Red Headed Stranger

 Fleta 1948

I think this may be the oldest picture ofSister Fleta.  It’s July 1948.  She was 6 months old.  I checked the weather for January 1948 and it was similar to today.  Highs were in the low 50’s and lows were low 30’s.  

Fleta is 73 today.  Patsy wrote of her birth in 2013.  Patsy was 74 when she wrote this.  Happy Birthday, Fleta.  Bible verse for you is Philippians 1: 3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you.  

Red Haired Stranger

Tomorrow marks a big day in my life in 1948.   Until that day I had been the only girl child in our family on that day mama gave birth to a red haired stranger.  We named her Fleta and I went around telling everyone, now I have a sister to play with.

I didn't realize that by the time she was old enough to play I would be too old to play.  Little did I know she was just the first of a streak of girls none of which would be my playmates but they played together and squalling for me to hold them.   Yes, they did. 

By the time Fleta was 6 months old I couldn't leave the room with out her crying. I thought this was great for a while and then realized that this squalling kid curtailed my freedom.
The summer when she was one and a half I had started reading everything I could find to read. One day I carried her and my book out the road  and put her down to play or eat dirt it was her choice to make while I read my book when I next noticed the red head she was eating toad stools. I didn't know if they were poison or not but decided I would wait to see if she got sick before telling daddy . She didn't get sick so I decided no harm was done so why tell daddy and get him all upset.

Fleta wasn't any thing like me, I run to fat and she is skinny. I don't know why but she has always acted like eating was a chore while I love to eat actually Fleta is the only person in our family that doesn't run to fat.

Fleta has a very sharp tongue while I am very sweet person.  Happy Birthday from Patsy.