Paula's 'Did You Ever!' List

I was sorting through some papers after our move, and I ran across this list written by my Grandma Rish. It's a photo copy, but it's in her handwriting.

Did You Ever! by Paula Rish

1. Did your father die when you were 3 days old?
2. Did you set the curtains on fire when you were 5?
3. Did you raise a brother when you were five?
4. Did you go to school in a covered wagon with horses?
5. Did you ever warm an iron on a wood stove?
6. Did you ever start a wood stove?
7. Did you ever start school at seven and speak no English?
8. Did you ever do your homework on the back of wallpaper?
9. Did you ever go to school with an outhouse and 2 rooms downstairs and 2 up?
10. Did you ever have a kerosene lamp you carried from room to room?
11. Did you ever milk cows and watch them eat grass, then they would chase you?
12. Did you ever hoe 5 acres of corn and chop snakes heads off?
13. Did you ever live in furnished rooms on the 5th floor with cockroaches?
14. Did you ever win a dance contest to Glenn Millers Band?
15. Did you ever work for $3.00 a week?
16. Did your family want you to leave when you got out of school?
17. Did you ever die twice, once with 2 blood clots, another when the hospital broke my intestines?
18. Did you ever have colitis 25 years and be pregnant?
19. Did you ever stay home for 30 years because your husband wouldn't go out?
20. Did you ever raise 2 sons and have no problems?
21. Did you ever have $100,000 and go downtown?
22. Did you ever feed people that can't use their hands?
23. Did you ever feed bums and bag ladies and get a 5 cent tip?
24. Did you ever to go to Florida 20 times?
25. Did you ever go to Europe twice?
26. Did you ever have an -ostomy?
27. Did you ever sue three Doctors at a hospital?

Grandma was a character for sure. I continue to draw on the example she set...her selfless giving and her belief that everyone deserves a fair shake regardless of who they are or where they come from.