaker 1 7:28

Elvis Presley.

Speaker 2 7:29

Elvis Presley.

Speaker 1 7:30

So have you been to the no? Okay, cause I haven't.

Speaker 2 7:34

No, okay, after I. You know, when I was became older, he didn't impress me so much. You see, a childhood. That's why it's so. Oh, okay, okay, yeah, I got you.

Speaker 1 7:41

Okay, and I just looked up Tony Dorsett, but I don't know how old this picture is. But yeah, okay.

Speaker 2 7:46

Let me see.

Speaker 1 7:47

Yeah.

Speaker 2 7:48

Oh, that's when he was older. You need to see him in this football uniform. Okay, tony, but anyway yeah.

Speaker 1 7:54

I'm gonna. I'm gonna look that up while I'm asking you the next question, cause I kind of yeah, okay, okay, like this picture.

Speaker 2 8:06

I don't remember him looking like that. Is that him? I don't know, but maybe in childhood he was handsome. I mean, those pictures are not so much, okay, well, never mind. When I was a child I did. I'd love to look at him. Okay, I did.

Speaker 1 8:19

That's cool. Would you rather live in the ocean or on the moon?

Speaker 2 8:23

I'm afraid of well, yeah, I am afraid of drowning, because I can't swim.

Speaker 1 8:27

So Neither can. I the moon, maybe, I don't know why.

Speaker 2 8:31

Okay, cause I don't want to live in the ocean, so I guess it's the moon, the moon okay, okay, that's fine.

Speaker 1 8:36

The last one more question Would you rather travel back in time to meet your ancestors or meet your future descendants?

Speaker 2 8:43

Back in time.

Speaker 1 8:44

Back in time.

Speaker 2 8:45

I forgot, cause I often tell them, wonder if I could meet my mom as a child. I'd like to kind of watch her and see how she behaved, if we had anything in common.

Speaker 2 8:53

Or even go back further to see my great-grandmother as a child, and you know, maybe I don't know, I don't think I would like to make it all the way back to slavery. Yeah, but more so in the past, because if I were to go to the future, there may be some things that will okay. If I pick either one, am I supposed to be able to remember going there or not?

Speaker 1 9:17

Oh, you know what?

Exploring the Concept of Who Do

Speaker 2 9:17

I got this off of Google and so so that's one reason I wouldn't want to go into the future, because I feel like if I can't remember going backwards or forward, it would probably affect the way I live today if I were to go forward. But my past is already overdone with, so that's why I would do my past.

Speaker 1 9:37

I love how you just like I'm not, no, it's all good. I love that you just no. It's making me laugh, cause I love how you just dissected that and in a good way. In a good way, cause you're like now would I remember whatever? And see, I wasn't even thinking like the afterfakes, I was just thinking like past, future, yeah, no, and stuff.

Speaker 2 9:59

But I guess it's not that simple. Yeah, I'm realizing it's not Okay.

Speaker 1 10:03

I can dig it. I can dig it. That's cool. Okay, now we're going to move into what I call my moments and cue questions. So these are questions that I ask everybody, especially the first two. The last two when I was talking to Tam yesterday, I added these for her and then I was like you know what? I kind of like them and stuff, because the podcast is a mixture of things, but I definitely talk about who do and spirituality a lot. So I was like, okay, I'm probably going to start asking people more questions about that. So the first one is what is who do to you? And of course, it's not a wrong or right answer. So when you hear the word who do, what do you think of?

Speaker 2 10:43

I've heard of who do, but I don't know what it is. So actually I don't think about who do, because if you were to ask me in the last 10 days, 10 years, I never gave it a thought.

Speaker 1 10:54

Okay, okay, well, that's fine. Yeah, like I've said before, there's no wrong or right answer with that, and I usually tell people what it is. And I started thinking like again after because I'm overthinking, a perfectionist, and so I like to do like I call it A R after actions review of the things that I've done to see on ways to improve it. And each time I ask this question and of course it's always not a wrong or right answer I sometimes get people who don't know what it is, which is fine, and I always give it like a very surface level explanation and it's not bad, but I don't know. I kind of wish that I could go into more details and stuff.

Speaker 1 11:43

So I guess I will for this time, go into a little bit more details. So what do you want to know?

Speaker 2 11:50

I mean, I don't go around my I don't, I don't think about it, so sure you can?

Speaker 1 11:56

I mean you can tell me, oh, okay, cool, all right. So our enslaved Africans before they came over to the United States, they had their own religions that they brought with them, and then, when they came here to the South, they had to adapt with what they were practicing, because some of the things that they had in West Africa they didn't have here and stuff. And so one of the tenants that I always tell people about who do is, of course, ancestral veneration. So a person venerates their ancestors by talking to them, giving them offerings and trying to heal them, develop a relationship with them, whether they knew them or not, because even though the word ancestors make people think of someone quote, unquote old or before their time, it could be anybody that passed away, obviously, and they can be considered an ancestor regardless of how old they were when they left.

Speaker 2 12:57

So, anyway.

Speaker 1 12:58

So that's part of it. But they also used who do as a form of liberation and to deal with Massa and the stuff that comes with that. So they would use the Bible as a way to like, because that was the only book that they were some of them were allowed to read. So they would use the Bible as a way to help them use magic, for defense, and also would use it for medicine and things of that nature Because, again, even when they were free, they still were segregated, so they weren't able to do certain things. So it's a lot of like Martin terms that we use, like herbalism, was it because some of them knew the different types of herbs to use to help them feel better? So it's a mixture of things and people practice it different ways, just like different denominations of other religions and stuff. Yeah, that's the quote, unquote, short version of it. Okay, okay. So next one is name a moment where you can. Okay, so I call things.

Speaker 1 14:00

You can make this issue up. Sometimes I'll curse and say shit, sometimes I won't, just depends on how I feel. Um, I prefer ish, ish. Okay, all right, that's fine. I can try my best not to curse around you. I didn't promise, but yeah, so I call it. Um, you can't make this issue, and so I came up with this, because when I learned more about my ancestors and continue to go down this who do path, is just interesting to me where there's these things that have happened to me, that it's like you can't make this up, like to me there was no denying about what who do is, and I do understand that you don't practice it, so it doesn't have to just be with that, but anyway, it's a time that to you, there was no denying that God, jesus, a higher power, whichever word you want to use to describe whomever existed. Does that make sense or do I need?

