1-31-09...EATING APPLES
EATING AN APPLE
Brenda and I got in to a lot of trouble going in her Daddy's orchard. We knew we were not supposed to bother the fruit especially when it wasn't yet ripe. We were just fascinated buy the different fruits. Now it wasn't a big orchard. I think there were about 8or10 trees. There were apples, peaches, apricots, and plums. All used for canning, making jellies, etc for the winter food. We imagined that it was a big magical place. Loved to see the blooms then watch the fruit start to grow anticipating when it could be eaten. Did you ever eat a green apple pie? Yummy! I think the reason we were not supposed to play in there was because of the damage they knew we could do. We wanted to examine each fruit at different stages of it's growth. And we always ate some of it too soon. That didn't always make us sick but sometimes it did. Still we persisted in going in there. Stubbornness ran in our family. Still does. We even picked a bunch of tiny fruit one day to make us a fruit bowl for our 'table' in the play fort. Trouble was Ol' Pet (the cow) got in there and ate it. Darned ol' cow! We were not to even pick it when it was ripe. Brenda's Daddy or my Auntie did that. Then if they gave us some we could eat it. We wiped it off on our dress tails, boys on their shirt tails and we'd munch away.
Well one day I decided to get me an apple and eat it. The orchard was right across from my house, closer than to Brenda's house. I crawled under the barbed wire fence, across the lane and under another barbed wire fence. We were all skilled at crawling those fences without getting a barb in our back sides. Sometimes we would tear our clothes but very seldom did we get stuck on the prickly fence. I was in for much worse this time, at least to me it was worse. I should have known that I would be seen. While I was looking for the biggest reddest apple to pick Norman and Paul showed up. Next was Brenda. The fruit was ripe and to be picked that evening so we didn't think anyone would mind if we ate just one. We each picked one and sat down under the tree. We shined our apples. I noticed mine had a few holes in it but heck fire that was OK with me. I just bit in to that thing and started chewing. I ate two big bites, one on each side of the apple. When I started to take another bite I saw something in the apple that didn't look right. I took my fingernail and dug it out meaning to go ahead and eat my apple. "What's that" Brenda said. "Don't know it was in my apple" I said. I held my hand out and everyone started hollerin', "Clydene, it's a worm". "No it aint it's just a brown spot". "It's a worm Clydene look". I looked and it was not a worm. NOPE! It was half a worm!!! YEP! Half a worm meaning that I had already chewed and swallowed the other half. YEP! Sure nuff did. They all started giggling and pointin' at me, "Clydene ate a worm, Clydene ate a worm". "No I didn't" I hollered. "Here is the worm". They finally made me realize that I had indeed ate the other half of worm. Thats when the fireworks started. I started screamin', cryin', spitin' and gaspin'. I got sooo sick. I was just mortified. "Don't tell anyone" I spluttered. By then Mama had heard me screamin and here she came. She wasn't as adept at crawlin' under the fences as we were and in tryin' to hurry she skinned her back on a barb. She didn't spank us because really it was OK for us to eat an apple. She told us in no uncertain terms that we should have asked and she would have given us a apple from the house. I was still spitin' and splutterin'. When the others told her about the worm she laughed right along with them. Boy I was mad at them. Vowed I'd never speak to them again a long as I lived. Course I did. But heck fire they hadn't oughta' laughed at me. I was sicker'n'a skunk.
I can still picture that half a worm in my hand and I still get a queasy feeling just remembering it. I have never again been able to eat a apple without peeling and quartering it and checking for brown spots. NOPE!
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Thursday, January 29, 2009
MAMAS SHAWL
1-29-09...MAMAS SHAWL
We had no water in our house. Well we had water but we had to go outside and draw it up from the well. It was a drilled well. The bucket was a long cylinder type thing with a rope that fed on a pulley hanging above. You dropped the bucket down in the well and let it fill up then draw it back up and empty it into your water bucket from the house. Several times a day this had to be done. There was a hand made wash stand in the kitchen to set the bucket on. Beside the bucket was a wash pan for washing hands. A dipper was hanging on a hook to get a drink of water. Yep. We all drank from that dipper, out of that bucket. Germs? Maybe. But we all survived. When one of us was sick we got our water in a glass. Why not a glass all the time? Heck I don't know. Just the way it was. The bucket, the wash pan, and the dipper were all white with red rings around the rims. The wash stand was built by Daddy out of rough lumber. Grandma made a cover of sorts with feed sacks, gathered it at the top and put a heavy string through it so it could be tied around the stand like a curtain. The curtain was white. It was taken off often and washed, starched, and ironed, to be hung again. Quiet a production.
Mama went out one morning to get a bucket of water. She usually asked one of us to do it but this time she went. It was just coming daylight on a late spring morning. A few minutes later we heard such a screech, then a thump. Norman, Paul and I were in the house and we all three went running out there. We weren't sure what the sound was but knew Mama was out there so we were concerned. We ran out on the porch and there sat Mama on the ground way out in the yard. She was wet and shaking like a bowl of jello. The water bucket was in her lap, turned upside down. Her face and hair was wet. She looked so comical sitting there that we all got tickled. Mama tried to give us the look but it wasn't coming out like THE LOOK at all. It was even more comical. We went running to her saying, "Giggle, Giggle, whas'the giggle matter, giggle, giggle. Mama what giggle giggle haapenned, giggle. I couldn't have stopped giggling for my dear life right then. Giggle, giggle, aaree' you giggle, giggle, hurt?
I don't think we would have ever got anything out of Mama if we hadn't finally calmed our giggles and gotten serious. She finally told us the story. She had her bucket of water and was on the porch just reaching to open the door when she felt something hit her and something went around her neck. She looked down at the same time she was reaching up on her shoulder, and what she saw and felt sent her trying to run. slinging her arms, bucket and all, till she got off the porch and sat down suddenly in the yard, bucket still with her, water all over her. I was about to get tickled again but I saw that Mama was really scared and I squelched that giggle and asked again, Mama what happened?
When we finally got the story out of her and got her in the house this is what we found out. The eaves of our ol' house were the perfect place for birds to build. Seems there was a big black snake crawling up there trying to rob a birds nest. It fell right on Mama's shoulder and one end was hanging down on each side. She had touched and seen the snake at the same time. The screech and thump we heard was her, trying to scream and trying to move at the same time. The thump must have been when she sat down suddenly in the yard. We searched for the snake but it was long gone. Probably almost as scared as Mama was. I still get the giggles when I think how Mama looked sitting in the yard all wet with a bucket in her lap. It took a while for Mama to see the humor in this and I can't say I blame her. I can just about imagine what that thing felt like almost wrapped around her. Black snakes aren't poison but I still don't want one on my back. NOPE!!
We had no water in our house. Well we had water but we had to go outside and draw it up from the well. It was a drilled well. The bucket was a long cylinder type thing with a rope that fed on a pulley hanging above. You dropped the bucket down in the well and let it fill up then draw it back up and empty it into your water bucket from the house. Several times a day this had to be done. There was a hand made wash stand in the kitchen to set the bucket on. Beside the bucket was a wash pan for washing hands. A dipper was hanging on a hook to get a drink of water. Yep. We all drank from that dipper, out of that bucket. Germs? Maybe. But we all survived. When one of us was sick we got our water in a glass. Why not a glass all the time? Heck I don't know. Just the way it was. The bucket, the wash pan, and the dipper were all white with red rings around the rims. The wash stand was built by Daddy out of rough lumber. Grandma made a cover of sorts with feed sacks, gathered it at the top and put a heavy string through it so it could be tied around the stand like a curtain. The curtain was white. It was taken off often and washed, starched, and ironed, to be hung again. Quiet a production.
Mama went out one morning to get a bucket of water. She usually asked one of us to do it but this time she went. It was just coming daylight on a late spring morning. A few minutes later we heard such a screech, then a thump. Norman, Paul and I were in the house and we all three went running out there. We weren't sure what the sound was but knew Mama was out there so we were concerned. We ran out on the porch and there sat Mama on the ground way out in the yard. She was wet and shaking like a bowl of jello. The water bucket was in her lap, turned upside down. Her face and hair was wet. She looked so comical sitting there that we all got tickled. Mama tried to give us the look but it wasn't coming out like THE LOOK at all. It was even more comical. We went running to her saying, "Giggle, Giggle, whas'the giggle matter, giggle, giggle. Mama what giggle giggle haapenned, giggle. I couldn't have stopped giggling for my dear life right then. Giggle, giggle, aaree' you giggle, giggle, hurt?
I don't think we would have ever got anything out of Mama if we hadn't finally calmed our giggles and gotten serious. She finally told us the story. She had her bucket of water and was on the porch just reaching to open the door when she felt something hit her and something went around her neck. She looked down at the same time she was reaching up on her shoulder, and what she saw and felt sent her trying to run. slinging her arms, bucket and all, till she got off the porch and sat down suddenly in the yard, bucket still with her, water all over her. I was about to get tickled again but I saw that Mama was really scared and I squelched that giggle and asked again, Mama what happened?
When we finally got the story out of her and got her in the house this is what we found out. The eaves of our ol' house were the perfect place for birds to build. Seems there was a big black snake crawling up there trying to rob a birds nest. It fell right on Mama's shoulder and one end was hanging down on each side. She had touched and seen the snake at the same time. The screech and thump we heard was her, trying to scream and trying to move at the same time. The thump must have been when she sat down suddenly in the yard. We searched for the snake but it was long gone. Probably almost as scared as Mama was. I still get the giggles when I think how Mama looked sitting in the yard all wet with a bucket in her lap. It took a while for Mama to see the humor in this and I can't say I blame her. I can just about imagine what that thing felt like almost wrapped around her. Black snakes aren't poison but I still don't want one on my back. NOPE!!
FEEDIN' THE ANIMALS
1-28-09...FEEDIN' THE ANIMALS
I always followed my Daddy everywhere. I was on his heels, in his way, and under foot always. I always loved to go with Daddy to feed the chickens, slop the hog, and feed our horse Ol' Dixie . I just loved to throw out that corn and watch the chickens scramble to snatch it up. If I got too close with my bare feet I'd wind up sometimes with blood coming out of a toe or two. Same with my hands when I searched under a hen for the egg. If the hen was wanting to set she never appreciated me taking her hatching egg.
Next would be the hog. Now those things were smelly and sloppy but that never bothered me. I likes to see them roll around in the mud and mire, and loved to hear them grunt as they stuck their snout in the slop. I'm not sure what the slop consisted of. The bucket sat on the back porch. Mama poured dishwater, potato peeling's and other things in it. Daddy would then carry it out to the pen and mix some kind of feed in it and pour it in the trough for the hog. I think that is where the phrase, A pig will eat anything comes from.
Next came Ol' Dixie and I liked this the best. I would run around to the other side of the barn and get there before Daddy did. I always reached in the big 100 lb. feed sack and get me a big ol' bite of that feed. I thought it tasted sooo' good. Still think it must have. What ever it was I guess it wouldn't hurt me cause' Daddy never said anything. One day I ran in there and was just about to put my hand in the sack when Daddy got me around the waist and hoisted me up and outta' there real fast. He put me down on the ground and said get the shovel. I ran and got it real fast and drug it back. Daddy didn't look away from the sack, just reached his hand out and I placed the shovel handle in it. I'd made the mistake before of handing Daddy the hoe by the wrong end and knew what to do this time with the shovel.
Now Get Back Clydene! By his tone I knew he meant Now, so I moved. "What's wrong Daddy", I said. "Be quiet Clydene", he said. I looked over at the feed sack then and saw it. I didn't know what kind it was then but was later told it was a Copperhead, a deadly snake. It had its head sticking up and its body coiled up ready to strike. I screamed then and Daddy didn't have The Look like Mama but he had the words and the way to say them and I clamed up. Since the sack was almost full Daddy had a clear view but by then I had my eyes closed and didn't see the whole scene but that snake met his 'waterloo', I do know that.
Later as I heard the grown-ups talking about the incident they all agreed that an instinct had made Daddy aware of the danger. I had always got a hand full of that feed before, sometimes before Daddy even got to that side of the barn. But that morning Daddy hurried and got there. Said it was just a feeling. And they say only Mama's have that protective instinct. Heck! I know Daddy's have it to if they love their kids. And my Daddy sure loved us bunches. YEP!!
I always followed my Daddy everywhere. I was on his heels, in his way, and under foot always. I always loved to go with Daddy to feed the chickens, slop the hog, and feed our horse Ol' Dixie . I just loved to throw out that corn and watch the chickens scramble to snatch it up. If I got too close with my bare feet I'd wind up sometimes with blood coming out of a toe or two. Same with my hands when I searched under a hen for the egg. If the hen was wanting to set she never appreciated me taking her hatching egg.
Next would be the hog. Now those things were smelly and sloppy but that never bothered me. I likes to see them roll around in the mud and mire, and loved to hear them grunt as they stuck their snout in the slop. I'm not sure what the slop consisted of. The bucket sat on the back porch. Mama poured dishwater, potato peeling's and other things in it. Daddy would then carry it out to the pen and mix some kind of feed in it and pour it in the trough for the hog. I think that is where the phrase, A pig will eat anything comes from.
Next came Ol' Dixie and I liked this the best. I would run around to the other side of the barn and get there before Daddy did. I always reached in the big 100 lb. feed sack and get me a big ol' bite of that feed. I thought it tasted sooo' good. Still think it must have. What ever it was I guess it wouldn't hurt me cause' Daddy never said anything. One day I ran in there and was just about to put my hand in the sack when Daddy got me around the waist and hoisted me up and outta' there real fast. He put me down on the ground and said get the shovel. I ran and got it real fast and drug it back. Daddy didn't look away from the sack, just reached his hand out and I placed the shovel handle in it. I'd made the mistake before of handing Daddy the hoe by the wrong end and knew what to do this time with the shovel.
Now Get Back Clydene! By his tone I knew he meant Now, so I moved. "What's wrong Daddy", I said. "Be quiet Clydene", he said. I looked over at the feed sack then and saw it. I didn't know what kind it was then but was later told it was a Copperhead, a deadly snake. It had its head sticking up and its body coiled up ready to strike. I screamed then and Daddy didn't have The Look like Mama but he had the words and the way to say them and I clamed up. Since the sack was almost full Daddy had a clear view but by then I had my eyes closed and didn't see the whole scene but that snake met his 'waterloo', I do know that.
Later as I heard the grown-ups talking about the incident they all agreed that an instinct had made Daddy aware of the danger. I had always got a hand full of that feed before, sometimes before Daddy even got to that side of the barn. But that morning Daddy hurried and got there. Said it was just a feeling. And they say only Mama's have that protective instinct. Heck! I know Daddy's have it to if they love their kids. And my Daddy sure loved us bunches. YEP!!
