Home life

....Continued ....

As I said, we worked hard on Hermans farm to help him get started, the weeds in his corn field seemed to overtake the corn if we didn't chop it out, me being 7 years old and able to handle a hoe to whack the weeds with the rest of the siblings seemed to feel like I'm a grown up, but as the sun got hot and my energy drained I told one of the older siblings that I needed water,  her reaction was No, we're not out here long enough for you to need water, you must be wanting to slip away from work!! So I tried my best to keep going, finally I said I just can't make it anymore, I was told I'm allowed to go to the well an get a drink but get right back out to the field,
As I started walking towards the well everything was getting blurry and I started walking on air , but before I knew it I was inside and mom was washing my feet and putting a cold towel to my head, I asked her what happened and why is she cleaning my feet?
My thoughts were...is she thinking I'm gonna die?   She assured me that I'll be ok but I didn't have to go back out to chop weeds,  whooo...what a relief!  I was delighted I got away from the hard work without a fight with my older siblings or a spanking.
 
 Grandfather Uria Gingerich passed away in this year, I remember lots of visitors came to our house and I realized as much as I disliked grandpa's hurtful actions I'm also really gonna miss him not harassing me, I remember a few of my run off cousins showed up for his funeral and everyone was talking about it, us younger cousin girls were saying that they will go in the fire forever if they don't come back amish, (fire, meaning hell)  that was really what we thought to be true, and we weren't supposed to talk to them but I did notice some men talking to them outside, it was shameful for women or girls to make an effort to talk to men.
 Continue. ....