Earl & Ginger



Earl & Ginger at the Bar

Grandma & Grandpa always had a dog.  There was FeFe the chihuahua the mother of my first dog Tootie who grandma gave me when I was 6 months old, Chita the mean chihuahua, and the one that was Grandma's favorite Ginger.  Ginger was just as her name suggests a  ginger brown little chihuahua with a big personality.  Everyone loved her.  Grandpa would take her everywhere; on his bicycle in a basket; he loved when people would stop and talk to him about this little dog.  He was like a celebrity when he had the little dog with him, especially when he went into the bar.  The bartender sometimes would even poor Ginger a small glass of her own.  I witnessed this myself going to the bar with him when I was about 20 years old. But in the evening she was always sitting by Grandma watching TV.  All this came to a disrupt end when she got away from Grandpa and got hit by a car.  Losing her was very devastating to Grandpa, Grandma, and Kim.  How did Grandpa replace Ginger?  With Becky the crippled chihuahua.  He still got a lot attention from people but usually more like sympathy; they would say ohh that poor little dog.

Color TV - 1960s

TV Odd Shaped Screen

In the 1960s Grandma and Grandpa were the first people I knew who had color TV.  At that time there were not many programs were telecast in color and NBC was the only network, everything else on TV was in black and white.

NBC Famous Peacock

So it was major event when a color program was going to be on TV.  On Sunday Night everyone would gather around the TV to watch Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom and right after the main event of the evening; Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color.

 

Us kids always looked forward to any cartoons but Grandpa loved the shows about animals or Daniel Boone, whereas Grandma liked the shows such as Pollyanna (she really enjoyed the family being together more than anything).  Grandpa would sit in his chair and did not like if people would talk during the programs.  It seems odd today that something like color would be so exciting when now there is High Definition TV with hundreds of channels to choose from.  Now it is an oddity to watch a show in Black & White.  This simplicity is what makes memories so special.

Bertha's Cool Side

 

Grandma took Jeff, Cindy, Kim and I to see the movie "Tickle Me" with Elvis Presley in 1965, I would have been 10 years old.  Grandma always said she enjoyed Elvis singing but did not approve of some of the things that he was associated with.  I do not really remember the movie itself, just Grandma saying when it was done; "If I would of known that it was going to be like that I would have never brought you kids"  Meaning the sexual references but compared to today's movies that was nothing.

 

Bertha's Grandchildren

KIMBERLY - CINDY - BOB - JEFF

                                    RICK

                                                                                                    

BARBARA

                       LARRY

                                                                                                                                JOSHUA

If one was to ask Grandma what is her greatest pride and joy she would say it was her grandchildren;  she always had time for each one and said that she loved them equally.

The Marshalls

Peggy, Jeff, Cindy, & Kim

 Aunt Peg and her kids lived with Grandma and Grandpa so there was always someone to do things with.  The only trouble we would get into sometimes is laughing at the dinner table when Grandpa and Peg would be tired from working all day.  I think Grandma would chuckle along with us unless it was a little off color such as the "Hairy Eye Ball" or "Blue Berry Hill" Joke.  Who could ever forget; Why can't an elephant ride a bicycle?  Because they do not have a thumb to ring the bell...

Bertha's Favorite Bird

One day Grandma said to me "I do not know why everyone things the Cardinal is my favorite bird, I love all birds they are each beautiful in their own way."  It was like she did not even want to offend the other birds by saying the Cardinal was her favorite.

Bertha & Earl Travels

Jeff, Unknown Indian, Bertha, & Cindy

One thing when Grandma and Grandpa traveled on vacation they always would have room for one more. All of us shared in vacations with Bertha and Earl.  It is amazing when you think about the amount of people that could fit in their car and that is with luggage.   I know with us 4 kids Mom, Dad, Grandpa, and Grandma would all be in their Cadillac.  This goes for John, Bobbie, Karl, Pauline, Peg, Jeff, Cindy, Kim and others who traveled with them.