Sneaking Down the Scaffolding

Edwin had a scaffolding to the upstairs of the house and when Denece needed a break, they’d put the kids upstairs for a nap.  Edwinna told them a story all about Never Neverland.  She would dress all the kids up in costumes.  Edwinna would wear her mother’s full net slip. 

One time she helped all the kids out the window and down the scaffolding and away they went.  They were in the ditch along the road waiting for a rainbow when the neighbor saw them. The neighbor called Denece and asked if she knew where her kids were.  She was sure they were upstairs.  The neighbor told Denece to check again and she would keep an eye on the kids until she got there to get them.  Boy did they get scolded.

(1962 Edwinna, Delbert, Darlene, and D.Ann Perkins)

 

Quick Stop on the way to the Hospital

Edwin got out of the air force and was trying to farm when Denece was expecting Delbert.  Her father, Delbert Kynaston Argyle was cutting hay and needed help moving the equipment.  Denece was driving and got the truck stuck.  When Grandpa Argyle finally got the truck out, Denece was in labor so they headed towards the hospital in Soda Springs.   Of course, they had to stop at Hooper Springs for soda water, all while the doctor was waiting at the hospital wondering where they were.

A week after Delbert was born, Edwin was offered a job at Boeing, so the family packed up and moved to Seattle.

 

(1954 Delbert Perkins)

Slugs for Dinner

One time Edwinna (4) and Delbert (3) were outside in the yard playing and Edwinna made Delbert play house with her.  She served him up a plate with slugs and dandelion leaves on it.  She turned her back and before she could tell him not to, he had already eaten the slugs.  Later when Edwinna would tell her friends about this incident, they wouldn’t believe her so Delbert would have to eat more slugs to prove it.

(1957 Delbert and Edwinna Perkins)

 

 

 

(1957 Denece, Edwinna, and Delbert Perkins)

Penny and the Cow

In 1969, the family went to Idaho to drop Del off to work at Grandpa Argyle’s ranch.  The family took Penny, the dog.  She was a small dog and Delbert would take Penny out in the fields with him as he worked.  Penny had a great time chasing the cows until one old cow got tired of her barking and yipping.  The cow started chasing the little dog and Penny turned and started running.  She hopped up into Delbert’s arms and he started running to try to get into the truck.  Grandpa Argyle laughed so hard because he had locked the truck.  Delbert had to make a mad leap into the bed of the truck just as the cow hit the tail gate.

(1969 Denece Perkins, Dora, Delbert, Doyle Argyle, and Alene Maughan)

 

(1969 Delbert, D.Ann, Edwin, Edwinna, Billy Joe, Denece, and Darlene Perkins)

 

 

Summers with Grandma and Grandpa

Delbert Argyle’s grandson Delbert Perkins started staying the summers with him and Dora when he was about five years old.  He always wanted to go out ranching with his grandpa.  He was told he could go if he was up when the sun came up.  So he was.  He loved going with his Grandpa Argyle.  He would take his nap on the hood of the tractor.

(1959 Delbert Perkins)

 

(1958 Dora Argyle)

The Family Grows

From Dora Baty Argyle

 

I think Denece enjoyed the house in town more than any of us.  She could walk to school and to all the activities she wanted.  She had lots of friends and we enjoyed the days and evenings when she and her friends would come home for a party or a quick lunch.  We let her go to Pocatello, Idaho, to spend some time with her cousin, Veah Jean Van Orden.  Here she met a swell fellow named Edwin Lamar Perkins.  He brought her home on a Sunday in a green convertible.  She said to me, "How do you like my convertible boy?"  We all had a good laugh but she was embarrassed... Later she married this fellow in the Logan Temple on 16 May 1952.  She has two lovely children at the present time, a girl they call Edwinna Louise and a boy they call Delbert Lamar.  The only thing, they are living in Seattle, Washington, and we don't see them as often as we would like.

 

(1950 Veah Van Orden and Denece Argyle)

 

(1951 Edwin Perkins and Denece Argyle)

 

(1955 Edwin, Delbert, and Edwinna Perkins)

 

Another Sister

When Denece was expecting her fourth child, Delbert expressed his desire to have a brother.  He didn't want another sister.  He claimed that if it was a girl, he would throw her in the pond, which was more of a swamp out behind the house.  Denece and Edwin were worried about coming home from the hospital because Delbert had gotten another sister, Denece Ann Perkins.  Edwin came home to tell the family it was a girl.  He took one of the girls' dolls and told the kids that they had a lovely baby sister just like the doll.  When Delbert finally met his new baby sister, he said, "aw, isn't she sweet?"  Delbert never did throw D.Ann in the pond. . . At least while she was a new born.

