PLAYHOUSE

1-1-11...PLAYHOUSE

As I've gotten older I have become more and more sensitive to things. Things I see or hear that either upset me, anger me, or make me happy bring tears to my eyes. I guess I've always been that way up to a point but lately I've had too much time to think I guess because things are flooding back to me like an avalanche and are overpowering me. I like to Think Happy and to have laughter around me and in me. The only way I can seem to do that is to “remember”. Now I can't remember what day it is most days or what I did yesterday, But' I can remember vividly the days of my childhood way down by the Rail Road tracks. Playing in the big yard, climbing the fragrant China-Berry- Trees, and just doing simple things that occupied us for hours. The day Brenda and I made a Play house under the house is one of those memories.

We had found an old wooden crate at Hall Parks store and asked for it. It was a slow go getting it home but we managed. We drug it under the house where we had made chairs out of two big flat rocks and a board. Heck fire, now we had a table and chairs but we needed food and drink. In the house we went in search for something that might serve our purpose. As we looked around in the kitchen we spotted some dishes on the table. Salt and pepper shakers, a couple of coffee cups, and out of the safe two saucers and some forks and spoons. There was about half a loaf of Mama's bread and some strawberry jam on the table which made up our stash. I don't know how we managed not to get caught going out the back door with our treasures but we did.

We had a ball in our playhouse but finally knew we had to get all Mama's things back in the house. It wasn't nearly as simple on the return trip though. We carried it all out in one trip but for some reason going back in wasn't as easy. We were trying to gather it up when we heard Mamma calling us. “Well shoot fire Brenda we're gonna have to wait till she is not in the kitchen”. “Clydene I'm going home now” Brenda answered. She always tried to pull that. Joining in the fun and then skipping out on me. “No you're not Brenda. You gotta help me”. We called back to Mamma that we were under the house which gave us a little time.

We finally figured the coast was clear so we gathered things and crawled out smashing the bread and spilling some jelly in the process. When we were finally out and standing on our feet Brenda bolted. That little snot was going home, She Thought!! I grabbed her dress tail and that thing ripped off at the waist. She started bawling. “Shut up Brenda before you get Mamma out here”. By then we had broke the jelly jar and destroyed the bread, couldn't find the silverware,broken the cups, and ripped Brenda's dress off of her. We started up the china berry tree to try and hide but Mamma was there and the jig was up. Brenda took off through the pasture with me calling her a little scardy cat and Mamma was madder'n'a old wet hen. The bread was for supper so Mamma had to make corn bread. I searched and searched but never did find the silverware. I got a spanking. I said “Mamma Brenda was there too. You gotta spank her too”.

I was sooo! Nice that I reminded Mamma that Brenda needed a spanking when the little escape artist came back. HE HE Now wasn't that sweet of me? NOT!!!

MEMORIES

12-31-10...MEMORIES

Remembrances brought to my mind,

By a fragrance from long ago,

When as a young child of tender years,

As my memory just started to grow.

Or maybe a sound of a whistle blow,

While a train moved along a track,

A bicycle tire on a gravelly dirt road,

Would all seem to carry me back.

I'd love to see those things once again,

What the years have slowly replaced,

With family and friends from days gone by,

As in my mind they are traced.

I'm glad for sounds of spring in the air,

The look of fresh fallen snow,

Lightning bug's glow on a summer's night,

The colors of autumn's rainbow.

They're all like a friend in a time of need,

Like family just stopping to see,

I'm so glad when they wander by,

The sounds and smells of my memory.