Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Fay strikes
So Friday night around dinner time the power go off, since it is ready my family eats dinner, my husband not liking to be without power says “what do you think we should do?” I am thinking I am not sure, maybe go to bed early, I don’t know so he says to me that maybe we show go to his mom’s (going in to the storm), or maybe we should go North? Hmmm…….. I guess if we are going to leave in the DARK we should leave and head north so I call a hotel they have a room and well I did not have to give them an arm and a leg, so that is where we headed in the dark. On a normal day it would have taken us about an hour to arrive to our next location but Friday nit it took us not quite twice that (just for power). So here my happy family is at our hotel I check in giving them my appendage, the attendant says “Your room is closest to the third door on the right when you go around the building.” Wanting a first floor room for a two year old so that we did not receive a complaint I ask “well is it really far down the hall?” The attendant stated that it was “OK thank you, have a good night” as I walked to my car. We drove to the third entrance I tell my husband it has to be further down because it is so close to the main entrance (that is covered) he asked me to just go check so here I get out of the car (in the sideways sheets of water) sure enough there is our room maybe twenty feet from the desk. So I go out and get my husband daughter and junk with an umbrella (when the wind blows leave the umbrella in the car) so here I am caring Lena her doll and the umbrella. I had to walk in circles to get the umbrella to turn right side out, I am not sure how it was doing it but about every three steps it would turn inside out so I would have to turn again. So I get her to our room along with our stuff and a very wet husband. So we the complete idiots decide we want dessert, so here we are about eleven going out to get dessert. I am thinking Chick-fil-a is right next door and we could get a milk shake FYI they close early none of this open late for them. So here we are driving around to fine a dessert we figure we will go somewhere that we do not have, so here we are at Stake and Shake. We go in to the restaurant because we do not know what we want again with the umbrella inside and out again. We get our food and back to the hotel, all the while not parking at the front or letting me take Lena in under the cover we all get wet and with that Dam umbrella. Well dessert was nasty a hard biscuit with strawberries and ice-cream the only part that was good was the vanilla ice cream (how could you mess that up).
Saturday, so after a night sleep on a brick we got up about 7:30am and laid in bed until about 9 got up. We went to Cracker barrel for breakfast again it was raining so with the baby in one hand and the umbrella in the other and I still got wet, at least she stayed dry. So now we were on our way to the house home sweet home. We drove home roads were washed out on both sides trees down that were cut so that we could get through. I prayed the whole way home I could see all kinds of trees down on roofs, houses, and just everywhere. I just knew that we had three large trees in our yard and anyone of them could fall. As we pulled in to our neighborhood I gasped when I saw a large branch down on a power line (at least I thought at the time it was actually a phone line) but that was the only limb that caused any problems. Well we went in the house and guess what the power was off again. So my dear Hubby says “what should we do now? “ I had no clue; should we stay at home with no power and the risk of a power line coming down, go back to the hotel or to Eric’s moms, I had no idea. Heck I didn’t know so I say lets head south to the Mother-in-law’s (thinking Lena will have someone to play with). So we head south (into the storm) as we get about 1/3 of the way there hubby says “I think we should have headed north to the hotel”. I just wanted to kick him sure now tell me that…. Thanks. Any way we get to his mom’s we are all having fun no big deal, the rain lets up a little, so Eric and I go get some dinner while we are out I decide to call some friends to see if they have power and alas they do cool. With it getting dark, raining and the wind was blowing so we opted to stay. No big deal we will just head home in the morning……..or so we thought. The late news comes on and all roads to our house are closed Yes all the roads all possible ways in to our home are CLOSED!! OK, so I am thinking, no big deal it is just like back home they will send out the snow plows and clean off the roads, sure. Yeah, wrong type of precipitation (there is a difference in rain and snow people can move snow, rain moves people).
