How observant can a three year old be? So, I am running behind my grandfather who is plowing the potato field with a horse-drawn plow. How exciting! The plow exposed and broke a canning jar, which I subsequently stepped on, nearly severing my little toe off. This was on the 2nd of July. With the 4th of July approaching, I could barely walk. My uncle carried me over to the fire cracker to light it, so I could be part of the celebration . It was not a very fun 4th!

So, I am stabbing an ice pick through a bushel basket, They were made of a very thin wood, and no problem penetrating the wood. Trouble was, I was standing with the basket in front of me, very close. When the ice pick went through, I jabbed myself in the shin. The skin is very thin across your shin, and it hurts like hell when you jag a pick into the bone!

When I was five, my sister convinced me to jump from a fence to a blanket that she and a friend were holding. They would catch me in the blanket. But, I missed the blanket and hit the ground breaking my arm!
When I was in seventh grade, in a shop class, I opened a vice that was shielded with a sheet of copper. The copper was bent out just a bit and I snagged my hand on it. As I lifted the vice grip opening rod, I sliced my hand cutting both my upper and lower tendons to my finger. Obviously, this rendered my finger inoperable. While it did not hurt, I was still incapacitated in my hand. They took me to the doctor ( real quake) who probed up my arm to grasp my tendons that had retracted up my arm. Once the tendons were reconnected, they put a cast on my arm to render it stable. Well, now with my right hand in a cast, I could not write or do my home work. Cheers!!!!! However, when I was at home I wanted to cook some candy. No big deal, just stir with my left hand! Then, I poured the candy onto a sheet to cool, following which I stacked it on a plate. Well, as it cooled, the layers of candy stuck together because I didn’t sprinkle powdered sugar on each layer of candy. No problem! I just stuck a butcher knife in the crotch of my elbow wedged between my arm and the cast. Well, the plate began to slip away as I pushed on the knife. Well, my left arm was free so I held the plate down with my left hand while I pushed the knife with my cast arm. With enough force, the knife popped through the candy and jabbed into my adjacent hand holding the plate. The blade went clean though my hand. Now, with my right arm in a cast, and my left in excruciating pain, stupidity written on my face, I grabbed a gob of cotton and held it tight to stop the bleeding. Can’t tell anyone about my stupidity, so just had to endure the pain for at least a week to get marginal healing. Now I can’t even pretend to write and can’t tell anyone about my stupidity. Both hands useless !

So I had this pet Great Horned Owl (one of many) whom I released into the wild. But, it stuck around looking for free food. When I fed it I always went out the door just off the kitchen. There was a latch on this door that had a distinct sound when you released it, kind of a slid and clunk sound. Very distinct. Well, this ole owl knew that sound, and whenever he heard it, he took flight from what ever tree he was perching, anticipating a free meal! With the changing of the season, we adjusted our clocks accordingly, but the ole owl had a different clock! So, as it would happen my Aunt and Uncle were over visiting. My Aunt opens that kitchen door and steps out——————— It was dark because of the season. Guess who heard that latch?????? Owls are famous for their SILENT FLIGHT. Furthermore, they are almost invisible at night! When the owl swooped up to retrieve his treat, there was my unsuspecting Aunt. She didn’t have her arm out, so the owl tried to land on her head, the highest place in front of him. My aunt, with her arms flailing about, screaming at the top of her lungs, my owl did not get his usual treat! But, I had an enormous laugh, which she did not appreciate.