.... well... kind of looking like the girl above at that age, and Grandma & Grandpa's house, ...well.... kind of looking like the one above.  Mom, tell me that don't look like me and the house on Bataan!

I remember staying some summers with Grandma Shopher.

I remember Grandma giving me money to walk down to the store, who was it that owned that store ya'll...the Diggs? Dinkers? Druckers? Oh no they were on Green Acres. Drys_ something? Well anyway, grandma would give me money to walk down to the store so I could get my barbecue fritos and dr. pepper.  If she didn't have the money she'd say, "Tell'em to add it to my account." Update...Mom called and said Charlie said it was the Shipley's that owned the store.....hmmm

I vaguely remember Uncle Barney, but do remember thinking he was a handsome man and kind of looked like the country singer Faron Young to me.

I remember Uncle Johnny singing and acting long Freddy Fender and with Uncle Glen, it was John Denver.

I remember the year someone bought the song "Please Daddy Don't Get Drunk This Christmas" and how grandpa laughed at it. It was the same or next Christmas they got "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer".

I remember being at the kitchen table one time and Grandma asking me if I wanted something, and there were some white powdered donuts I was drooling over.  My response to her became the phrase Uncle Glen won't let me live down, "I think I'll have a piece of white donut."...lol

I remember Uncle Johnny dressing up as a woman on Halloween and dressing cousin Larry as his little girl.  Grandpa got a kick out of that:

Goodness how Uncle Johnny looks like my brother Steven in this photo, not that you look like a girl Steve...lol.  It's just the facial resemblance.

I remember people coming over to buy fish from Grandpa after he'd be out all day at the lake (White Rock) with his trot line.   I know he enjoyed this much and I wonder what he thought each day out there.   I remember when driving around White Rock was the thing to do and I was with a bunch of friends and sure enough, we drove past this man and his truck.  To just be out there all day, I wonder if he made peace with his war memories during this time.   Was he able to get rid of the ghosts that haunted him?  I think he finally did.

I remember going down the street to the Rec Center to play.  The boys would usually play basketball.

I remember driving Grandma nuts with a pair of crutches she had over there. I used to play with those all the time. If the people across the street were out, I'd go out front and start acting crazy on the crutches.   I know they probably thought, "Now that's Lorene's crazy grandchild."....lol

I remember when Uncle Glen played Santa.   Cousin Debbie was so excited.  How gullible we must have been to fall for that see-through plastic suit....lol.  But they didn't really make Santa costumes back then the way they make them now:

This is Glen, Debbie, Larry, Michael (Moe), and I think Stacy is the little girl.

I remember Uncle Johnny taking us for rides in his dune buggy.

I remember Uncle Charlie giving me a ride on a horse, huge one, this horse looked as big as a house to me as a kid.

I remember some chickens being out in the field next to the house. Don't know who they belonged to just remember seeing them.

I remember the stickers...oh my goodness, to be in the grass without combat boots was murderous on the feet and ankles.

I remember when Uncle Glen was in the Coast Guard and he'd come home in his uniform with his sea bag, I think it was.

I remember sitting on the swing with Grandpa and watched him sprinkle salt over the top of his Pearl Beer can.   I asked him why he did that, he said it tasted better that way and gave me a sip to try.  My thought was, "Better than What?".....lol

I remember Grandpa, if not on the swing outside, always being in this part of the house, the kitchen table.. (sometimes he'd sit on the opposite side of the table by the fridge) with his cigarettes, pearl beer and bottle of salt.   And Grandma would be right there with him:

Once he got his chair in the living room I always saw him like this:

I remember the Christmas' at Grandma & Grandpa's house and how everyone showed up.  And how Uncle Jimmy was always the last to arrive.  His excuse? "I couldn't find my socks!". 

I remember falling on a cactus bush or something and having to have little needles or something pulled out of .... well I didn't fall on my knees so you figure it out....lol

I remember one of my last times on Bataan:

That's me and my daughter Jennifer on the porch at Bataan.

Well that's some of my memories of Bataan, I'll probably think of more and be reminded of more later.  I would love to add your's.

I told some of these stories to my dog Jessie and she just rolled her head back and laughed.....you think I'm kidding?.......

Thank you for viewing!

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