The Charm of a Small Town

There’s something good to be said about small towns. I was born, raised and lived for 40 years in a small city about 40 miles north of Chicago. Waukegan, Illinois, a bustling metropolis of about 80,000 ((not a small town), is best known as the birthplace of Jack Benny and author Ray Bradbury.

In summertime, mom and dad would pack up the family of seven and head on down to Litchfield, Illinois, where my mother was originally from. Litchfield is about 30 miles south of the Capital of Springfield. In the ‘60’s and ‘70’s when I was a kid, Litchfield had a population of only about 7,200, and today it’s actually gotten smaller at about 6,800.

Yes, we were used to living in a busier environment with its factories, churches, banks and most of all, traffic. One would think we’d be bored in a small town like Litchfield, but we weren’t. I had some of the best times of my life there.

My mother was the seventh child of nine, born to Levin and Margaret. She was born on Christmas Day in 1929, just about two months after the stock market crash, right in the throws of the Great Depression. Her father, about 80% deaf, worked as a carnival photographer and was often away from home. Her mother was a homemaker and hospital housekeeper, and they were not in the least very well off. They lived in a small house and often did not know where their next meal would come from, but somehow they got through those tough times.

I loved my Grandma C. (last names withheld) very much. I can remember her as far back as age 72. The one thing I remember most about her is that she always suffered severely with rheumatoid arthritis; took several Bufferin each day, and drank the hottest, blackest Maxwell House coffee you could ever imagine. She hurt constantly, and we kids were always scared to death we were going to make it worse by embracing her or even going near her. I can remember my cousin, Janice, saying, “Don’t step on Grandmaw’s feet, don’t step on Grandmaw’s hurtin’ feet.” She lived until she was 86 years old, the last five years in a nursing home.

I think the members of a community relying on one another are something that a small town has that bigger towns and cities don’t have as much of. Mom had many friends back home in Litchfield. We’d stroll downtown to the Rexall or the Fashion Lane, and at every turn, there was someone to say hello to or enjoy a visit with. That’s how small towns are. Everybody knows each other. They care for one another.

I can remember very much enjoying spending time with my Uncle Earl, a bachelor all his life. Uncle Earl was kind of a kid himself in many ways, and he related to us little ones quite naturally. He was gifted at gardening and painting and drawing and he could play accordian by ear! I can remember him teaching me how peach seeds have to germinate in the sun a certain amount of time before they can be planted. I must have been about eight years old. He really enjoyed we kids. He often would put us all in a wagon and hook it up to the back of his riding lawn mower and give us rides all evening long, all around their yard, which was about a half acre. That was fun. He never got tired of us. Our parents never worried about us when we were with Uncle Earl.

When the carnival came to town, Uncle Earl, was right there with an open wallet and the enthusiasm of a child. He didn’t have a lot of money, as he worked as a dishwasher in a hotel for many years, but he always found plenty to take my sister and me on at least five or six rides. We’d have a ball together.

One time, Uncle Earl walked my sister, Tammy, and I down to Mohr’s Grocery store, about three blocks West on Jones Street. The road had been newly oiled and was scorching hot in the August sun. Tammy and I hadn’t bothered to put any shoes on that day, and we started crying, as our feet were burning like fire. My Uncle Earl, a big man of about 6 feet tall, picked up both Tammy and I, held us each in one arm, walked us to Mohr’s, bought us a 7-cent Popsicle, and carried us all the way back home. He didn’t complain for a minute. I think he would have made a good dad.

When we’d visit Litchfield, if it was summer, we would camp at Hillsboro Lake, about 12 miles East. In winter, we would stay at the family homestead at 914 South Montgomery. It was a 4-room house, with no indoor plumbing, but was always plenty inviting to us. It sure was cold in winter, and every morning about 5 o’clock, my Uncle George would shovel the coal into the big black pot belly stove that stood in the middle of the living room. I don’t think that stove ever generated much heat, but he’d do it anyway – every morning, without fail.

