Dr. Pepper? Vaseline?

When you have a small family as I do, and we share the same thoughts, and are blessed to be living near each other, at least part of the year, sometimes it's fun to run memories by them. . .which I did during my last post. We've had e-mails running back and forth. It's fun to reminisce. And, I enjoy hearing Paul's kids tell about their memories, and laugh with them about them.

That car trip to Arizona by my parents and grandparents reminds me of the telephone game - where you start with one idea and end up miles (in your mind) from where you started. It's such fun. I love when that happens. Brother Bob is at an RV convention with his good friend, Marian, out in the Louisville, KY, but found time to put thoughts in an e-mail. Cousins Alice and Carol also responded.

Carol wrote first, so here's what she said. "I heard that Grandpa and Grandma went to Texas (or was that a different trip). Come to think of it, the trip had to do with Vaseline (?) and Grandpa didn't want to invest in it. ?? I know that they came back with cowgirl outfits for Alice and me."

Okay. That sounded interesting. I also got a cowgirl outfit. They were red with white fringe. Now here's what Alice. . . (our baby in the family - I think she was 3 or 4). . .wrote. . .

"No - either I was too YOUNG to remember then, or I am now too OLD to remember now...I do remember the cowgirl outfits, but I think it is because of the photos. Had no recollection of AZ as a possible venue for Witte Beverage Co. Hmmm. . .AZ or TX---what different roads our lives would have taken."

Yes. Of course, Alice was too young, but she still has a recollection of the outfits. I'm sure I have the red and white vest downstairs in a hope chest.

Now comes Bob, the oldest of us all - and a different slant on things.

"Trip to "Arizona" was to see if Witte's Beverages could get a franchise for Dr. Pepper. My recollection was that it was in Dallas Texas. Needless to say, they didn't get this franchise of a "new and upcoming drink" at that time."

BTW - Bob got a cowboy hat, holster and toy gun. There're pictures of him wearing them, with us in our outfits. I remember!

So. . .what interesting memories we remember, and how - yes - how different our lives would have been being brought up there rather than NYS. One thing - I might have had my horse.
Do I care? Nope. Am I happy where I am? You betcha.

So - forgive me for walking down memory lane. . .sometimes we old people need to.