When I was a child in the mid 1930"s the hardest job for the average homemaker was washing clothes. We lived on a farm and did have cold running water in the house. But after we left my birth place we did not have running water on any of the rent farms and water was carried to the house from an outdoor well in cold Minnesota.
We used a cast iron wood cook stove for cooking and heating water for washing clothes and for Saturday night baths in the wash tub. My Mother had a copper bottomed boiler in which she used to heat water and boil the white cotton clothing and sheets. Mother made her own lye soap and I remember her shaving the soap which she added to the water in the boiler. After the white clothing had been boiled the clothing and soap were transferred to the washing machine.
The washing machine had a round wood tub and an agitator and a wringer. The agitator was powered by hand by whatever child was around the kitchen. Sometimes me. The clother were removed from the tub and put through the wringer to the rinse water which had blueing added to it. We rinsed the clothes and then put them through the wringer again to another tub of cold water. We did the second rinse and then put the clothes through the wringer again and then hung the clothes outside to dry. In winter time we hung clothes outside and they froze almost dry and then we brought them into the house and hung on lines stretched across the dining room to finish drying.
We wore the same clothes to school for several days and changed into old clothes when we returned from school. I remember wearing long underware and a garter belt to hold up my long cotton stockings. This was in Minnesota and the winters were cold. I did wear a snow suit to school as I had to walk 1/2 mile to school 10 below or whatever the temp. My mother had 5 children at home and she tried to save on washing clothes.
I remember a few years later when my Mother bought a washing machine powered by a Briggs & Stratton motor. Mother was so proud of that machine.
I married in 1948 and our son Eddie was born in 1949. I returned to work on the railroad when he was 8 weeks old. Dale noticed how hard I was working and decided to buy us a Western Auto automatic washing machine. It was the one thing that enabled me to go back to work and not spend half a day washing clothes. The automatic washing machine as we know it was in general use in the late 1940"s. To me it was a miracle invention and I was so happy to have it.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Making Quilts
Making Quilts
I had wanted a hand quilted quilt for many years and in the 1960’s I checked out every book that our library had to study about making a quilt. I was still busy at that time working on the Rock Island Railroad as a billing clerk so didn’t have time to get started on one.
In September of 1969 my job as a billing clerk and Dale’s job as a telegraph operator were abolished. At that time we had 4 school bus routes and I told Dale I would drive a school bus if we could stay in Ponca City . We had almost finished a new house at 442 Fairview and we had our old house at 437 Fairview to sell. We decided to stay in Ponca City and go in business for ourselves.
Dale went to the Supt of Schools and applied for a job and he was going to work in maintence, but then other things happened. The Federal Govt started the school lunch program and Dale got involved in that. He went to Bartlesville and checked out their program and came back to Ponca City and told the Supt how their program worked. The off shot of that was that the schools had 2 central kitchens and they made all the school lunches for the grade schools. Dale proposed that he purchase an insulated truck and that the school purchase insulated carriers for the food.
Dale was a school employee and the truck was leased to the school. This allowed us to have health insurance and so Dale started that and so he had a job again.
In the meantime I started driving a school bus route for grade school students going out north of town and east of town. I think that same year I drove a route for native American children going out south and west of town and then into White Eagle. Part of my pay was lunch at liberty School.
I continued driving that route for a couple of years and then Dale found someone else to do it. At that time we were beginning to get a lot more sport activity trips and so I did the Junior High sport trip driving. I found that I had lots of time waiting for the teams to get over playing football and basketball and so I started to embroidery table clothes while waiting for the games to be over.
About 1972 I decided that I was going to start making a quilt. I had a McCall’s magazine that had a picture of a Grandmother’s Flower Garden quilt in it. I though that was so neat and decided that I would make it. Now I had been sewing since I was real small so didn’t think I would have any trouble with making it. I had sense enough to cut my material on the grain line and didn’t run into any major trouble. I would cut out enough pieces for one or two blocks and then I would hand sew them while waiting for the children to finish their games. There for I made most of the blocks on the school bus. Well I got the 29 blocks made and then put the quilt together. By the way it was made out of cottons that I had used for making blouses and dresses for Gail. Now those were 1960 prints.
Now I had to quilt it and bear in mind I had never quilted or put a quilt in a frame and didn’t have anyone to ask about it. Well I bought a quilting frame from Sears and I put that sucker together and started quilting it. Don’t remember how long it took but probably the better part of a year. Gail helped by drawing all of my quilting designs. Well I finished it up and took it to the Blackwell Fair and won a 4th place on it. I brought it back home and Gail said “Mother that ought to be my quilt as you used my dress material in it.” Well she got the quilt.