I had about twenty-five cousins and eight aunts and uncles not including the spouses. I can remember enjoying family picnics out at Walton Park or Lake Lou Yaeger. We’d be out there from early afternoon until dusk enjoying each other’s company. The adults all talked at once and we kids would horse around with one another until somebody would get mildly injured and start crying. My dad would make us settle down for a little bit, which was basically taking a time out to rest, but then we’d be right back having a good time.

My Aunt Mary and Uncle Gene were night owls, as opposed to my Aunt Helen and my Uncle Marshall, who went to bed every night by about 8:30 or 9:00 p.m. My folks weren’t ready to settle in for the night by nine, so we would often take a ride over to Mary and Gene’s on Madison to visit. They were always happy to see us, no matter the time. Even after my mother died, and we’d go to Litchfield, we stayed true to form and would visit them later in the evening. Aunt Mary had five children, 19 grandchildren and who knows how many great grandchildren, and her living room and dining room were filled to the ceilings with pictures of all those kids. We had plenty to talk about.

My Aunt Ruth was about 80% deaf, like her dad. She was married to my Uncle Eddie, who was a maintenance engineer at St. Francis Hospital in town. You couldn’t tell Ruth you liked something in her house, because once you said you liked it, she’d want to give it to you. I can remember her forcing dish towels on my mom one time. It may sound cliché, but those were good times. And man, she sure could cook! That lady could make an apple pie to put you on your knees and thank the Lord!

And speaking of cooking, my Aunt Helen was fabulous too. Heck, all my aunts were. We’d go over to Aunt Helen and Uncle Marshall’s place there on Lincoln, and Helen would never sit down to visit. She was too busy taking care of us. She was real hyper, and it made her happy to serve us as guests in her home. I have to mention too that she and Uncle Marshall were nuts in love. Boy, she always thought he was the cat’s meow, and vice versa. They never did anything inappropriate, but you could just tell. Today, at 92 and 94, they are both in the nursing home over on Illinois Avenue, and still nearly inseparable.

There were some not-so-fun times in Litchfield too, as my Uncle Bob was a very ill alcoholic, but I’m not going to dwell on those times. I’m also happy to say that he conquered that problem and was sober the last 10 years of his life. I like to focus on my fondest memories of when Uncle Chris, Aunt Pat and our family would all come down from Waukegan and visit the family in Litchfield.

My Aunt Mary, Aunt Helen, Aunt Pat, and Uncle Earl survive their parents and brothers and sisters today, and I’m happy to say that we’re going to trek on down to Litchfield this August for another visit. It will be one of the first times in a few years we’re not actually going for a funeral. I still have plenty of cousins down there to picnic with, and maybe we’ll take a ride out to the cemetery too.

Litchfield might not be much to some folks, but it’s a world of wonderful memories to me.

July 28, 2008 (to Mom from the CTM)

Hi Mom,

Things are going so well here. We should have three baptisms in August and two more in September. My first baptism will be this Sunday! The girls name is ______ and she has been wanting to be baptized for a year but she has been living with her boyfriend cause they have a baby. I guess some things happened and they’re done and now she’s getting baptized! Its a sad story because of the boyfriend stuff but she´ll be receiving many blessings. My companion got a camera for his birthday today so Ill be sure to take some pictures.

I’m not totally sure when my next zone conference will be. Sometime in August though. We have this member friend that said we could have boxes sent to his house. His mom is pretty much our mission mom. She makes us bread all the time and feeds us. Its safe to mail packages there.

I made a new list of things that I want. But just whenever. I don’t NEED anything. Just want lots of stuff. Ha ha!

-Brownie Mix (doesn’t exist here)
-Chocolate Chip Cookie mix
-More books like that Little Book of Answers you bought for me.
-A return with honor ring. A guy in my district has one and its way sweet. Its like a spinner ring. I think it would be cool to have one.
-Garment tops. (I lost some at the CTM some how)
-Our friend Renan wants a New York Times newspaper. Haha he’s studying English and he wants one. So I told him Id ask you to send one.

That’s about it for now. The weather is terrible. Its rained for about five days straight. But its not like the rain in Utah. It dumps here for five days straight. Like more than I’ve ever seen in Utah. It’s insane. But its fun. Its pretty cold too.

