RUNNEMEDE REMEMBERED

Growing up in a small town in Southern New Jersey


Monday, October 22, 2007

Eggs, chickens, and chicken coops



I know this picture is small, but I don't know how to make it bigger for this BLOG. the persons on the left side of the picture are me and, I assume, some babysitter, but I don't recognize the person, even in the full-size picture. And I'm sorry this is so blurry. Beside the church (picture taken in 1947) left side of the picture behind the picket fence are chicken coops. They were are neighbor's coops. The Lodges'. I barely remember Mr. Lodge, but I remember Mrs. Lodge. She baked good cookies.

Mr. Lodge would frequently bring mom eggs (fresh) and chickens (freshly killed with the feet still on). Mom would boil up the whole chicken and she would eat the feet. Yes, my mom ate the chicken feet, telling me that there were lots of nutrients in that part of the chicken. Can you imagine that? I know we ate a lot of eggs.

The chicken coops were demolished after Tom Lodge died (Tom being oldest son). They were a fixture in our side yard for years and years. And they really did smell bad. Anyway, Tom died in 1972 -- I know this because dad was the executor of the estate and had to sell everything in the house. We came down two weeks after my youngest child was born and went through the house and got some neat antiques which I still have.

I mentioned Tom Lodge in another BLOG -- he was our Friday produce man.

When Mrs. Lodge (Tom's mother) died in 1948 my mom told me that Jesus was coming to take Mrs. Lodge to be with Him. I sat on the back step for hours watching for Jesus. I just wanted to see Him. Well, Jesus came and went and took Mrs. Lodge with Him. I didn't see Him. I cried. Poor mom. How do you explain to a 5-year-old that Mrs. Lodge is with Jesus -- Jesus took her to be with Him, but He didn't come in person to get her? I survived it, and I'm really looking forward to the day when I see Him face to face, when He comes to take me to be with Him.

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