Saturday, June 23 – Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Saturday, June 23 PM (Continued)
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Barbara: After the concert in Portales, I
hopped in the driver’s seat of Carol’s car and chauffeured her to Roswell where
we met Jim at the Dollar Tree store. It was fun to have undistracted time to
visit and talk to Carol.
Once Jim and
I made a pit stop at Sonic, we were on the road to Artesia. We had decided that
since we are never around a KFC, we would stop at the Artesia one before going
out to Jean’s since we both enjoy their potato bowls. Never did we dream that
such a simple idea would turn into a customer’s nightmare!
To make a long story
short, here’s what we left KFC with that night! They said once the dishes were
on the counter, they would have to throw them away. Jim and I laughed all the
way to Jean’s!
Finally, we
made it to Jean’s where we found Jerry, Nancy, and Jean waiting on us. Once
they lived through the story, we quickly ate our supper before giving Nancy her
early birthday present.
It had been a
long day for everyone so it was then time for good nights to be said.
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Sunday, June 24 - Wednesday, June 27
Our objective
this trip to Artesia was to spend quality time with Jean and the clan. And,
this is exactly what we did! During the days, we took care of Jean to the best
of our abilities, re-visited the past, laughed, took naps, and ate. What a
life!
Jean has been
a part of my life since I was a little girl living in Hobbs, NM (over 60 years
ago!). My first really clear memory is climbing these huge steps to the
upstairs apartment behind the funeral home in Hobbs to see this new baby Jean
and Cal had. It was a boy and he was sooooooooo cute! I decided right then and
there that he would be my brother. And, I’ve never changed my mind!
Sometime
before Susie was born, Cal & Jean moved back to Artesia where Cal worked
for Paulin Mortuary and they lived on the side of the funeral home. My family
and theirs continued to visit and stay connected through the years.
Then in the
summer of 1961, my Dad became the pastor for Clark Memorial Methodist Church
there in Artesia which meant that I would complete my high school education as
a senior there. It also meant that once again the Perry and Terpening
friendship continued to grow.
After my
graduation in 1962, Dad was given a church in Albuquerque, NM. However, since I
was working at Artesia Laundry & Cleaners (and got paid in 2 dollar
bills…how cool was that!), it was decided that I would move in with Cal &
Jean for the rest of the summer and that they would take me to college in the
fall at McMurry in Abilene. Every summer after that, the job at the Cleaners
always became available and I continued to live with the Terpenings.
Let’s fast
forward now to almost 47 years ago (1965) when I returned to Artesia from
Abilene with an engagement ring from Henry. One Saturday Jean took me down to a
store and bought me my first 2 wedding gifts, a Good Housekeeping Cookbook and
a Hamilton Beach Gourmet Chef (fancy can opener, knife sharpener, meat
grinder). It cost over $75! That was big bucks back then! And…for the record, I
continue to use both to this day.
A thousand
more memories flood my mine….fishing trips with Cal & Jean, sleeping in the
back of the station wagon with Susie until the lightening and rain storm sent
Susie into a “I want inside a building with my parents mode!”, stuck in Vaughn
for hours for either a car or boat trailer repair, Jean teaching me to make
homemade noodles, rhubarb pie, hours of playing games…so many years to discuss
this week with Jean!
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I would stop
at the residence portion of the funeral home each Saturday morning to collect
my 45 cents, and could usually see Jerry and/or Susie playing while Jean got
the money to pay me.
In later
years my best friend, Steve Kinney, had a job delivering flowers for a local
floral shop. When Steve went on
vacation, he asked me to fill in for him.
The funeral home, of course, was a regular stop, as were the various
churches where services were held. One
day when I was making a delivery to the funeral home, I had to make my way
through a dark hallway to get the flowers to Cal. I was feeling along the walls for a light
switch when I finally found it. As I
turned it on, I found that I was looking directly into an occupied casket. It was the first time in my life I had seen a
dead body, and I almost threw the flowers into the air. Cal came in about that time, looked straight
at me and said, “I don’t think you have to worry about that one; we’re finished
with him.”
Daddy was a
jack-of-all-trades and sometimes worked part-time for Cal, assisting with the
various aspects of funeral services.
From the two of them I learned that gentle humor was a necessary tool
for those who worked in that business.
Without it, the job would become overwhelming.
Cal handled
the funeral arrangements for Daddy in August of 1966, and then was there for
our family when Pa, Mother’s daddy died six weeks later. Terpening and Son also handled the funeral
service for Mom, Mother’s mother in later years.
I’ve often
thought that if I had ever been adopted, I couldn’t have been happier than we
have been with this gentle, caring, family.
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“Real friends are those
who care without hesitation, who remember you without limitation, who are
trustful without suspicion, and who love without communication.” – Unknown
With
family/friends in Artesia,
Jim/Dad/Gramps
and Barbara/Mom/Grams