Speaker 2 14:52

to know this Okay. So for me it would be God, god, jesus. Oh, it's when I became pregnant with my son.

Speaker 1 15:02

Okay.

Speaker 2 15:03

Because, you know, before I, before I was pregnant with my son, I had plenty of nieces and nephews, siblings, you know, and it's like I know people got pregnant and had children.

Speaker 1 15:13

Yeah.

Speaker 2 15:14

But when I became pregnant with my child, with my husband, I thought, wow, that is a beautiful thing, and it was so beyond not beyond comprehension. Okay, it was just like this was divine.

Speaker 1 15:29

Oh, okay.

Speaker 2 15:30

This was God. This was like God moving. That's what he made man and woman together, you know, to replenish the earth, and I was a part of that. And just to know that, I fell in love with a man here on earth and we loved each other and we were intimate with each other and out of there grew a child. Oh, that's like, yeah, that blows my mind. Yeah, okay, blows my mind. And then, when he was in my stomach, and I went.

Speaker 2 16:00

we go to the God of GYN and to hear his heartbeat that, you know, like a thunder of horses. Yeah, it was just. That was divine too. I just thought that was beautiful and wonderful, okay.

Speaker 1 16:14

Yeah, I like that. So, finally, I did a good job with answering the question. Again, there's never a wrong answer, but, oh my gosh, whenever I ask people that question, it makes them pause because they sometimes don't get where I'm trying to get it. But, yeah, you did so, I like that. Yes, okay, so I know that you grew up in the country. So, growing up in the country, did you learn any type of who do things? And I know that you said earlier that you don't quite know what who do is so like, for example, did you learn or hear about people saying you know you got to be careful about eating everyone's spaghetti or be careful about sweeping a person's feet, or I had dreamed about someone's pregnant, with fishes or things?

Speaker 2 17:00

like that. Well, okay, these are things that I heard when I was in school, not from anybody in my family, but to me it was disgusting. But about the spaghetti thing, I heard that before you know, when I was in like middle well, middle school that's what they call it now but we were still elementary when I was growing up. That thing and the fact of my mother, I didn't you know, but anyway, every time somebody in our family was pregnant, she always dreamt. She dreamt of fish and she said who's pregnant? And most of the time when she tells them a few weeks later we always found out that somebody was actually pregnant. So I didn't know that was part of that, but she, yeah, that.

Speaker 1 17:44

Oh, that's cool. Yeah, there is like when I talk to my maternal grandmother about this stuff because, as I've told people before on different episodes, like I didn't know that I was taught all these things or learned about who do without having a name to it. So when I started practicing, I would talk to my maternal grandmother and I would ask her some things. Now, of course, if I say who do to her, like most people she think I'm talking about who do and that freaks her out or whatever. But she would do similar things as well where she would say, oh, I had a dream about fish, who's pregnant and stuff and just all these other different things.

Speaker 1 18:26

And so once I started learning and researching about this, I was like, okay, so, like growing up, some of us knew and they call instead of calling who do, which is fine. They don't quote unquote, have to call it that, but like old wives tales and stuff, and that's so. If I say that to grandma, she'll give me a whole list of stuff, but if I call the who do, of course you won't and that's and that's fine. But yeah, not everybody has that ability of learning those different things about the fish, the spaghetti and everything like that that you had mentioned which is surprising to me because we're in the south and we're in Memphis.

Speaker 2 19:00

Yeah, but, like you say, we always considered it as old wives tales or just things, just things. I'm here and see it.

Speaker 1 19:07

Yeah, okay, all right, I know what about this?

Speaker 2 19:11

your hand itching and get some money, get some money.

Speaker 1 19:14

Yeah, that's what they say.

Speaker 2 19:15

Well, I don't know my palm, not your palm in your hand.

Speaker 1 19:19

Yeah yeah, I've had that happen to me and shown of money that I wasn't expecting to get came through. I'm like wait a minute.

Speaker 2 19:25

So yeah, my palm is out of town, I don't get any extra money, but I will.

Speaker 1 19:31

I know I'm asking you questions, but do you have any questions to me about the things that I do, such as Reiki, who do, etc. No, okay, cool, no problem. Okay, now we're going to move on to family questions. All right, have you ever looked into your family's lineage?

Family Ancestry and Crossed Paths

Speaker 2 19:50

I have. I started out with you know, when we have our family reunions, we normally try to get together and talk about our grandparents and great grandparents and so forth. So and I also do have an ancestrycom account which I need to cancel because I'm paying for it. I probably hadn't looked at it in over a year, but I paid my 21.95a month.

Speaker 1 20:12

Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2 20:13

I need to stop it.

Speaker 1 20:15

Yeah, because I pay minds once a year and it has gotten expensive, but I love it at the same time. Your brother, he allowed me to have access to it, so I have access to it Now. He hasn't updated it in a moment, so man, it's probably more updated than he is.

Speaker 2 20:38

You can have access to mine, okay.

Speaker 1 20:39

Yeah, but it was pretty cool though.

Speaker 2 20:41

But I missed it. I'm sorry.

Speaker 1 20:43

Oh no, you're fine, you're fine. So when I first started researching both sides of the family, I was felt so overwhelmed, but luckily he had already had it. So, yeah, what I mean is his is an updated. All your siblings are on there, so that's cool. But of course his children are on there but, like the rest, of his nieces and nephews aren't, and it's not.

Speaker 2 21:06

Yeah, I have. I've updated our immediate family all the way back to my great. Well, I want to say at least great, great, maybe great, I don't know, if great, great or not, but at least great our great grandparents and their children. So because I actually looked at census data to find some of their information, but I think I spent one Saturday and that's when I first joined ancestrycom.

Speaker 2 21:33

Just looking it up, I spent a whole day and I said, oh, this is good, and then I didn't go back and get back into it. But I have all the intentions of doing it. But yeah, so far.