Sunday, January 25, 2009
MAGICAL MEMORIES
Memories ARE MAGICAL
Webster's defines Memories this way:
Definition of Memory
Memory: 1. The ability to recover information about past events or knowledge. 2. The process of recovering information about past events or knowledge. 3. Cognitive reconstruction. The brain engages in a remarkable re shuffling process in an attempt to extract what is general and what is particular about each passing moment
Whatever the definition memories are our most precious function. Memories never die. They may fade a tad bit but they are there whether they be sad or good. I tend to try to forget the bad ones but to no avail. A word, a smell, a sound, a place, and many other things can being memories flooding back. I like that fact.
I was just flabbergasted yesterday when hearing a conversation going on between someone else that this one came to my mind seeing that I was only two years when it happened. I was there again as it all flashed through my mind like a movie that I was watching. Clear as if It was happening right now. I made notes so as not to forget but it is still there. Now my Parents had told me the story before but this was like a instant replay in my mind that transported me right in to the scene again.
When I was two my Mama and Daddy took me on the train and we traveled from our home in AR. to Corcoran CA. where my Mama's parents lived. The train ride is vivid. I was of course restless and not wanting to sit still. There was a water fountain with these pointed paper cups that just fascinated me. I wanted a drink every few minutes and my doting Daddy always took me saving the cup so they were not wasted. I had to pee so Mama took me to the bathroom which also facinated me. Nothing was working though as it wouldn't with any two year old. I remember the man walking up and down the aisles (can't remember what they are called) giving me something and telling me "This is your train ticket, hold on to it because I will ask for it when you get off the train. You must have it or you can't get off". It was an attempt to help my parents who I suspect were worn out with me by now. I guess it worked for a while. I put the ticket' in Daddy's shirt pocket and told him to keep it for me and got rowdy again. "Gotta go dodo' I was hollering. This time they didn't believe me though. Daddy put me on his knee and started bouncing me up and down to pacify me. Well GUESS WHAT? Seems I did need to 'dodo' cause I proceeded to do it, right down Daddy's leg and in his shoe. YEP! Sure nuff did! I don't remember the clean up at all though I have tried but I sure remember the incident vividly.
I don't remember sleeping on the train which we probably did. Next thing is the train stopping and it was time to get off. I started yelling, "Daddy, where's my ticket, where's my ticket". I got up in his face and grabbed his head and started jerking it back and forth still yelling "Daddy give me my ticket". Well Daddy didn't have my ticket, and he didn't even remember the thing at all right at that minute. "What are you talkin' about Clydene? Get down, we've gotta get off the train". At this I started bellerin' and snotin' like crazy. "Daddy I gotta have my ticket or that man won't let me off. What didya' do with it Daddy"? I guess then I was about to tear the pocket off Daddies shirt tryin' to find my ticket and Daddy was so flustered he couldn't figure out what the heck was wrong with me and got firm with me in the form of a spat on my butt. The man who had given me the ticket saved more pain by walking by and giving me my "Ticket". "Little lady did you lose this?" He said, and winked at my parents. I took my 'ticket' from him and through my snotty nose I thanked him. Now I could get off that durn train with my Mama and Daddy!
Our brain is an amazing thing. Our whole bodies and the way it all works is a miraculous thing. Who could not believe in a God who could do this, make this. We are the very first computers my friends. Manufactured by a Supreme being. Made like a fine oiled engine that no man could make. For a mind to bring back a scene from 62 years ago is indeed a miracle to behold and I am greatful and Thankful to the God who made me.
Like I said before, Old memories never die. And I am so happy to be able to draw mine up from deep in my mind somewhere. It perked up my ordinary day in a glorious way. Memories, whether they be good or bad, happy or tormenting. They made us what we are today. YEP!
Webster's defines Memories this way:
Definition of Memory
Memory: 1. The ability to recover information about past events or knowledge. 2. The process of recovering information about past events or knowledge. 3. Cognitive reconstruction. The brain engages in a remarkable re shuffling process in an attempt to extract what is general and what is particular about each passing moment
Whatever the definition memories are our most precious function. Memories never die. They may fade a tad bit but they are there whether they be sad or good. I tend to try to forget the bad ones but to no avail. A word, a smell, a sound, a place, and many other things can being memories flooding back. I like that fact.
I was just flabbergasted yesterday when hearing a conversation going on between someone else that this one came to my mind seeing that I was only two years when it happened. I was there again as it all flashed through my mind like a movie that I was watching. Clear as if It was happening right now. I made notes so as not to forget but it is still there. Now my Parents had told me the story before but this was like a instant replay in my mind that transported me right in to the scene again.
When I was two my Mama and Daddy took me on the train and we traveled from our home in AR. to Corcoran CA. where my Mama's parents lived. The train ride is vivid. I was of course restless and not wanting to sit still. There was a water fountain with these pointed paper cups that just fascinated me. I wanted a drink every few minutes and my doting Daddy always took me saving the cup so they were not wasted. I had to pee so Mama took me to the bathroom which also facinated me. Nothing was working though as it wouldn't with any two year old. I remember the man walking up and down the aisles (can't remember what they are called) giving me something and telling me "This is your train ticket, hold on to it because I will ask for it when you get off the train. You must have it or you can't get off". It was an attempt to help my parents who I suspect were worn out with me by now. I guess it worked for a while. I put the ticket' in Daddy's shirt pocket and told him to keep it for me and got rowdy again. "Gotta go dodo' I was hollering. This time they didn't believe me though. Daddy put me on his knee and started bouncing me up and down to pacify me. Well GUESS WHAT? Seems I did need to 'dodo' cause I proceeded to do it, right down Daddy's leg and in his shoe. YEP! Sure nuff did! I don't remember the clean up at all though I have tried but I sure remember the incident vividly.
I don't remember sleeping on the train which we probably did. Next thing is the train stopping and it was time to get off. I started yelling, "Daddy, where's my ticket, where's my ticket". I got up in his face and grabbed his head and started jerking it back and forth still yelling "Daddy give me my ticket". Well Daddy didn't have my ticket, and he didn't even remember the thing at all right at that minute. "What are you talkin' about Clydene? Get down, we've gotta get off the train". At this I started bellerin' and snotin' like crazy. "Daddy I gotta have my ticket or that man won't let me off. What didya' do with it Daddy"? I guess then I was about to tear the pocket off Daddies shirt tryin' to find my ticket and Daddy was so flustered he couldn't figure out what the heck was wrong with me and got firm with me in the form of a spat on my butt. The man who had given me the ticket saved more pain by walking by and giving me my "Ticket". "Little lady did you lose this?" He said, and winked at my parents. I took my 'ticket' from him and through my snotty nose I thanked him. Now I could get off that durn train with my Mama and Daddy!
Our brain is an amazing thing. Our whole bodies and the way it all works is a miraculous thing. Who could not believe in a God who could do this, make this. We are the very first computers my friends. Manufactured by a Supreme being. Made like a fine oiled engine that no man could make. For a mind to bring back a scene from 62 years ago is indeed a miracle to behold and I am greatful and Thankful to the God who made me.
Like I said before, Old memories never die. And I am so happy to be able to draw mine up from deep in my mind somewhere. It perked up my ordinary day in a glorious way. Memories, whether they be good or bad, happy or tormenting. They made us what we are today. YEP!
Friday, January 23, 2009
SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE SHOW
1-22-09...SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE SHOW
SATURDAY NIGHT SHOOT EM UPS
On Saturday nights we all piled in Daddies car and went to Ozark to see a cowboy show. My goodness was that a big event. I remember Gene Autry and Roy and Dale on that screen as big as life. WOW! Before the show started we would walk up the sidewalk past the Oklahoma Tire and Supply on past Coleys store and Davis Barber shop. There we crossed the street and went in a fantasy land. Ben Franklin's five and ten cent store. Whooppee! What a wonderful place that was. Bright lights shining down on all those things. We thought we has walked into a wonderland. We walked the whole store ooing and awing and touching. There was always a clerk right behind us. "Can I help You?". To which we would reply," No just lookin'." That was a constant thing every few minutes. We didn't pay any attention to her, we had known the old lady all our lives. A spinster lady. Daddy said she just had to do her job. Now days you can never find anyone to help you in a store.
We already knew what we would buy anyway just loved to look. We usually had a dime to spend and that bought a lot. We would buy Evening in Paris perfume in a beautiful little blue bottle usually. If we didn't splash it all on us in the coming week then we'd buy something else. One week we bought a small bottle of nail polish then we were not allowed to use it except on Saturday.
One Saturday Mama and Daddy decided to go early and visit a friend before the show. We would rather have been walking around in the 5&10 but of course had to go with them. We took our nail polish from the week before but Mama didn't know we had it.
Now I can't remember this ladies name but I can remember what she looked like. Sweet little older lady. And I remember her couch. It was green plastic which was the rage then. She said she had just gotten it at Vardarman's Furniture Store and she was so proud of it. Brenda and I sat on it and the boys were in the floor. Mama and Daddy were on the other side of the room talking to the lady. We got our nail polish out. Brenda laid her hand on a magazine to paint hers but I laid my hand on the arm of that pretty green couch. Brenda got some on the magazine and she quickly closed her bottle. I sat my bottle on the arm of the couch. GOOFY! I knocked it over and spilled some on the couch. I closed the bottle and got a pretty pillow from behind me and started wiping up the nail polish. DOUBLE GOOFY!! Brenda was nudging me to tell me what I had done. (as if I didn't know what I'd done) I elbowed her back and hissed, "Shut up" to which she elbowed me and got the boys attention. I just laid my head over on the pillow that was covering up the nail polish and looked as angelic as I could. I knew if the boys saw it the jig was up.
I was so relieved when Mama said for us to come on they were going. We got in the car and Brenda whispered (a loud whisper I might add) "Clydene you got polish all over that ladies couch and her pillow." Brenda shut up I whispered even louder. TOO LOUD cause Mama heard us. I guess Daddy heard us too cause he pulled into a side road and turned around. "What cha' doin' Daddy" Norman asked. "These girls are going back an tell Miss ??? what they did", Daddy said. Oh My Gosh, Oh My Gosh!!! I started bellering and Mama turned around and gave me THE LOOK! No one said another word and I dried up.
They took us to the door and made me knock. The lady came to the door and the look on her face told us she had already discovered our deed. She had a bottle of something in her hand and a rag that was red with the nail polish. I was the worst one so I blubbered out that I was sorry. Brenda was next and told her about the magazine. Come on in she said. Mama and Daddy were telling her how sorry they were. The lady showed us that she had already cleaned the polish off the couch. She said the magazine didn't matter. Daddy kept saying what can we do and she kept saying nothing so I figgered' that was that. ONLY, That sure wasn't that. NOPE. We went on to the show that night. Daddy said it wouldn't be fair for the rest not to get to go, but I didn't get to go the next week either. Had to stay at Aunties while Mama and Daddy took the rest. Brenda decided to stay home with me. She really didn't do as much as I did and didn't deserve the same punishment. We both had got our tanning already and had to put our nail polish up till we knew how to use it. At least that's what Mama said. We figgered we knew how to use it already. I also had to give up my dime and the trip to the 5&10. That was bad. I loved those trips to wonderland.
As I look back on this I know how my Parents felt having to go back and face that Lady. I know they were feeling helpless knowing there was no way they could replace the ladies couch. I'm so ashamed of myself now. We can't go back and correct our mistakes though. NOPE! Just gotta learn from them. Heck I learned from a lotta them. YEP!!
SATURDAY NIGHT SHOOT EM UPS
On Saturday nights we all piled in Daddies car and went to Ozark to see a cowboy show. My goodness was that a big event. I remember Gene Autry and Roy and Dale on that screen as big as life. WOW! Before the show started we would walk up the sidewalk past the Oklahoma Tire and Supply on past Coleys store and Davis Barber shop. There we crossed the street and went in a fantasy land. Ben Franklin's five and ten cent store. Whooppee! What a wonderful place that was. Bright lights shining down on all those things. We thought we has walked into a wonderland. We walked the whole store ooing and awing and touching. There was always a clerk right behind us. "Can I help You?". To which we would reply," No just lookin'." That was a constant thing every few minutes. We didn't pay any attention to her, we had known the old lady all our lives. A spinster lady. Daddy said she just had to do her job. Now days you can never find anyone to help you in a store.
We already knew what we would buy anyway just loved to look. We usually had a dime to spend and that bought a lot. We would buy Evening in Paris perfume in a beautiful little blue bottle usually. If we didn't splash it all on us in the coming week then we'd buy something else. One week we bought a small bottle of nail polish then we were not allowed to use it except on Saturday.
One Saturday Mama and Daddy decided to go early and visit a friend before the show. We would rather have been walking around in the 5&10 but of course had to go with them. We took our nail polish from the week before but Mama didn't know we had it.
Now I can't remember this ladies name but I can remember what she looked like. Sweet little older lady. And I remember her couch. It was green plastic which was the rage then. She said she had just gotten it at Vardarman's Furniture Store and she was so proud of it. Brenda and I sat on it and the boys were in the floor. Mama and Daddy were on the other side of the room talking to the lady. We got our nail polish out. Brenda laid her hand on a magazine to paint hers but I laid my hand on the arm of that pretty green couch. Brenda got some on the magazine and she quickly closed her bottle. I sat my bottle on the arm of the couch. GOOFY! I knocked it over and spilled some on the couch. I closed the bottle and got a pretty pillow from behind me and started wiping up the nail polish. DOUBLE GOOFY!! Brenda was nudging me to tell me what I had done. (as if I didn't know what I'd done) I elbowed her back and hissed, "Shut up" to which she elbowed me and got the boys attention. I just laid my head over on the pillow that was covering up the nail polish and looked as angelic as I could. I knew if the boys saw it the jig was up.
I was so relieved when Mama said for us to come on they were going. We got in the car and Brenda whispered (a loud whisper I might add) "Clydene you got polish all over that ladies couch and her pillow." Brenda shut up I whispered even louder. TOO LOUD cause Mama heard us. I guess Daddy heard us too cause he pulled into a side road and turned around. "What cha' doin' Daddy" Norman asked. "These girls are going back an tell Miss ??? what they did", Daddy said. Oh My Gosh, Oh My Gosh!!! I started bellering and Mama turned around and gave me THE LOOK! No one said another word and I dried up.
They took us to the door and made me knock. The lady came to the door and the look on her face told us she had already discovered our deed. She had a bottle of something in her hand and a rag that was red with the nail polish. I was the worst one so I blubbered out that I was sorry. Brenda was next and told her about the magazine. Come on in she said. Mama and Daddy were telling her how sorry they were. The lady showed us that she had already cleaned the polish off the couch. She said the magazine didn't matter. Daddy kept saying what can we do and she kept saying nothing so I figgered' that was that. ONLY, That sure wasn't that. NOPE. We went on to the show that night. Daddy said it wouldn't be fair for the rest not to get to go, but I didn't get to go the next week either. Had to stay at Aunties while Mama and Daddy took the rest. Brenda decided to stay home with me. She really didn't do as much as I did and didn't deserve the same punishment. We both had got our tanning already and had to put our nail polish up till we knew how to use it. At least that's what Mama said. We figgered we knew how to use it already. I also had to give up my dime and the trip to the 5&10. That was bad. I loved those trips to wonderland.