Now since I had made one for Gail I had to go ahead and make one for Hugh. I found an appliqued quilt pattern on the outside cover of Family circle magazine so I decided to make it. Now this was around 1976 and we didn’t have much choice in cottons. When I would go on a out of town trip I would look for different cotton material for this quilt. I found different cotton material in about 4 different towns. So I sat down and did this Maple Leaf quilt. Think I finished it and the quilting in about 1978. I took it to the Blackwell Fair and won a 2nd place on it.
Then I got interested in making a star quilt. I though, well I have conquered the hexagons so now I will try the diamonds..I made a small diamond wall hanging and it turned out fine. It was all hand pieced. I thought ‘There has to be a better way to do diamond quilts”
I looked and looked at how the diamond quilts were put together and came up with the idea to strip piece lengths of fabric together. I made a sample and saw that it would work. Then I had to make 6 different strips and cut them at a 45 degree angle and be sure that my cutting on the angle was accurate. I started on Sunday evening and had a nice large Lone Star put together by Saturday. I didn’t get all the squares and triangles sewed on for a month or two. Think I just admired my handiwork for a while. Well I took that top to the Blackwell unquilted and it won a blue ribbon.
I made a couple more diamond quilts and then I saw a picture of a Sioux Diamond quilt in a magazine and the picture was about 2 inches square. So off I go and decided to design that into a full sized quilt. I made a sample wall hanging and quilted it and think Gail still has it. I made the big quilt and it is still waiting to be quilted.
Then in 1979 I was asked to teach a quilting class out at the Marland Mansion. This was before the craze for quilts had begin. I think I had 6 students and I taught some and we all taught each other. I had to keep ahead of the class , so had to have something new every week.
In 1982 or 1983 I read in one of the magazines that there was going to be a quilt show and classes at the University in Albuquerque New Mexico. I knew that I needed to learn a lot more so I made reservations to go. Bought my round trip ticket and changed at Denver and then on the way back changed at Dallas-Ft Worth. Was carrying two suitcases and made it fine. I took a class from Diane Leone on doing Fine Hand Quilting as asked if I could use her instructions. She said ‘Yes’ as long as you tell the students that it was her instructions.
At that time there were several nationally known teachers that gave speeches. We had Pat Morris, Judy Matthiessen, Ginny Beyer and Helen Young. I was fortunate that I was able to hear them at that stage of my quilting. They had a dress show and I wore my black dress with the diamonds around the bottom or the skirt. Had lots of good comments on that dress and I later took it to the State Fair at Okla City and won a blue ribbon on it.
I then begin to teach other classes in the area. I taught at Stillwater , Blackwell, Bramen ,Ark City, Enid and back to Stillwater again. I also taught classes out at the bus shop and later taught at the Senior High two or three times. Also worked with Camp Fire girls and had them do simple piecing.
Probably in the mid eighties I begin to work on Log Cabin Quilt as you go quilts. I made one in Christmas colors that my son and daughter in law have. I took it to the fair in Okla City and won a Blue Ribbon and a pkg of batting I made a small Log Cabin baby quilt for Amber and that would have been in 1985. I also made a full sized Seminole Cross Log Cabin Quilt and it won a Blue ribbon at the Okla City Fair. Amber has that quilt and I saw it on Derek’s bed in June.
I made a blue colored Log Cabin for Gail and she used it on her King sized bed for many years.
For several years I gave programs on quilts and probably did at least 20 programs. This was in addition to helping Dale run the school busses and doing the book work for the business. I gave a program out at Westminster and one of the women showed some very unique quilts blocks to the group. I said ‘Lucille if you ever want to find a home for those blocks I would take them’ I was just joking but at the end of the program she said “Deloris, I am so happy to find a home for these blocks and someone that will appreciate them” I made some more blocks out of that material and then I made patterns for 14 of the 25 blocks that were more accurate.
I made a quilt just using one pattern for the whole quilt. I made it using an applique quilt technique. That is, I fused the applique pieces to a block and then I put it together with the batting and backing and then I satin stitched around all of the design. That was in 1992. I took that to the Fair in Okla City and won 3rd place. That was the quilt I made for Dale. I gave that to Derek last year as I hadn’t made a quilt for him.
