Today my thoughts wandered to an old neighbor and friend. Francis Rollings. Aunt Frances we called her, although she was was no relation at all. She was just a kindly lady that lived just up the road from us. I can just barely remember her husband,George. All I really remember about him is that he had a glass eye. As a kid that fascinated me. He told me he lost it shooting at a rabbit. The shot ricocheted off a hidden rock in the brush and struck him. Once he took it out and let me look at it. That was cool !
Now aunt Francis was one of those genuine characters you hear about. She had many unique ways about her and good old country logic. It was she that would teach you how to "make do." This woman didn't believe in wasting anything and had a use for just about everything. I watched her make rugs out of rags, dolls out of other scraps and sew just about anything. She had one of those old pedal type Singer sewing machines. She would make gun cases for sale.
In the beginning she drove a jeep. Not the jeep you see today, but the one that looked like a station wagon. It did have four wheel drive and was pretty basic in design. Plain seats and all metal interior, no frills. She would often take my sister and I fishing or swimming. She was a riot. If on the way to the beach she needed to, er relieve herself, she would just pull over on the side of the road and squat by the jeep. We thought it was hilarious. She just figured it was a natural thing and would say, ain't just men that gotta pee you know. After she lost her husband she bought a 1960 Chevy belair. It had those huge fins on the back and was a green color. By her standards it was plush. It was the only car she ever had. After her passing my sister inherited that car. Eventually my Dad had it. It was a fine machine.
Now when it came to making do she was the best. She would tell you a tea bag is good for at least three times. She would squeeze it out and let it dry for the next time. She never bought a paper towel in her life. She thought that was the biggest waste of money that could be. Use a rag and wash it out ! She would cook just about anything. Seen her skin and cook many a squirrel. She would shoot them in her yard with a BB gun. Ducks,geese,venison or whatever someone brought her. A master at making country gravies. She kept potatoes in a sack hanging in the well. Other sacks had various vegetables in them. Hanging in the well was her version of a root cellar.
On at least one occasion she picked dandelions and made wine. She gave us kids a taste of that wine. Just a little bit but it was a big deal to us. We went home and told Mom. She wasn't too happy about that. I don't think Aunt Francis ever did that again.
Another thing I remember about her was her laundry. Of course she hung it out on the clothesline. Aunt Francis wore bloomers. As a kid seeing them on the clothesline I naturally had to ask Mom what they were. Now each time I see those cutouts on the lawn of the lady bent over and their bloomers showing I think about her. Funny thing is Aunt Francis would bend over like that too. She never bent at the knees though. Just doubled over and doing the weeding or whatever. It was an amazing sight.
Aunt Francis never had any children of her own. She told me once she wasn't able and the lord had a reason for it. Said she didn't know the reason, but she didn't need to. The lord knows what he is doing. I thought of her as an older lady but in reality she wasn't that old. In her fifties when I knew her. She was almost like another Grandmother to my sister and I. She is one of those people you meet in life and will never forget.
I'd say at least once a week I'll think of her. Something funny she said or words of advice that she gave. Waste not, want not was at the top of her list. She truly believed in just "making do". Anything more than that was just showing off and being boastful. She had a strong dislike for that kind of behavior.
Now aunt Francis was one of those genuine characters you hear about. She had many unique ways about her and good old country logic. It was she that would teach you how to "make do." This woman didn't believe in wasting anything and had a use for just about everything. I watched her make rugs out of rags, dolls out of other scraps and sew just about anything. She had one of those old pedal type Singer sewing machines. She would make gun cases for sale.
In the beginning she drove a jeep. Not the jeep you see today, but the one that looked like a station wagon. It did have four wheel drive and was pretty basic in design. Plain seats and all metal interior, no frills. She would often take my sister and I fishing or swimming. She was a riot. If on the way to the beach she needed to, er relieve herself, she would just pull over on the side of the road and squat by the jeep. We thought it was hilarious. She just figured it was a natural thing and would say, ain't just men that gotta pee you know. After she lost her husband she bought a 1960 Chevy belair. It had those huge fins on the back and was a green color. By her standards it was plush. It was the only car she ever had. After her passing my sister inherited that car. Eventually my Dad had it. It was a fine machine.
Now when it came to making do she was the best. She would tell you a tea bag is good for at least three times. She would squeeze it out and let it dry for the next time. She never bought a paper towel in her life. She thought that was the biggest waste of money that could be. Use a rag and wash it out ! She would cook just about anything. Seen her skin and cook many a squirrel. She would shoot them in her yard with a BB gun. Ducks,geese,venison or whatever someone brought her. A master at making country gravies. She kept potatoes in a sack hanging in the well. Other sacks had various vegetables in them. Hanging in the well was her version of a root cellar.
On at least one occasion she picked dandelions and made wine. She gave us kids a taste of that wine. Just a little bit but it was a big deal to us. We went home and told Mom. She wasn't too happy about that. I don't think Aunt Francis ever did that again.
Another thing I remember about her was her laundry. Of course she hung it out on the clothesline. Aunt Francis wore bloomers. As a kid seeing them on the clothesline I naturally had to ask Mom what they were. Now each time I see those cutouts on the lawn of the lady bent over and their bloomers showing I think about her. Funny thing is Aunt Francis would bend over like that too. She never bent at the knees though. Just doubled over and doing the weeding or whatever. It was an amazing sight.
Aunt Francis never had any children of her own. She told me once she wasn't able and the lord had a reason for it. Said she didn't know the reason, but she didn't need to. The lord knows what he is doing. I thought of her as an older lady but in reality she wasn't that old. In her fifties when I knew her. She was almost like another Grandmother to my sister and I. She is one of those people you meet in life and will never forget.
I'd say at least once a week I'll think of her. Something funny she said or words of advice that she gave. Waste not, want not was at the top of her list. She truly believed in just "making do". Anything more than that was just showing off and being boastful. She had a strong dislike for that kind of behavior.
I remember the Rollins name, but cannot put faces to either of them. As for her 'make do' attitudes, and the old adage, 'waste not, want not' ...I was raised with those too. Not such a bad way to grow up, though I didn't think so at the the time!
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