It was difficult to get stories about Mom from Mom. She was quite modest and preferred to talk about her parents, siblings, and others. But here are four that I can remember - a couple of them because I was there.
Story 1
When Mom (Dorothy) was three years old she got a sliver of wood under her fingernail. It infected and turned to blood poisoning in her arm. The doctor came and told Grandma that the arm would have to be amputated to save her life. Grandma refused and asked the doctor to try something else. He cut her arm inside near the armpit to drain off the infection. In order to get her to cooperate and hold still he gave her a silver dollar, which he put on the dresser in her room. After days of reopening the wound in the arm and draining the infection it finally healed with no ill effects. She was never sure if he really gave her the dollar or eventually took it with him.
Story 2
When Kent and Carol were infants they didn't really look alike. Carol was chubby and robust with straight hair while Kent was scrawny with log wavy hair. Carol was often mistaken for the boy and Kent for the girl. Nevertheless often people would see them with Mom and ask, "Are they twins?" Mom would reply, "Yes." Then they would ask, "What are they?" The reply, "A boy and a girl." Then they would inevitably ask, "Are they identical?" She always had to stifle her first inclination which was to say, "not when I changed their diapers." Instead she just said, "No."
Story 3
The winter of 1949-50 was a heavy snow year in Logan where we lived while Dad finished at Utah State. To get a few groceries at Mr. Tym’s store a half block away was a major ordeal. Roger was an infant and I (Phill) was just two. We couldn't be left home alone so Dad attached a wooden soapbox to the sled into which Mom put a quilt. Then I was put in the bottom of the sled with Roger on my lap (we had snowsuits on) and the quilt was wrapped around us. I actually remember this.
Story 4
When Dad was in the first years of high school, his family moved to Richfield for a couple of years. They lived just down the street from the Ogdens. Dad used to walk to school with Jane who was his age. Mom and Dad really discovered each other when Mom transferred from BYU to Utah State after her freshman year and Dad returned from the Navy. Mom made it through three yeas total in English before they married and I came along.
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