We had no running water.
All the water we used for cooking and drinking was caught from off the
top of the roof. A trough, similar to a
gutter, ran around the house and down to the cistern. Lime was kept in the water to purify it.
The water that was used was washing was caught and kept
in a rain bucket. Water that was used to
wash the hair was always caught so that it would be fresh.
Life, then was uncomplicated; no electricity; no light
bill; no running water; no rent. Sound
good? There was also no money, and we
had to eat. Roy Burr showed Clifton and
Thomas how to make rabbit traps and the boys always had rabbits hanging on the
clothesline.
Old John, that old dog, kept a watch on them. He thought
he was taking care of us, and he was. He
killed snakes like you wouldn’t believe.
His head has swollen twice as large as it should have been and once, his
tongue almost rotted off when a poisonous snake bit him while being
killed. But you didn’t find many snakes
around home.
