When the apartment building in Lebanon Springs sold, in July of 1968, we moved to a 2-family house in Hoags Corner, built and owned by a German family named Jahn. It wasn't a big place, but it seemed like a palace to someone who hardly ever had running water or carpeting.
It had 2 bedrooms upstairs, a good size living room, bathroom (the first time I had a shower), kitchen, and a dining room (newly built-It was exciting to watch the cement mixer pour the foundation.). That neighborhood was a wonderful place for children to live and play!
Our house sat at the bottom of a small hill, with a field and pond nearby. The older Jahns had a farm next door, with a horse named Peppy. Our driveway made a long curve, almost like our own private road. The inner part of the curve was filled with wild flowers and weeds. I remember finding stinging nettles the hard way, and loving the rich color of the goldenrod.
The pond was small and filled with catfish, so much that they would nibble at your toes if you didn't keep them moving. We caught and ate a lot of catfish that summer. I didn't like the gooey bottom of the pond on my feet, especially when you couldn't see it through the murky water. It certainly was nothing like the sandy beaches of the Bahamas. I remember my youngest brother falling off a kick-board on the far side of the pond and my mother swimming to rescue him. It was very frightening to me.
I celebrated my 9th birthday in August. I remember one gift, a stuffed "snowball", with arms and legs and a face. I must have had other gifts, but that one stands out.
Come back next week to see how I adjusted to the world of winter and school.
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