Dad's lives. I truly believe that the Lord gave them two daughters to cushion the loss of the two sons who died. Mother would have Ida and me help with various house duties around our home. Ida remembers our sister-in-law, Myrtle, wife of our brother Horace, doing the ironing. This fascinated Ida. She tried to iron as well as Myrtle and was very successful by the age of 11 or 12. Our cousin, Celesta Forsgren Peterson, ironed shirts for her three sons and husband. She also excelled at ironing. Ida would watch her as she ironed, and soon Ida was ironing our brother Orion's shirts. He was very neat about his grooming and was very pleased with the beautiful ironing Ida did on his shirts. I had the responsibility each week to clean the living room and dining room floors and dust the furniture. In the flower season, I would always pick a bouquet of fresh flowers to be placed on the living room table or buffet. DAD'S WAY On weekends, Ida or I would make a cake the way our father liked it. He enjoyed a cake made with raisins and without frosting. Then we would make a cake complete with attractive icing for the rest of the family members. We often laughed when Dad would say, "Give me a little piece of that cake" (with icing). He felt his plain cake was far better health-wise than the cakes with frosting. Ida learned to make excellent lemon pies which we enjoyed from time to time. Dad would enjoy Mother's homemade whole-wheat bread with home made ice cream. When we were in our youth, we would always help Mother pick gooseberries at Addie Putman's lot or on a lot owned by Orion on Jefferson Avenue. He also had raspberries on this lot. When Dad's boysenberries (which he had planted on his dry farm) were ready for picking, we would help do some of the picking. Dad often recalled the time his nephew, Vivian Gibson (a young man at the time), was with him on the dry farm. Vivian said, "Oh, I wish something exciting would happen!" When a rattlesnake appeared he proceeded to yell, jump, and run. That was enough excitement for him for one day! ASKING PERMISSION Our father was very protective of my sister and me. When we wanted to go somewhere or had a date, Mother would say "yes", but ask your father. He would always say "no" before he relented and would then give approval. Ida and I have laughed about this over the years as we knew his first answer would be "no" followed by a yes.