As children, Sophia's kids usually enjoyed going to see our Aunt Emy and Uncle Oscar in the summer time. Aunt Emy and Uncle Oscar lived on a ranch up by Flaming Gorge. (If you travel to Flaming Gorge today via Vernal, Utah you will see a marker announcing Swett Historical Ranch. This would be our aunt's and uncle's place.) It was a long winding road to their place and as Sophia's life would have it, we were not blessed with the best running cars.
I remember one time. we were in a car that had a rumble seat in the back. For those not familiar with a rumble seat, it was located by the trunk and allowed the riders to set outside the car. Mary, Emeline, and Jearldine would sit in the rumble seat. Fran would sit in the front seat next to Mom. Lola would sit in the back seat and I would lie in the back seat window.(I was only about four years old at the time.) It was a good thing seat belts weren't required back then. There are steep winding roads called "switchbacks" that wind from Vernal up to the ranch and as we were going up these switchbacks the car stopped running. Undaunted (and perhaps not too bright), Mom, Mary Emeline and Jearldine would push the car up the mountain. Fran would run along with a rock to put behind the tire when they got tired of pushing. Lola steered the car and I kept my watch from the back window. When we reached the top of the hill, everyone would jump in, we would coast down and begin the ritual on the next uphill climb. If I close my eyes and listen, I can still hear the laughter coming from my mom and sisters. I'm certain back then they didn't know that some 60 years later, their little sister would look back on their good natured antics with love and affection and great appreciation for being a part of their lives.
Now Mom
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