Why Daniel is my favorite brother!

Why Daniel is my favorite brother!

Danny as we call him has an uncanny knack for remembering everyone's birthday, including the year they were born.  I have to really think about it when I tell folks how old someone in my family is.  Danny was pretty athletic in high school and went on to college to play football.    He did not finish college.  He married a beautiful German girl from Cashton and was blessed with five amazing children.  They are all married and raising families of their own.
Danny taught me how to tie my shoes.  One day when I was putting my shoes on, I asked him if he would tie my shoes.  He raised his voice and said, "Tie your own damn shoes" and I did.  He scared me.  I have successfully tied my own shoes ever since.
Danny went to school to be an electrical lineman.  He worked in Footville for several years and then he and Elvira moved back to Westby.  I think they lived in Cashton for awhile too.  He worked many years for the Vernon Electric Company.  He was very well liked.  He is fun loving and makes friends easy.
Sadly he lost his wife, Elvira shortly after our mother died.  He remarried and is living in Westby.  He is retired and spends a lot of his time following the grandchildren in their endeavors.  He is a wonderful dad and grandfather.  But mostly he is a wonderful brother.  He is always there for me when I need his wisdom and sometimes when I don't.  Is it any wonder he is my favorite brother.

Wow!!  Ten years later, I am back on my blog.  So much has happened.  Before I go on with the life changes, I will finish my family stories.  Hope you haven't missed me!

Why Audrey is my Favorite Sister!

I guess because today is my sister, Audrey's birthday, it is only fitting that I write about her. She is my oldest sister of five. She was like a second mother to me when I was growing up. In fact it was Audrey who walked with my mother (who was in labor with me) to the neighbors to call the doctor to come and help deliver me. She was probably close to 13 at the time and held a lot of responsibilities around the house. It was pretty common for most of my older brothers and sisters to take a lot of responsibility for chores, housecleaning, cooking and of course looking out after us younger brats. She was always there with lots of hugs and encouragement. She was the one who taught me how to print my name. She was going to school to become a teacher at the time. She eventually taught school at one of the local one room country schools in our area. When she married Myron, I cried so hard that I embarrassed myself. I made Emily cry as well and she was the flower girl. Marvin called me a cry baby and made fun of me. I just remembered thinking that we would never see her again. She was getting married and moving to Cashton area. We didn't do a lot of local travelling back then. I know it sounds silly now that I write that. Audrey and Myron raised five intelligent and successful kids. I spent a lot of time staying with them and babysitting some and helping Audrey around the house.
When Myron grew gravely ill with cancer, I stayed overnight the night before he died. It was very hard to see him suffer and to see her hurt for him. They were a very amazing couple. It was difficult for me to see her left behind. Audrey has done well for herself. She kept her job and worked at the Westby Elementary School until retirement about a year ago. She is very intelligent and independent. She enjoys many hobbies and has a good friend who keeps her on the go. She has lots of adorable grandchildren and keeps herself busy making blankets/quilts for them. Is it any wonder why she is my favorite sister?

Why Kermit is my Favorite Brother.

Kermit is the third born son to my parents. He is a strawberry blonde (by my discription). Curly and wavy hair. I think he was quite the looker. I don't think he had any problems with the ladies. He did his time in the military and I think he was stationed in Alaska. He work for many years at the General Motors plant in Beloit/Janesville. He came home on weekends. We would have card games on Saturday nights and of course a big pot of my mother's famous goulash. He would always pick the onions out. He was married for a short time to a woman from Soldiers Grove. Through their marriage they had a son, Jerry. He grew up in the Soldiers Grove/Gays Mills area so I got better acquainted with him than some of the family. Kermit later divorced his first wife and married another woman from Beloit. She had three daughters and a son. Kermit assumed the role of their father and was quite close to them. They later divorced and he married another woman who was an old girlfriend from a few years back. They live in Lac du Flambeau and had a bread and breakfast for several years. Jan was a teacher. They are both now retired and do a little traveling.
So why is Kermit my favorite brother? I remember one very special Christmas when he brought a huge appliance box (refrigerator size) home filled with Currier and Ives dishes for my mother, all sorts of board games and toys for us kids and a large tobaggan that we had so much fun out on the hillside behind our house in the winter time. He has a very kind and generous heart. He always smiles and has a twinkle in his eye. He stresses the importance of family and maintains the tradition of our family picnic every summer around the 4th of July. This was always a very special time for my mother and I think he does this to keep us all close and to honor her memory. That is what she wanted for us kids. Kermit is my favorite brother even though I just found out in the past few years that he was the one who had to terminate our very old and sick dog, Teddy. He did a very humane thing that was very hard for any of us to do. Kermit is the one brother that regularly calls and keeps in touch. And that is why he is my favorite brother!

Absence makes the Heart grow fonder

Sorry I haven't blogged lately. I have been obsessed with Facebook. It has helped me to connect with family and friends in a way that pleases and sparkles. I feel like I am communicating with my children more regularly and I have been able to get in touch with friends and classmates from my past. It is a joyful experience. I have missed chatting about my family and my early years. So now maybe I can get back on task. Family is so very important to me. It always has been and always will be.

Why Robert is my Favorite Brother!

Is is any wonder why Robert is my favorite brother? Besides his fashion sense, he is very kind and patient. He is the little cutie on the right of both of these photos. I have never heard him say an unkind word to or about anyone. He is the first of our family to get married. Garnet and Robert always have a pot of coffee on and you are always welcome to come, sit and chat. They have three sons who are all married with families of their own. When I was a teenager I used to babysit for them a lot. I used to spend a lot of time with them. I always feel like Robert cared about everybody. If I felt bad or had a problem, I could always talk to him and feel better. He has the most positive attitude of anyone I know. He has overcome some very serious health conditions and never complains. He just smiles that sweet smile and keeps his faith. Is it any wonder that he is my favorite brother?

Why Marvin is my favorite brother!

Here is a photo of my two oldest brothers. Marvin on the left and Robert on the right. Today I am going to tell you why Marvin is my favorite brother.
He was my parents first born child. He had a twin sister that did not survive. They were born early and at home. Marvin weighed around 3 pounds according to my mother. He was very vulnerable and lucky to have survived during those meager days. They wrapped him up well and kept him near the stove. I think I heard he slept in a dresser drawer that was set on the oven door. He is 17 years older than me. He left home before I got to know him very well. He quit school and joined the service before he had a chance to graduate. My first recollections of him are when he would come home for about a month at a time "on leave". It would take me the whole month to finally get comfortable with him. He always had a camera on him and took pictures of all of us kids. I always hated having my picture taken. We had to look to the sun and I would always squint. He was very good and generous to my mother. He helped her pay for the farm that we lived on. He sent her money every month from his checks. He was very outgoing and made friends with everyone he met. One time when he came home he hitched a ride with a couple who none of us knew but he had my mother get up in the middle of the night to feed them before they left. He always seemed to want to help everyone. He gave money to anybody who had a hand out. He was married four times before he found the right woman for him. With Tomsy he seemed to find religion which has served him well over the years. He never had children of his own but has a church family that he adores and vice versa. He is my favorite because he is so vulnerable and sensitive. He is a kind man and very generous. He is forever giving money for this church or that. He also has a thing about buying stuff and then giving it to you whether you want it or not. He just wants to be giving to someone all the time. He also can drive me absolutely crazy. I think he misses growing up with all of us. We are becoming more close over the past few years. My hope is that he will move back to Wisconsin.