I email at the Internet house. Its pretty high tec. 2,50 for one hour. But the Internet is fast so its cool.

There’s no time period of how often I’ll get a new companion. It just depends. Maybe every six weeks or maybe every four months.

Everything here is really going great. Were having a lot of success. I love it here so much. I hope I stay here for a good portion of my mission. I love you!

July 28, 2008 (São Leopoldo)

Hi!

This week was pretty good. We had seven investigators at church which is really good. It’s double what we usually have. We are having a lot of success here and we’re working hard. It’s awesome here. We have a baptisms schedule for the next three Sundays. It’s going to be awesome. I’ll get some pictures and send them.

You’ll do great on the test. If your practices are that good then for sure you’ll pass. Just don’t rush and be too confident. Haha that’s the worst. But I’ll pray for you.

How did Norman all of a sudden get so good? He’s old. That’s cool though. It’ll give golf a lot of publicity and is good for the sport. I really don’t think favre should go back. But hopefully he can do well if he really does. He can definitely beat out Rodgers for the starting job. Rodgers isn’t that good. But who knows. I heard something about the Shockey trade before I left so that’s cool that it actually went through. Any other news. How’s tigers rehab going? Have the Bucs made any trades?

The language is coming great now. I learn more every week. I understand probably about 75 percent of what people say but speaking is still pretty hard. The language is really complicated and has a lot of rules. But I’m learning fast. Continue praying for me. I love you! Good luck on your test!

Elder Hill

July 22, 2008 (São Leopoldo)

Hi!

The weather is really weird here. The first week I was here it didn’t stop raining and was pretty cold. But then it got really hot for a week or two and now its really rainy again. The weather won’t make up its mind. Its hard to find a time for laundry cause the weather is so different all the time.

That would have been crazy if Norman won. I would have never even expected somebody that old to come in the top ten in a major. Let alone the top three. That’s sweet though.

The area were in doesn’t have a lot of baptisms. Some missions have 400 every six weeks. But my mission has only about 100. But were working hard to teach people. We’ve been having some success and hopefully well have three baptisms by the end of August.

That’s cool that they’re getting the members involved so much. Members help soooo much. They’re able to give a completely different testimony. Especially if they’re converts. I don’t really have any tips cause I’m really new at this too. Personal experiences are always good and blessings you’ve received because of the gospel. That way they have an actual example of how it can help them.

My teaching still isn’t that good cause I’m still not great at speaking the language. Its hard because I can understand almost everything people say to me but its hard to speak back. They say it usually takes about five months in the field to be able to speak comfortably. And people are usually fluent by the end of their first year. I hope I can get it all faster than that though.

That’s good to hear about Brayden. I worry about him but I know he will be ok. I pray for him all the time.

I have a slight problem. I forgot to cancel xbox live. I just remembered that the other day. I think you can call them and cancel it pretty easy though. I used moms card but I don’t know if they’ll ask for anything else. I think just our address and phone number. Maybe you can go to xbox.com and do it. I dont know. The number is 1-800-4myxbox. That’s probably the easiest way.

Thanks for talking to Kenny about my system. The actual faceplate for my deck is in my closet in one of the boxes. It would be nice if you could get it and keep everything together. Did Brayden ever pay the other 100 for my ipod? Just curious.

I hope everybody is doing good. Love you!
Elder Hill

July 22, 2008 (to Mom from the CTM)

Hi Mom,

My next zone conference is the second week in August and that’s the only time I can get boxes cause that’s when I see the President and the boxes are mailed to his house.

Everything here is good. I think my first baptism will be in mid august. Were teaching this girl and her parents and she’s accepted everything and agreed to be baptised. There’s a rule here that they have to go to church three times so that’s all were waiting on. So it could be as soon as three weeks. It will be cool. She already lives all the commandments and everything. Its pretty sweet.

Other people write me about pretty much the same stuff. Just about life. Nothing crazy. Ha ha

How’s work? Is Jenny still doing stuff for you? I hope everybody is doing good. How are Grandma and Grandpa? Its been a while since I’ve gotten an email from them. Well, I better go. I love you!