Speaker 1 21:43

Well, that's fine. Uncle saved me a lot of time on the paternal side. So I'm on the maternal side and luckily my grandma is still in her right mind, so she helped me out a lot and I was able to go very far. I was able to go to a grandmother having me in great cities that was born in 1854. And so I kind of sort of know her mom's first name sort of, but there's not that much information and stuff. And then her husband, and that one goes very far because I can't remember how he was. But that one in particular, that ancestry goes far on the husband, my grant, that grandfather side, because he was enslaved here in Tennessee Tennessee is I like to call it and somebody else had already did the research for me and I even know like what plantation he was on, and yeah, yeah, and that one is pretty where was it Um degraffin reed plantation?

Speaker 2 22:59

Guess what.

Speaker 1 23:02

I don't know about the gap. No, I don't. But you can share. But before you do that, the reason I'm glad I'm having this conversation with you is because and it freaks me out, because I want, I mean, it's too late.

Speaker 2 23:12

Now I'm freed up when I tell you by the graph and read Okay.

Speaker 1 23:15

So, um, so this. So, like I said, this is by direct lineage on my maternal side and so that grandmother, who I, which is the highest, like I said, can go, her maiden name is my last name, and so it's kind of like wait a minute, because yeah, so, um, we have okay, so so obviously that's from the husband, and so that husband, like I said from, can go up or whatever, and we found out what plantation he was on, okay. So then the second thing is um the family, the part of the family that have that annual um family tree. I joined their Facebook group and I asked them what plantation was that part of the family from? But they didn't say to graph and read. Because in my mind it's like how I got my last name from my dad, but my ancestry, like I'm like, oh, my gosh, are we can, like it was so weird. So blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Yeah, your turn.

Speaker 2 24:12

Well, there is someone in your life who we spoke about earlier today. Yeah, dad told me about that.

Speaker 1 24:17

Oh man, I thought you were about to tell yeah yeah, dad told me that that person. That's interesting oh yeah, Same thing he said and I was like, but that was a maiden name, but I thought it was like. I thought he was going to like share something bigger than that, no, when I was maiden, I mean. I'm starting to know the first husband.

Speaker 1 24:33

Yeah, yeah that's yeah, that's what he told me and he was like that's interesting. I was like yeah, okay, but I was hoping for a little bit more. But the interesting part where I thought that maybe our lineages had crossed is because, um, the graph read plantation was around Mason, tennessee, and you know one question was that excuse me, tennessee, is that like no, I'm so sorry, okay.

Speaker 1 25:00

So whenever I say Tennessee, you said, instead of saying Tennessee, I say Tennessee because it's slang or whatever. They say 10 a key because it deals with it. It's okay, it's okay so yeah, whenever. I say 10 a key. Oh, that's just me saying Tennessee or whatever, instead of saying Tennessee, just roll with it. Oh, okay, but yeah, so um, and because I know what, um, what city y'all grew up in?

Speaker 1 25:24

or whatever it just made me wonder did our um ancestry cross lines? But, like I said, when they told us what part of that particular family tree on plantation was from, I was just like oh, okay.

Speaker 2 25:38

Somebody gave me some information I don't even know what I did with it About from you know well, probably the family reunion you were referring to. Yeah, he gave us some information this past family reunion, but what did I do with it, I don't know.

Speaker 1 25:57

Oh, yeah, I don't know this.

Speaker 2 25:59

More detail.

Speaker 1 25:59

Yeah, yeah, let me know, because it's always been interesting to me to find out where I came from. Um, and my great grandmother was born Well, we don't know if she really was, because I can't find a birth certificate, but I understand, because she was born in early 1900s they wouldn't have one. But, um, I always wanted to know all of these things or whatever. And, and um, she was born we think 1915 and died 2005. And before she died, uh, her, her, um, yeah, she wasn't there, so her memory was, was bad. So that's why I'm happy and grateful and thankful that my grandma can help me, um, but she can't help me too much because, um, she has still has her good memory, so she's been helpful with certain things that I say. She's like I don't remember that. So, yeah, you want me to go to the next question? Sure, oh, okay, um, you almost kind of answered it, but that's okay. Um, do you know anything about our ancestry that you want to share?

Speaker 2 26:57

Uh, no more than what I was about to tell you that I learned about and I just well, I was told about it and it didn't stay up in my head. But I have something on some paper but I don't know what I did with it. I can't remember what I did with it. I'll. I'll let you know, but I can. I can tell you somebody's name and give that person's number. They probably love they would talk your ear off, oh sweet.

Speaker 1 27:21

Okay.

Speaker 2 27:21

That would be. That would be even like um ooh, third or fourth cousin.

Family, Childhood, and Memories

Speaker 1 27:27

Oh, okay, okay.

Speaker 2 27:29

That'd be cool.

Speaker 1 27:30

Yeah, Cause, um again, since, um, your brother helped me out or whatever, and um, I looked up the names and stuff and I thought that was pretty cool, but um, I'm still more so again curious If at any time our ancestors crossed path just because of the location they were from, and then my side come into Memphis and your side stand in the countryside just out. There was interesting. And of course, the last name, so you know.

Speaker 2 28:00

But our family grew. Our family lived in Fayette County.

Speaker 1 28:05

Yeah, that's in Fayette County, mason, tennessee, mason is Fayette. County. It was nice it's not anymore Mason Fayette County. Ugh Uh, Google's about to tell me I thought it was.

Speaker 2 28:15

I thought it was something else, like Covington, the same as Covington.

Speaker 1 28:20

Oh, I'm so sorry. I apologize. Yes, you're right, tipton County.

Speaker 2 28:23

Yeah, tipton.

Speaker 1 28:25

I don't know why. I thought it was Fayette County. Oh, oh, okay, okay, okay, my bad, yeah, one of them.

Speaker 2 28:32

Yeah, but they're still close. Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1 28:34

One of them was um huh, okay, I don't know why I keep having Fayette. I mean, I know our family's from Fayette County, but I don't know why I kept thinking I will, okay, that's fine, no biggie, okay, um, how was life for you growing up?

Speaker 2 28:49

How was life for me growing up? It was, um, we were very poor. We had our necessities and not a lot of extras, but we, I feel like we had. What a lot of kids have don't have today is they have a lot of that external material things and don't have. I feel like I had a lot of love, a lot of companionship. Um, I just, I think I, I enjoyed my childhood playing with your dad.

Speaker 1 29:16

Yeah.

Speaker 2 29:17

The last three of us that we, we had Native American names growing up. Did he ever tell you about that? No, I was Pocahontas, okay. He was sitting bull, okay. And our baby brother was Pontiac. And these are all Native American names.

