Larry’s Birth

Larry Lee Cox born January 12, 1949. Robert and Goldie’s 5th child and 3rd son was born in Paintsville, Kentucky at home.

I remember that day. Me and Shirley were locked in a bedroom beside the room Mommy was in. We were four and five years old. The midwife was in the room with Mommy. Of course we could hear some “goings on”. We tried to peek through the keyhole. I remember seeing the bed and Mommy in the bed, but couldn’t see anything else. Then I remember the Midwife coming to the door and letting us see the baby and Mommy. I can’t remember if Daddy was there or where Carl and Tommy were. Maybe, they were in school. Maybe Tommy will remember this.

That Taffy Recipe

I still have that taffy pulling (that Vickie mentioned) picture in my mind. And I still remember getting those blisters. And believe it or not I remember several kids pulling that taffy. Umm – no gloves, were those hands clean… My goodness – nobody died of dirt either… but we had a lot of fun pulling that taffy all over that kitchen at the house that burned.

I found my original ditto copy of my Home Economics recipe page. For those who may not know what ditto is – it was a method of making multiple copies of a typed or written document. This was before printers and copiers. Teachers typed things on these pages that had ink on the back and then they could place it on a drum like cylinder and feed several pages through to make copies. The copies came out purple. Oh, how far we have come with all this technology!

Anyway, here are the recipes as they were printed on the original handout in 9th grade Home Ec around 1959:

Taffy

2 cups sugar
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup water
1teaspoon vinegar

Combine sugar, corn syrup, water and vinegar. Cook without stirring until a little forms a hard ball in cold water or 268 degrees Farenheit. Add vanilla and pour onto greased platter, but do not scrape the pan as candy will sugar. When cool enough to handle, pull until light colored and firm. Stretch into a long rope and cut into short pieces. If desired, wrap in wax paper.

Variations:

One square of chocolate may be melted with the 1/4 cup of water and added to the sugar mixture.

Five cents worth of red cinnamon candies may be melted with the 1/4 cup of water before adding the sugar.

(I have no idea how much five cents worth is)

White Taffy

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 pinch cream of tartar
2/3 cup water
1teaspoon vanilla

Directions: Put sugar, corn syrup and water in saucepan. Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves. Boil without stirring until thermometer is 268 Farenheit. Remove from fire. Stir in vanilla, turn onto a greased pan and cool till ready to handle. Gather in a ball and pull until firm and white.

Molasses Taffy

1cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 cup light molasses
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup butter
1/8 teaspoon soda
pinch of salt

Put the sugars, molasses, and water into a saucepan and cook to the temperature of 265 Farenheit. It will be necessary to cook the candy slowly and to stir it during the latter part of cooking in order to prevent burning. Remove from the fire, add the butter and soda, and salt. Stir just enough to mix well. In adding the soda, be sure it is free from lumps. Turn into a greased pan and allow to stand until cool enough to handle.

Gather into a ball and pull until rather firm and of a light yellow color. Stretch out in a rope and cut into pieces.

Happy Birthday to Vickie and Larry on January 12

Larry – born 1949! Oh My Goodness!

He can’t be the BIG 60!

Then there is Little Vickie born in 1954.

She can’t be 55 – she is too little!!

Larry and Vickie sharing birthday in 1981

Hope you both have a Happy Birthday

no matter what in 2009!

Aren’t Memories Fun!

Larry about 2 years old

: Shirley, Mom, Myrtle, Bobby, Dad, Larry

This must be about 1954.

Mom, Vickie at 7 months, Bessie

Mom holding Vickie and Bessie's dog — Mom holding Vickie and Bessie's Pekingese

Blog hint about posting and publishing

Hey everybody, this is getting better and better. Just want to remind everybody that when you are finished writing your post or page, be sure to not only save, but to also click on the publish button over beside the save button to the right of the post box. This makes it show up on the blog when you write it.

Otherwise it shows the post as being written when I actually go in and check. Also, feel free to put your categories and tags so everything is easily found.

Grandma and Grandpa – Amon and Nora Cantrell

Mom's Parents, Amon and Nora — Mom's Parents - Amon and Nora

Wonder what year. How old were they. They didn’t have grey hair and I doubt they dyed their hair.

It is funny, but this is the way I always remember them.

Grandpa, Goldie, Roger, Martha, Grandma, Vickie, Myrtle - 1966

I am pretty sure this was Grandma, Grandpa and Roger on a visit to Ohio when I was home from the Army. Don’t know which house. Hope Vickie or Martha can remember where we lived when you were this age.

Grandma and Grandpa - Nora and Amon Cantrell

Here is another picture of Grandma and Grandpa standing at the back of their house. I know the well is back there too. They don’t look much different – just a little older. I do hope I can go back through some of my original pictures and match up some dates.

Vickie and Anita Drawing Water at Grandpa's Well in KY

I know we can find the date for this and I think I have a picture of Grandpa helping Vickie and Anita at the well.

Carl visiting Grandma and Grandpa. Not sure when this was either. Obviously, a little older.

Clay Cantrell – Goldie’s Brother

Clay Cantrell- Mom's Brother — Clay Cantrell- Mom's (Goldie) Brother

Here is a picture of Clay Cantrell, in front of an ambulance. Don’t have any idea when or why. Wonder what relationship the ambulance played in his life.

Maybe we can locate Gwendolyn, his daughter. I do remember, when I was 10, I went on a trip with Gwen, Clay, and Janny, Clay’s wife. We drove to somebody’s house. I think it was Johnny Vanover’s mother and father’s house in Kentucky or it could have been Janny’s parents. Clay and Janny lived in Dayton. I remember Gwen was studying tap dancing and demonstrated her tap dancing. She even had her costume on. I thought that was pretty. I remember sitting on the porch and feeling so homesick.

I know Clay was shot. I don’t know the date nor for sure who shot him.