P.S.

All of those things you said. Mentos would be nice. The deodorant here is really gross. I don’t know how to explain it. Its not like the kind in the states. Its really sticky. Dad knows the kind I like. Its the old spice soft solid stuff. It has the little holes it the top but is a white color, not clear. I don’t really know of anything else specific. Pretty much anything is nice. It would just be easier to send maple flavoring than actual syrup cause it takes up less space. I just need a recipe. Oh and a recipe for pancakes. I don’t know how to make them from scratch. Haha

Welcome to the 21st Century

So what do you do when your dial up connection finally refuses to budge?  I mean, you got nothing.  No tiny creeping blue bar, no email access, no celebrity baby photos.  Of course, as far as the photos went, it’s not like those ever loaded decently.  I’d get about a third of a picture and there it would sit.  Brad Pitts head and maybe just a smidgen of torso, stuck there reminding you forever, if you had the patience to wait that long, of all that the rest of the photo had in store.  Never could really make out what particular child he was carting around.  Visitors have always been amazed that as close to town as we are, we couldn’t ever tap into some sort of high speed connection aside from using a satellite dish.  But up and over the hill and a mile or so away from all the necessary take out options, can still leave a person stranded with extremely spotty technology.

It’s one thing to have to position yourself against the proper window to make a cell phone call, entirely another to coax any speed out of your stationary computer.  Cell phone calls we have gotten down to a science.  Two windows, family room and master bedroom, are best suited for successful cell calls.  These rooms are suitable due to the lack of the tin roof that covers the original part of the house.  The raised tin roof, perfectly lovely and wonderful when it rains, was still a common component of homes in Virginia even as late as our home was built, which was in 1939.  Ours is a nice shade of red, my favorite color for a tin roof, though I have to admit that the red color only covers the front part of the roof.  This is because, after successfully painting most of the front portion of the roof, my husband decided that the bees were getting a bit too plentiful.  Claimed they were dive bombing him.  So he climbs down the ladder, retrieves some Wasp and Hornet Killer and heads back up to the roof with the can in tow.  He goes back to the painting, spraying liberally when the bees threaten.  Doesn’t take long and the roof becomes saturated with Wasp and Hornet Killer and this is not good for the traction on his sneakers.  When he does finally slip, he manages to NOT fall off the roof and merely loses the can of paint he was using.  So a good portion of the grass next to the walk is red and an even bigger portion of the flagstones that make up the walk is red, but there are no broken bones and grass can be mowed and flagstones can be flipped over.  Whenever I mention that, really, that back part of the roof desperately needs to be painted, he recalls how he nearly slipped off the roof before.  Well, yes, I say, that’s true but you were spraying Wasp and Hornet Killer with wild abandon and that was probably not a good idea.  Why don’t you get back up there at a time of the year when the bees aren’t so rabid?  Oh, yeah, I should do that, he says.  And then it never happens.  And it’s been four years since he managed to paint the front and leave the back a not so appealing shade of primer yellow.

So, yes, the tin roof is a major obstacle in connecting with those cell phone towers.  But we can usually hang onto a conversation if we turn just right and basically press our bodies against the window.  When even those attempts fail, we are forced to go outside and find a suitable spot.  The driveway is not so good, but if we go over towards the west side of the front yard we can make a call from there.  And if it’s evening we can watch the cows filter down from the top of their field.  Put on the bug spray, get comfy on the bench and watch the calves run amok.  For a change of scenery, we can also make calls from the top step of the back deck.  Can’t try this on the steps leading down from the master bedroom into the yard, and can’t do it on any of the other deck steps.  This also involves the use of bug spray and a hat doesn’t hurt if we’re placing the call during the day because it is quite sunny there.  Texting, though, works from a number of windows and rarely involves having to go outside.  Type the text, stick your arm straight up in the air, and wave the phone wildly about, and the text will be successfully sent.

