The very first house I remember was our home in Avondale Estates. I don't remember very much about our time in Avondale, but I do remember that I fell into the community pool and my grandfather, Paw, 'saved' me. Our home had two bedrooms, and we were very crowded! Mom and Dad, older brother, sister Judy, me, brother Mike, sister Nell, and, Dad's father, Paw. Mom said she had bunk beds everywhere. Paw's wife, Nona Corry Oakes, died in 1947 and Dad and his brother Walter were going to take turns having him live with them. That, of course, didn't happen. Paw lived with us for twenty three years. Sometimes he would visit other friends, and at one time Dad had a place in Lawrenceville for him.
Back to Avondale. Avondale Estates, just outside of Atlanta, was a master planned community, founded by George Francis Willis in 1924. Mr. Willis purchased the entire village of Ingleside and renamed it after Stratford-upon-Avon. The downtown buildings were all designed in a Tudor style, and many of the houses also. There were tennis courts, a lake, a community pool and clubhouse. The first Waffle House opened in Avondale in 1955.
After the War, Dad had a hardware store, in East Atlanta, and was able to carry a line of washing machines. Washing machines were a rare commodity at that time. The only one he had was a floor model, which he immediately brought home to Mom. (This is not a picture of Peaches.) Mom was very grateful for her new wringer machine, as the maid was probably doing the wash in a wash tub. Older brother was a very inquisitive young man, as Mom and Dad found out. One day, he took her wringer washing machine apart. I don't know if it ever worked the same again. About the only other exciting thing that happened in Avondale was connected to older brother. He tried out a hammer on Paw's head. Paw didn't think it too exciting.
There were lots and lots of children on our street; the war boom babies were just starting in 1946.
Pictures: Lemon Souffle Pie, Thanksgiving 1969, and Peaches about 1940.