In the early 90’s I entered a tatted piece and a woven necklace in the Okla City Fair along with a counted thread embroidery piece. I won Blue ribbons on all the pieces.
In the 90’s I joined the Okla State Quilter’s Guild and was on the board for 6 years. 4 years as money raising chairman and 2 years as secretary of the State Guild. That was an interesting experience and I met women from all over the state. We had a retreat every fall and I taught embroidery at one of the retreats. I had to resign in 1997 as Dale was becoming more ill. The last time I had a quilting class was in 1989 out at the Vo Tec. I had about 8 women in the class and it was for 2 hours and ran for about 6 weeks. Decided it was time for me to quit.
After Dale died in November of 1998 I continued making quilts and quilted clothing and other things. In the early 90’s I had several of my garments shown in The National Quilting Magazine. I also had won a first prize ribbon on a jacket that I had machine pieced at the Okla State Fair in the early 90’s.
I started making Love Quilts to be given to children and adults. I just made the tops and they were tied by women out at St Paul’s Methodist church. I probably made over 100 of those small quilts but the day came when I was tired of doing that.
I had finished a hand appliqued and hand quilted quilt about 2004 and had also finished a machine pieced and machine quilted diamond quilt the same year. I took the two quilts along with a Seminole skirt and a tatted ornament to the Blackwell Fair and won Blue ribbons on all the things.
I have continued to make quilts and other things up to the present time. I have made some nice utility quilts and I have made two six pointed star quilts. One of the 6 pointed star quilts was completed two years ago. It was probably the most fun to make of any quilt that I have done.
At the present time I am working on an applique quilt that has some Pennsylvania Dutch designs in it. I had bought the blocks about 18 years ago and then I had to design two other blocks and find material that was like the original blocks. Just have one block to go. I also am working on a hand applique block that I designed and just have about 3 blocks finished. Have another 17 to go.
I started a hand pieced quilt several years ago and am now trying to get the blocks pieced together for it. Am working on the 8th block now and hope to finish it this winter of 2011. I had to draw the block and it will be an interesting quilt.
In February of 2010 I made 3 prayer shawls out of wool. I gave two of them to the church and I kept one for myself. I have a lot of 6 inch wool pieces cut out and will try to get some more of them made. Can usually make one in less than a week.
This covers part of the things that I have done with my quilting and I have a never ending supply of material and ideas.
I had wanted a hand quilted quilt for many years and in the 1960’s I checked out every book that our library had to study about making a quilt. I was still busy at that time working on the Rock Island Railroad as a billing clerk so didn’t have time to get started on one.
In September of 1969 my job as a billing clerk and Dale’s job as a telegraph operator were abolished. At that time we had 4 school bus routes and I told Dale I would drive a school bus if we could stay in Ponca City . We had almost finished a new house at 442 Fairview and we had our old house at 437 Fairview to sell. We decided to stay in Ponca City and go in business for ourselves.
Dale went to the Supt of Schools and applied for a job and he was going to work in maintence, but then other things happened. The Federal Govt started the school lunch program and Dale got involved in that. He went to Bartlesville and checked out their program and came back to Ponca City and told the Supt how their program worked. The off shot of that was that the schools had 2 central kitchens and they made all the school lunches for the grade schools. Dale proposed that he purchase an insulated truck and that the school purchase insulated carriers for the food.
Dale was a school employee and the truck was leased to the school. This allowed us to have health insurance and so Dale started that and so he had a job again.
In the meantime I started driving a school bus route for grade school students going out north of town and east of town. I think that same year I drove a route for native American children going out south and west of town and then into White Eagle. Part of my pay was lunch at liberty School.
I continued driving that route for a couple of years and then Dale found someone else to do it. At that time we were beginning to get a lot more sport activity trips and so I did the Junior High sport trip driving. I found that I had lots of time waiting for the teams to get over playing football and basketball and so I started to embroidery table clothes while waiting for the games to be over.
About 1972 I decided that I was going to start making a quilt. I had a McCall’s magazine that had a picture of a Grandmother’s Flower Garden quilt in it. I though that was so neat and decided that I would make it. Now I had been sewing since I was real small so didn’t think I would have any trouble with making it. I had sense enough to cut my material on the grain line and didn’t run into any major trouble. I would cut out enough pieces for one or two blocks and then I would hand sew them while waiting for the children to finish their games. There for I made most of the blocks on the school bus. Well I got the 29 blocks made and then put the quilt together. By the way it was made out of cottons that I had used for making blouses and dresses for Gail. Now those were 1960 prints.