While we have come to accept and deal with our cell phone limitations, even going into town to place a long distance call if the cell phone gods are being particularly obnoxious on a given day, we have been slogging our way through dial up connections for far too long.  With virtually no hope of any cable stretching it’s way down into our rural environment, we have feared that our only reprieve was catching our high speed connection through a dish.  We have had a satellite dish for our T.V. for about ten years, and since that is our only choice for proper T.V. reception in the 21st century, we have to put up with all the flaws that comes with it.  Basically, if the wind picks up over ten miles an hour, we lose the family room reception.  The reception on the bedroom set will hang in for, oh, maybe, twenty miles an hour worth of wind, and then that’s gone.  And if a dark cloud in the southern sky decides to so much as hiccup, forget it.  We’ve lost “The World’s Most Luxurious Yachts” thirty-five minutes into it, just when we’re totally sucked into the mindless, captivating power of the program.  Nothing is more annoying then the ruined hour long program.

But this is where the Happy Ever After kicks in.  Thanks to the persistent, but always polite, salesgirl at the Verizon store, we have entered the 21st century, late but better then never.  Didn’t even know, couldn’t even guess, that the little device popped into one of the USB ports on the modem could provide such happiness.  Along with the obliglatory two year commitment and careful, patient tweaking of it’s little antenna, we have successfully achieved two green bars on our connection screen!  Oh, yeah, we did have to purchase the booster antenna and haul in a magnetic surface to stick it to and carefully and patiently point it where it demanded to go.  And it really doesn’t want to produce more than two green bars when the truly desired amount of bars is four.  But there’s always the Wi Fi booster for one of the other USB ports.  Never give up, never surrender.  And never, EVER, trip over, dislodge, or otherwise jiggle any of the carefully tweaked, patiently aligned connections to the outside world.

July 15, 2008 (to Mom from the CTM)

Hi Mom,

…I bet its pretty weird to be in the ward with all the new callings. WE were just getting used to who was what in the other ward. Haha but it definitely needed to be split. There was a lot of people.

Oh my address for letters is

R. Pedro José da SIlva Vargas
184, Feitoria – Saõ Leoploldo – RS
CEP 93054-280

Only letters and small things. If you send another package I’m making a list. Haha! They don’t have a lot of the things I want. Like hand sanitizer, real deodorant, peanut butter mnms. That kind of stuff.

We actually live in on of the wealthier parts of Brasil. But I have no idea what the wage is. A lot of people are into recycling. Which is just a nicer name for dumpster diving. But the people that do it right make sooo much money. This guy bought a house that was 70000 and paid it off in three months. He has a huge flatscreen TV too. Its crazy. I never thought you could make that much doing something like that.

I have a lot of time to write letters on Pday so maybe I’ll write monthly updates about things. Cause I cant write it all in emails. We’re teaching a lot of families. Its sad though cause none of them are married so they cant get baptism yet. But we’re helping them out.

Yeah I have access to an Ensign. I think. I better go though. How is everything at home? How Brayden? I love you!

Elder Hill

July 14, 2008 (São Leopoldo)

Hi!

Thanks for sending the package! $40? Wow. Ill probably get it august 10. WE get packages only when we have a zone conference and I think that’s when the next one is.

Ah, I forgot to tell her happy birthday. Ill write her again though.

What exactly is the high priest group? Is it like the Quorum presidency? That’s cool, I’m sure that will keep you really busy.

How’s everything with work?

My baptism isn’t on track anymore. She’s never home for us to teach her and she hasn’t been going to church. So I’m not sure what’s going to happen. I hope we can teach her this week though. We have a few other people that want to get baptized but they aren’t married yet. So we have to wait a while. They go to church every week and have really strong testimonies. Its awesome.

Favre seriously wants to come back? Hahaha wow. Coulda seen that coming. Why won’t they just release him? I guess they don’t want to let him beat them from another team. That’s crazy though. Any other news? How are the braves doing?

Tell Brayden I love him. I wish I had time to email him but maybe Ill start writing letters. Do you think he would write a letter back? I might have time to email him this week. Ill try right now. Hope everything is going good at home and with work. How did the plants turn out at home? I love you!

Elder Hill

Why is it that…

Last night as I was lying down to sleep and after I said my nightly prayers, I got to thinking about what I might write about in my next blog. I have always had a curious mind and have often asked the question, “Why?” Here are some observations that I’ve made in my lifetime.