As I look back on this I know how my Parents felt having to go back and face that Lady. I know they were feeling helpless knowing there was no way they could replace the ladies couch. I'm so ashamed of myself now. We can't go back and correct our mistakes though. NOPE! Just gotta learn from them. Heck I learned from a lotta them. YEP!!
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
SNOW CREAM AND TOILETS
1-20-09...SNOW CREAM AND TOILETS
WINTERS IN THE SOUTH
I was always sickly when I was a kid. So even though I dearly loved winter snows I was not allowed to play outside much. When I did my Mama would always say, "Now, Clydene do not eat any snow it will give you a sore throat". I don't know if it did and to be truthful I just didn't believe it so I always tried to sneak a bite of that fluffy white snow. Mama usually was watching and stopped me. I was just sure Mama had eyes in back of her head. Someone (probably my Papa) had told me that. I know I did have a lot of trouble with sore throats and fever. (They call that flu now. Then it was just a sore throat and fever). I was sick a lot even in the summer. Mama made snow cream for us when she had what she needed to make it. Daddy would always say, "Now Lucille don't make it outta' the first snow cause' it's poisoned from the stuff in the air. (Today that is probably true, and just as true then as far as My Daddy was concerned).
One day I had to go to the ol' outside toilet and there was snow on the ground. I knew Mama would be watching so I just ran right on out there and went in the toilet. When I got in there and sat down I looked in the floor and there was a mound of beautiful white fluffy snow. WHOOPPEE! I got me two bites of that snow and really enjoyed it. Yep, Sure Did. Right off the floor of that toilet. Now I think YUKKY! but then it was a treat. By the way it was the first snow no less. HE HE!! I went back to the house just pleased as I could be cause' I'd got me some snow. I had no more than got inside the door when Mama said, "Clydene I told you not to eat snow". "I didn't Mama". "Yes you did, I saw you", she said. "No Mama I ran out there really fast and didn't stop, weren't you watchin"? " Yes I sure was watchin' and you got a bite of snow off that dirty toilet floor". Well now good grief howd' she know that? I thought. Even with eyes in the back of her head she can't see through a toilet wall. "Mama you can't see inside that toilet from here" I argued. "Clydene did you eat snow in the toilet? I know you did so tell me the truth". Well heck fire I guess Mama could see through toilet walls too. I had to fess up and I got a spankin' but I puzzled over that for a very long time. I was braggin to Brenda one day that my Mama could see through walls and we got in a squabble over it, hittin' and scratchin'. She went and asked my Auntie and Auntie said, "Sure Mama's can all do that".
We didn't have enough smarts to just let it go, we started askin' our Mamas, Did you see us do this, or that, or something else and just kept gettin' ourselves deeper and deeper in trouble. Heck we told everything we could remember that we had done to our Mama's in the next few weeks. They never said, "Yep I saw You", didn't have to cause' we were confessin' it all not even knowin' we were doin' it!!
I has that dreaded sore throat and fever soon after that. Did the eatin' the snow cause it? Well I was convinced that it did and so was my Daddy. We got another snow that winter and I never ate nary a bite outside. Nope! At least I don't remember it if I did. But I got snow cream a couple of times and boy was that good. We were all sittin' there one night around the stove shiverin' and eatin' snow cream and Mama said, "Now Clydene aint that better than that bite of snow you ate outta' the toilet"? "Yep sure is Mama". But You know? Even now I'm not sure that bite of dirty snow wasn't worth all the trouble. NOPE I AINT SURE!!! Still like a bite of snow now and then. HEHEHE! Aint Mamas smart????
WINTERS IN THE SOUTH
I was always sickly when I was a kid. So even though I dearly loved winter snows I was not allowed to play outside much. When I did my Mama would always say, "Now, Clydene do not eat any snow it will give you a sore throat". I don't know if it did and to be truthful I just didn't believe it so I always tried to sneak a bite of that fluffy white snow. Mama usually was watching and stopped me. I was just sure Mama had eyes in back of her head. Someone (probably my Papa) had told me that. I know I did have a lot of trouble with sore throats and fever. (They call that flu now. Then it was just a sore throat and fever). I was sick a lot even in the summer. Mama made snow cream for us when she had what she needed to make it. Daddy would always say, "Now Lucille don't make it outta' the first snow cause' it's poisoned from the stuff in the air. (Today that is probably true, and just as true then as far as My Daddy was concerned).
One day I had to go to the ol' outside toilet and there was snow on the ground. I knew Mama would be watching so I just ran right on out there and went in the toilet. When I got in there and sat down I looked in the floor and there was a mound of beautiful white fluffy snow. WHOOPPEE! I got me two bites of that snow and really enjoyed it. Yep, Sure Did. Right off the floor of that toilet. Now I think YUKKY! but then it was a treat. By the way it was the first snow no less. HE HE!! I went back to the house just pleased as I could be cause' I'd got me some snow. I had no more than got inside the door when Mama said, "Clydene I told you not to eat snow". "I didn't Mama". "Yes you did, I saw you", she said. "No Mama I ran out there really fast and didn't stop, weren't you watchin"? " Yes I sure was watchin' and you got a bite of snow off that dirty toilet floor". Well now good grief howd' she know that? I thought. Even with eyes in the back of her head she can't see through a toilet wall. "Mama you can't see inside that toilet from here" I argued. "Clydene did you eat snow in the toilet? I know you did so tell me the truth". Well heck fire I guess Mama could see through toilet walls too. I had to fess up and I got a spankin' but I puzzled over that for a very long time. I was braggin to Brenda one day that my Mama could see through walls and we got in a squabble over it, hittin' and scratchin'. She went and asked my Auntie and Auntie said, "Sure Mama's can all do that".
We didn't have enough smarts to just let it go, we started askin' our Mamas, Did you see us do this, or that, or something else and just kept gettin' ourselves deeper and deeper in trouble. Heck we told everything we could remember that we had done to our Mama's in the next few weeks. They never said, "Yep I saw You", didn't have to cause' we were confessin' it all not even knowin' we were doin' it!!
I has that dreaded sore throat and fever soon after that. Did the eatin' the snow cause it? Well I was convinced that it did and so was my Daddy. We got another snow that winter and I never ate nary a bite outside. Nope! At least I don't remember it if I did. But I got snow cream a couple of times and boy was that good. We were all sittin' there one night around the stove shiverin' and eatin' snow cream and Mama said, "Now Clydene aint that better than that bite of snow you ate outta' the toilet"? "Yep sure is Mama". But You know? Even now I'm not sure that bite of dirty snow wasn't worth all the trouble. NOPE I AINT SURE!!! Still like a bite of snow now and then. HEHEHE! Aint Mamas smart????
Friday, January 16, 2009
MY PAPA
1-15-09...MY PAPA
Papa was my Daddies Dad, my Grandpa. He was quiet an old gentleman. He was just full of tricks. He didn't like anyone not being up with the chickens working . Everyone called him Papa even his kids.
Papa could not hear at all. You would have to get down close to his ear and cup your hands and holler for him to know what you were saying. He smoked a pipe, dipped snuff, and chewed tobacco each morning in that order after he ate breakfast. It was quiet a production to watch him as he went through the same ritual morning and evening. He would never get on to us but he talked loud enough that we heard him telling our Parents what they should do to us. My Grandma had died when my Daddy was only a few months old so Daddy never knew her. I am told I look like her. She was Cherokee.
Papa loved to watch TV. I was 14 when we got our first little black and white set. We only got one, sometimes two channels. Papa could not hear a word but you would have thought he could. He got such a kick out of the Red Skelton show. Would laugh till he had tears running down. That was easy to do with Red Skelton. When someone would come up behind Red and goose him, Papa would jump and say. umph! It was so funny to watch him.
Brenda and I sometimes got jealous of each other over our Papa and would squabble about it verbally. He likes me better, Nope he likes me better!!
We had an older cousin who we thought was mean and honery, which he was. He would go up behind Papa and goose him and scare Papa, well we didn't like that at all. No siree! Sure wasn't a bit funny to us or anyone else except his Mama. He was 15 and his Mama's baby. Spoiled rotten and everyone knew it and avoided him. Well Brenda and I had had a couple of run ins with him already and we were tired of him pestering our Papa. That big spoiled Mama's baby was even more jumpy than Papa so it wasn't hard to get him. And By george we got him good. YEP!
That big baby was scared of the dark and we knew it. He was at Brenda's house one night and Brenda and I were at my house and the time was right. We knew he would have to come out to go to the toilet sooner or later so we told Mama we were going to Brendas for a while. We walked on out there and sat down behind the toilet. Several others came out. Finally he came out. His Mama (our Aunt) came on the back porch to wait on him. The big old baby kept looking back to see if his Mama was still there and tripped. Down he went and we had to bite our tongues to keep from giggling and alerting him. It was so funny watching that almost 6ft. baby wallering there on the ground and his Mama saying, Oh! Oh! My goodness are you OK? But we waited quietly. When he got in the toilet we heard him latch the door and this was it. We took sticks and racked them up and down on the toilet and groaned a ghostly groan, OOOooooooOOOOO! My gosh we heard him scramblin around in there, heard some bumps and umps, and whimperin'. Then we heard MMAAMMAA!!! Our Aunt was hollering Oh My Oh My are you Ok as she ran toward the toilet and believe it or not she cane tumblin' down to the ground too. We could hear him trying to open the door. Guess he forgot he had it latched. He was shrieking now and so was our Aunt. Everyone came running out of Brenda's house and Brenda and I took off for my house. We laughed so hard we couldn't breathe and run at the same time so had to stop down the lane a few minutes. We ran on in my house and Mama asked what the commotion was. Oh ------, just locked hisself in the toilet was all we said.
Next day I'm sure my Mama and Daddy figured out what had happened when they heard the story, but they just smiled and never said a word. HE HE Great Parents YEP!!
Papa was my Daddies Dad, my Grandpa. He was quiet an old gentleman. He was just full of tricks. He didn't like anyone not being up with the chickens working . Everyone called him Papa even his kids.
Papa could not hear at all. You would have to get down close to his ear and cup your hands and holler for him to know what you were saying. He smoked a pipe, dipped snuff, and chewed tobacco each morning in that order after he ate breakfast. It was quiet a production to watch him as he went through the same ritual morning and evening. He would never get on to us but he talked loud enough that we heard him telling our Parents what they should do to us. My Grandma had died when my Daddy was only a few months old so Daddy never knew her. I am told I look like her. She was Cherokee.
Papa loved to watch TV. I was 14 when we got our first little black and white set. We only got one, sometimes two channels. Papa could not hear a word but you would have thought he could. He got such a kick out of the Red Skelton show. Would laugh till he had tears running down. That was easy to do with Red Skelton. When someone would come up behind Red and goose him, Papa would jump and say. umph! It was so funny to watch him.
Brenda and I sometimes got jealous of each other over our Papa and would squabble about it verbally. He likes me better, Nope he likes me better!!
We had an older cousin who we thought was mean and honery, which he was. He would go up behind Papa and goose him and scare Papa, well we didn't like that at all. No siree! Sure wasn't a bit funny to us or anyone else except his Mama. He was 15 and his Mama's baby. Spoiled rotten and everyone knew it and avoided him. Well Brenda and I had had a couple of run ins with him already and we were tired of him pestering our Papa. That big spoiled Mama's baby was even more jumpy than Papa so it wasn't hard to get him. And By george we got him good. YEP!
That big baby was scared of the dark and we knew it. He was at Brenda's house one night and Brenda and I were at my house and the time was right. We knew he would have to come out to go to the toilet sooner or later so we told Mama we were going to Brendas for a while. We walked on out there and sat down behind the toilet. Several others came out. Finally he came out. His Mama (our Aunt) came on the back porch to wait on him. The big old baby kept looking back to see if his Mama was still there and tripped. Down he went and we had to bite our tongues to keep from giggling and alerting him. It was so funny watching that almost 6ft. baby wallering there on the ground and his Mama saying, Oh! Oh! My goodness are you OK? But we waited quietly. When he got in the toilet we heard him latch the door and this was it. We took sticks and racked them up and down on the toilet and groaned a ghostly groan, OOOooooooOOOOO! My gosh we heard him scramblin around in there, heard some bumps and umps, and whimperin'. Then we heard MMAAMMAA!!! Our Aunt was hollering Oh My Oh My are you Ok as she ran toward the toilet and believe it or not she cane tumblin' down to the ground too. We could hear him trying to open the door. Guess he forgot he had it latched. He was shrieking now and so was our Aunt. Everyone came running out of Brenda's house and Brenda and I took off for my house. We laughed so hard we couldn't breathe and run at the same time so had to stop down the lane a few minutes. We ran on in my house and Mama asked what the commotion was. Oh ------, just locked hisself in the toilet was all we said.
Next day I'm sure my Mama and Daddy figured out what had happened when they heard the story, but they just smiled and never said a word. HE HE Great Parents YEP!!
MY GRANDMA
1-15-09...MY GRANDMA
Grandpa died when I was eight and I was the only Grandchild that he ever saw. Grandma came from California to Arkansas to live with us. I know now how selfish I was. As far as I was concerned she was in the way. I had to sleep with her and I hated that. Grandma had a gruff voice that scared some babies. She was a huge woman. 250# and only 5'3. Quiet a sight. Of course I loved my Grandma but I didn't know her well. Hadn't seen her a lot till she came to live with us.
I thought she was too bossy, thought she was too big, etc. Mama shamed me for it and I would keep my smart mouth in check for a while then I would get aggravated again.
Grandma didn't have anything but the big box of her things that were shipped from California. She lived with us and that was that. Another mouth to feed, more clothes to buy, etc. I never heard anyone say a word in complaint. That was the way of it then. No Nursing homes, no welfare, no help. Families took care of their own.
Grandma worked though. She cleaned, she cooked and canned, drew water, just anything else there was to do she was there helping.
My fondest and best memory of my Grandma was sitting in a rocker sewing. I can still see her there. She had a cardboard box sitting by her chair, along with a paper sack. The box contained all her scraps, the sack contained what she was working on that day. She embroidered such beautiful things and made pretty doilies that she cold starched and ironed up just so frilly. She even made our clothes, sheets and bedding. We covered in the quilts she made. But still I got aggravated with her from time to time even all the while being ashamed of myself.
