Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Swapping tales

Like many families we assembled a scrapbook for my grandparents Bob and Iva Williams Sawyer's 50th wedding anniversary celebration in 1975. I have posted some photographs and a newspaper clipping from the scrapbook recently and will be posting more.

Bob and Iva Williams Sawyer

Most of the letters and notes included in the book are full of the warm memories, love and congratulations due a couple celebrating such a milestone. But my grandfather's niece by marriage, Connie Haun, included a couple of the stories that we knew so well and always associated with a Sawyer gathering.

The Sawyers and my grandfather, in particular, were a garrulous bunch given to to laughter, teasing and many, many stories. He loved to tell tales on himself, and provided ample fodder over the years for those tales. Those small, silly stories are as much a part of my grandfather as any other trait. They don't come through in the pictures or the dates and facts in my database.

Here are Connie's stories.

One night, years ago, Bob had retired a little early probably due to overexertion and Iva went to bed at her usual time; after a few hours had elapsed, Iva thought she heard Bob talking in his sleep so she punched him and said, "Bob, Bob you are talking in your sleep - just saying everything. He responded with a grunting "no, no" and slept on! Minutes later Iva retorted: "yes, Bob, you are too."
"Whats my name?" she inquired emphatically.
"Mud," replied Bob and turned over!

It's true! To be read on Sept. 27, 1975 by family!!
Years ago, Bob and Bill Carver drove over to Cincinnati to attend a ball game.
The next week when the "gang" got together to swap tales, Blair Reams inquired about the trip with the following question before the whole group.
"Bill did you have a good time on your recent trip?"
Bill Carver replied, 
",Yes, I got to say un-huh," when we got back to Bean Station."
Note:  Bob and Iva's 50th wedding anniversary was 1 October 1975 but the family celebrated on Saturday night, 27 September 1975.