Why is it when you’re in a public bathroom, and there are 20 stalls or so, and you choose a stall far away from everyone else, that someone else comes into the bathroom and chooses the stall right next to yours? Now remember, there are at least 15 stalls to choose from, most of them far away from you, but she chooses the one next to you. Why is that? Doesn’t that seem kind of strange? Just askin’.

Why is it that whenever I have diarrhea and I tell my stepmother, she asks the question, “What color is it?” She does this with my snot too, by the way. Why is that? Why is it necessary for her to know the color of my excrement? I’ll tell you why! My stepmother can diagnose whatever ails you by the color of your void material! My poor dad can’t take a private trip into the bathroom without her reminding him not to flush. What is that about? Apparently, if your poop is dark black, you may have a bleeding ulcer or cancer. This is definite if there’s blood in it. If your poop is a yellowish dun color, you have the stomach flu. I don’t remember what green means. Where she gets this? I do not know. She also becomes concerned if you don’t poop after a couple days, so she keeps tabs on that for my dad too. I find that a little disturbing, and wonder if I’m going to need to know the color, texture and frequency of my husband’s poop some day. I guess it could happen, but I sure hope not.

I have a lot more things I wonder about; not just bathroom things. Like why do people pierce themselves, especially their tongues? What is the pleasure in that? I’ve been told it’s for sexual reasons, but I can’t imagine putting myself through so much pain for sex. But then again, maybe others would. Isn’t it bad enough when a person asks, “Do you want fries with that?” than to say, “Do you mant fried wit dat?” I’m just sayin’ they sound like they have a mouth full of change.

Why is it that every time we make or break camp, it’s raining? I don’t think anything more about that needs to be said. I don’t want to anger God, that’s for sure.

Why have six remotes? Isn’t our technology advanced enough today that we can do all the things we need to do with just one remote? I mean we need to change the t.v. channels, watch DVD’s, record VHS tapes to DVD, digitally record t.v. shows, play CD’s, turn on the fan and operate our computers, so why can’t we do all that with just one remote? Why hasn’t just one universal remote been invented? Wouldn’t that make things easier? This is just another one of my “why-isms”.

Why is it today that many young people feel that they have to wear their pants half-way off their butts? Who came up with this fashion idea? I’m just not getting that one.

Why do people still smoke? This is a big one for me. I can’t understand after all we’ve learned about smoking and the harm that it causes to the smoker and everybody else who has to breathe in the smoke, that people are still smoking. And why do young people start smoking? That’s weird. I can understand older people have the habit, and it’s a tough habit to break, so they don’t quit for whatever reason (maybe they can’t), but after all we know about smoking, why do young people start up? That’s just strange to me. But I digress.

Why is it absolutely unfathomable to touch your seat partner in an airplane? Why is that? About a month ago, I was on a very scary flight, and without thinking, I touched the arm of the gentlemen on my right. I was immediately apologetic to him, feeling I had committed a very big no no. It just isn’t politically correct to touch your seat neighbor. How come? Why did I feel the need to apologize so profusely to him? Who knows and who made up that rule?

Why is it that after my Uncle Marshall accidentally dropped the Thanksgiving turkey on the American Legion Hall floor while carving it, we still ate that turkey without flinching? It’s not like there wasn’t more turkey. I think we had three birds all together that year.

When you’re pregnant, why is it that everybody and their brother’s uncle’s cousin feels a need to touch your stomach without your permission, and they do it? It’s “anything goes” when you’re pregnant. Aren’t there any rules to follow? If not, why not? They don’t touch your boobs, at least they didn’t when I was having babies. Heck, maybe things have changed and they do touch your boobs now. Maybe that rule is out the window too now.

Why is a food that is as good as corn on the cob so messy and difficult to eat? Why can’t it taste lousy and therefore be undesirable like Brussells sprouts or asparagus?

There are some questions that just can’t be answered I guess. Still, I wonder… I guess I’m just an incessant smart alec. That’s the rumor anyway.

Halloween Costumes on a Budget

Halloween Costumes on a Budget

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