Grandma had problems. Now I know it was diverticulitis because I have it too. Then it was a nuisance. Grandma was in the old one seater toilet a lot of the time when I wanted to go. She rolled and smoked cigarettes. Used a bobbi pin to hold it so none was wasted. I was mad about having to wait and then the smell in there was horrible what with that nasty smoke combined with whatever else.
I went out to the toilet one day when Grandma was in there. I thought Heck fire she's just sittin' there smoking cause Mama didn't like the smoke either. I'll scare the tar outta' her. YEP! I'll sure show her. I caught me a lizzard and threw it in a crack on the side of the toilet. It landed in her lap. Now Grandma wasn't afraid of lizzards but it startled her when it fell on her and she came outta that toilet in a hurry. I was prepared to giggle my head off but Grandma stumbled and turned her ankle. Heck I tried my durdnest not to laugh but there stood Grandma with her back to me and she mooned me when she bent to retrieve her panties that were around her ankles. I got tickled again and couldn't stop. I saw Grandma was hurting. I was saying, giggle, giggle, I'm sorry Grandma, giggle, giggle, let me help you. giggle, giggle!!! Well my gruff Grandma got tickled too. Here we were standing outside the toilet with Grandma's britches down just gigglin our heads off and crying at the same time when Mama saw us and came running. Giggle, giggle, Mama I need a Giggle . giggle whipping I cried.
We got Grandma to the house and through my Grandma's protest I sure nuff got my tanning. Yep! Grandma and I were still laughin' and Mama got frustrated with us and walked away. It was in the evening before we both settled down enough to tell Mama what had happened. She said she knew I had done something. Grandma soaked her ankle and it never swelled up just hurt a little she said. Later when I realized that I had "Asked" for a tannin' it somehow made me feel good. I needed it and guess I wanted it. Oh I was learnin' fast the right of things. Yep!
Over the next few days I really got to know my Grandma. I loved her before but it was a deeper love now because I also knew and understood her. That was Great!!! Yep!
Grandpa died when I was eight and I was the only Grandchild that he ever saw. Grandma came from California to Arkansas to live with us. I know now how selfish I was. As far as I was concerned she was in the way. I had to sleep with her and I hated that. Grandma had a gruff voice that scared some babies. She was a huge woman. 250# and only 5'3. Quiet a sight. Of course I loved my Grandma but I didn't know her well. Hadn't seen her a lot till she came to live with us.
I thought she was too bossy, thought she was too big, etc. Mama shamed me for it and I would keep my smart mouth in check for a while then I would get aggravated again.
Grandma didn't have anything but the big box of her things that were shipped from California. She lived with us and that was that. Another mouth to feed, more clothes to buy, etc. I never heard anyone say a word in complaint. That was the way of it then. No Nursing homes, no welfare, no help. Families took care of their own.
Grandma worked though. She cleaned, she cooked and canned, drew water, just anything else there was to do she was there helping.
My fondest and best memory of my Grandma was sitting in a rocker sewing. I can still see her there. She had a cardboard box sitting by her chair, along with a paper sack. The box contained all her scraps, the sack contained what she was working on that day. She embroidered such beautiful things and made pretty doilies that she cold starched and ironed up just so frilly. She even made our clothes, sheets and bedding. We covered in the quilts she made. But still I got aggravated with her from time to time even all the while being ashamed of myself.
Grandma had problems. Now I know it was diverticulitis because I have it too. Then it was a nuisance. Grandma was in the old one seater toilet a lot of the time when I wanted to go. She rolled and smoked cigarettes. Used a bobbi pin to hold it so none was wasted. I was mad about having to wait and then the smell in there was horrible what with that nasty smoke combined with whatever else.
I went out to the toilet one day when Grandma was in there. I thought Heck fire she's just sittin' there smoking cause Mama didn't like the smoke either. I'll scare the tar outta' her. YEP! I'll sure show her. I caught me a lizzard and threw it in a crack on the side of the toilet. It landed in her lap. Now Grandma wasn't afraid of lizzards but it startled her when it fell on her and she came outta that toilet in a hurry. I was prepared to giggle my head off but Grandma stumbled and turned her ankle. Heck I tried my durdnest not to laugh but there stood Grandma with her back to me and she mooned me when she bent to retrieve her panties that were around her ankles. I got tickled again and couldn't stop. I saw Grandma was hurting. I was saying, giggle, giggle, I'm sorry Grandma, giggle, giggle, let me help you. giggle, giggle!!! Well my gruff Grandma got tickled too. Here we were standing outside the toilet with Grandma's britches down just gigglin our heads off and crying at the same time when Mama saw us and came running. Giggle, giggle, Mama I need a Giggle . giggle whipping I cried.
We got Grandma to the house and through my Grandma's protest I sure nuff got my tanning. Yep! Grandma and I were still laughin' and Mama got frustrated with us and walked away. It was in the evening before we both settled down enough to tell Mama what had happened. She said she knew I had done something. Grandma soaked her ankle and it never swelled up just hurt a little she said. Later when I realized that I had "Asked" for a tannin' it somehow made me feel good. I needed it and guess I wanted it. Oh I was learnin' fast the right of things. Yep!
Over the next few days I really got to know my Grandma. I loved her before but it was a deeper love now because I also knew and understood her. That was Great!!! Yep!
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
BLACKBERRY PICKING
1-13-09...BLACKBERRY PICKING
We used to pick the wild blackberries that grew thick along the fence between the garden and the railroad track. Every evening after supper we all lined up and filled buckets. They were plentiful but so were the big wasp nests just covered with big ol' red wasps. Now let me tell you those darn things were mean. They would chase you to get to sting you. The boys were too little this particular time so it was My Parents Me And Brenda. Of course we were not doing much work. I suspect they had us with them to keep an eye on us. We kinda got sidetracked as usual. We poured what berries we had picked in to one bucket and took turns sitting on the other bucket. Well that got old fast. We knew we'd better stay close to my parents so what the heck could we do sides' pick berries. We decided we might as well pick some more and both picked into one bucket for a while.
We were going on pretty good till a wasp started buzzin' round' our heads. We spied a big ol' nest in the vines and decided to knock that sucker to kingdom come. Yep, we sure did! We found some rocks along the edge of the garden and took turns throwing them at the wasp nest. Daddy'll be glad we got these rocks outta his garden was my thinking. We didn't have very good aim and we were just makin' them' wasp mad I guess. I took my turn at throwing and decided to get a little closer this time. It was becoming a game of wills. We both wanted to be the one who knocked the nest down. Brenda was ready with her rock and she threw it before I got backed up enough. By Golly she knocked the nest down, and the race was on. Those things came outta' there like a bomb. I was still close so guess who they nailed first. Yep ME!!! I turned to run and hit head on with Brenda who was standing there proud of herself for knocking the wasp nest. We both were knocked backwards by the force of the hit. Brenda went on the ground and I landed in the bucket of blackberries. I can still feel myself sinking down in there, squashing berries as I went. For some reason the wasp went after Brenda instead of me. She was tearin' out across the garden screamin' with my parents following saying "What's wrong" I guess they figerered' out what is was cause' I saw them slappin' and jumpin' around swattin' off the wasps. Well I got the giggles. I started to get up and found out I was stuck tight in that bucket of berries. No way, no how, could I get up and I had laughed so hard I peed in my 'britches'? Well really I peed in the bucket of smashed berries. Oh My gosh, now what. Brenda, Mama, and Daddy were fightin' wasp and here I am stuck in a bucket of berries. Good Grief!!! I got tickled again but it didn't last long when I looked and saw a few wasp seemed to be comin' back where I was. At the same time Daddy started back to get me. Well let me tell you I got up then bucket and all and duck walked to meet Daddy. He picked me up bucket and all and started toward the house. The bucket jarred loose and hit the ground spillin' those smushed' up berries. Off we went and the wasp decided to stay with the berries saving us any more indignities from stings. We all had a bath with rubbin' alcohol poured in the tub. Course I had to be cleaned a little more than the rest cause' I had a purple butt! Did we ever try and knock a wasp nest down again? Well Sure we did. YEP!!! Just made sure our parents were not around. Didn't want them stung again. NOPE!!!
We used to pick the wild blackberries that grew thick along the fence between the garden and the railroad track. Every evening after supper we all lined up and filled buckets. They were plentiful but so were the big wasp nests just covered with big ol' red wasps. Now let me tell you those darn things were mean. They would chase you to get to sting you. The boys were too little this particular time so it was My Parents Me And Brenda. Of course we were not doing much work. I suspect they had us with them to keep an eye on us. We kinda got sidetracked as usual. We poured what berries we had picked in to one bucket and took turns sitting on the other bucket. Well that got old fast. We knew we'd better stay close to my parents so what the heck could we do sides' pick berries. We decided we might as well pick some more and both picked into one bucket for a while.
We were going on pretty good till a wasp started buzzin' round' our heads. We spied a big ol' nest in the vines and decided to knock that sucker to kingdom come. Yep, we sure did! We found some rocks along the edge of the garden and took turns throwing them at the wasp nest. Daddy'll be glad we got these rocks outta his garden was my thinking. We didn't have very good aim and we were just makin' them' wasp mad I guess. I took my turn at throwing and decided to get a little closer this time. It was becoming a game of wills. We both wanted to be the one who knocked the nest down. Brenda was ready with her rock and she threw it before I got backed up enough. By Golly she knocked the nest down, and the race was on. Those things came outta' there like a bomb. I was still close so guess who they nailed first. Yep ME!!! I turned to run and hit head on with Brenda who was standing there proud of herself for knocking the wasp nest. We both were knocked backwards by the force of the hit. Brenda went on the ground and I landed in the bucket of blackberries. I can still feel myself sinking down in there, squashing berries as I went. For some reason the wasp went after Brenda instead of me. She was tearin' out across the garden screamin' with my parents following saying "What's wrong" I guess they figerered' out what is was cause' I saw them slappin' and jumpin' around swattin' off the wasps. Well I got the giggles. I started to get up and found out I was stuck tight in that bucket of berries. No way, no how, could I get up and I had laughed so hard I peed in my 'britches'? Well really I peed in the bucket of smashed berries. Oh My gosh, now what. Brenda, Mama, and Daddy were fightin' wasp and here I am stuck in a bucket of berries. Good Grief!!! I got tickled again but it didn't last long when I looked and saw a few wasp seemed to be comin' back where I was. At the same time Daddy started back to get me. Well let me tell you I got up then bucket and all and duck walked to meet Daddy. He picked me up bucket and all and started toward the house. The bucket jarred loose and hit the ground spillin' those smushed' up berries. Off we went and the wasp decided to stay with the berries saving us any more indignities from stings. We all had a bath with rubbin' alcohol poured in the tub. Course I had to be cleaned a little more than the rest cause' I had a purple butt! Did we ever try and knock a wasp nest down again? Well Sure we did. YEP!!! Just made sure our parents were not around. Didn't want them stung again. NOPE!!!
THE TATTLETALE
1-12-09...THE TATTLETAIL
I had never realized how very Blessed I was until I started to school and became more aware of my surroundings. I learned very young that it is not 'stuff' that you have but the 'stuff' in your heart that really counts. That was a lesson I learned at home and how was I to know that everyone didn't know it. HUH?
I've always heard that kids can be so cruel. Well that is not necessarily so. It is what you learn as you are growing up that shapes your character. I learned from wise wonderful people, my parents, my Pastor, and other family and friends that we were close to. Not everyone I was to come in contact with had the privilege of that.
Yes kids could be nasty which I very quickly found out. When I'd go home telling my experiences my Parents would say to me "Always give everyone the benefit of the doubt, Don't judge a book by it's cover, when others are talking about someone always find something good to say about them" . What can I say Mama? Well just anything say what a pretty blouse she has on, or how pretty her hair is. Well there was this one girl that just irked me out. My friends and I were talking one day at recess and she walked by. Her clothes were ragged and dirty. I said Oh what a pretty blouse she has on!!! My friends looked at me like I had two heads. Coulda' been cause she had a dress on and no blouse in sight. Thing is it kept them from talking about her at that moment. Hey it works I thought.
But now it is a differer story when you are the one being rediculed. There was a girl who started making fun of me and my parents advice went by the wayside for a spell. YEP! Hey this was different. I didn't tell my parents about this and later I wished I had because they would have helped me handle it in a better way.
She had pretty frilly clothes, always had a nickel to spend at the candy store, and was a little snot nose as far as I was concerned. It was raining one day and I came to school with a bread sack over my head like a head scarf. Now I thought it was pretty. Mamma cut it open and it tied under my chin. On the wrapper was red, yellow, and blue balloons. I thought I was up-town now. The cats Meow!!!! When I proudly wore it on the bus she said, "Well look at the poor little hillbilly Clydene, can't even afford a real rain coat". Tears welled up in my eyes but also red fire mad welled up inside me. I looked at Brenda and saw a mirror of what my face must look like. I whispered to Brenda, "We are gonna get her! Yep Brenda answered. And get her we did!!! Both got spankings in school and again at home but by golly we shut that little smart elec up good!!!
Now we never intended to hurt the little snot nose but it happened that we did. JUST A LITTLE He he.
What we decided to do was take her goofy ol' raincoat and hide it from her. We didn't have cloak rooms in our little school. We had to hang all our coats in the hall on hooks. We watched where she hung that ol' raincoat and hung our coats over it. We planned to get to it before she did at recess and take it out with us. Which we did. So far so good. Someone saw us get the durn' thing and told her, she told the Teacher and the jig was up!! We were on the playground just giggling and feeling proud of ourselves as we watched for her to come out without her raincoat, gettin' all wet and we were gonna holler, look at stupid ol' _ _ _ _ _! Cant afford a raincoat. She did come out but she had on a pretty rain hat and the teacher was waiting on the porch, (without Her rain hat). She ran up to us and was gonna' snatch the raincoat gutta'' our hands. "Teacher said come right there, she said. Well of course we were stubborn and wasn't a gonna turn lose of the darn thing. It ripped and she went berserk. She flew at us and we were too fast for her. One of us threw the raincoat over her head and spun her around. She stumbled and fell face down and busted her lip and the howl was on! She kept thrashing around there on the ground and succeeded in ripping the raincoat and her stupid arm. We were laughing till we saw the Teacher comin' tward' us and figured we'd better just be quiet and sweet as we could. Didn't help, still got spanked at school and again at home. Heck fire anyhow! She was just a spoiled brat. It wouldn't a hurt us. She was just one of those snooty little girls that couldn't take it. YEP!!!
I had never realized how very Blessed I was until I started to school and became more aware of my surroundings. I learned very young that it is not 'stuff' that you have but the 'stuff' in your heart that really counts. That was a lesson I learned at home and how was I to know that everyone didn't know it. HUH?
I've always heard that kids can be so cruel. Well that is not necessarily so. It is what you learn as you are growing up that shapes your character. I learned from wise wonderful people, my parents, my Pastor, and other family and friends that we were close to. Not everyone I was to come in contact with had the privilege of that.
