A voice from the past

This afternoon little Anna came running up to me with a cassette tape.

"Mommy, what is THIS?"

When I looked closer I noticed that it was the cassette tape that I had used to interview my great grandpa Randall in 1998.

I immediately started searching for something to play the tape on.

Luckily my mom had just given Paul this old school tape player/keyboard thing.

I popped the tape in.

It was REALLY cracky and hard to hear but a few things you could make out.

It was so incredibly surreal to be sitting with my two children as they listened, for the first time, to their great great grandfather talk about his life.

"mom who is that?"

"that's your great great grandpa randall. that's my dad's grandpa!  grandma Beulah's dad."

"Who?"

I've REALLY got to get someone to clean this audio up and put it on cd.

Take a listen to this video.

This section was the clearest of all of them.

He was a very passionate person about his faith.

(I give you permission to laugh at my thick country accent.)

Pawpaw Randall was a very devoted christian but don't let that above clip fool ya.

He was also a pistol packing, moonshine making country boy.

When he was younger he would spend the summers hiding out in the woods making moonshine with his uncle. At one point he even got arrested. Something he was not proud of.

In this clip I ask him what his dreams and ambitions were when he was growing up.

He responded with "to make the BEST moonshine in the state of Kentucky."

Then he went on to talk about his pistol that he would go squirrel hunting with.

On this tape he talks a LOT about his moonshine making days.

He even goes so far as to give his secret family recipe but it is really hard to hear.

Like I said above, I've got to get someone to clean this up for me.

It's clear that I haven't fallen too far from the family apple tree.

Just this afternoon, before finding this audio tape, I had one of my favorite cookbooks out making chicken n' dumplings for my little family.

Who knows, maybe this preachers wife might show up at the next church fellowship meal with this delightful cake in tow.  

MMMMMMMM a Moonshine Whiskey Cake!!!