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Slotemaker Cousins: We are going to have a Slotemaker reunion this summer, in July, of descendants of your grandpa and grandma. Agnes: Really? Do I get to go? Slotemaker Cousins: Well, yes, as you are the most important of the many guests. Agnes: Me? Important? Why? Slotemaker Cousins: You are the only one who still remembers Cornelis and Aagje, and we think you are the only one still here who was in the 50th Wedding Anniversary picture.
Agnes: It will be so nice to have a chance to see everyone. How can I help? Slotemaker Cousins: It will be a chance for the younger generation to talk to you and ask questions. We'll leave a tablet with you today and maybe you could write down any memories about things past or the family. Agnes: I don't know why anyone would want to know anything about me. Slotemaker Cousins: You've lived a long life and have seen many things change. Agnes: You mean like the difference between having a baby now and back when I was born? Slotemaker Cousins: Yes, that sort of thing. Agnes: Well, I can tell you one story I remember hearing because it was about when I was born! Slotemaker Cousins: We're listening. Agnes: When my mom went into labor with me, dad took the horse and buggy to get the midwife, leaving mom at home with the boys (Cornelius and Henry) and with her in-laws (Cornelis and Aagje). When Dad was on his way back with the midwife, the bridge had washed away in a flood, and they had to find another route back to the house. In the mean time, I was born without the midwife present. Grandpa and grandma weren't exactly sure what to do, but they thought the most important thing was to keep my head elevated to keep my throat clear. So, I was laid with my head resting on the ankle of grandpa until Dad and the midwife arrived. I was having difficulty breathing when they got there, but the midwife quickly took control and I was fine. Or at least that's what they told me later! Slotemaker Cousins: See? Now that was interesting. We read in The Slotemaker Story that your mom, Tillie was a mid-wife. Do you remember anything about that? Agnes: I remember when mom was off being a nurse or a mid-wife I'd get left to tend to the family. I'd do the cooking, the cleaning, wash the clothes, and I was quite young, 12 or so, and one time Dick was real sick with the flu and it was Saturday which was the day we scrubbed the floors, and mom was gone and so I was scrubbing and I wasn't feeling very well and Henry came in and saw me and decided I had a fever. We took my temperature and it was 102. Henry threw out the mop water and made me go to bed and rest. Henry was so gentle and kind. Slotemaker Cousins: You've told us before what a nice brother Henry was and how naughty Neil was. Do you have any good Neil story for us that we've not heard before? Preferably something naughty. Agnes: Well. I remember something that happened to Neil but it isn't about him being naughty. Slotemaker Cousins: We're listening. Agnes: Neil was hit by lightning; it was in the Fall, the men and boys were out in the field, shocking the hay when a storm came up. They continued to work, hoping to get as much hay shocked as they could. Neil was using a pitch-fork to throw the hay, and the pitch-fork was hit by lightning. He was thrown backwards and landed on the ground. They all came in for the day. Slotemaker Cousins: This wasn't when he started being naughty was it? Agnes: Goodness no, he was naughty before he got struck by lightning! Slotemaker Cousins: Do you have any more memories from when you took care of the family? Or how about a story of something naughty that you did? Agnes: Well, here's something that happened while I was taking care of the family while mom was gone and I was a bit naughty! Slotemaker Cousins: You've got our attention. Agnes: One of the things I did when mom was gone was I baked bread. One time I made a batch of bread but I forgot to put the yeast in it. I figured that out when it didn't raise. Everyone was out working in the field, so before anyone knew what I had done I cut the dough into chunks and fed it to the pigs! It was good I cut it into chunks because even pigs wouldn't have eaten that tough, old dough and I wanted it all gone because I didn't want anyone to know what I had done. Slotemaker Cousins: Well. Let's end this visit on that naughty note. We hope you're going to behave for the Reunion and not do anything naughty! Agnes: I'll have to behave with all four of my daughters there! I'm looking forward to seeing how many people come. There will probably be people there who know each other but didn't know they are related! I'll be the only one who was in that photo from 90 year's ago. I wonder how many people will be in the new photo? (note: at the reunion a photo will be taken with the descendants of the people in the 50th Anniversary photo from 90 year's ago) Slotemaker Cousins: We wonder too. The number of descendants from the people in that photo is quite a large number. We have a list, we should count the number. Agnes: Do that. I'd like to know! |
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