By Lula Anderson
Well, we got our first snowstorm of the year, was a little disappointing, after the big hype, I expected a bit more, but we did get the promised 6 – 8 inches. Now, on Tuesday, I’m waiting to see what happens with this storm. The change over to rain is upsetting. Judy has to go out and get the pumps running as the water comes running down the hill directly into the driveway to the post office. With all of the new construction, the engineers don’t take water into consideration except for drinking and septic. We’re filling in our wetlands because land is valuable, plus making pods that don’t have the proper outlets, so where is the water going? We all know that the old folks, who have lived through many storms, don’t know what they’re talking about. The young engineers studied and passed tests, so they know best.
Trying to find an affordable place to go shopping in the area. I really can’t go to Prattsville or Tannersville, my boys used to stop at the Lockers for cold cuts and such, now where? Wouldn’t it be nice if the towns would reconsider Dollar General for this area?
Nellis Newcomb is back home after spending the holidays with her daughter and family in the Albany area. My daughter, Sonja, has been visiting with me for a couple of days.
Sympathy and prayers to the family of Carol Anderson and to Don Speenburg on the passing of his brother.
AS I REMEMBER IT
What a surprise I had last Wednesday when I got a phone call from my friends Jay Fink and Mike Ryan who needed someone to interview for their Wednesday Windham Weekly session. It was a totally off the cuff and I had no idea what Mike was going to ask of me. There are some things that you remember that you would rather forget, but not this time. Of course, once I hung up, I didn’t stop thinking about the memories his questions dragged up.
My mind went back to the hotel of my Grandparents. At the time, in the 30’s and 40’s, hotels provided everything. My grandparents had more of a rooming house, shared bath, but three full meals a day. There was tennis, shuffle board, swimming in the creek, horseback riding, guided trail rides in the mountains. We had a farm which provided fresh milk and eggs from our own coops. My grandfather was a butcher so we always had fresh meat. He also had a cart (wagon) which he would take to the other hotels and sell fresh to them.
We had a horse farm, not just for our guests, but for other hotels. Grandfather would take them to the field at the corner of 296 and South Street which is now where the Windham Pharmacy is. There the guest from the Pines, the Thompson House and the Osborn House would gather to ride. Some days he took them to the Munson House and Crest Park, Brainard Farms, etc. Everyone had a chance to experience the Catskill Mountain farm experience.
My aunt Lucy Griffin Bump, my grandfather’s sister, lived on the opposite side of us. Their hotel, The Bump House, was originally a stopover for cattle drovers or travelers along the Schoharie Kill Bridge Turnpike, also known as the Windham Turnpike when it was still in the settlement of Batavia. In 1943, Aunt Emma Tuttle received the property from her sister, Lucy. It was transferred to Harry and Frances Steele in 1944. In April of 1952, the Farmer’s Museum of Cooperstown obtained possession of Bump’s Tavern, and moved the structure to Cooperstown where it is now a fully functional events venue.
I think so often of how their houses were built, and try to relive the interiors. I remember the games we played in the houses, the hiding places for hide and seek, the closets that had their own particular scent. Now there is no one left to ask or talk to who can help fill in missing pieces. Just thoughts and a thank you to Mike and Jay for helping me remember.
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