Yes kids could be nasty which I very quickly found out. When I'd go home telling my experiences my Parents would say to me "Always give everyone the benefit of the doubt, Don't judge a book by it's cover, when others are talking about someone always find something good to say about them" . What can I say Mama? Well just anything say what a pretty blouse she has on, or how pretty her hair is. Well there was this one girl that just irked me out. My friends and I were talking one day at recess and she walked by. Her clothes were ragged and dirty. I said Oh what a pretty blouse she has on!!! My friends looked at me like I had two heads. Coulda' been cause she had a dress on and no blouse in sight. Thing is it kept them from talking about her at that moment. Hey it works I thought.
But now it is a differer story when you are the one being rediculed. There was a girl who started making fun of me and my parents advice went by the wayside for a spell. YEP! Hey this was different. I didn't tell my parents about this and later I wished I had because they would have helped me handle it in a better way.
She had pretty frilly clothes, always had a nickel to spend at the candy store, and was a little snot nose as far as I was concerned. It was raining one day and I came to school with a bread sack over my head like a head scarf. Now I thought it was pretty. Mamma cut it open and it tied under my chin. On the wrapper was red, yellow, and blue balloons. I thought I was up-town now. The cats Meow!!!! When I proudly wore it on the bus she said, "Well look at the poor little hillbilly Clydene, can't even afford a real rain coat". Tears welled up in my eyes but also red fire mad welled up inside me. I looked at Brenda and saw a mirror of what my face must look like. I whispered to Brenda, "We are gonna get her! Yep Brenda answered. And get her we did!!! Both got spankings in school and again at home but by golly we shut that little smart elec up good!!!
Now we never intended to hurt the little snot nose but it happened that we did. JUST A LITTLE He he.
What we decided to do was take her goofy ol' raincoat and hide it from her. We didn't have cloak rooms in our little school. We had to hang all our coats in the hall on hooks. We watched where she hung that ol' raincoat and hung our coats over it. We planned to get to it before she did at recess and take it out with us. Which we did. So far so good. Someone saw us get the durn' thing and told her, she told the Teacher and the jig was up!! We were on the playground just giggling and feeling proud of ourselves as we watched for her to come out without her raincoat, gettin' all wet and we were gonna holler, look at stupid ol' _ _ _ _ _! Cant afford a raincoat. She did come out but she had on a pretty rain hat and the teacher was waiting on the porch, (without Her rain hat). She ran up to us and was gonna' snatch the raincoat gutta'' our hands. "Teacher said come right there, she said. Well of course we were stubborn and wasn't a gonna turn lose of the darn thing. It ripped and she went berserk. She flew at us and we were too fast for her. One of us threw the raincoat over her head and spun her around. She stumbled and fell face down and busted her lip and the howl was on! She kept thrashing around there on the ground and succeeded in ripping the raincoat and her stupid arm. We were laughing till we saw the Teacher comin' tward' us and figured we'd better just be quiet and sweet as we could. Didn't help, still got spanked at school and again at home. Heck fire anyhow! She was just a spoiled brat. It wouldn't a hurt us. She was just one of those snooty little girls that couldn't take it. YEP!!!
Friday, January 9, 2009
CHOCOLATE PUDDIN'
1-9-09...CHOCOLATE PUDDIN'
This little caper was brought to my memory yesterday and I have been pondering on it. Brenda and I played in a thicket between our homes. It was rather a special place to us. Secretive we thought. We had made a playhouse of sorts. Made a table from boards sitting on a 5 gal. bucket. Had chairs out of more buckets. We pretended we had parties. Elegant affairs if I can say so myself. Very few ever got invited to our 'parties' either.
Brenda's older sister liked to aggravate us of course. Don't all older siblings do that? She would show up and we'd chase her away. If she didn't leave we'd 'Tell on her' and let my Auntie take care of her. She would come without us knowing sometimes and listen to our childish prattle, as we served 'tea' to our imaginary guests. Then she would laugh at us and tell everyone how"SILLY" we were. Boy I tell you she could get our claws out fast. That is the reason when she showed up one day with our 'dinner' on a tray we were really flabbergasted. Didn't know what to think. There were two sandwiches. (Auntie had sent them) We had our mugs of tea. (Water). Also on the tray was a big bowl of Chocolate puddin'. Just off the stove she said. all creamy and yummy lookin'. We were still not trusting her very far though. Nope. We knew her well. Yep! She would do anything to get us mad. We inspected the sandwiches real good. But not the puddin'.!! We knew dessert was not to be eaten till last. She had a sandwich too and we decided to let her eat with us. Boy, now wasn't she being nice today. We couldn't hardly believe it. Shouldn't have believed it!! Nope! Sure shouldn't have!!
We all ate our sandwiches. I can't remember what kind they were now. Didn't much matter then either. We were eager to get in to that chocolate puddin'. Yummy our favorite!!!
She had brought two spoons from the house. "Aint you gonna eat no puddin" we asked. "Naw, I brought that for you". Heck fire we had never seen her so sweet. "You will have to eat outta the bowl", she said. Heck that was OK with us.
We both dug our spoons in. "What are those lumps" we asked. "Oh it probably just has a few lunps in it, wont hurt nuthin" she said. The anticipation was gettin' the best of us so we put a big bite in our mouths at the same time. Spit, Splutter, gag, OH MY GOSH!!! What is that? She started gigglin' her head off. I mean she was outta breath from gigglin'. We still didn't know what she had fed us but we knew it was not edible and our claws were out big time!!! One of us, or maybe both, can't remember, threw that bowl of chocolate, whatever it was, right in her face and it rolled down all over her. We ran to tell on her but she got there first. "Mama look what they did to me" she whinned. "What in the world is that stinkin' stuff" my Auntie asked. Heck we didn't know what it was. "She told us it was Chocolate puddin Auntie" I said. Well Auntie knew what it was. "Did you girls eat this"? She asked. "We just took one bite and we spit it out Mama" Brenda said.
Auntie looked at big Sister and started laughin'. Well Heck Fire, What is she laughin' for we thought. We were madder n' hornets. Sure wasn't funny to us.
Auntie only laughed for a few seconds and she turned deadly serious. "You two go in the house and wash out your mouthes real good" Which we were glad to do. From the back porch we could hear Auntie light in to older sister. "You deserve that horse manure (Auntie called it what it was) in your face and you can wear it for a while." "But Mama" she started. "NO BUTS. You get out there on the grass and sit there for one hour". "NO Mama, please let me wash off". "NO, not till I say you can, now do as I say".
Well now we knew what we had eat a bite of and we did some gagging of our own. Auntie gave us a glass of kool-aide and a cookie. We basked in our glory as we watched big sister sit out there with horse manure dryin' on her. YEP!! She just hadn't outta' done that! NOPE!!!
This little caper was brought to my memory yesterday and I have been pondering on it. Brenda and I played in a thicket between our homes. It was rather a special place to us. Secretive we thought. We had made a playhouse of sorts. Made a table from boards sitting on a 5 gal. bucket. Had chairs out of more buckets. We pretended we had parties. Elegant affairs if I can say so myself. Very few ever got invited to our 'parties' either.
Brenda's older sister liked to aggravate us of course. Don't all older siblings do that? She would show up and we'd chase her away. If she didn't leave we'd 'Tell on her' and let my Auntie take care of her. She would come without us knowing sometimes and listen to our childish prattle, as we served 'tea' to our imaginary guests. Then she would laugh at us and tell everyone how"SILLY" we were. Boy I tell you she could get our claws out fast. That is the reason when she showed up one day with our 'dinner' on a tray we were really flabbergasted. Didn't know what to think. There were two sandwiches. (Auntie had sent them) We had our mugs of tea. (Water). Also on the tray was a big bowl of Chocolate puddin'. Just off the stove she said. all creamy and yummy lookin'. We were still not trusting her very far though. Nope. We knew her well. Yep! She would do anything to get us mad. We inspected the sandwiches real good. But not the puddin'.!! We knew dessert was not to be eaten till last. She had a sandwich too and we decided to let her eat with us. Boy, now wasn't she being nice today. We couldn't hardly believe it. Shouldn't have believed it!! Nope! Sure shouldn't have!!
We all ate our sandwiches. I can't remember what kind they were now. Didn't much matter then either. We were eager to get in to that chocolate puddin'. Yummy our favorite!!!
She had brought two spoons from the house. "Aint you gonna eat no puddin" we asked. "Naw, I brought that for you". Heck fire we had never seen her so sweet. "You will have to eat outta the bowl", she said. Heck that was OK with us.
We both dug our spoons in. "What are those lumps" we asked. "Oh it probably just has a few lunps in it, wont hurt nuthin" she said. The anticipation was gettin' the best of us so we put a big bite in our mouths at the same time. Spit, Splutter, gag, OH MY GOSH!!! What is that? She started gigglin' her head off. I mean she was outta breath from gigglin'. We still didn't know what she had fed us but we knew it was not edible and our claws were out big time!!! One of us, or maybe both, can't remember, threw that bowl of chocolate, whatever it was, right in her face and it rolled down all over her. We ran to tell on her but she got there first. "Mama look what they did to me" she whinned. "What in the world is that stinkin' stuff" my Auntie asked. Heck we didn't know what it was. "She told us it was Chocolate puddin Auntie" I said. Well Auntie knew what it was. "Did you girls eat this"? She asked. "We just took one bite and we spit it out Mama" Brenda said.
Auntie looked at big Sister and started laughin'. Well Heck Fire, What is she laughin' for we thought. We were madder n' hornets. Sure wasn't funny to us.
Auntie only laughed for a few seconds and she turned deadly serious. "You two go in the house and wash out your mouthes real good" Which we were glad to do. From the back porch we could hear Auntie light in to older sister. "You deserve that horse manure (Auntie called it what it was) in your face and you can wear it for a while." "But Mama" she started. "NO BUTS. You get out there on the grass and sit there for one hour". "NO Mama, please let me wash off". "NO, not till I say you can, now do as I say".
Well now we knew what we had eat a bite of and we did some gagging of our own. Auntie gave us a glass of kool-aide and a cookie. We basked in our glory as we watched big sister sit out there with horse manure dryin' on her. YEP!! She just hadn't outta' done that! NOPE!!!
THE 'SNIPE' HUNT
1-8-09...THE 'SNIPE' HUNT
I was remembering the time Norman and Paul put fish in the well, then proceeded to put my cat in there so he could eat the fish. Oh My Goodness, these boys were learning fast. But Brenda and I never did anything like that, and the Boys never did again either! They said they thought the cat could eat the fish then crawl out. The fish and the cat of course died and a while later the smell was horrible. Daddy had to draw the well dry and let it fill back up several times to take care of that problem. It was just an old well that went dry and we did not use anyway. But Heck Fire!!! Daddy finally capped the well off with concrete.
They didn't like my cat. One day he was off up the road and came home with a tin can tied to his tail. He was scared to death and ran under the house. Brenda and I crawled under there to rescue him but the poor thing was so scared we couldn't touch him. Now Brenda and I were honery but those boys!!! They were double honery I tell you!!
We all did things together too. Like catching june bugs and tying a long string of thread to one of their legs. We turned it loose and it would fly as far as the thread reached then come back. We were convinced the bug loved us and wanted to stay with us. We all did that but we turned the bug loose without hurting it very bad I suspect.
Summers were long and hot but they were magical to us. So much to do and see. We could all walk over to Hall Parks little store (about a mile I think) and just have a great time. If we had a nickle we bought penny candy, or maybe a pop sicle that melted before we could eat it all usually. Sometimes we all didn't have a nickle. Then we would share. If no one had a nickle that was OK too. It was just so much fun to walk over there.
We also all got our turn at 'snipe' huntin'. Bigger kids took younger ones on these 'hunts' down in the pasture, through the trees, bushes, and briars. They said the 'snipe' only came out just at dark so we had to be there at just the right time.
What is a 'snipe'? we asked when it was our turn to go. Oh we can't tell you they said but you will like them. How do we catch em' we asked. Well you get a big paper sack, and get you a stick. You stand in the woods and beat on your sack with the stick. The 'snipes' will hear it and they will come and jump in your sack. It might help if you holler, Cum'mer' snipes. Well heck that sounded easy nuff'. OK Lets Go!!! I know now that there were lots of instructions from our parents and also a threat if those instructions were not followed.
We climbed over the barbed wire fence and walked quietly down amoung the trees. It was dark but I think we all had cat eyes back then and we also knew every rock on the trail. Now be real quiet and listen we were instructed. HEAR THAT? I don't hear a thing we all whispered. Thats cause you don't know what a 'snipe' sounds like was our answer. There they are! Get ready! Now!!! Man we started beatin them sacks and hollerin' cum'mer' snipes!!!
Now the jist of it was while we were beatin' and hollerin' the older kids would take off and leave us there. We were supposed to be scared spitless then they would come get us. YEP!!! They just hadn't counted on our team out smartin' em'. Nope! Shoulda known, but they were not as smart as they thought they were. HECK NO!!!
We were beatin and hollerin and didn't know they had left but I told you we had cat eyes. When we spotted them off in the trees with big smiles on their faces we caught on. Well Brenda and I caught on. We had been told to stand right there and not move or the 'snipes' wouldn't come. We whispered and made up our plan while we kept beating. Slowly we started moving forward. We'd beat and holler a while then we'd move forward a little. Well those smart elecs didn't seem to know what to do. Without them knowing it we watched them. They were talking amoung themselves and decided they'd better follow us. Well That is what we counted on. There were four of us and only two of them so we had em'.
The boys sneaked to the side a little at a time. We started runnin' now to get ahead of the big kids. When we couldn't see them then we knew they couldn't see us. All this time Brenda and I were still beatin' and hollerin'. When we had veered off to the side enough we got real quiet and watched for them. Here they came and we knew they were scared they'd lost us. They started calling us. "Where are you"? Come on, we gotta go". Where are they? do ya think they went to the creek? Oh my gosh we better find um'. Oh My Oh My"!!! They were gettin' loud now so we just made our way back up to the house ans waited. We were sitting at the kitchen table gigglin' when they came thunderin up on the front porch. "Mama' we lost the kids, we can't find um' nowhere, they drowned for sure". They were cryin' and splutterin' just scared outta their gourds. We sneaked out the back and came around to the front and saw them there on the porch with Auntie. They were ringin' their hands and snot was flyin'. The four of us sneaked up behind em' and we all grabbed them and hollered, CUM'MER 'snipes'. Wooopppeee!!! One of them wet her pants, I thought the other one was gonna' pass out.!! Now They Were Scared so bad they couldn't even talk. We four laughed so hard we wet our pants. At least I know I did. Auntie was laughin' too. Boy Howdy We got em' good that time. Wheee! That was fun. There was never another 'snipe hunt' though. No more little ones for us to take, durn it!!!
