That fall we moved into our home in Charlottesville Virginia. Earlier in the year we went up to find a place to live. There was student housing for married couples, however my brother, Don, was starting his Masters at the University of Virginia as well. My parents reasoned that if they purchased a house for all of us to use during this time it would end up being less expensive. We would take care of the utilities and would feed my brother. There was a bedroom, bath and sitting room on one end of the house that he could use. The sitting room ended up being communal with a sofa an television.. I washed the clothes and did the cooking for the family.
I was delighted to find that the Pediatrician connected to the University was a neighbor. He had children the same age as ours. Scott our second son was prone to ear infections so we were able to call up and run around the corner for help. I use the word run loosely of course even then I did not run. The first year that we were there, Scott was a very small baby. I had to stay at home with him until either my husband or my brother could help me get him into a car. After a while with Chris' help (a responsible three year old by then) I could manage. Chris was always very helpful. He minded me well when it suited him.
There was a family that lived two doors down from us Chuck and Mary lLyn Davis. They had two sons close in age to our boys. Big wheels were all the rage then for children. We had a driveway that went from the front of our house on a hill to the rear of the house. The boys started at the top and got up speed and would tear down the hill into the back yard. They never got tired of this. If I shut my eyes and concentrate, I can still hear them roaring down that hill.
We took care of the up keep and improvements on the house. Tink always loved to work with his hands and he replaced the roof by himself, scaring me half to death. Once that was done he worked on making the attic into a playroom for the boys. We put a television up there and all the boys blocks and trucks. Sesame Street and Mister Rogers gave me a time to relax and start dinner. I did learn to use the new paper diapers to cut down on my work. I loved baby Scott by Scott Paper Company. Maybe because it was for my baby Scott.
Down the road from our house was Macintire Park. In the park was a pool that was swallow. Mothers would take their children to the park and let them play in the water. We, the mothers, would sit on the edge of the pool with our feet in the water. On hot days this felt wonderful. Mary Lyn and I would often take our boys there. It was a time for the mothers to visit with each other. The other attraction in the park was a fighter plane. The boys loved to go there and climb all over the plane. It was a time for their imaginations to take flight.
After redoing the Attic, Tink next tackled the basement. He worked to turn it into an apartment. I think that his rightly earned his nick name of Tink.
That fall Tink purchased a scooter and I was able to have a car when I needed it. If the weather was bad, he either took the car or I would drive him to work.
He was the gymnastic coach during this time at the University. We would entertain the students with a cook out on occasion. One year the team got hold of an old army bus. We fixed it up and decided to take the team to Florida on Spring Break. We loaded up the boys and our stuff. Then all the Gymnast that wanted to go and headed out. Our goal was to go down to the Florida Keys and then to Disney. The best of plans can go array. We made it down as far as Georgia close to the border of Florida, when something was terribly wrong. The bus came to a grinding halt. Oh, no. Tink jumped out of the bus to check to see if he could figure out what was wrong with the bus. The transmission, what do we do now. Fortunately some of the students were familiar with auto mechanics and Tink knew a little about engines. We were able to find a replacement. The bus was towed to a near by junk yard. There we were sitting on the side of the road next to the junk yard on Easter Sunday. The Easter bunny left candy for Chris and Scott in the bus. We all camped out there. The students and Tink pooled their moneys together to get the necessary part. They managed to get it back together and working and we headed South. We made it finally to one of the Keys to a camp ground there and pitched tents and set up our camp. The next crisis happen when one of the gymnast stepped on a sea urchin and had to go to the emergency room. Disney was out. We had spent our funds. However, we did make it back home without any more crisis.
There was a Christmas party at our neighbors home. One of our other neighbors was there. He was also a student studying to get his Law degree. One moment we were talking and then another before I knew it he came around behind me and picked me up, crutches and all. He proceeded to carry me held in front of him through the house. I remember asking to be put down and calling for my husband to rescue me. Tink followed along but did nothing to help me. Finally the neighbor put me down. Later I asked Tink why he had not tried to rescue me. He said that the guy was bigger than he was. I was madder than a wet hen, indignant that he was not more forceful. Anyway it was an experience to talk and write about.
That next summer, my cousin Ginny who was a teen came to help me with the boys. Her grandmother lived in Charlottesville. That same summer Don married Ellie Adams, who he had met at the University. We ended up traveling to Baltimore to the wedding taking Ginny with us to meet up with her parents. She was a wonderful help, chasing after Scottie, who was in the terrible twos.
We loved being in Charlottesville. The Skyline Drive was less than an hour away. We enjoyed driving up to the mountains. When the clouds were low we would tell the boys that they could wash their hands in the clouds. My favorite spot on the Skyline Drive was big Meadows. When I was younger we use to vacation there and from there go to Luray Virginia. The mountains have always been in my blood, as is the ocean. living in Virginia we are blessed with easy access to both.
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