My Uncle Bill whose used to be a professional wrestler. whom some of us kids would try to model ourselves after some what, lived in different parts of the country at different times of his life and would come home when ever he could, surprising everyone especially his little sister, who is my aunt, Betty. One of the things he would do without exception would bring home a country salt and pepper cure country ham. I was told on his way home he would drive our of his way miles just to make sure he had one. Arriving sometimes late at night almost midnight at times, he Uncle Bill would have Aunt Betty up all night baking biscuits and frying country ham. He told me that his daddy raised him on salt and pepper cured country hams and that he just loved them. Just about all his brothers , my Uncles Jess, Elmer, and Uncle Bob would butcher hogs every year. Remembering that they would get up around 4:00 am and light the fires to heat irons for the kettles that the water was in order to scold the hogs so their hair would come off. Those Kettles held about 45 to 50 gallons of water. My Uncles would put huge pieces of iron in the water after getting them red hot in the fires they built. Than putting large hooks in the hogs mouths after demising them, pulled them in and out of the kettles full of water and rub them with jar lids, scalping them with knives until all the hair was off prior of hanging them and sectioning them into quarters. I can remember as a Kid tasting the country fried ham meat, it puts a certain craving in your system that just pops up every fall and winter on its own. I still get it. My Dad would raise hogs also but we had to, because of Dads condition, had to have help in the butchering process but Dad did all the curing of the hams though. Uncle Bill loved to sing and so did Aunt Betty even though I wasnt big enough at the time to have heard them I bet they were quite a couple to listen to. According to Uncle Bill, Aunt Betty didnt have any kids at the time so he didnt mind having her to help him to quench his longing for the taste of that good southern fried country ham. He probably did the same thing long after Robin and Rick were born I would venture to say. I will have to ask them. What a relationship! Hun! Aunt Betty just like that though, she likes to see people enjoy themselves especially her older brother and most of the time it was her and uncle Dales expense. They just loved to see the whole family- brothers, sisters, their wives and husbands, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, etc together enjoying each other company and fellowship what a pair - good for the entire family as whole - hope Im not just rattling -- remember dont have an editor happy trails
Posted on: Tue, 04 Mar 2014 02:54:50 +0000
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