MOVING TO THE COUNTRY The first day in my new home in Bear River left me with many happy memories. September 13, 1957 was a beautiful sunny morning, but there was a chill in the air. I spent very little time in this community prior to our marriage, so I was not familiar with the surroundings. Some of the residents of the community I had met before, but many were strangers to me. I stepped out on the doorstep and looked all around East, West and North. When I turned towards the South, I was amazed to see the most scenic pond of water that I had ever seen in my life. The surface was as clear as crystal, foamed with dark blue colors. Some mallard ducks could be seen swimming in the background, and in their loud voices were saying their good mornings with their "Quack Quacks"! I looked in the other direction, and there to my amazement were pink and while lilies peering over lily pads. To me, it was a whole new world of nature at its best. Within the confines of this home, I was welcomed by Joe's mother, Mary Bell . It was her home, and mine too. With patience and kindness, we were able to solve our differences, making it easier to get along together. Conveniences were few at that time. There was no running water, so buckets of water had to be pumped and brought in to the house. It was placed in a tank attached to the stove. The water would heat while the fire was burning. I was very fortunate, as I received a wringer washer machine for a wedding gift. It gave me a few problems at first, for you had to fill it by hand, empty it and refill it with clean water to rinse the clothes. This particular washing machine had its limitations, for its agitator had a habit of sticking, and as a result would not turn. One morning it refused to budge for me, so I summoned Joe, who came to my rescue. He was in a hurry, as it was a good day for making hay. He hastily tied a stick to the agitator and pulled. The stick slipped, and went through the top section of the door, breaking the glass. He then turned the machine around to get a better grip. Luck was not with him that day, for the stick slipped again, and this time, hit the lower window in the door, causing it to break as well. With two broken windows and the machine 51