It was almost like the stereotypical story of the boy who left home to go stay with a rich uncle and had the time of his life and was constantly entertained. The end. That’s a bit what it felt like for the two trips that I recall taking to visit my Aunt Louise and Uncle Carroll. The trip in 1978 was actually the second time I paid a visit to them – the first being in McLean, Virginia in 1973 – but this was the first one that I remember.
My best guess for the date of this trip was the August 5 – August 12 time frame. From the dates on the pictures, it appears that these were developed after the Youngstown trip and this week in August was completely blank on the calendar that my Mom used in 1978 – with no other appointments noted.
By this time, Louise (who is the sister of my Grandpa Murphy) and Carroll had moved from McLean and were residing in a lovely country home in Charles Town, West Virginia. My Great Grandma Murphy was also living three with them, so it was always nice to get time with her. We loaded up in our Grand Prix and drove the 8-hour journey almost due west until we had arrived.
The front of the house/playground
Another angle with our Grand Prix parked out in front like it belonged there
The back patio – with shufflboard court
This photo of Grandma Murphy may or may not have been taken during this trip
I don’t remember a great deal bout our time here, but I do recall some of the fun things that could be played around the homestead: the slot machine, the pool table, the shuffleboard on the back patio, Uncle Carroll’s g0-cart, and my favorite thing of all – the Pachinko machine. I spent hours of my carefree days feeding metal ball after metal ball into this ingenious device.
Dad humors me as I become obsessed with a new game
Go-cart riding with Dad in the long driveway that was perfect for this
Mesmerized by the Pachinko machine
Even Denise joins in. Either that or she tries to eat the metal balls.
I can’t specifically recall playing pool, but along with the Christmas parties at the Eagles Club, it is likely that this was some of my earliest exposure to the game. Dad enjoyed the go-carts just as much as I did. And this was my first games of shuffle-board, and loved playing it in successive vacations if I could find it. And it was quite a deal the way the slot machine work. Carroll would give me a roll of nickels to use, and whatever I won I got to keep…that is, if I didn’t end up feeding them back in – which I did.
Some big-time gambling fun for a 6-year old
As the photos below indicate, Louise and Carroll also gathered some of the other family members from the area, and we had a fun family night with some of my distant relatives. My Mom’s cousin Pat had a son named Packy that was my playmate for the evening. I got a kick out of that name Packy, and was confused when I heard Carroll call him Patrick. Then I learned all about nicknames.
Denise presents her Great Grandma with a Kermit the Frog doll
Uncle Carroll lounges and enjoys the family. He drank coffee 24-hours a day and smoked some very aromatic pipe tobacco.
Aunt Louise, the eldest of her three siblings, relaxes in the dining room
Carroll, Louise, and Great Grandma
Mom’s cousins Mike Murphy (son of Grandpa Murphy’s brother Duane) and Pat Stewart Gorman (daughter of Louise and Carroll). I got a kick out of seeing the cowboy Tim Conway look-alike who was Pat’s husband Bill.
Doing my best to win at Animal Twister
Mike, Pat, and Bill cheer us on
Great Grandma Murphy holds her newest Great Grandson, who belongs to Mike and Beth (who is looking on)
Resting up with Packy after a hard evening’s game of Twister
It would be three years until we would once again venture to the home of Louise and Carroll, but the great time that I had with them on this trip ensured that I was as excited as can be to see them once again – and play with all of their toys – during the Summer of 1981.
1978 will continue as I enter First Grade…
Fun to see the pictures and read the story. You’re right, it did feel like you were visiting your rich relatives.
Bev
January 15th, 2011