We had so much fun down there by the RR Track on that dead end road. Love, Laughter, and Blessings really were overflowing in those good ol' days. YEP!!
I was remembering the time Norman and Paul put fish in the well, then proceeded to put my cat in there so he could eat the fish. Oh My Goodness, these boys were learning fast. But Brenda and I never did anything like that, and the Boys never did again either! They said they thought the cat could eat the fish then crawl out. The fish and the cat of course died and a while later the smell was horrible. Daddy had to draw the well dry and let it fill back up several times to take care of that problem. It was just an old well that went dry and we did not use anyway. But Heck Fire!!! Daddy finally capped the well off with concrete.
They didn't like my cat. One day he was off up the road and came home with a tin can tied to his tail. He was scared to death and ran under the house. Brenda and I crawled under there to rescue him but the poor thing was so scared we couldn't touch him. Now Brenda and I were honery but those boys!!! They were double honery I tell you!!
We all did things together too. Like catching june bugs and tying a long string of thread to one of their legs. We turned it loose and it would fly as far as the thread reached then come back. We were convinced the bug loved us and wanted to stay with us. We all did that but we turned the bug loose without hurting it very bad I suspect.
Summers were long and hot but they were magical to us. So much to do and see. We could all walk over to Hall Parks little store (about a mile I think) and just have a great time. If we had a nickle we bought penny candy, or maybe a pop sicle that melted before we could eat it all usually. Sometimes we all didn't have a nickle. Then we would share. If no one had a nickle that was OK too. It was just so much fun to walk over there.
We also all got our turn at 'snipe' huntin'. Bigger kids took younger ones on these 'hunts' down in the pasture, through the trees, bushes, and briars. They said the 'snipe' only came out just at dark so we had to be there at just the right time.
What is a 'snipe'? we asked when it was our turn to go. Oh we can't tell you they said but you will like them. How do we catch em' we asked. Well you get a big paper sack, and get you a stick. You stand in the woods and beat on your sack with the stick. The 'snipes' will hear it and they will come and jump in your sack. It might help if you holler, Cum'mer' snipes. Well heck that sounded easy nuff'. OK Lets Go!!! I know now that there were lots of instructions from our parents and also a threat if those instructions were not followed.
We climbed over the barbed wire fence and walked quietly down amoung the trees. It was dark but I think we all had cat eyes back then and we also knew every rock on the trail. Now be real quiet and listen we were instructed. HEAR THAT? I don't hear a thing we all whispered. Thats cause you don't know what a 'snipe' sounds like was our answer. There they are! Get ready! Now!!! Man we started beatin them sacks and hollerin' cum'mer' snipes!!!
Now the jist of it was while we were beatin' and hollerin' the older kids would take off and leave us there. We were supposed to be scared spitless then they would come get us. YEP!!! They just hadn't counted on our team out smartin' em'. Nope! Shoulda known, but they were not as smart as they thought they were. HECK NO!!!
We were beatin and hollerin and didn't know they had left but I told you we had cat eyes. When we spotted them off in the trees with big smiles on their faces we caught on. Well Brenda and I caught on. We had been told to stand right there and not move or the 'snipes' wouldn't come. We whispered and made up our plan while we kept beating. Slowly we started moving forward. We'd beat and holler a while then we'd move forward a little. Well those smart elecs didn't seem to know what to do. Without them knowing it we watched them. They were talking amoung themselves and decided they'd better follow us. Well That is what we counted on. There were four of us and only two of them so we had em'.
The boys sneaked to the side a little at a time. We started runnin' now to get ahead of the big kids. When we couldn't see them then we knew they couldn't see us. All this time Brenda and I were still beatin' and hollerin'. When we had veered off to the side enough we got real quiet and watched for them. Here they came and we knew they were scared they'd lost us. They started calling us. "Where are you"? Come on, we gotta go". Where are they? do ya think they went to the creek? Oh my gosh we better find um'. Oh My Oh My"!!! They were gettin' loud now so we just made our way back up to the house ans waited. We were sitting at the kitchen table gigglin' when they came thunderin up on the front porch. "Mama' we lost the kids, we can't find um' nowhere, they drowned for sure". They were cryin' and splutterin' just scared outta their gourds. We sneaked out the back and came around to the front and saw them there on the porch with Auntie. They were ringin' their hands and snot was flyin'. The four of us sneaked up behind em' and we all grabbed them and hollered, CUM'MER 'snipes'. Wooopppeee!!! One of them wet her pants, I thought the other one was gonna' pass out.!! Now They Were Scared so bad they couldn't even talk. We four laughed so hard we wet our pants. At least I know I did. Auntie was laughin' too. Boy Howdy We got em' good that time. Wheee! That was fun. There was never another 'snipe hunt' though. No more little ones for us to take, durn it!!!
We had so much fun down there by the RR Track on that dead end road. Love, Laughter, and Blessings really were overflowing in those good ol' days. YEP!!
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
DANCIN' UNDER THE BED
1-6-09...DANCIN' UNDER THE BED
I have been listening to that GOOD OL' 60s music for several days now when I have time. It makes me think of all those nights in my bedroom when Brenda and I would take Mama's old radio in my room and listen while we did our homework. (This was after we got electricity in our house. Before that she had a battery radio. The battery was big and ran down with much use) I can't even listen to the radio with any distraction at all now, but then our minds stretched farther I guess. I'm glad no one saw me this morning. I just couldn't resist when a song came on that I remembered so well. (Hello Mary Lou by Rickey Nelson) I got up and put my arms out like I was holding on to a partner and bopped all across the floor. Next was a Chubby Checker song,( Lets Do The Twist) and I got up and twisted my fanny off. (Almost literally I might say) It scared the stuffins' outta' my dog Moses. He started whinning and I knew he would finally bark and get Don up so I quit. Heck I probably couldn't have danced any more anyway, but I like to think I could have.
Brenda and I used to dance barefoot in my bedroom for hours. We even learned to do the jitterbug from Granny. I don't think I want to try that right now though. HE HE!!! And that is how I came to break two of my toes. My big left toe, and my little toe on the right foot! Ouch, I can almost feel the pain now. How did I manage one toe on each foot? I'm not real sure but YEP! I did it!
I said, "Brenda let me throw you over my head the way they do it on in the skatin' rink. " No!! Clydene, I'll throw you over my shoulder". "OK, lets get back to back" "OK now what?" I put my hands on my shoulders and Brenda got hold of them. "Bend over Brenda and bring me up over your back". Which she did!!!! I pushed up on my feet as she bent down and when she pulled I went flying over like a professional. RIGHT??? WRONG!! Double wrong!! Brenda let go of my hands and went face down on the floor. I flew the opposite direction and hit the bed leg with both feet, slid on by and landed in a heap under the bed, scraping down both arms on the bed springs as I went. "OOHH, ump, dang it Brenda you shouldn't have let go" I whispered. The reason I was whispering being I didn't have enough wind left to holler. Next thing I saw were Brenda's eyes bugged open peeking under the bed at me. Next thing I heard was my Mama saying "What in the world is goin' on in here"?
Brenda thought I was deader'n' a doornail I guess cause she started bawlin'. I couldn't even talk at the minute so My Mama was scared to death. "Clyde get in here Clydene's hurt"! Daddy was already on his way and appeared instantly, also scared to death. I saw all three sets of bugged out eyes lookin' under the bed at me and since I was gettin' my wind back I started giggling. I giggled with all the wind I had at the time then said "get me out of here". It was a low bed and I don't know how I ever fit under there in the first place. Daddy had to lift one end of it while Mama and Brenda helped me wiggle out. I think I might have been in some trouble then but by then the shock was over and the pain started. Oh My Oh My. Everything hurt!!! I mean everything. I was bleedin' on the arms and my toes were just throbbing. The blood scared everyone's pants off again. I wasn't gigglin' any more and didn't have enough breath to cry. Mama got a warm cloth and started dabbing on the blood and Daddy was getting ready to run for help. "Wait Clyde, These are just scratches. Looks worse than it is" Mama hollered.
It was the next day when my toes swelled up that we finally found out from Ol' Doc that both my toes were broken. Now there is not much to be done for broken toes. Can't splint them. So both my feet were wrapped each day, and soaked each day with something smelly. I couldn't go to school for a while. Brenda brought my lessons every evening and took back my finished work the next morning. As for being out of school, I sure didn't enjoy that vacation. NOPE!!!! Not one little bit!!!!!
I have been listening to that GOOD OL' 60s music for several days now when I have time. It makes me think of all those nights in my bedroom when Brenda and I would take Mama's old radio in my room and listen while we did our homework. (This was after we got electricity in our house. Before that she had a battery radio. The battery was big and ran down with much use) I can't even listen to the radio with any distraction at all now, but then our minds stretched farther I guess. I'm glad no one saw me this morning. I just couldn't resist when a song came on that I remembered so well. (Hello Mary Lou by Rickey Nelson) I got up and put my arms out like I was holding on to a partner and bopped all across the floor. Next was a Chubby Checker song,( Lets Do The Twist) and I got up and twisted my fanny off. (Almost literally I might say) It scared the stuffins' outta' my dog Moses. He started whinning and I knew he would finally bark and get Don up so I quit. Heck I probably couldn't have danced any more anyway, but I like to think I could have.
Brenda and I used to dance barefoot in my bedroom for hours. We even learned to do the jitterbug from Granny. I don't think I want to try that right now though. HE HE!!! And that is how I came to break two of my toes. My big left toe, and my little toe on the right foot! Ouch, I can almost feel the pain now. How did I manage one toe on each foot? I'm not real sure but YEP! I did it!
I said, "Brenda let me throw you over my head the way they do it on in the skatin' rink. " No!! Clydene, I'll throw you over my shoulder". "OK, lets get back to back" "OK now what?" I put my hands on my shoulders and Brenda got hold of them. "Bend over Brenda and bring me up over your back". Which she did!!!! I pushed up on my feet as she bent down and when she pulled I went flying over like a professional. RIGHT??? WRONG!! Double wrong!! Brenda let go of my hands and went face down on the floor. I flew the opposite direction and hit the bed leg with both feet, slid on by and landed in a heap under the bed, scraping down both arms on the bed springs as I went. "OOHH, ump, dang it Brenda you shouldn't have let go" I whispered. The reason I was whispering being I didn't have enough wind left to holler. Next thing I saw were Brenda's eyes bugged open peeking under the bed at me. Next thing I heard was my Mama saying "What in the world is goin' on in here"?
Brenda thought I was deader'n' a doornail I guess cause she started bawlin'. I couldn't even talk at the minute so My Mama was scared to death. "Clyde get in here Clydene's hurt"! Daddy was already on his way and appeared instantly, also scared to death. I saw all three sets of bugged out eyes lookin' under the bed at me and since I was gettin' my wind back I started giggling. I giggled with all the wind I had at the time then said "get me out of here". It was a low bed and I don't know how I ever fit under there in the first place. Daddy had to lift one end of it while Mama and Brenda helped me wiggle out. I think I might have been in some trouble then but by then the shock was over and the pain started. Oh My Oh My. Everything hurt!!! I mean everything. I was bleedin' on the arms and my toes were just throbbing. The blood scared everyone's pants off again. I wasn't gigglin' any more and didn't have enough breath to cry. Mama got a warm cloth and started dabbing on the blood and Daddy was getting ready to run for help. "Wait Clyde, These are just scratches. Looks worse than it is" Mama hollered.
It was the next day when my toes swelled up that we finally found out from Ol' Doc that both my toes were broken. Now there is not much to be done for broken toes. Can't splint them. So both my feet were wrapped each day, and soaked each day with something smelly. I couldn't go to school for a while. Brenda brought my lessons every evening and took back my finished work the next morning. As for being out of school, I sure didn't enjoy that vacation. NOPE!!!! Not one little bit!!!!!
Monday, January 5, 2009
THE PLAY OH MY GOSH
1-5-09...THE PLAY OH MY GOSH
Remember all those giggling times we had as teen-agers? Boy I sure do. Sometimes we would giggle till our tummies hurt. That's OK. Right? Well that's according to where that giggle comes on. In school is not one of the good places, especially when it is supposed to be a serious time.
We had JR. and Sr. Plays in high school and I'll never forget our Sr. Play. It was called Ready Made Family and it was soo funny. Made even funnier by the antics on stage. I have to say right now that I was directly responsible for at least three of them. I can laugh till my belly aches about it now but let me tell you our Sponser Miss Brasel sure turned my giggle into a poker face with just a few words. Words, very quietly spoken I might add.
I played a teenager and had a teen aged brother and a little sister. Our 'Mom' had brought a Man for us to meet and told us they were getting married. This 'Man' had two teenagers, a boy and a girl. Well the five of us kids didn't want our parents to get married so we set out to put a stop to their plans. Of course the four teenagers fell into puppy love and our minds changed. That's the gist of the play but our on-stage behaviour was funnier than the story was.
One time I was supposed to walk across the stage. As I went by the fireplace I knocked the poker over. Cling Clang Clop. My friend Jimmy looked back and said very calmly. "You knocked the poker down". The look on his face got me tickled. To keep from laughing I said "Would you pick it up?", To which he said, " Pick it up yourself sis." I was splutterin' now trying not to go in to the giggles and I said, "Oh good grief Jimmy", (which of course was not his name in the play). The audience all laughed and we went on. But the 'stage' was set from then on. One blunder after another.
In one scene I was supposed to bust out in baby talk. Our 'Butler' was supposed to be kneeling by the fireplace and my sudden prattle was supposed to scare him. The line he was supposed to say was my cue for my next line, he spluttered it out and said it wrong and I got tickled. Gordon said the word again to help me say my line but I just got more tickled. Gordon was supposed to jump up and run off the stage but he kept saying that line so I'd say mine. well I was in a giggle fit and couldn't say my line. I guess Gordon decided I'm gettin' outta here, cause he jumped up and proceeded to run off the stage and tripped over my foot and fell face down. I looked down at him and really come unglued. I mean I was gigglin hard now. Tears were dropping down my face, I was just unhinged. Then I heard the voice of Miss Brasel behind stage. "Straighten up out there, NOW! Well folks that was the same as THE LOOK from my Mama. Instant calm took over. I said my line, Gordon ran off stage (limping slightly) and that scene was over.