Speaker 1 29:33

Okay. And your baby brother? Is that the one? Y'all born in the same month? That one, yes, okay, yes baby brother.

Speaker 2 29:41

So, yeah, so we used to play. I mean I enjoyed my childhood and I, I mean I knew, I knew there are a lot of things that maybe we didn't have, that a lot of other people did have. But, like I said to me, we had things that were important, like we had parents that loved us and we had each other and we loved each other. Of course, we, you know, we did the same, we fought and we called each other names and things like that, and we, you know, made fun of our older neighbors and things like that and so. But I feel like I had a good childhood growing up and I'm thankful for myself. I was very thankful.

Speaker 1 30:12

Okay, so it's a lot of y'all. You are number 11 out of 11. Oh my goodness, yes, how was that? And with the first one open like okay, so okay, the first one. What's? What's the age difference between?

Speaker 2 30:29

So the first one today is 71 and I am 57. Okay.

Speaker 1 30:37

I'm about to do the math for that one real quick 71 minus 57.

Speaker 2 30:40

So my mother was pregnant. My mother was probably pregnant, if not every year, every other year.

Speaker 1 30:47

Okay.

Speaker 2 30:48

So at the time she was 25 to about 35.

Speaker 1 30:56

Okay, something like that. Okay, so, with the eldest being 14 years older than you, were y'all close growing up?

Speaker 2 31:07

No, because actually what happened was my mom. We don't share the same day.

Speaker 1 31:14

Oh, that one. Oh my gosh, I was thinking about the oldest sister, the first one I was.

Speaker 2 31:22

I was my oldest sister is like number four Is my oldest brother.

Speaker 1 31:30

I'm. I'll cut it out in a moment. Wait, y'all. Y'all about to hear a transition and you will be okay, because I have to figure out which person we're talking about. You'll be all right, okay, so we're back, so I have to redo my question again. So you're the first. The first baby that's 14 years older than you is the eldest baby boy so growing up. Because of the 14 year difference, y'all weren't close.

Speaker 2 31:59

And no, it's not because of. Well, of course we weren't close, because he was much older and plus, he lived with my grandmother and Memphis growing up yeah, he didn't grow up with us. He visited a lot and spent a lot of time with us because back then when my mother and dad got married, when they got married, they were living in I want to say they said in my grandmother's parents' home or something.

Speaker 2 32:27

And you know, sometimes back then things, those you know what they would may have called outside children. I don't know if they probably didn't call it that then, but because he was from another man that he ended up staying with my grandmother and he was raised by my grandmother in another in the city.

Speaker 1 32:45

Yeah.

Speaker 2 32:47

Oh, wow.

Speaker 1 32:48

I never knew that because, like during the pause, that they'll never hear. Like I said, I thought the fourth one was the oldest.

Speaker 2 32:55

The fourth one always act like that the oldest female.

Speaker 1 32:58

Yeah, yeah, yeah I'm not the oldest yeah. I always yeah, I totally forgot about him. Okay, Okay, so with, okay, so with all of y'all, with the age difference, y'all were still, or were you? Just I hate to make it sound like you were more closer than one than the other, but I guess what I'm trying to say is despite the age differences, how was that? There we go.

Speaker 2 33:22

Because of the, because of the age differences, it was almost like we were maybe I don't want to say three family maybe it was three like the older group, the middle group and the youngest group, so it was almost like we were three separate little families.

Speaker 1 33:37

Okay.

Speaker 2 33:37

Because my older I don't remember. I remember my oldest sister because she went. She went to. I remember her best because whenever my our parents were going somewhere, she was always left in charge of us, so therefore she's always been like we call her system.

Speaker 1 33:57

Yeah.

Speaker 2 33:58

Yeah, system of her, because she was always in charge of us when, when our parents went around.

Speaker 1 34:03

Yeah.

Speaker 2 34:04

And so that lasted till today. Yeah, yeah. And so you know, as we got older, you know we learned each other. We learned more about each other, but growing up I was closer to your dad. Okay, the last three of us.

Speaker 1 34:20

Yeah.

Speaker 2 34:21

I think I would say the last three of us were closer growing up because we were closer in age. Yeah, and you know when you're, you are a what we call it now the tweens, or a child. You don't really hang out or associate yourself with the teenagers and older. So because we were, you know, two years apart, yeah, so we were two years between all of us, right, 81, yeah, 81, 83 and 85. Yeah, so, yeah, so, since we were closer in age, then we were closer because we grew up playing together. Yeah, like I said, pocahontas, honeyack and Sit and Bull, yeah, okay.

Speaker 1 35:02

That's cool. I didn't, yeah, I asked. I asked that question initially because as my sister and I are 14 years 14 years apart and so we didn't really grow up around each other until, like, we became adults, and then we got a little closer and we're closer now, so that's why.

Speaker 2 35:24

I was just wondering wasn't like?

Speaker 1 35:25

that, so it's the same, okay, cool. So what are the lessons or values from your childhood that you still carry with you today?

Speaker 2 35:36

I don't think to appreciate family to that. It's not so much about material things that you have, it's about the love you can share with people. You know it's not things, it's inanimate things. Like I said love and sharing and just being kind to each other. You know we're not gonna always agree with each other, don't? We know that we're not gonna always agree, but we can get along, we can talk and state our differences but still remain family and respectful toward each other. That's what I say, you know. That's my thing is that the things that I like, I think, things that I live by, we don't have to agree with each other, but we can show kindness to each other still.

Speaker 1 36:27

Okay.

Speaker 2 36:28

I think I learned that from Mama.

Speaker 1 36:30

Okay, what was one of your fondest memories as a kid?

Speaker 2 36:35

My fondest playing with your brother. I mean your dad playing with your dad and my brother just growing up with them. My friends, my best friends Are you all still best friends now Not so I mean, I wouldn't say friends. It's almost like this with children. The saying goes your daughter's your daughter all her life. Your son's your son until he takes a wife.

Speaker 2 37:07

So my brother's my brother until he takes my wife, takes a wife Because it seemed like when they can't, they couldn't be my best friend because they had their own best friend and her mates. I guess. Oh, okay, that's the way I see it, and so I think I would think of my sisters more so as my best friends. But it's still not. It doesn't take away from our relationship, but it was almost like when they both got married that it was kind of it was different.

