THE OLD CLUB HOUSE

This is a great idea Michael. I remember building our club house/ fort. We worked so hard, and had so much fun. Susan and Diane kept coming around wanting to be a part of it but we told them "NO GIRLS ALLOWED". They ran to the adults, but after some debate it was decided that we didn't have to include the girls. -CLOSE CALL- I also remember those Christmas gatherings at Marks house. I used to get a running start, do a belly flop, and slide along the wood floor. My belly was smaller then so it was fun. HA HA The one thing that was strange to me about Christmas in the South was the weather. It was so warm, I was always running around in short sleeve shirts outside, and of course NO SNOW. Mark do you remember when you and Randy got one of your dads cigars. We went behind the shed and you two tried a puff or two. I was look out but I chickened out taking a puff after watching your face turn green. I never did find out if that cured you of smoking or not. My friends at home always thought I would miss them around Christmas, but really seeing you guys was a big deal to me, and I was always glad to spend Christmas with you. It really was more about family than gifts. Do you remember when Linda got her ring from Ernie, that huge box that she started opening, working her way down to the ring size box. I guess that was one time when the gift was very important. People everywhere, food unending, laughter, family. I think I was very lucky to be in the Speagle Boys' Club.

Christmas 1959

Here's that photo. Merry Christmas John, Grandpa, Clarence, Grandma, Kink, and Fran.

At Mark's house

I remember so many gatherings at Mark's house. We have a picture from Christmas 1959 of the entire Speagle clan gathered in Mark's living room. Nearly everyone is looking at the photographer - only the smallest children are looking elsewhere.

Mark's mom is pregnant with his sister-to-be, Diane. My sister Susan is a baby in my mom's lap. Mark is a toddler in his dad's arms - he's looking off to one side. Other charter members of the Speagle Boys' club (me, Randy, Tommy, and David) are sitting or kneeling on the floor in front of the adults. I am only three years old but I do remember posing for that photo. It was the first Speagle Christmas gathering I remember.

Perhaps my ease with crowds was developed over the years of Speagle holiday gatherings. Uncle Clarence, who would watch me navigate the crowds each year, would joke that if I ever ran for governor, he'd vote for me.

There would always be lots of food and fun. The emphasis always was on how lucky we were to be together, not on the presents.

Great Idea...A Virtual Clubhouse!

Mike, great idea to get everyone together and keeping in touch. Now we can revisit the clubhouse above/behind the garage that Grandpa used to let us use. Indeed many memories worth keeping and remembering of those days. It truly was a slice of Americana. I got to experience it many Sundays throughout the year living reasonably close. It was always a treat whenever the out of town Speagle boys showed up. Salisbury wasn't so far away but it was long distance on the telephone, which made it a long ways off (who ever used long distance unless it was an emergency??). And Indiana....well that was WAY off. So much to talk about when our distant cousins arrived.

Mostly we just hung out and did stuff...fun things, like play war or explorer...build something, fashion sticks into some device. This is the part of the legacy of our childhood. TV was OK but we spent our time outdoors! Music was important but we didn't tote it along when we were together outside. The food, the family, they all made everything great (unless it interfered with our plans).

Since it is Christmas, I fondly remember getting together at my home for the Speagle Christmas Party. It was always at night so all the activity was indoors. We enjoyed the big front living room (I don't know how many times we played games on those long hardwood floors) within the wood paneling and painted beams. Or enjoyed the party in the basement, or hung out in my room. Then when the parties moved to the community center or to Grandma's church, we also had fun times. I'll never forget the miracle snowball throw I made at one particular party, just as it was ending. I lobbed that one from a LONG distance. Snow had fallen as we met, and I made a high, arching toss toward David. That snowball struck him right on top of his head! He answered me by opening the car door and nailing me with one before leaving. It's one of those moments that never leaves you. There were many of those in The Speagle Boys Club. Merry Christmas guys!

Who are the Speagle Boys' Club?

Only two of us were technically Speagle boys: my cousins Randy and Tommy. But our maternal grandmother and grandfather were named Speagle, and so even though our last name wasn't Speagle, we were Speagle boys.

On holidays, the extended Speagle family would gather at my grandparents' farm in the foothills of western North Carolina and share a holiday feast of fried chicken, corn, green beans, and pie. The Speagle boys would play outdoors until dark.

We loved each other like brothers, me and my cousins Mark, David, Greg, Randy, and Tommy. Bobby was older than the rest of us. He occasionally would join in our activities, but it was little kid stuff to him most of the time. Bruce was considerably younger - when he tried to keep up with us, he'd get frustrated. The girl cousins did their own thing - we weren't paying attention.

There was so much to do on that farm - play horseshoes, roam the woods, check out grandpa's cattle! So much to do!

I'm setting up this blog as a place to remember those magical times. I'll invite my cousins to contribute.