MEMORIES WRITTEN BY DORIS

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT DORIS KIRKHAM JOHNSON

Carolyn asked me to write memories of olden days, to put with histories.

Written by Doris in 2006:

You know, Maurice loved dogs and cats.  One time, a pretty dog showed upon our place, coming from the direction of the field.  It would sneak near the house and “sponge” off the cats’ food.   So we named him “Sponger”.

Maurice would take him in the pickup at nights when he went to irrigate.  One night I went with Maurice out in the field.  I sat next to him, and Sponger got in, but immediately faced the window with his back to me.  It was obvious he was jealous.  We laughed about that. 

Once we were kneeling by the bed in prayer, and Sponger came and sat, and put his front paws on the bed.

Written by Doris in 2006:

Sometimes, I feel so lacking in intelligence and accomplishment, then I like to remember – I gave the speech at Eight Grade Graduation, I was chosen by the High School faculty as Miss Leadership (picture in the Annual), Student Body Vice President, First Runner-up to Idaho Mother of the Years, Stake R. S. President, Young Women’s President, Primary President, Ward R. S. President. 

Maybe I did something right.

(“Landed” the best husband in the world).  We raised 6 great children.

Written by Doris in 2006:

Ina Mickleson (Herndon)

We lived on the farm West of Shelley for four years.  I had a dear friend that I still think of and how much we “giggled”.  Her parents were strict Lutherans, and kind to me, but did not understand our silliness.  We lived two miles apart, and I still remember we would walk to meet each other, and laugh as soon as we could see each other.  We would ride her horse, and when it trotted, we’d laugh and fall off.  It’s a wonder it didn’t step on us.  We swam, and laughed in the little canal by their house.  Breakfast, when  I “slept over”, was warm milk, eaten from a bowl with a spoon, and homemade rolls.  When our family moved back to Shelley, we hardly saw each other anymore.  I want to see her again – we’ll laugh for sure.( Note-CJC:  I’m sure this has happened.)

Written by Doris in 2006:

Sometimes I think about meals and housework back in the “old days”.  I always prepared three meals a day, as did every mother.  The only time we had “prepared cereal” was on Sunday morning so I could hurry to get ready for Church.

It was nice that Maurice liked old fashioned bread and milk (homemade bread).  Someone had said “It seemed like you’d just get one meal over, and have to start on the next.  Not quite, I had many duties in between.  During the years the children were growing up, I could never read or do handwork.  Now, at 82, in 2006, I have time for it.

Once, Maurice had to visit the doctor.  When he came home, he said, “The doctor told me not to eat anymore ‘Bakers’ Bread’ “.  He liked our homemade bread best.

Written by Doris in 2006:

One of my happy memories is having our picture, Maurice and I, on the cover of the Church News.  Maureen told a friend of our family organization.  She happened to be on the staff of the Church News.  She came to our house, chatted with us out by our family sign by the road, and took the picture.  I have the picture in one of my scrapbooks.

Written by Doris in 2006:

Sometimes, when I “make” my bed, I smile to think of the time Dale was speaking in Church, after his mission.  He said,  “I’ve never seen a day that my Mother didn’t make her bed.  In fact, I’ve never seen her in bed, she’s awake and busy all the time.”

Written by Doris in 2006:

When I was Stake Relief Society President, I had the desire to one year have 100% Visiting Teaching in the Stake one month.  So we requested this of the Sisters.  That was accomplished, one sister being visited the very last day.  I knew we shouldn’t do it for records, but having accomplished it, the Stake Visiting Teaching record remained higher after that.

Written by Doris in 2006:

In the Fall, after harvest, we always did something to improve the house.  It could be painting, wall papering, remodeling.  Maurice made sure some of our money was used for something I would like. (Note-CJC:  I remember the wallpapering; big tables set up on saw horses in the dining and living room where dad could paint paste on the back of the wallpaper.  What a mess!  I particularly remember the dark forest green wallpaper with the bequests of pink flowers sprinkled on it.)

Written by Doris in 2006:

One of my earliest memories is of Monroe, Utah, where I was born.  My father had been transferred to Shelley.  We were temporarily living in the Sugar Company Boarding House. 

Word came that my father and a fellow worker were accidently trapped in a train box-car by a collapsed crane.  The other man was killed, and word was sent to my mother that workers were trying to free my father.  I was five, and I remember my mother pacing around in the kitchen, baby Bob in her arms, awaiting news.  He was rescued unhurt and said later his whole life flashed before him.  Much later, he told us a voice had said “Fall to the floor.”  He did and saved him.

Written by Doris in 2010:

Would you believe that in the “olden Days” we women never wore slacks (pants)?  We always were in dresses.  Then it came that we wore them just on picnics, then to do yard work.

When Sonny and Cher (singers) became popular, she wore pants.  We thought it was strange.  I don’t know if it was because of that, but right at that time we began to wear slacks more often, even at home.  We felt more modest doing yard and housework.  (Note-CJC:  I wore dresses all through school.  In the winter I would have huge, bulky snow pants under my dress.  We would have looked like clowns. Even worse, I wore the one piece full torso brown underwear with a buttoned flap in the back to be pulled down when needed.  I dreaded going to the bathroom. We always wore dresses to High School. )