Speaker 1 37:36

Like the whole thing. What cleave to your wife or something.

Speaker 2 37:39

Oh, okay, gotcha Okay.

Speaker 1 37:41

Were there any family traditions that you looked forward to every year as a child, or, you can say, as an adult, it doesn't matter which one.

Speaker 2 37:48

Same as a child in adulthood was Christmas time because, like I said, there was always so many of us that we didn't get a lot of extra things. But at Christmas time we always got a little extras and we were able to put our tree up and we had our little boxes. Where we had, we would take shoe boxes and decorate them and the next morning we would always have our fruit, our candy and we have our gifts Fruit, candy and nuts and gifts. So it was always Christmas time. Maybe that's why I love Christmas to this day and I feel like, even if I still have my son, he does come home for Christmas. I would decorate and I told people that I work with that. It's not for anybody.

Speaker 2 38:35

No it's just, it's for me, it's for you. I decorate for me because it makes me happy.

Speaker 1 38:39

Okay, do you have a favorite tradition that you have just with my uncle and your son, or is it just still with the whole Christmas thing?

Speaker 2 38:49

Well, that's part of Christmas. Well, I just like. I like our relationship, because sometimes we get together just sit on the sofa and watch movies together. So that's kind of a traditional thing, for especially since he's older and not living with us anymore, and sometimes he'll come in the bed with us like we're at the top of the bed, he'll be at the bottom, and one year and I can remember this very well, I don't know we played some game about songs. We were just playing songs and singing.

Speaker 2 39:21

And just family time and being together and just enjoying each other's company.

Speaker 1 39:25

Okay, yeah, all right. So, as you and I know, obviously most of your siblings joined the military. Did you like what you did, so did you not want to join the military and be with? I mean, again, it's not a right or wrong answer, but I just find it interesting.

Speaker 2 39:42

Well, I did take the As-Val and I could have joined in the branch of the service that I wanted, but I think I was too much of a mama's girl. I love my mom and even after I got married, when I would come home for Christmas, I get to be with my mama and spoon get in her book. Yeah, that's the best feeling in the world. Well, it is one of the best feelings in the world for me, and so I think, maybe because I was too much of a mama's girl.

Speaker 1 40:14

Oh, okay.

Peace in Family and Fun Memories

Speaker 2 40:15

I was my mama's baby forever. Forever. Because even when I was a teenager, I didn't want to be known as a baby. Because she said you'll always be my baby. I'm like roll my ass back to the back of my head. Yeah, oh, yeah but as I got an older, I learned to love that, and I would, even after I had my child. She'd be holding my child and I'd be right up on her too.

Speaker 1 40:37

Oh, that's sweet Until the end, yeah.

Speaker 2 40:40

Okay.

Speaker 1 40:40

Yeah, so You've always tried to be a peacemaker and, as you know, it drives me banana, but it's you. Is there a specific reason as to you wanting peace in the family despite all of our differences?

Speaker 2 40:52

Why not? Why not?

Speaker 2 40:56

I just feel like we kind of talked about this earlier. For me, it's like everybody in this world is different and I don't say that I will get along with everybody and I will agree with what everybody does, be it family or not family, but as long as it's not hurting me or hurting someone else, to forgive. I think it's. For me it's because I don't ever want to live with regret, because life is short on this side, and I want to, I want to be able to say that I I can't remember the saying. It's something that I think that your brother used to say, because he used to do the Martin Luther King speeches all the time.

Speaker 1 41:44

You mean your brother.

Speaker 2 41:46

Yeah.

Speaker 1 41:47

I keep following in your brother. It's okay, I'm good You're dead when I say your brother, I mean you're dead.

Speaker 2 41:54

Yeah, martin Luther King has a speech. I think it says does it have something? Does it say something about being a drum major for peace? A drum major. What is a drum major speech about?

Speaker 1 42:07

Oh, let me see MLK drum major speech. Oh gosh, um, he says something about the drum major instinct and the desire to be first, to be recognized and to receive distinction.

Speaker 2 42:22

Or maybe I just know. Maybe, maybe there's some, maybe I'm confused with something else.

Speaker 1 42:26

I found a quote. It says we all have the drum major instinct. We all want to be important, to suppress others, to achieve distinction, to learn the parade, and the great issue of life is to harness the drum major instinct.

Speaker 2 42:39

is a good instinct If you don't disorder and perverted maybe there's not, but anyway no, no that may not be it, I may have I may be quoting it wrong, but anyway. But for me it's just. It's just. When someone would ask me why be a peacemaker, my question would be why not?

Speaker 2 42:57

Yeah because there being a peacemaker to me is not being harmful to anybody. It's just that you know, you just accept people for who they are. When people, as the saying goes, when people show you who they are, believe it and let them be. Yeah, and we don't have to agree with everything that they do, but we should be able to just let them be, and they should. Maybe let me be. And to me. I mean, you know, that's just the way, that's just right.

Speaker 1 43:27

Yeah.

Speaker 2 43:27

Okay, my eyes just right to be a peacemaker.

Speaker 1 43:30

Okay, yeah, I got you All right. This one's going to be interesting, as.

Speaker 2 43:33

I can make it here Blessed are the peacemakers for theirs, as to what the kingdom, god or heaven or something like that. Blessed are the blessed are the peacemakers, oh the attitudes.

Speaker 1 43:44

Oh oh, I remember. I remember the beatitudes from college, but I don't remember the rest of it.

Speaker 2 43:52

Yeah.

Speaker 1 43:52

Yeah, wasn't really big enough by growing up. Yeah, yeah, okay, this is the one. I'm excited to hear your answer. What is the most fun memory you and I have had during our family relationship? And oh my gosh, please don't talk about me singing that song that you always like.

Speaker 2 44:07

It is that song. I just, I was been thinking about that song all day but I just, I just like you as a little girl because you were just, you were always to me. You were just so smart and you always wanted to to me learn things. And you just the cutest little thing.

Speaker 1 44:23

Your mom used to dress you so cute and you just All of them, pigtails in my hand, I know, and you couldn't get dirty.

