Lifes simple pleasures (story)

Monek Marie

There have been a few changes in our family lately and with that in mind here are a few things my family may not know about our family.

We grew up as children and our first few years were in Kinzua Pa, the town where the Kinzua Dam now sits. We were the first family to sell our home to the goverment and move out. I don't know if it was a decision my parents wanted to make but they knew it was going to happen so why fight it. Our lives were peaceful and family was all within yelling distance. It remined me of Shangrala. Maybe that is why I liked that movie so well

My Uncle Mark and Aunt Sally lived in the house my Grandfather built in Kinzua with the help of my dad. I think this is where my dad learned "not"to like building. When you work with repurposed wood its harder and dad was on 17 and wanted to be out having fun.

My Uncle Chann Ellberg rode his motorcycle up the sidewalks of Kinzua and scared everyone to death. He had a unique sense of humor and I see that in other members of my family.

My family from my grandmothers side owned Jinks Hotel in Kinzua. It was a lively place. It was the place my parents had there wedding night party on Christmas night after they were married. It was not their plan but relatives decided to storm their home and take them out for the evening. more family humor. But my dad knew they would do this so they were sitting up playing monopoly when the house was raided. Rule # 2 - never try to outsmart a Grant.

We were blessed to move to an amazing road just out of a small town. When we moved there. there were only 5 houses on the road and mom and dad said rush hour was when the mail was delivered.

The house will soon be in our family for three generations and over 60 years. I hope they have as much fun and adventure as we did growing up there.

Monek Marie

I posted this some where else and the peace and beauty of country living spoke to me and I wanted to share it.

RustBeltCowgirl

Traffic jam had to be the parade of turkeys crossing the road.

COWLOVINGIRL

@Denise Grant Aw! I love it! This is so cool!

Monek Marie

We had a bad storm hit and we were stuck on the hill for 2 weeks, most of that time with no electric. Since most of us heated with wood were were at least warm. A few of us needed a few supplies so a neighbor fired up a snowmobile and got a list from three different dirt roads, about 12 houses in all. They met a friend waiting in a car that would take them to a store.

Two weeks later, when the snow stopped pounding us and the wind died down, the backhoes and bulldozers came up to get us free and able to get off the hill and back to work and school.

I made a huge crocheted bedspread during that time. With heat and a good roof life goes on and there are storied to tell future generations.

Monek Marie

@COWLOVINGIRL I grew up on an amazing dirt road with fantastic neighbors. I have so many wonderful and sometimes crazy adventures.

water2world

@Denise Grant You have the best stories--I always enjoy reading them.

We plan to move to hubby's family farm in TX---it will be 100 yr old farm next year. I always enjoyed going down and laughing at the stories told. As time passes, so have the older members of the family. It will be time for us to make some memories there!

COWLOVINGIRL

@Denise Grant That is so cool! We live on a semi rural road, but a mile that way is the highway! We have really good relationships with our neighbors and most of the people on the street either have some kinds of animals or want some. We are very blessed! Also, there are a ton, and I mean a ton, of horse farms around here. So that makes it feel more rural too. Please keep sharing your stories, I love them!

jowitt.europe

@Denise Grant I love your story. I think that life then was not as convenient as now, but definitely not less fun. If one did not have big worries about what to eat or how to stay warm in winter, then there were stories to tell instead of internet or TV, knit or crochet, read, play music. I was raised in a city, but luckily the street had dead end, thus almost no cars. We children were skating and skiing on the road.