The next act opened and we kids had decided we liked each other very much. In fact four of us were smitten. Me and my counterpart and the other two were supposed to be arm in arm walking to the couch to sit down and talk it over. I had my arm drapped through Tommy's and I had on a rhinestone bracelet. As we turned to sit my bracelet got caught in his sweater and hung there. I was just going to pull free but Tommy took my wrist and raised it up so he could get his sweater unhinged from my bracelet without tearing his sweater. He said "Stupid girls". Well that didn't go over very well either since in the story we were supposed to be smitten. I almost got the giggles again but the door off stage came open just a smidgen and this time I saw Miss Brasels face and "The Look" stopped my giggle in its tracks. Just screeched to a halt. That was a fun time that is just fixed in my mind like indelible ink. I can remember it so vividly it feels like yesterday. What a great time we had with that play. Miss Brasel laughed right along with us afterwards. But we all knew when that sweet Lady meant business too. A look or a word worked. Oh what times we had back then. Just some of the times that have made me what I am. They were simple and innocent times and we can not go back in time. But we can sure keep our memories and cherish those times. WHICH I DO!!!! Yep!
Remember all those giggling times we had as teen-agers? Boy I sure do. Sometimes we would giggle till our tummies hurt. That's OK. Right? Well that's according to where that giggle comes on. In school is not one of the good places, especially when it is supposed to be a serious time.
We had JR. and Sr. Plays in high school and I'll never forget our Sr. Play. It was called Ready Made Family and it was soo funny. Made even funnier by the antics on stage. I have to say right now that I was directly responsible for at least three of them. I can laugh till my belly aches about it now but let me tell you our Sponser Miss Brasel sure turned my giggle into a poker face with just a few words. Words, very quietly spoken I might add.
I played a teenager and had a teen aged brother and a little sister. Our 'Mom' had brought a Man for us to meet and told us they were getting married. This 'Man' had two teenagers, a boy and a girl. Well the five of us kids didn't want our parents to get married so we set out to put a stop to their plans. Of course the four teenagers fell into puppy love and our minds changed. That's the gist of the play but our on-stage behaviour was funnier than the story was.
One time I was supposed to walk across the stage. As I went by the fireplace I knocked the poker over. Cling Clang Clop. My friend Jimmy looked back and said very calmly. "You knocked the poker down". The look on his face got me tickled. To keep from laughing I said "Would you pick it up?", To which he said, " Pick it up yourself sis." I was splutterin' now trying not to go in to the giggles and I said, "Oh good grief Jimmy", (which of course was not his name in the play). The audience all laughed and we went on. But the 'stage' was set from then on. One blunder after another.
In one scene I was supposed to bust out in baby talk. Our 'Butler' was supposed to be kneeling by the fireplace and my sudden prattle was supposed to scare him. The line he was supposed to say was my cue for my next line, he spluttered it out and said it wrong and I got tickled. Gordon said the word again to help me say my line but I just got more tickled. Gordon was supposed to jump up and run off the stage but he kept saying that line so I'd say mine. well I was in a giggle fit and couldn't say my line. I guess Gordon decided I'm gettin' outta here, cause he jumped up and proceeded to run off the stage and tripped over my foot and fell face down. I looked down at him and really come unglued. I mean I was gigglin hard now. Tears were dropping down my face, I was just unhinged. Then I heard the voice of Miss Brasel behind stage. "Straighten up out there, NOW! Well folks that was the same as THE LOOK from my Mama. Instant calm took over. I said my line, Gordon ran off stage (limping slightly) and that scene was over.
The next act opened and we kids had decided we liked each other very much. In fact four of us were smitten. Me and my counterpart and the other two were supposed to be arm in arm walking to the couch to sit down and talk it over. I had my arm drapped through Tommy's and I had on a rhinestone bracelet. As we turned to sit my bracelet got caught in his sweater and hung there. I was just going to pull free but Tommy took my wrist and raised it up so he could get his sweater unhinged from my bracelet without tearing his sweater. He said "Stupid girls". Well that didn't go over very well either since in the story we were supposed to be smitten. I almost got the giggles again but the door off stage came open just a smidgen and this time I saw Miss Brasels face and "The Look" stopped my giggle in its tracks. Just screeched to a halt. That was a fun time that is just fixed in my mind like indelible ink. I can remember it so vividly it feels like yesterday. What a great time we had with that play. Miss Brasel laughed right along with us afterwards. But we all knew when that sweet Lady meant business too. A look or a word worked. Oh what times we had back then. Just some of the times that have made me what I am. They were simple and innocent times and we can not go back in time. But we can sure keep our memories and cherish those times. WHICH I DO!!!! Yep!
GOT ME A PIECE OF GUM
1-4-09...GOT ME A PIECE OF GUM
Of all the people in my past I think I remember my Great Grandma Henry the best. She was a little lady. Her hair was silver grey and hung down her back. She twisted it up in a knot on the top of her head and secuered it with long wooden hair pins. It was beautiful I thought then and still do.
Grandma had a little black purse that was off limits to everyone and I mean everyone. I was always facinated with the unknown as to not knowing what she protected so fiercely in that little purse. I managed to get in it a couple of times with bad results. One was when Brenda and I stole her snuff which I have told here before. Grandma dipped that snuff with a teensy doll spoon and the spoon was a facination to me also.
Grandma was so neat with her snuff that a stranger would never know she had it. Never dripped down her chin and on to her bodice, and her teeth never showed the stains.
Grandma was out under the big Elm tree in our back yard one day and I saw her cut a little twig off a limb and proceed to cut on the end of that twig till it resembled a brush. "What'cha doin' Grandma" I asked. "Well Come over here Clydene and I'll show you" She said. Brenda, Norman, Paul and I all ran on over there and Grandma showed us how she always 'brushed' her teeth with that Elm twig." Now kids that is the way I keep my teeth white" she said. "But Grandma Mama says we have to use toothpaste". "Well Clydene, I didn't have toothpaste when I was a little girl, and I didn't like to have to use lye soap in my mouth. It tasted terrible. I discovered that the elm twig worked just as well without the soap. I use toothpaste now but I use this elm twig too". Well I know she did cause I have that little black purse in an old trunk now and there inside is an elm twig brush all wrapped up in plastic. There it will stay too.
Grandma Henry was special to me in so many ways. She was so gentle, never raised her voice that I ever heard, she loved everyone and everyone loved her. But she sure could get riled up in her gentle way if that little black purse was bothered. Something I found out the two times I dared to put my hands inside it.
Grandma always had chewing gum in that purse and I knew it. Now and then she would give us a piece (well one piece torn in to) but not very often. She never got it out and chewed it in front of us but boy howdy we knew it was there. Mama said don't ask Grandma Mattie for gum kids. She will give it to you if she wants to. Of course I did ask from time to time anyway but out of Mamas hearing.
One day I asked and Grandma said not now. Well I knew very well that not now meant NO! But I wanted a piece of that gum.
Very seldom was that little black purse out of Grandma's sight. Heck she even took that blamed thing to the toilet with her. But, One day I caught that Purse sittin' there on a table and Granny was no where in sight. No other people around but me. WHOOPPEE! I'm gonna' get me a whole durn piece of that gum! Yep!
I opened the purse got me a piece of gum, and off I went runnin' with it behind me. I cut through the kitchen and there was Mama and Grandma sittin' at the table. I kept my hands behind me mashing that gum in my grubby little paws and just walked right on by Mama and Grandma. They just looked up and smiled at me and boy howdy I had it made. I walked on by them and to the screen door. I used my shoulder to push the door open cause I didn't wanna' take the chance that I'd drop the gum and theyd' see it don't ya' know. Problem was, I walked on by them but I didn't bother to move my hands from hind' me to tha' front when I went by. Get the picture? There I was pushin' that door with my shoulder, thinkin' I was sooo! smart. My back was to them and of course so were my hands with the gum stickin' out. CLYDENE!!!! That was Grandma and she raised her voice just a tad that time. WHAT? I still hadn't figuered out that they could see that gum so I just stopped in my tracks and stood there. "What'cha' want Grandma. What is that in your hands, That was Mama this time. What hands? I replied very innocently. I turned around to face them and by golly I remembered to put my dad blamed hands in front of me this time. Right in plain sight again. Now wasn't I smart HUH? I stood there with my hands closed over the gum and thought I still had it hid. My hands were too small to hide it of course. Granny got to get the peach tree limb that time. She just tapped me a couple of times. Don't figure she really wanted to do that but knew it was what I needed. And of course I did need it. Only time My Grandma Mattie ever spanked me. It didn't hurt but it made a lasting impression on me. I still can't bring myself to mess with that purse. I've looked inside it but leave everything just the way it was when Granny carried it. YEP! Wouldn't want another spanking from my Grandma Mattie. NOPE!
I do wonder why I just didn't open that gum and put it in my mouth in the first place before I got caught. Guess I needed that lesson. HUH? YEP!!!
Of all the people in my past I think I remember my Great Grandma Henry the best. She was a little lady. Her hair was silver grey and hung down her back. She twisted it up in a knot on the top of her head and secuered it with long wooden hair pins. It was beautiful I thought then and still do.
Grandma had a little black purse that was off limits to everyone and I mean everyone. I was always facinated with the unknown as to not knowing what she protected so fiercely in that little purse. I managed to get in it a couple of times with bad results. One was when Brenda and I stole her snuff which I have told here before. Grandma dipped that snuff with a teensy doll spoon and the spoon was a facination to me also.
Grandma was so neat with her snuff that a stranger would never know she had it. Never dripped down her chin and on to her bodice, and her teeth never showed the stains.
Grandma was out under the big Elm tree in our back yard one day and I saw her cut a little twig off a limb and proceed to cut on the end of that twig till it resembled a brush. "What'cha doin' Grandma" I asked. "Well Come over here Clydene and I'll show you" She said. Brenda, Norman, Paul and I all ran on over there and Grandma showed us how she always 'brushed' her teeth with that Elm twig." Now kids that is the way I keep my teeth white" she said. "But Grandma Mama says we have to use toothpaste". "Well Clydene, I didn't have toothpaste when I was a little girl, and I didn't like to have to use lye soap in my mouth. It tasted terrible. I discovered that the elm twig worked just as well without the soap. I use toothpaste now but I use this elm twig too". Well I know she did cause I have that little black purse in an old trunk now and there inside is an elm twig brush all wrapped up in plastic. There it will stay too.
Grandma Henry was special to me in so many ways. She was so gentle, never raised her voice that I ever heard, she loved everyone and everyone loved her. But she sure could get riled up in her gentle way if that little black purse was bothered. Something I found out the two times I dared to put my hands inside it.
Grandma always had chewing gum in that purse and I knew it. Now and then she would give us a piece (well one piece torn in to) but not very often. She never got it out and chewed it in front of us but boy howdy we knew it was there. Mama said don't ask Grandma Mattie for gum kids. She will give it to you if she wants to. Of course I did ask from time to time anyway but out of Mamas hearing.
One day I asked and Grandma said not now. Well I knew very well that not now meant NO! But I wanted a piece of that gum.
Very seldom was that little black purse out of Grandma's sight. Heck she even took that blamed thing to the toilet with her. But, One day I caught that Purse sittin' there on a table and Granny was no where in sight. No other people around but me. WHOOPPEE! I'm gonna' get me a whole durn piece of that gum! Yep!
I opened the purse got me a piece of gum, and off I went runnin' with it behind me. I cut through the kitchen and there was Mama and Grandma sittin' at the table. I kept my hands behind me mashing that gum in my grubby little paws and just walked right on by Mama and Grandma. They just looked up and smiled at me and boy howdy I had it made. I walked on by them and to the screen door. I used my shoulder to push the door open cause I didn't wanna' take the chance that I'd drop the gum and theyd' see it don't ya' know. Problem was, I walked on by them but I didn't bother to move my hands from hind' me to tha' front when I went by. Get the picture? There I was pushin' that door with my shoulder, thinkin' I was sooo! smart. My back was to them and of course so were my hands with the gum stickin' out. CLYDENE!!!! That was Grandma and she raised her voice just a tad that time. WHAT? I still hadn't figuered out that they could see that gum so I just stopped in my tracks and stood there. "What'cha' want Grandma. What is that in your hands, That was Mama this time. What hands? I replied very innocently. I turned around to face them and by golly I remembered to put my dad blamed hands in front of me this time. Right in plain sight again. Now wasn't I smart HUH? I stood there with my hands closed over the gum and thought I still had it hid. My hands were too small to hide it of course. Granny got to get the peach tree limb that time. She just tapped me a couple of times. Don't figure she really wanted to do that but knew it was what I needed. And of course I did need it. Only time My Grandma Mattie ever spanked me. It didn't hurt but it made a lasting impression on me. I still can't bring myself to mess with that purse. I've looked inside it but leave everything just the way it was when Granny carried it. YEP! Wouldn't want another spanking from my Grandma Mattie. NOPE!
I do wonder why I just didn't open that gum and put it in my mouth in the first place before I got caught. Guess I needed that lesson. HUH? YEP!!!
THE GIRL IN ME
1-3-09...THE GIRL IN ME
Sometimes I look in a mirror and think, Who in the world is that ol' wrinkled up prune? Where the heck did that smoothe faced, black haired, skinny little girl go. In my heart I'm still that girl growing up. Hey I'm still here I want to shout at that dad' burned mirror. Stop lying to me, come on now, that aint me. And it don't have to be me that I see there in the mirror. I can be that girl again anytime I want to if I keep her alive. Sure nuff can. So there you ol' mirror. I don't have to listen to you. NOPE!
That girl was lively, no aches and pains, no worries either. Well by golly I'm 64 and I've earned the right to be a girl again. Oh yes, I see the little smiles on younger ones faces when I make a blunder or say somethin' stupid, or forget their name, Again! What the heck do they know. They wouldn't know where to start to live my life. Nope! You whippersnappers you couldn't begin to walk in my shoes.
I remember one cold night when no matter what I did I couldn't get warm. Mama had put a hot water bottle at my feet but the rest of me was cold. She wrapped it in a towel because it had boiling water inside and was too hot not wrapped. Well I decided to unwrap the dad burned thing and snuggle with it. My little brother was in the bed too. None of us slept by ourselves. It was warmer to have two in the bed. Sometimes we all slept in the floor in the front room in front of the little heater. This night I crawled under the covers and got the wrapped hot water bottle. I lifted it up and proceeded to unwrap it. Heck fire that sucker was hot. I couldn't snuggle with that thing. I pushed it over between my brother and me. Sometime later I moved and flopped right down on that bottle. Let me tell you I flopped up a bunch quicker than I flopped down! OWWW! As I jumped I hit my head on the head board and Owww! again. My little Brother (two at the time) came awake screechin' and hitin'. Mama and Daddy came on the scene then and restored order but I had a bump on my head, scratches on my arm, and a burn on my fanny.
Then there were the mornings in that ol' toilet in the field. Cold mornins' it almost hurt to sit down on that durn hole, summer mornins' you was'a'liable to get a red wasp on your butt which brought ya' up screamin' and fightin' that durn thing. Same ol' problems havin' to wait. Four in the family and whoever else might be there. A one seater toilet. Like one bathroom today but at least y'all are inside.