Speaker 2 44:29

But I mean, you know she, you know I, just, I don't know you, just a little, a little sweet little girl and always was inquisitive, pretending like you're reading newspaper, even though it was upside down. You know you just, yeah, you just Incerezen.

Speaker 1 44:43

Yeah, I don't you always tease me about that one and I'm never offended, but I do not remember this song. I know the song it was by Leverte.

Speaker 2 44:52

Oh my goodness, A song was a song by Leverte which which like the dad. Leverte the group, oh the group. Oh, Rick Leverte, Dang it. Oh something to do with Name. Some of the first major songs I don't have a Leverte group songs.

Speaker 1 45:11

Okay, google, do you remember at least what year I did this, how, what?

Speaker 2 45:18

year were you.

Speaker 1 45:19

I'm a 83. All right, so here comes my forever love, 1987. Pop goes my mind, 1986. Casanova, yeah.

Speaker 2 45:30

You didn't say Casanova. You used to say cast, cast and over, casting over. Yeah, that was it, casting over.

Speaker 1 45:39

That's funny. You said that because I was that song. Wow, okay, I do kind of like that song. I would always like laugh and hearing it now as an adult, but it never dawn on. Okay, yeah.

Speaker 2 45:50

You didn't say Casanova, you said cast, cast and over, casting over.

Speaker 1 45:56

Okay, we're going to move into relationship questions. Whoop, whoop. Okay. How did you meet uncle, which is your husband?

Speaker 2 46:05

I used to. I met senior. I call him senior.

Speaker 1 46:07

Yeah, we actually call him dad, but yeah, for this one, yeah, we're all. We're all with senior.

Speaker 2 46:13

Okay, whatever. Yeah, I call him dad too. Yes, um, one Friday evening, my roommate uh, I had a roommate at the time was I had two roommates actually but one of my roommates had just gotten off from work and she was like oh so you know, I'm so tired from work, but she wanted to go out and have fun and I didn't want to go anywhere. I wanted to stay home. Mm, hmm, like I do, I love my home. Wherever I live, I've always loved it, but I wanted to be home. She's like no, let's go out. So that's why I met him. We went out in the in after hours play. So I guess you say, uh, what do?

Speaker 2 46:46

you call that the club. It wasn't actually a club.

Speaker 1 46:49

Well, happy happy hour, oh, happy hour, okay yeah.

Speaker 2 46:52

I met him happy hour.

Speaker 1 46:53

Okay, and how long did y'all date?

Speaker 2 46:56

We dated from how long date before we got married and became engaged? Oh oh, we dated two years.

Speaker 1 47:07

Y'all dated two years, got engaged.

Speaker 2 47:10

Yeah.

Speaker 1 47:11

And then yeah, Okay, and um yeah, okay. And they didn't, and dating him. What was your typical dates like?

Speaker 2 47:21

Um, a lot of times we would go out to dinner, okay. A lot of go for walks Okay, because where he live, well, he lived by a golf course. Okay, we walk around the golf course. I remember one particular.

Speaker 1 47:35

Oh, those apartments, I remember them, yeah, yeah, yeah. Or condos, or whatever, I remember them, okay, yeah.

Speaker 2 47:41

And we walk around that golf course, cold and stuff, so we go to picnics and apart, uh, things like that.

Speaker 1 47:49

Okay, wait, let me see. So y'all been married for 31 years 31 years.

Speaker 2 47:54

So that means wait so that, wait, you were around when we were dating because of one another. Yeah, I tell you, I tell you Another memory I had was I had told your mom that I would babysit you, mm-hmm, and we would went over to his where he was living in the, in the convenience, and, uh, you know, you were just, you were there with us.

Speaker 2 48:15

And you know I was like we were, that was in the early years or early months, probably, uh-huh, and you can't say oh, yeah. You said, oh, I'm sorry, you used to call me Aunt Weija, weija, something like that. I want to go home on Weija. So well, that's another one of my memories, but yeah.

Speaker 1 48:37

Oh wait Did I get married.

Speaker 2 48:39

We didn't have a wedding. Oh, we didn't have a wedding. We got married to courthouse. Oh, okay, because I actually went out with one of my friends, one of my best friends at the time Uh-huh, we went looking for when we decided, you know, he had proposed and we decided we were getting married. We went looking for a wedding dress, mm-hmm, and I got a headache and I said no, I don't want to go through this. Uh-huh, because I'm introverted and I didn't want to be the center of attention. Okay, so I just wanted to make it legal because we lived together before we got married. Okay, and I just wanted legal and I wanted to be right inside of God. Okay, so we went down to the courthouse and I was the happiest person in life.

Speaker 1 49:19

Oh, and how did you? We were married. And how did you know he was the one?

Advice for Evolving Married Couples

Speaker 2 49:23

How did I know he was the one I don't remember? Oh, okay, I just remember him being because number one. When I was sick, he brought me soup whenever I needed. When I got ready to move, he was always there for me. When in a crunch, oh, and even when it wasn't a crunch, he was always there for me. He was just a good person. He was just, you know, he was just good to me. That's so sweet. Yeah, it was good to me and good for me.

Speaker 1 49:57

Okay, so we all have been married for 31 years. I'm sure the relationship has evolved over time. We have any advice or suggestions for married couples as their marriage evolved?

Speaker 2 50:10

Yes, don't, even though I love Harlequin romance and I remember romantic person and I love Hallmark movies, but life is not a Hallmark. It is not, definitely not. There are gonna be days where you, you'll always love your mate, at least this person, at least I will, yeah, at least I will always, yeah, my person, but I won't. Some days you may not like them. Yeah, you know what I mean. Yeah, not that you don't like, like them, you just. You don't get upset, yeah. So my thing is, when you it's like I saw something on Facebook one time and this is one thing I you have to live by mm-hmm, is that the toothpaste? And the two, the two, the two toothpaste? Okay, your words are the toothpaste. When you get a tube of toothpaste and you just press it out, yeah, yeah try to put it back in.

Speaker 1 51:09

Oh, okay.

Speaker 2 51:09

Yeah, you can do that. So, yeah, my thing is to watch your words, don't? And for me it was before I Speak. What a footage part. Where was I?

Speaker 1 51:23

He lost um.

Speaker 2 51:25

Talking about the two with two things and you can't get the words out.