Now I had to quilt it and bear in mind I had never quilted or put a quilt in a frame and didn’t have anyone to ask about it. Well I bought a quilting frame from Sears and I put that sucker together and started quilting it. Don’t remember how long it took but probably the better part of a year. Gail helped by drawing all of my quilting designs. Well I finished it up and took it to the Blackwell Fair and won a 4th place on it. I brought it back home and Gail said “Mother that ought to be my quilt as you used my dress material in it.” Well she got the quilt.
Now since I had made one for Gail I had to go ahead and make one for Hugh. I found an appliqued quilt pattern on the outside cover of Family circle magazine so I decided to make it. Now this was around 1976 and we didn’t have much choice in cottons. When I would go on a out of town trip I would look for different cotton material for this quilt. I found different cotton material in about 4 different towns. So I sat down and did this Maple Leaf quilt. Think I finished it and the quilting in about 1978. I took it to the Blackwell Fair and won a 2nd place on it.
Then I got interested in making a star quilt. I though, well I have conquered the hexagons so now I will try the diamonds..I made a small diamond wall hanging and it turned out fine. It was all hand pieced. I thought ‘There has to be a better way to do diamond quilts”
I looked and looked at how the diamond quilts were put together and came up with the idea to strip piece lengths of fabric together. I made a sample and saw that it would work. Then I had to make 6 different strips and cut them at a 45 degree angle and be sure that my cutting on the angle was accurate. I started on Sunday evening and had a nice large Lone Star put together by Saturday. I didn’t get all the squares and triangles sewed on for a month or two. Think I just admired my handiwork for a while. Well I took that top to the Blackwell unquilted and it won a blue ribbon.
I made a couple more diamond quilts and then I saw a picture of a Sioux Diamond quilt in a magazine and the picture was about 2 inches square. So off I go and decided to design that into a full sized quilt. I made a sample wall hanging and quilted it and think Gail still has it. I made the big quilt and it is still waiting to be quilted.
Then in 1979 I was asked to teach a quilting class out at the Marland Mansion. This was before the craze for quilts had begin. I think I had 6 students and I taught some and we all taught each other. I had to keep ahead of the class , so had to have something new every week.
In 1982 or 1983 I read in one of the magazines that there was going to be a quilt show and classes at the University in Albuquerque New Mexico. I knew that I needed to learn a lot more so I made reservations to go. Bought my round trip ticket and changed at Denver and then on the way back changed at Dallas-Ft Worth. Was carrying two suitcases and made it fine. I took a class from Diane Leone on doing Fine Hand Quilting as asked if I could use her instructions. She said ‘Yes’ as long as you tell the students that it was her instructions.
At that time there were several nationally known teachers that gave speeches. We had Pat Morris, Judy Matthiessen, Ginny Beyer and Helen Young. I was fortunate that I was able to hear them at that stage of my quilting. They had a dress show and I wore my black dress with the diamonds around the bottom or the skirt. Had lots of good comments on that dress and I later took it to the State Fair at Okla City and won a blue ribbon on it.
I then begin to teach other classes in the area. I taught at Stillwater , Blackwell, Bramen ,Ark City, Enid and back to Stillwater again. I also taught classes out at the bus shop and later taught at the Senior High two or three times. Also worked with Camp Fire girls and had them do simple piecing.
Probably in the mid eighties I begin to work on Log Cabin Quilt as you go quilts. I made one in Christmas colors that my son and daughter in law have. I took it to the fair in Okla City and won a Blue Ribbon and a pkg of batting I made a small Log Cabin baby quilt for Amber and that would have been in 1985. I also made a full sized Seminole Cross Log Cabin Quilt and it won a Blue ribbon at the Okla City Fair. Amber has that quilt and I saw it on Derek’s bed in June.
I made a blue colored Log Cabin for Gail and she used it on her King sized bed for many years.
For several years I gave programs on quilts and probably did at least 20 programs. This was in addition to helping Dale run the school busses and doing the book work for the business. I gave a program out at Westminster and one of the women showed some very unique quilts blocks to the group. I said ‘Lucille if you ever want to find a home for those blocks I would take them’ I was just joking but at the end of the program she said “Deloris, I am so happy to find a home for these blocks and someone that will appreciate them” I made some more blocks out of that material and then I made patterns for 14 of the 25 blocks that were more accurate.
