Friday, June 25, 2010

Going Down the Big Sandy River


This story goes along with my post, "If my life were a book..."
It belongs is Chapter II:  Mom Can I...?

I grew up near the Big Sandy river in the rural community of Emma, Kentucky.  Emma was filled with houses and property owned by the Leslie family.  My great-grandfather had owned most of the property and had willed it to his children, who willed it to their children or shall I say gave it to them.  Literally, almost all of my papaw Frank's siblings lived there along with their children.  My grandparents lived across the river, but my family, my uncle Jerry's family, and my uncle John Paul's family lived on the same block.  The streets we inhabited were properly named Leslie Lane and L.C.L. (Lewis Crittenden Leslie-my great grandfather) Lane.  All of that to say, my childhood was AWESOME!!!  It was every child's dream.  I lived in a safe community and was surrounded by my cousins and a few other kids close to my age.  Every day was adventure.  Some were safe adventures and some were not so safe.  Thankfully, I lived to tell about the not so safe adventures, as they tend to bring the most laughter and usually involved myself and my elder cousin, Brandon.
(This picture is taken from my uncle Jerry's front yard.  Our house is the one you see in the back ground.  It is the house that burned down.)
(This is my sister, my cousin Rebecca, and my cousin Brandon.)

I always wanted to do what my sister and my cousin Brandon were doing despite being several years younger.  I can't remember my age, but one day while playing I peed on myself and my sister and Brandon told me to go and sit in the sand box.  That's right, the sand box.  Picture that for a moment.........picture me crying.........picture them getting in trouble!!  The end.

Again, I can't remember my age, but one Sunday afternoon our neighbors were having a church picnic. Brandon (and possibly my sister-I can't remember if she was involved) dared me to climb over the fence and moon them.  That's right, moon them.  Picture me climbing to the top of the fence, pulling down my pants and showing all of the church members my BUTT!!  Then picture, my butt getting spanked!! The end.
(This is the neighbor.  You can see me sitting on the left.  Our house and my uncle Jerry's house are in the back ground.)

My house and Brandon's house backed up to the Big Sandy river.  We occasionally ventured over the hill and played along the river bank, but it was rare as we had plenty of places to explore and our parents didn't want us playing near the river.  It had been raining a lot, so the river was higher than normal.  I don't remember many of the details, but someone got the bright idea that we could build a boat.  We had a few large barrels, a wooden crate (one that fits on a fork lift), and some rope.  Picture what type of boat those items make..........Hmmmm!!  It looked good to us.  Good enough for me to get on it and trust that I could safely float down the river.  Thankfully, before setting sail my dad saw us and stopped our river riding adventure.  Picture another spanking!!

We rode motorcycles.  We tried to swing on vines.  We climbed mountains.  We stepped in cow dung.  We threw cow dung.......I know.........don't say it.  We did a lot of things, a lot of fun things that I will never forget.

Here is my cousin Brandon with my granny Hester.  Thanks for all of the memories!!  
I hope to see the both of you soon.


**The randomly selected winner of the Candleberry give away is The Thomas'.  Email me at adcullum@gmail.com with your address and I will send you the candle


1 comment:

Stephanie said...

great story! that HAS TO BE sue justice reading the card {she hasn't changed much in years!} and jennifer is the little blonde!!

I WENT TO CHURCH WITH THEM MY ENTIRE LIFE!!! =)=)=)

HAHAHAHAHAHA! Does this mean you may have mooned my family too?! HA!