Speaker 1 51:28

Oh, and you say it for you. You try to be careful with your words.

Speaker 2 51:32

Yeah, and when I feel like I can't be careful with my words, have to be quiet for a while, so we'll retreat into different rooms, okay, and we'll be quiet Until we'll come down, and then you get together and you talk and discuss things out, so that way you won't say things that you like the two with two pages.

Speaker 2 51:51

Yeah try to put back in it. Yeah, because once those words are out, you can't put them, you can't take them back. You can apologize for them. Yeah, but there was some people it was stick with them. So you don't want to, you want to cause it in memory like yeah, you know, that's me.

Speaker 1 52:06

Well, that's what I do with, with, with our family. You know I know what I'm about to say when I say it and you know I stand on business. All right, so you're You're part of the Weedon boys Cowboys fans. Was it mandatory or optional to be a Cowboys family when you got with uncle?

Speaker 2 52:25

When I got with uncle I was already done, boys.

Speaker 1 52:29

Okay.

Speaker 2 52:30

Them boys in quote.

Speaker 1 52:31

Yeah, no finger quotes.

Speaker 2 52:33

Yeah, I never really was a football. I Didn't follow football, I just do some. I knew players. Yeah and for, I guess because in the house that I grew up in most people like I guess it was my whole family, like the Dallas Cowboys Before I met on yeah, before this I saw stragglers.

Speaker 1 52:51

Oh, dad talk about it all time.

Speaker 2 52:53

Well, she didn't, she didn't like football. That okay, when she was in the house with us. Uh-huh, that was something she developed afterwards. Okay, the reason I asked that question she used to be actually used to be a Washington Redskins fan.

Speaker 1 53:08

okay, now, whether they're Washington, I think the commanders or something yeah the reason I asked that is because when I got with my boo thing, love of my life, the one of the first things he asked me was like what's your favorite Football team? And I was like I don't have one. I like college football. Well, I said I like college. Well, first of all, I don't like sports period. And if I had to pick a Favorite or whatever, it would be my alma mater and that's college and stuff. And he was like, okay, so now you're a Cowboys fan. And I'm like, okay, so now I'm part of the Weedham boys.

Speaker 1 53:44

Um, last year for Thanksgiving we went to our first professional football game in person ever. We drove to see the Cowboys against the New York Giants and I am so happy that the New York Giants won because I was like if they did not win, I know that I would have to hear that or whatever. So I'm like you. I I'm not real big on sports or whatever, but I do definitely make sure that I have my Cowboys sweatpants that I stole from him that belongs to him, but they're mine now and I have my cowboy hat and I have my own cowboy shirt and stuff because I had about new outfits so I can be part of the Weedham boys or whatever, but I I root for them and I look at the game.

Speaker 2 54:24

But like I'm just not big on sports, neither Real, but we went to our first live game last year Uh-huh matter of fact, this time of year, because it was a was?

Speaker 1 54:34

it was a cowboy.

Speaker 2 54:35

Yes, and guess what the Cowboys won?

Speaker 1 54:39

Let me tell you, I guess, oh my gosh, yeah, because um, they won, yeah, so that's good.

Speaker 2 54:45

Well, I say we, they went because the men went to the game. Uh-huh, the latest date outside tailgating.

Speaker 1 54:50

Oh, okay, okay, that's fine. Yeah, um cuz. What was was earlier this week the cow, oh my gosh. So, yeah, cowboys um laws. Who did we go against? The dolphins, I think. And, oh my goodness, I had horrible. Yeah, I had to hear about it and he is.

Speaker 2 55:06

Right at the end.

Speaker 1 55:06

Yeah, he's so frustrated cuz again I'm just there for support whenever the game is on, I'll just like sit next to him and I'll look at it or I, or I'll go to sleep or whatever. Because again, yeah, yeah, cuz I mean I look again, I'll look at it and I know the very basics cuz he taught me. But like any of the what, the fouls or whatever, when they do the yellow flag I know none of that stuff is going on. So, but I just I know when a touchdown comes exactly, and I just know when to cheer for the Cowboys.

Speaker 1 55:34

And people send me Memes and I'm like y'all, I'm a fan, but I'm not a fan like that for y'all to be sending me these memes, for me to get offended.

Speaker 2 55:41

I.

Speaker 1 55:42

Because of him like yeah so same here.

Speaker 2 55:45

Yeah, I really I Don't really care for football, yeah so we have not we?

Speaker 1 55:51

I'm sorry I have a few more questions. I put this under personal or whatever, but they're still interesting. So I told my me to me that I was on my way to your house and she had told me that you had chickens and of course I'm laughing at her because I don't believe her, but she was like for real, you do. And so when I got here and laughed about the whole chickens, I learned that you also have beagles, goats and a garden.

Speaker 1 56:13

So y'all have like a small little was zoo or whatnot around here. How did they come about?

Speaker 2 56:19

My husband is all. That was all for my husband, because I grew up where I'm around here today. It's about two or three miles from where I was born. I was born at home, by the way. Did you know? All of us were born at home. No, that didn't tell me all of us were born by at home, and our grandmother, my paternal grandmother, was a midwife and she delivered. All of us in plus two, two nieces.

Speaker 1 56:41

Oh, okay, the, the, the great grandmother that I had. They lived in Memphis. Is that maternal, paternal?

Speaker 2 56:52

That's your maternal. Oh, okay, so I don't think I've met Uh no, you didn't, because I was 12, okay, I was 12 when she passed away. Oh, okay, okay, so she was a midwife?

Speaker 1 57:05

Yeah, that is so cool, yeah, so okay, but I guess that would make sense because, oh, this is gonna sound so ignorant, but I'm actually way like it's a. It's a small city. We consider that the country, so like did y'all have to go, like to the city for our hospitals or whatever? So was that one of the reasons that y'all were born in the house, or just worked out that way? You know what?

Speaker 2 57:28

it's not a big deal, no, it's probably because you know, she delivered all the babies and took care of all the babies. Oh, there's a midwife, and so that's what people did, most of most of the black people that I knew, uh-huh, in the country In front where we grew up. Yeah, we're born at home. Okay, I think, okay, maybe.

Speaker 1 57:48

I don't?

