Weaning the children

Question: How were the Stroud children weaned?
Answer: All were weaned by Tudy and Papa.

~ Carmella was 2 1/2 when she was weaned. She was picked up in Mobile, AL when mommy and daddy had the bad flu. On the way home in Dothan, AL a hamburger and grits were purchased and was her first solid meal.

~ Aaron was picked up in Ocala, FL around the age 2 when he as weaned. His first meal is unknown but he did not have a problem with being away from his mom and dad. They were content with Tudy and Papa.

When it was time for David and Robby to be weaned, Mom had a Dr. that said, "after 12 months nursing becames a habit that is harder to stop."

~ David was just left with Tudy and Papa was 12 months. He did not miss mom and dad.

~ Robby was 12 months also when Tudy and Papa met our parents between Columbus, GA and Morgan, GA. The usual meeting place was Richland, GA however this day mom and dad were running late. So Papa drove past the meeting place; they met somewhere on the road near Cusseta, GA.

This is what Tudy was telling us as we drove home from a weekend in Columbus, GA. Those that got to hear this were: Tudy, Carmella, Aaron, Carrie, Sydney, Brianna and Kai.

Pier Fishing in PC

One day Dad, Aaron and David left for PC Beach, FL and our plan was to sleep in the van while in the Parking lot by the Pier. When we got to the pier we fished for a little bit. Then we went to the van to sleep. About an hour later a Police Officer came and told us that we had to move. We then went and fished instead. We fished and fished but caught nothing. We also took the casting net to try but nothing. Some people caught King Mackerel but we still did not catch anything.

We left the pier and went and met Mom, Carmella and Robby back at the condo we were renting. We took a bath and then a quick nap. After the nap we were on our way back to the pier to fish but changed plans and went underneath a bridge to a place called "The Flats" which is very shallow water for miles long. We did not catch anything there either. Dad was videoing the area and as he was walking down a breaker, he fell off and cuts his legs. He saved the video camera. We don't know where the original taping of this is located but a few moments later Aaron and I took the Video camera and re in acted the event and laughed about it. Dad was totally fine about the fall. Dad had a first aid kit to save the day.

We left there and went to eat. Then it was back to fishing again for me to have an opportunity to cast the net about 15 times in hope that we would get a fish. That was not the case. No Fish for this fishing trip but a fun memory of Dad walking and falling with the video camera saying, "We are here in PC at the Flats. There are David and Aaron out there fishing. It is a beautiful day for fishing but they are not biting for us. Lets see where I am out now, Oh No.... bump bump bump, crash."


While we were fishing this day Mom, Carmella and Robby had an adventure of their own. They went on the PC strip which is the part of the main road down PC Beach. Mom was so proud to say this is where I spent my summers. As they were cruising at a snails pace, a girl in the car in front of them stood up in the sunroof and took off her top. Robby hit the floor board of the backseat while Mom banged on the window yelling at the girl that there is a little boy here and to put her top back on.

Ice Cream Man is coming

The Ice Cream man would come down Mc Neese Drive in Columbus, GA every Saturday. You could hear the green truck about three minutes before he was at our house. Those days, we were playing outside all the time from dawn to dusk with no shoes on.

For some reason, I always had money. If I did have money that meant that everyone could get an ice cream. So, everyone would run out to stop the green ice cream truck. Sometimes, I was getting the money and Aaron, David or Robby would run and stop him. Then there were those times that he would make it into Kopay Court and be going down McNeese again when we would finally catch up with him.

So, these dirty kids with no shoes on would run down the road waving money chasing the ice cream man for a fudge sickle, ice cream sandwich, Rocket, Bubble Gum Cone or Chocolate Eclair.

Many dollars went to that Ice Cream man and his green truck which later was traded for a white truck but the same song and same man with gray hair bent in the truck getting frozen treats out of his freezers.