 

(1960 Denece Ann Perkins)

 

(1960 Delbert, Edwinna, D.Ann, and Darlene Perkins)

 

Delbert and the Dog

When Edwin and Denece first moved to Seattle, they lived in the “little yellow house” on Military Rd. The neighbors raised Chinchillas.  They also had a Great Dane named Brooker.  Mom was a little nervous about the kids with that big dog until one day she found Delbert hanging and swinging on his jowls.  She made Delbert let go.  The dog just came back for more.  Del also rode that dog like a horse.

(1956 Delbert Perkins)

Catching the Pig

One time at the Bancroft Rodeo Delbert Perkins, Dora and Delbert’s grandson caught the greased pig.  He was about ten years old.  The prize for catching it was a rooster.  Dora kept the rooster tied up out back by the pump house.  The day before his parents came to take him home a skunk killed the rooster.  Delbert had made a real pet of the rooster and his mother was not sure how she would get it back home to Seattle, Washington or what they would do with it once they got it there.  She didn't have to worry anymore.

(1964 Delbert Perkins)

 

(1964 Delbert Perkins)

Baptizing Kittens

The Mormon missionaries lived with Edwin and Denece for awhile when they lived in Seattle.  One day, Edwinna and Del decided to baptize their kittens.  Denece heard Edwinna yowling because the kitten had bitten her hand.  They were dunking the kittens as fast as they could.  The kitten was almost dead by the time Denece arrived.  Denece had to pry the kitten off Edwinna's hand and then give it mouth to mouth resuscitation.

(1958 Edwinna and Delbert Perkins)

 

 

Monkeying Around

In 1969, Edwinna was asked by neighbors Al and Gaylene Thurston to watch their monkey.  They had a big dog that they would shave it's body except for around it's face so that it would look like a lion and the monkey would ride it's back sometimes.  The monkey was very smart.  He used the toilet and if they tried to put a diaper on him, he'd get it off in a heart beat. 

One day he got out of the house and climbed up the big cedar tree.  Edwinna and Del were sent to try to get him out but it didn't work.  They spent the day trying to talk him down, instead that monkey spent all day in the tree eating bugs.  He ate so many that his stomach was bulging by the time he finally came down.   

Another time, he was feeling very mischievous and got a hold of the peanut butter.  He knew  he was in trouble and played chase with the kids while holding a handful of it.  He got it all over the tops of the curtains.

He also got a hold of the butter one day, and he painted the top of Edwin's bald head with it.

That little monkey also enjoyed eating lipstick.

 

 

(1969 Delbert, D.Ann, Edwin, Edwinna, Billy Joe, Darlene, and Denece Perkins)

 

 

The Ferry Run Away

When Del and Dora came out for D.Ann’s blessing the family decided to go on a ferry boat ride.  They got out of the car, and went up top, the boat engine started and frightened Darlene.  Mom and Dad’s arms were full with the rest of the kids.  Darlene took off like a shot.  Luckily the Captain was at the back of the boat and caught her.   By the time Denece and Edwin caught up, she had scratched and bit him so much that he said, “She’s a little hell cat isn’t she?”

 

(1960 Darlene Perkins)

 

 

(1960 Delbert, Edwinna, D.Ann, and Darlene Perkins)

 

 

(1960 Seattle Ferry)

Kids with Kids

Louise and Lamar called Denece and Edwin, the kids with the kids, because they were so young when they first got married and started their family so young.

 

 

(1967 Elaine, Louise, Evelyn, Lamar, and Edwin Perkins)

 

 

(1969 Delbert, D.Ann, Edwin, Denece, Billy Joe, Edwinna, and Darlene Perkins)

 

 

A Long Night

Mom (Denece Argyle Perkins) had many adventures.  One time, in 1964, she was driving home to Bancroft.  She had just the kids with her.  Dad (Edwin Perkins) had just gotten new tires put on the car.  It was late when the tires started to wobble.  The lug nuts were loose and by the time she noticed, they were stripped.  She found a gas station in Pendleton, Oregon.  It was closed though, so they spent the night in the parking lot.  Bill was a baby and knew something was not quite right and started crying.  It was one long night.

 

 

(1964 Edwinna, Darlene, Denece, Billy Joe, D.Ann, and Delbert Perkins)  

A Helping Hand

1963 One time when traveling to Idaho when Billy Joe was a baby they were driving through the night but everyone was tried.  Edwin could not find a motel so they drove down a residential street and stopped to sleep awhile in the car.  A woman who was just getting off work from the railroad heard the baby crying and insisted the family come up to her apartment.  She made hot chocolate and beds for all the kids on the floor and gave Denece and Edwin the couch and bed. 

 

(1963 D.Ann, Denece, Billy Joe, Delbert, Darlene, and Edwinna Perkins)