I made a quilt just using one pattern for the whole quilt. I made it using an applique quilt technique. That is, I fused the applique pieces to a block and then I put it together with the batting and backing and then I satin stitched around all of the design. That was in 1992. I took that to the Fair in Okla City and won 3rd place. That was the quilt I made for Dale. I gave that to Derek last year as I hadn’t made a quilt for him.
In the early 90’s I entered a tatted piece and a woven necklace in the Okla City Fair along with a counted thread embroidery piece. I won Blue ribbons on all the pieces.
In the 90’s I joined the Okla State Quilter’s Guild and was on the board for 6 years. 4 years as money raising chairman and 2 years as secretary of the State Guild. That was an interesting experience and I met women from all over the state. We had a retreat every fall and I taught embroidery at one of the retreats. I had to resign in 1997 as Dale was becoming more ill. The last time I had a quilting class was in 1989 out at the Vo Tec. I had about 8 women in the class and it was for 2 hours and ran for about 6 weeks. Decided it was time for me to quit.
After Dale died in November of 1998 I continued making quilts and quilted clothing and other things. In the early 90’s I had several of my garments shown in The National Quilting Magazine. I also had won a first prize ribbon on a jacket that I had machine pieced at the Okla State Fair in the early 90’s.
I started making Love Quilts to be given to children and adults. I just made the tops and they were tied by women out at St Paul’s Methodist church. I probably made over 100 of those small quilts but the day came when I was tired of doing that.
I had finished a hand appliqued and hand quilted quilt about 2004 and had also finished a machine pieced and machine quilted diamond quilt the same year. I took the two quilts along with a Seminole skirt and a tatted ornament to the Blackwell Fair and won Blue ribbons on all the things.
I have continued to make quilts and other things up to the present time. I have made some nice utility quilts and I have made two six pointed star quilts. One of the 6 pointed star quilts was completed two years ago. It was probably the most fun to make of any quilt that I have done.
At the present time I am working on an applique quilt that has some Pennsylvania Dutch designs in it. I had bought the blocks about 18 years ago and then I had to design two other blocks and find material that was like the original blocks. Just have one block to go. I also am working on a hand applique block that I designed and just have about 3 blocks finished. Have another 17 to go.
I started a hand pieced quilt several years ago and am now trying to get the blocks pieced together for it. Am working on the 8th block now and hope to finish it this winter of 2011. I had to draw the block and it will be an interesting quilt.
In February of 2010 I made 3 prayer shawls out of wool. I gave two of them to the church and I kept one for myself. I have a lot of 6 inch wool pieces cut out and will try to get some more of them made. Can usually make one in less than a week.
This covers part of the things that I have done with my quilting and I have a never ending supply of material and ideas.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Peru in 1974
We came home to Ponca City after our trip to Peru in 1972 and begin to get ready for our school year. Dale had purchased 6 school bus routes and we needed to find drivers and get the buses shape for the school year. Gail was in 7th grade that year and this started our long days when school started.
My granddaughter Carolina was born in Dec of 1972 and we didn't get to see her until June 1974 when we went back to Peru for the second time. Daniel was born in April of 1974 so we got to see him when he was a baby We were busy with our buses the rest of 72 and 73.
In 1974 we went back to Peru and welcomed our new grandson Daniel who was about 2 months old. Hugh & Betty were living in a house on Cusco Street which had a lot more room. Hugh met us in Lima and we went to Huancayo. On this trip we went back to Lima and then made a trip to the Hot Springs at Churine. Dale ate some food at a restaurant there and got sick with food poisoning. The next day we started up the coast to go to Trujillo and on to Chan Chan, the mud city ruins. We bought a sack full of oranges and after Dale ate 2 or 3 he begin to feel better. We stayed at Trujillo overnight in a hotel and we were in the second story. Down below were several produce trucks carrying produce and they all had a mean dog on the top of the truck.
The next day we spent looking at the ruins at Chan Chan. This city was built a long time ago and has many ruins that still look good as the climate is dry in that area. We went on back to Huancayo and stayed a few days and then decided to go to Tingo Marie. This is a nice small city in the high jungle and the climate is wonderful. It was a long and beautiful drive and we went from an elevation of 12000 feet to an elevation of 2000 feet. In the 1980's until now you can not go to Tingo Marie safely as it is the headquarters for the coco trade. We stayed in the tourist hotel and then went back to Huancayo for a few days.