Things were hard back then but I was that young girl that I still have here inside me. As I get older I dig her out more often. She will never go away. When she is here I have my Family here too. Mama, Daddy, Granny and Grandpa, My little Brother, Brenda and I skipping along those ol' dirt roads and experiencing the most awesome time of our lives. I don't want to ever lose that girl. She is what made the woman I am now. As long as she is here I don't have to worry about lookin' in that lying mirror. Nope! I know that girl and I cherish her life. And I aint'a'gonna let her escape me. NOPE!!!
Sometimes I look in a mirror and think, Who in the world is that ol' wrinkled up prune? Where the heck did that smoothe faced, black haired, skinny little girl go. In my heart I'm still that girl growing up. Hey I'm still here I want to shout at that dad' burned mirror. Stop lying to me, come on now, that aint me. And it don't have to be me that I see there in the mirror. I can be that girl again anytime I want to if I keep her alive. Sure nuff can. So there you ol' mirror. I don't have to listen to you. NOPE!
That girl was lively, no aches and pains, no worries either. Well by golly I'm 64 and I've earned the right to be a girl again. Oh yes, I see the little smiles on younger ones faces when I make a blunder or say somethin' stupid, or forget their name, Again! What the heck do they know. They wouldn't know where to start to live my life. Nope! You whippersnappers you couldn't begin to walk in my shoes.
I remember one cold night when no matter what I did I couldn't get warm. Mama had put a hot water bottle at my feet but the rest of me was cold. She wrapped it in a towel because it had boiling water inside and was too hot not wrapped. Well I decided to unwrap the dad burned thing and snuggle with it. My little brother was in the bed too. None of us slept by ourselves. It was warmer to have two in the bed. Sometimes we all slept in the floor in the front room in front of the little heater. This night I crawled under the covers and got the wrapped hot water bottle. I lifted it up and proceeded to unwrap it. Heck fire that sucker was hot. I couldn't snuggle with that thing. I pushed it over between my brother and me. Sometime later I moved and flopped right down on that bottle. Let me tell you I flopped up a bunch quicker than I flopped down! OWWW! As I jumped I hit my head on the head board and Owww! again. My little Brother (two at the time) came awake screechin' and hitin'. Mama and Daddy came on the scene then and restored order but I had a bump on my head, scratches on my arm, and a burn on my fanny.
Then there were the mornings in that ol' toilet in the field. Cold mornins' it almost hurt to sit down on that durn hole, summer mornins' you was'a'liable to get a red wasp on your butt which brought ya' up screamin' and fightin' that durn thing. Same ol' problems havin' to wait. Four in the family and whoever else might be there. A one seater toilet. Like one bathroom today but at least y'all are inside.
Things were hard back then but I was that young girl that I still have here inside me. As I get older I dig her out more often. She will never go away. When she is here I have my Family here too. Mama, Daddy, Granny and Grandpa, My little Brother, Brenda and I skipping along those ol' dirt roads and experiencing the most awesome time of our lives. I don't want to ever lose that girl. She is what made the woman I am now. As long as she is here I don't have to worry about lookin' in that lying mirror. Nope! I know that girl and I cherish her life. And I aint'a'gonna let her escape me. NOPE!!!
MY FIRST BOQUET
1-3-09...MY FIRST BOQUET
I have mentioned some of my friends from school at different times. I'd like to talk about my Friend Tommy today.
I first saw Tommy when I was five yrs. old. I was at my Aunt Georgia's with my Parents visiting. Tommy lived with his parents just down the lane. Tommy and his Mom came up to Aunt Georgias. Tommy and I were outside playing. Aunt Georgia was sooo! fussy about neatness and she always had a beautiful yard. I was shy but Tommy wasn't. I knew better than to pick Aunt Georgias flowers, Tommy didn't.
I had a good time playing with Tommy in Aunt Georgias yard. Tommy picked a big boquet of Aunt Georgias flowers and was handing them to me just as his Mom, My Mom, and Aunt Georgia came on the porch. Come on Tommy we gotta' go. No! He said. I had taken the flowers and heard a big gasp. It was Aunt Georgia and her mouth was wide open as I clutched the boquet in my grubby little hands. "Tommy! You weren't supposed to pick those without asking". Oh! My Aunt gushed, It's allright, she lied. She was livid inside but trying to be polite. Anyway Tommy said "I want Clydene to go home with us". It is Ok with me his Mom said. I backed up and was shaking my head no. She don't want to go Tommy. As I said, I was very shy, Tommy wasn't. Tommy got hold of my shirt sleeve and was gonna' take me home with him anyway. I was jerking back and Tommy was pulling. "Tommy, turn loose of her you are gonna' tear her clothes up". Now folks I really did want to go but I was just too bashful. They went on home and My Aunt started moaning about her flowers. Oh My Goodness, Clydene you knew better. Did You pick them Clydene, asked my Mom. No! Then Georgia (we pronounced it GEORGY and still do) Then Georgy don't get on to her.
That evening Aunt Georgy's boys came home from school and when they found out they started teasing me. Clydene's got a boyfriend, Clydene's in love. Hey! I was five and didn't even know what having a boyfriend meant. But I knew how to get my claws out and I did just that. Tore in to them like a mama cat protecting her babies. Aunt Georgy was splutterin' and almost foamin'at the mouth. Why the nerve of a five year old hurting her two babies who were 11 and 15. How rude of her.
Anyway when we started to first grade in Sep. There was Tommy sitting across the aisle from me. He was the only one I knew so of course we were instant friends. I cried every day till recess when I could get outside with Brenda. Tommy would smile at me and it made me feel better. He would hand pencils, gum, candy, ect. across to me when I was crying. Now in 4th&5th. we got 'struck' on each other for a while. Puppy love for me. Don't know if Tommy felt the same way or was still just my friend. And Friends we remained through all twelve grades. There were only nine in our graduating class at the very small school. We were friends, almost like sisters and Brothers. We graduated in 1961 and Tommy was gone. Never knew what happened to him. Only saw him once in the many years that followed. Then when I got my first computer my Nephew happened across Tommy's Web Site and gave me the address. I contacted him. WALA' instant friends again.
Now I have mentioned these things to Tommy and he doesn't remember a bit of it. It is glued in my memory and I'll never forget the first time someone gave me flowers. Guess that is the difference between boys/men & girls/women. We women remember the sweet things better. YEP!!
I have mentioned some of my friends from school at different times. I'd like to talk about my Friend Tommy today.
I first saw Tommy when I was five yrs. old. I was at my Aunt Georgia's with my Parents visiting. Tommy lived with his parents just down the lane. Tommy and his Mom came up to Aunt Georgias. Tommy and I were outside playing. Aunt Georgia was sooo! fussy about neatness and she always had a beautiful yard. I was shy but Tommy wasn't. I knew better than to pick Aunt Georgias flowers, Tommy didn't.
I had a good time playing with Tommy in Aunt Georgias yard. Tommy picked a big boquet of Aunt Georgias flowers and was handing them to me just as his Mom, My Mom, and Aunt Georgia came on the porch. Come on Tommy we gotta' go. No! He said. I had taken the flowers and heard a big gasp. It was Aunt Georgia and her mouth was wide open as I clutched the boquet in my grubby little hands. "Tommy! You weren't supposed to pick those without asking". Oh! My Aunt gushed, It's allright, she lied. She was livid inside but trying to be polite. Anyway Tommy said "I want Clydene to go home with us". It is Ok with me his Mom said. I backed up and was shaking my head no. She don't want to go Tommy. As I said, I was very shy, Tommy wasn't. Tommy got hold of my shirt sleeve and was gonna' take me home with him anyway. I was jerking back and Tommy was pulling. "Tommy, turn loose of her you are gonna' tear her clothes up". Now folks I really did want to go but I was just too bashful. They went on home and My Aunt started moaning about her flowers. Oh My Goodness, Clydene you knew better. Did You pick them Clydene, asked my Mom. No! Then Georgia (we pronounced it GEORGY and still do) Then Georgy don't get on to her.
That evening Aunt Georgy's boys came home from school and when they found out they started teasing me. Clydene's got a boyfriend, Clydene's in love. Hey! I was five and didn't even know what having a boyfriend meant. But I knew how to get my claws out and I did just that. Tore in to them like a mama cat protecting her babies. Aunt Georgy was splutterin' and almost foamin'at the mouth. Why the nerve of a five year old hurting her two babies who were 11 and 15. How rude of her.
Anyway when we started to first grade in Sep. There was Tommy sitting across the aisle from me. He was the only one I knew so of course we were instant friends. I cried every day till recess when I could get outside with Brenda. Tommy would smile at me and it made me feel better. He would hand pencils, gum, candy, ect. across to me when I was crying. Now in 4th&5th. we got 'struck' on each other for a while. Puppy love for me. Don't know if Tommy felt the same way or was still just my friend. And Friends we remained through all twelve grades. There were only nine in our graduating class at the very small school. We were friends, almost like sisters and Brothers. We graduated in 1961 and Tommy was gone. Never knew what happened to him. Only saw him once in the many years that followed. Then when I got my first computer my Nephew happened across Tommy's Web Site and gave me the address. I contacted him. WALA' instant friends again.
Now I have mentioned these things to Tommy and he doesn't remember a bit of it. It is glued in my memory and I'll never forget the first time someone gave me flowers. Guess that is the difference between boys/men & girls/women. We women remember the sweet things better. YEP!!
Friday, January 2, 2009
THINGS CHANGE YEP!
1-2-09...THINGS CHANGE YEP!
It just blows my mind at the difference in how fast time goes now to how it was when I was a carefree kid. Don't know about you but for me everything just whizzes on by me now. HERE, GONE, Forgotten, just like a flash.
I was talking to Brenda last night and we were talking about how we have changed. Used to want to go all the time, now we'd just rather stay on the couch with a heat pad on our backs, our backsides sometimes, and a bottle of horse liniment to rub on everywhere it hurts. Yep I sure do use it! Hey it works, don't knock it till you try it.
Then there is that udder cream we rub on our bodies to make the scales go away. Yep! Udder cream like farmers use on the cows tits when they get sore. YEP! It Works!!!
Of course there is preparation H that is just great for wrinkled skin on your face and bags under your eyes. YEP I do use it.
But time is a different situation all together. There is just not a thing you can do to speed it up or slow it down. When we were young we wanted to hurry, now we would like things to just slow down.
Then what about our minds? We both burned our dinners yesterday. Just flat out forgot. I can't even tell you now what I burned, HMMM! I abosouletely do not know what it was, just know I burned it up.
We both had went somewhere with two different shoes. I had one brown and one black, hers were brown and green. Then there was one morning in Church. I had on a beautiful, outfit, my hair was fixed, had my pretty black hills gold jewelry on. I went struttin' in there and sat down, looked down at my feet, and lo and behold there in all their glory were my fuzzy purple house slippers peeking up at me. Yep! Brenda admitted to almost the same blunder.
Never did things like that when we were young. Or did we?? WEELLL!! Let me see___------------------------------------------ Well I guess we did things then just didn't take us as long to do them.
I went shopping one day, came home worn out and put it all away. Next morning I couldn't find my toothpaste. DOOONN, What did you do with the toothpaste?? I didn't do nothin' with the toothpaste. Well you had to have done something with it cause it aint here. I bought a new tube yesterday, a brand new tube, now where is it??? Clydene I have not even used it this morning, I didn't touch it. Oh My gosh, I can't believe it. You probably just thought you got it. Well I guess I know when I bought somethin' don't I? No you don't know everytime Clydene!! Boy Howdy now I was madder'n'a' old wet hen. I still had the receipt. There smart elec, see that, TOOTHPASTE! right there on the receipt, I got toothpaste, now where is it? Well couldn't find it so next day I bought another tube. I figuered they just didn't put it in my sack. Yep! Thats what happened. I convinced myself of that fact and forgot the whole thing until about a week later that is! I was looking in the freezer for something and Guess What?? Yep, there in front of my eyes was a tube of toothpaste, frozen and ozzing out of the tube. Now do you think I'm crazy enough to tell Don I found it? Heck fire NO!!!
Gotta remember to ask Brenda if she ever did that. BET SHE HAS YEP!!
It just blows my mind at the difference in how fast time goes now to how it was when I was a carefree kid. Don't know about you but for me everything just whizzes on by me now. HERE, GONE, Forgotten, just like a flash.
I was talking to Brenda last night and we were talking about how we have changed. Used to want to go all the time, now we'd just rather stay on the couch with a heat pad on our backs, our backsides sometimes, and a bottle of horse liniment to rub on everywhere it hurts. Yep I sure do use it! Hey it works, don't knock it till you try it.
Then there is that udder cream we rub on our bodies to make the scales go away. Yep! Udder cream like farmers use on the cows tits when they get sore. YEP! It Works!!!
Of course there is preparation H that is just great for wrinkled skin on your face and bags under your eyes. YEP I do use it.
But time is a different situation all together. There is just not a thing you can do to speed it up or slow it down. When we were young we wanted to hurry, now we would like things to just slow down.
Then what about our minds? We both burned our dinners yesterday. Just flat out forgot. I can't even tell you now what I burned, HMMM! I abosouletely do not know what it was, just know I burned it up.
We both had went somewhere with two different shoes. I had one brown and one black, hers were brown and green. Then there was one morning in Church. I had on a beautiful, outfit, my hair was fixed, had my pretty black hills gold jewelry on. I went struttin' in there and sat down, looked down at my feet, and lo and behold there in all their glory were my fuzzy purple house slippers peeking up at me. Yep! Brenda admitted to almost the same blunder.
Never did things like that when we were young. Or did we?? WEELLL!! Let me see___------------------------------------------ Well I guess we did things then just didn't take us as long to do them.
I went shopping one day, came home worn out and put it all away. Next morning I couldn't find my toothpaste. DOOONN, What did you do with the toothpaste?? I didn't do nothin' with the toothpaste. Well you had to have done something with it cause it aint here. I bought a new tube yesterday, a brand new tube, now where is it??? Clydene I have not even used it this morning, I didn't touch it. Oh My gosh, I can't believe it. You probably just thought you got it. Well I guess I know when I bought somethin' don't I? No you don't know everytime Clydene!! Boy Howdy now I was madder'n'a' old wet hen. I still had the receipt. There smart elec, see that, TOOTHPASTE! right there on the receipt, I got toothpaste, now where is it? Well couldn't find it so next day I bought another tube. I figuered they just didn't put it in my sack. Yep! Thats what happened. I convinced myself of that fact and forgot the whole thing until about a week later that is! I was looking in the freezer for something and Guess What?? Yep, there in front of my eyes was a tube of toothpaste, frozen and ozzing out of the tube. Now do you think I'm crazy enough to tell Don I found it? Heck fire NO!!!
Gotta remember to ask Brenda if she ever did that. BET SHE HAS YEP!!
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