The Beauty College

I don't know what year it was, but I was in elementary school. My mom had been going to Beauty College in OKC to become a licensed hairdresser. Next thing I know, mom and dad bought the Beauty College. The college seemed huge to me and there were several rooms to it. Not long after that, they bought a Beauty Salon too. It was a mile or so from the College.
I quickly learned the skills of janitorial work. Both the College and the Salon were swept, mopped, and then waxed each week. I never saw so much hair. It was everywhere. I tried my best to get all the hair I could while sweeping and mopping, but was always amazed at how much showed up when I started waxing. I was a little guy on that mop and sometimes I thought the mop was working me more than I was working the mop.
We refilled all the coke boxes. This was the day of glass bottles and wooden crates holding the bottles. We wood take a couple of crates home for after school drinks and such. I thought that was kind of special and friends did to when they would stay with me.
Sometimes we would refill bottles of shampoo, conditioner and others.
On the way home from the Beauty College we would stop and do the same tasks at the Salon. It was so much smaller that it didn't take long. It was a snap.
These weekly tasks came in addition to yard mowing and regular house chores. It was kind of neat though. While I didn't really look forward to being on the end of that mop handle, I enjoyed hangin out with dad. No cell phones yet. Just me and him for most of one evening a week.
Dad taught me by example on how to work. He was one of the hardest workers I ever knew and I know he got it from his dad, my granddad. Since leaving home I have always realized in the middle of projects around the house or on the farm we had for a few years, that hard work would get it done and thoughts of dad would always come to me as I poured myself into working.

Karalee

Here's a recent pic of Karalee at a Sunday lunch.

Smith gate

Some folks nearby our house have a nice gate entrance.

We are taking in a Rangers game tonight.

Ever met a Myrtie?

I've only met one Myrtie. She was my aunt and my dad's sister. She taught school for 40 years. She was a farmer's wife. She was tough, pioneer stock, loving, a camper, a fisher, great cook, a shaker and a mover. She got results and could organize people. Myrtie was my dad's first school teacher in a one-room schoolhouse. One story he told was about him popping off to her one day and calling her "ole Myrt" in front of all the other students. She wore him out with the paddle and then when he got home he got paddled again from his dad. Everyone loved Myrtie. She and Uncle Roy never had children of their own, but did have 22 nieces and nephews. Each one of us spent time with with them on the farm, usually during the summer. I helped bailing hay, hauling hay, harvesting from the huge garden, working cattle and horses. We played a little too. We would ride horses, go fishing, go camping, go square dancing, play cards and dominos. There was a lot of room to explore. I even took a go-kart there for a while and a minibike another time. Myrtie made you feel special. Young or old, she valued you and saw the good in you. She was a very positive person and it was contagious. You can mention the name Myrtie to anyone in my family and they will start reminiscing good times. She held a special place in everyones heart. Myrtie whipped me once. I'm sure I had it coming. It tore her up though. She went off by herself and cried for a while. Uncle Roy said "now look what you did." People like Myrtie make this world a better place. I hope she rubbed off on some of us. Her example was a fine one. She truly had a servants heart. I'm grateful to have had a Myrtie in my life. I hope you have one too, even if by another name.

Myrtie Ethel Smith Collins Born: Dec 6, 1908 Death: Feb 11, 1975