There are a couple memories I have of John Awalt, Sr. that might stir some memories from his family. John was always doing something with wood, whether it was carpentry or creative woodworking. I built the cabinets for our house and wanted a nice valence for the area above the sink, between the cupboard cabinets. I drew a pattern and headed down to see John. I showed him my design and he said it was good and he would have no problem making me one. A few days later he called me and said to come and get it. Of course I had to have coffee and cookies with he a Gertrude before I left. When we were finished, I took out my billfold and asked what I owed him for such a nice piece of woodwork? He said, “You don’t owe me anything. It’s my part of your new house on our old place.” He wouldn’t take a dime.

When he was retiring, Dad bought his temporary workshop that sat west of Dale’s truck stop and we moved it to the farm for a shop building. John kind of went with the project and helped me put in the overhead door and other jobs. It was working with him that I learned a lot of things about carpentry. Between John and Bill Peterson, I could find out nearly anything I needed to know when I was building or remodeling. For those who don’t know, Bill is John’s nephew. While working on Dad’s shop, I also heard many of the cliches John used and I bet his kids remember. It was the first time I heard anybody say, “I cut it off twice and it’s still too short.” John also had his own little saying. Most people say, “Holy Moses”–not John–he turned that around to, “Moldy Hoses”. There were a couple ‘others’ that I will just keep in MY memory. Once he asked me to bring down a load of old barnyard manure for his garden. I had some that had been piled for many years and I had used it on my own garden and it really worked well, so I loaded a big load and took it to John. He wasn’t home when I got there so I just shoveled it off and spread it around evenly on his garden. He came home just when I finished and when he looked at it he got a strange look on his face. He said, “I don’t want to seem ungrateful, but that’s going to be way to rich and my spuds will be all scabby.” I felt kind of bad, but I told him I didn’t think so because it worked well on my own garden. Later that summer I was sitting at the counter at Dale’s and John came in and wrapped his arm around my neck and said, “I just went out to the garden and dug some of my spuds and they are the biggest and best that I’ve ever grown in that garden. You really know your s__t!” I guess that was a compliment! Thanks Gary!

Dick

Thank you to Bonnie Awalt Houle. I found your input, Bonnie, on your son’s interview of your Dad most interesting and entertaining. For me, it brought back memories of when I was young from about 7 or 8 until I started high school. We heated with wood, and for many years it was my job to chop the wood and bring in the daily supply. I also remember us using a thrashing machine for several years which involved cutting the grain with a binder hitched to a team of horses and putting the bundles of grain up in shocks to dry. We also did a lot of other things on the farm with horses. Of course, we also had a tractor for plowing, seeding, etc. We also did a lot of sledding on one big hill in particular and found many other ways to entertain ourselves throughout the years. Thanks again for refreshing my own memories.

And to you Gary, congrats on your 200 plus. I’m not bowling this year (the first time I’ve not league bowled in many years) as I hurt my throwing shoulder last spring and it still isn’t properly/completely healed.
Keith Pladson (66)