Verla: When we were first married, we lived in a little two-room house on a farm out near Chin. No electricity, no heat- we got our water from a well in the yard… What else?

Ray: We heated it with coal.

V: Yes, we heated the house with coal. There was this big old stove in the main room and it had a space behind it. Your grandpa had it in his mind that he was going to be a farmer, and he’d bring me all these animals. We had baby lambs back there, and baby pigs… some chickens one time!

R: (chuckles)

V: There was no fridge, so if we wanted to keep anything cool, we’d have to put it down the well…

R: Kept things pretty cool. Worked really well hmm?

V: It did. Our first Christmas there we had a Christmas tree with no lights because we didn’t have electricity. Do you remember that Ray? We had to have it in the bedroom! (laughs)

R: Well there was no room anywhere else. The other room was filled with all your little pets!

V: Ha! MY little pets…

R: We should try it again sometime.

V: Try what? Farming? I don’t think so! Why on earth would you want to do that? Don’t you like flipping a switch and having light?

R: Well then I could have a moustache!

V: You’re sure full of it tonight, aren’t you?

Me: Better watch out grandpa, or grandma will spank you.

V: Oh we don’t do spankings in this house.

R: Yeah, we only do kisses and hope for something better!

R: Better eat your ice cream before it melts.

V: It’s not going to melt. It’s not that hot and I’m certainly not that hot.

R: Dunno… You look pretty hot to me!

V: You also can’t see well...

R: *coughs*

V: Honey!

R: Yes honey?

V: Don’t choke!

R: Why not? Then you could give me mouth to mouth!

*          *         *

So great. Also, this past week they celebrated their 60th Anniversary on November 11!