Speaker 2 57:49

I think so. Yeah, cuz I even met someone when I went to University of Memphis, mm-hmm, who we were just talking. We were talking about what we were from. You know how you? Just talk about your family and I found out that she delivered her. Oh, she was my resident assistant, mm-hmm, at the dormitory where I lived, yeah, in the University of Memphis. My grandmother had delivered her and her siblings.

Speaker 1 58:12

But the question was oh, the, the Beagles, goats, chickens in garden, you know.

Speaker 2 58:18

I was saying, yeah, his mate, I'm his mate Because, like I said, I grew up in the country and I knew what it was like, but he grew up in the city, uh-huh, but his goal, his goal and his dream was always to have a little piece of land. Okay, call his own. And so that's what we are right now. So these are things I Never would have thought about.

Speaker 2 58:49

Half the things that he thought about, yeah, you know, because I'm like I lived here before, I know, but no, apparently he knew a lot more than I did, and so we had the chickens for, and you know, we did just for eggs, and just because I think my husband likes To think of himself as a farmer, I mean a mini farmer, yeah, I know, and I just support him as the end way I can, and I just, you know, he Plants and I have him plant. You know he Teals a man and the garden and I haven't planted it and I picked some things and you know what was the? The veggies and things grow. Yeah, we'll go out there together. Yeah, go out there alone, and it's just nice, it's just nice to be outside.

Speaker 1 59:33

Yeah, I, um, I I think I told you I can't miss not a big deal. Well, yeah, I had a help garden and other things that I grew because hemp is legal in Tenaquil. So my first Season they made it, but unfortunately we had a cold front and killed them and stuff. And then Last year I think I did them too late or something's wrong with my soul, I don't know what I did not a big deal with. Like, I like gardening as well. I grew okra they didn't make it but they were growing and I grew basil. That actually made it and stuff. And for the first time I feel silly amending it, but for the first time I had basil off the leaf and that was pretty cool.

Speaker 1 1:00:15

So, um, my mini me got me into gardening. Um, she was an elementary and was like, hey, mom, let me tell you about germination. I'm like okay, oh, we should plant something. I'm like all right, so we started planting flowers at the woman they gave birth to me house and then, when her and when many me and I moved into where we're in now, since it's my space or whatever, because it's a, it's a town home, but I mean it's it's my house, I'm not an apartment. So anyway, um, I started growing, but by that time she didn't want to participate anymore. But I found fun and growing a of Flowers and herbs and hopefully one day I'll do better with it, but I don't know. It's just relaxing and fun.

Speaker 2 1:00:58

So yeah, that's one about husband feels about it too.

Speaker 2 1:01:01

Yeah but it's just really great. You know, I guess sometimes I may take things for granted, but you know, sometimes when you need something, I need a bell pepper yeah, summertime I just go outside and pick it up. You know, yeah, my garden pick the bell pepper. Yeah, tomato, need a tomato. Go to my garden pick a tomato. And I don't I don't necessarily like okra, but they grew we got the most Oprah this year that we've ever had and they grew and grew and grew and grew and grew yeah, yeah, I was plenty of okra.

Memories and Letting Go

Speaker 1 1:01:30

I don't care too much for okra, I just wanted to grow it and I did it at the wrong time because we caught a heat wave, I want to say last year and, um, yeah, nothing came from it. But I don't, I'm not. I might be done with the hemp. We'll see how I feel, but I'm not done gardening. Um, again, I I do want to do it for the food and stuff like that, but I still find fun In in it. So it's not a big deal. So, um, two more questions and we'll be done. This one is this one is talking about Adult children. So you and I both have one child. Clearly, my cousin is a man and he's older than my mini me. How did you handle your only child transitioning from a young teen to a young man?

Speaker 2 1:02:15

I cried a lot, okay, no, actually when he was growing up in the house, everything was fine prayer, prayer and crying. Because I Remember him when he first got his license, yeah, when he first started trying to drive. Yeah and we would be. I will let him drive the church because I was like you know, every Sunday I'll get in the car with him and I would literally Not just, I will literally be sick.

Speaker 1 1:02:41

Yeah.

Speaker 2 1:02:42

I have to go to the ladies room and I got to the church literally Cuz my stomach was so cramped and you know, my dad, my dad, his dad Uh-huh, took him out at night and did the, you know, the base training for him to drive. Yeah, but to give him driving experience. I roll with him. You just have to have.

Speaker 1 1:03:03

I'm going through that now.

Speaker 2 1:03:06

Yeah, prayer, prayer, prayer yeah, okay. I don't, I don't want to ever go back to that feeling. That feeling was horrible, yeah, horrible. Yeah, I'm going through that and then, when he graduated from high school yeah, and got, we took him to college, got him settled in at his dorm room and we hugged him goodbye. And man, I cried this day, I cried August. The sea was August 17th 2017. Wow and I cried, and I cried, and I cried some more.

Speaker 2 1:03:39

Uh-huh and then I thought about it. I was like he's not going off to war. Yeah, he's not he's not going to jail right. This is a good thing.

Speaker 1 1:03:49

Yeah.

Speaker 2 1:03:52

And then you cry get that crying and I did, but then it got. You know I'm about you kind of got used to him being away. Yeah and you let it go. Yeah, and I kind of just let it go until he came home again For Christmas break, and then I had to let him go again, but I didn't cry quite as long that time. Yeah, and so each time you know.

Speaker 1 1:04:14

The last question is how do you like to spend your free time?

Speaker 2 1:04:18

How did I like to spend my free time? I like to spend my free time Just being with nature, I guess being outside. I take walks outside, I like to. I'm in an exercise program now, mm-hmm. So even though I don't, while I'm doing it, I don't necessarily like to just look at nature, look out my window and just watch. You know birds and I've seen a lot of different birds that I've never seen in Almost 30, some my years and watching the animals Outside just do what they do, naturally. Yeah, just watch nature.

Speaker 1 1:04:55

Okay, well, is there anything else you want to share before I close up, or?

Speaker 2 1:05:01

No, I think, I don't think we would actually talk this long, but yeah, okay, that's everything. I don't have anything else. Okay, All right Well you're soon to hear myself on this is gonna.

Speaker 1 1:05:11

Oh yeah, I mean, of course, I'm a, I'm a edit it, so we'll see. Okay, well, let me do my outro. Well, I've talked long enough. Q out, oh.