There are several good restaurants in Huancayo and one served good hamburgers. I liked to go where they served fried trout. There were several trout farms in the mountains and the trout dinners were inexpensive.
On Sundays in Huancayo we would go to the Sunday Fair. This was a flea market with new and used things for sale. Clothing, shoes, jewelry, sewing machines,auto parts bicycles and hardware and anything you might want. A whole street was used and the stalls were 4 across the street and 2 miles long. It is the largest open air market in South America. We would see tourists from all over. Young French people were there as well as people from all over South America.
In 1976 Dale and I went to Peru again. Gail stayed with Brady and Caroline for a week and then went on a back packing trip to Colorado. They were having some political problems in Peru and we were unable to go by car up the mountain to Huancayo so we were met in Lima by one of Hugh's Peace Corps friends and stayed at a Hotel overnight. Hugh's friend took us to the airport and we flew up to a tiny airstrip at the beginning of the Mantero Valley. Hugh met us and we drove about 30 miles to Huancayo.
Betty and Angelica had started a small store selling clothing, they were both teaching and Betty had Carolina and Danny and was expecting a baby, so everyone was extremely busy. On this trip we made a day trip to Satipo and we also went into the mountains where JoSues had painted the inside of a church with Biblical personalities. The people in this small village had not seen many gringos or foreigners. All the children gathered around us and wanted to see us. The priest met us and he was a young man from France. He talked to the children and we went inside the church and afterward around the square where it was market day. There are still many isolated parts of Peru in the high mountains where people live like they they did before the Spanish Conquest.
My granddaughter Carolina was born in Dec of 1972 and we didn't get to see her until June 1974 when we went back to Peru for the second time. Daniel was born in April of 1974 so we got to see him when he was a baby We were busy with our buses the rest of 72 and 73.
In 1974 we went back to Peru and welcomed our new grandson Daniel who was about 2 months old. Hugh & Betty were living in a house on Cusco Street which had a lot more room. Hugh met us in Lima and we went to Huancayo. On this trip we went back to Lima and then made a trip to the Hot Springs at Churine. Dale ate some food at a restaurant there and got sick with food poisoning. The next day we started up the coast to go to Trujillo and on to Chan Chan, the mud city ruins. We bought a sack full of oranges and after Dale ate 2 or 3 he begin to feel better. We stayed at Trujillo overnight in a hotel and we were in the second story. Down below were several produce trucks carrying produce and they all had a mean dog on the top of the truck.
The next day we spent looking at the ruins at Chan Chan. This city was built a long time ago and has many ruins that still look good as the climate is dry in that area. We went on back to Huancayo and stayed a few days and then decided to go to Tingo Marie. This is a nice small city in the high jungle and the climate is wonderful. It was a long and beautiful drive and we went from an elevation of 12000 feet to an elevation of 2000 feet. In the 1980's until now you can not go to Tingo Marie safely as it is the headquarters for the coco trade. We stayed in the tourist hotel and then went back to Huancayo for a few days.
There are several good restaurants in Huancayo and one served good hamburgers. I liked to go where they served fried trout. There were several trout farms in the mountains and the trout dinners were inexpensive.
On Sundays in Huancayo we would go to the Sunday Fair. This was a flea market with new and used things for sale. Clothing, shoes, jewelry, sewing machines,auto parts bicycles and hardware and anything you might want. A whole street was used and the stalls were 4 across the street and 2 miles long. It is the largest open air market in South America. We would see tourists from all over. Young French people were there as well as people from all over South America.
In 1976 Dale and I went to Peru again. Gail stayed with Brady and Caroline for a week and then went on a back packing trip to Colorado. They were having some political problems in Peru and we were unable to go by car up the mountain to Huancayo so we were met in Lima by one of Hugh's Peace Corps friends and stayed at a Hotel overnight. Hugh's friend took us to the airport and we flew up to a tiny airstrip at the beginning of the Mantero Valley. Hugh met us and we drove about 30 miles to Huancayo.
Betty and Angelica had started a small store selling clothing, they were both teaching and Betty had Carolina and Danny and was expecting a baby, so everyone was extremely busy. On this trip we made a day trip to Satipo and we also went into the mountains where JoSues had painted the inside of a church with Biblical personalities. The people in this small village had not seen many gringos or foreigners. All the children gathered around us and wanted to see us. The priest met us and he was a young man from France. He talked to the children and we went inside the church and afterward around the square where it was market day. There are still many isolated parts of Peru in the high mountains where people live like they they did before the Spanish Conquest.
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