Dad, Tell Me About the Time…(4)

Monday, Nov 6, 2023

Was Your Life Financially Comfortable, Or Did Your Family Struggle To Have Enough Money?

While our family was never rich, we always had enough money for the necessities and a few luxuries. Until I was eight we lived on a farm and dad raised sheep. At the same time, my dad managed the Esso Oil bulk dealership in Cardston.

When we moved into town he continued to managed the Esso dealership. They would deliver gas and Diesel to all the farmers who had tanks on their farms for their farm vehicles. At the same time he would pick up random carpenter jobs where ever he could. Dad was a finish carpentor and built cabinets for peoples houses. Unfortunately, I was then at the perfect age where I could help on those jobs. While I hated it at the time, they are now some of my fondest memories.

At some point in the early 70’s dad quit the job at Esso and bought property in Waterton to build a motel. I don’t think he made a ton of money doing that but the point was to keep his kids occupied. It was a total success in that respect and some of the best years of my life.

Once us kids were all grown, he sold the Motels and bought a store in town (Steadmans), built two houses and sold them and then later on he started a reupholstery buisness with Ross and Jackie. I could tell even then that he was trying to set his kids up in businesses.

Fara and Curtis were managing the Steadmans store, Greg (and me) built and sold the houses and Ross and Jackie managed the upholstery business. Unfortunately, Curtis totally mismanaged Steadmans and Mom finally took over running it and Greg for some reason left Cardston after the houses were built. Jackie and Ross ran the upholstery business for years until they moved to the states.

--------------------trivia--------------------

Your stomach has to produce a new layer of mucus every two weeks;

otherwise it will digest itself.

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