Sunday morning I call the Sheriff office, they are so kind to tell me that all roads are still closed and have no time line on openings. OK deep breath, now what I am an hour away from home and I WANT TO BE AT HOME! So we eat breakfast that my mother-in-law was so nice to prepare. Then I thought it is mid morning hey they should have things cleaned up so I called……..well they had one way patched up enough that we could get home so I packed up and off we were, I wanted to go home. When we left it was not raining but there was a little thunder nothing like it had been, so I thought OK this is going to be easy. Ten minutes out it is a down pour so bad that Eric turns to me and says “You know that if the road is closed I won’t be able to see it….” Great vote of confidence, thanks! Thank goodness about the time we are to turn off on to the smaller road the rain slows to a drizzle. Then he asks “why are you in such a hurry to get home?” What am I supposed to say “I thought that we both want to get home?” As we drove I saw many, many, many down trees some were up rooted and some broke off. There was one tree that was up rooted and laid right next to a trailer most of the limbs on one side were on the trailer, I just felt sick because I knew it could be my house. There were parts of the road with no shoulder that had been washed out. Again when we pulled into the neighborhood, there was that same limb on the power line and one in the front yard but that was it, along with the pool being very full of water and leaves. I held my breath until I flipped the light on……..thank goodness the power is on. If it was not on I knew I was going to get a ration. So we carry all of our junk in, cleaned up a bit and then tried the phones, still no phone service and since our phones, Internet, and cable are all grouped together we had nothing but power, at least Eric did not give me a bad time.
What a weekend but what did I learned:
1. Umbrellas suck
2. Even if you do not have power don’t leave at dark in the storm
3. If you have left don’t leave second location until the storm is gone, you know you have power, and know that the roads are open.
Saturday, so after a night sleep on a brick we got up about 7:30am and laid in bed until about 9 got up. We went to Cracker barrel for breakfast again it was raining so with the baby in one hand and the umbrella in the other and I still got wet, at least she stayed dry. So now we were on our way to the house home sweet home. We drove home roads were washed out on both sides trees down that were cut so that we could get through. I prayed the whole way home I could see all kinds of trees down on roofs, houses, and just everywhere. I just knew that we had three large trees in our yard and anyone of them could fall. As we pulled in to our neighborhood I gasped when I saw a large branch down on a power line (at least I thought at the time it was actually a phone line) but that was the only limb that caused any problems. Well we went in the house and guess what the power was off again. So my dear Hubby says “what should we do now? “ I had no clue; should we stay at home with no power and the risk of a power line coming down, go back to the hotel or to Eric’s moms, I had no idea. Heck I didn’t know so I say lets head south to the Mother-in-law’s (thinking Lena will have someone to play with). So we head south (into the storm) as we get about 1/3 of the way there hubby says “I think we should have headed north to the hotel”. I just wanted to kick him sure now tell me that…. Thanks. Any way we get to his mom’s we are all having fun no big deal, the rain lets up a little, so Eric and I go get some dinner while we are out I decide to call some friends to see if they have power and alas they do cool. With it getting dark, raining and the wind was blowing so we opted to stay. No big deal we will just head home in the morning……..or so we thought. The late news comes on and all roads to our house are closed Yes all the roads all possible ways in to our home are CLOSED!! OK, so I am thinking, no big deal it is just like back home they will send out the snow plows and clean off the roads, sure. Yeah, wrong type of precipitation (there is a difference in rain and snow people can move snow, rain moves people).
Sunday morning I call the Sheriff office, they are so kind to tell me that all roads are still closed and have no time line on openings. OK deep breath, now what I am an hour away from home and I WANT TO BE AT HOME! So we eat breakfast that my mother-in-law was so nice to prepare. Then I thought it is mid morning hey they should have things cleaned up so I called……..well they had one way patched up enough that we could get home so I packed up and off we were, I wanted to go home. When we left it was not raining but there was a little thunder nothing like it had been, so I thought OK this is going to be easy. Ten minutes out it is a down pour so bad that Eric turns to me and says “You know that if the road is closed I won’t be able to see it….” Great vote of confidence, thanks! Thank goodness about the time we are to turn off on to the smaller road the rain slows to a drizzle. Then he asks “why are you in such a hurry to get home?” What am I supposed to say “I thought that we both want to get home?” As we drove I saw many, many, many down trees some were up rooted and some broke off. There was one tree that was up rooted and laid right next to a trailer most of the limbs on one side were on the trailer, I just felt sick because I knew it could be my house. There were parts of the road with no shoulder that had been washed out. Again when we pulled into the neighborhood, there was that same limb on the power line and one in the front yard but that was it, along with the pool being very full of water and leaves. I held my breath until I flipped the light on……..thank goodness the power is on. If it was not on I knew I was going to get a ration. So we carry all of our junk in, cleaned up a bit and then tried the phones, still no phone service and since our phones, Internet, and cable are all grouped together we had nothing but power, at least Eric did not give me a bad time.
What a weekend but what did I learned:
1. Umbrellas suck
2. Even if you do not have power don’t leave at dark in the storm
3. If you have left don’t leave second location until the storm is gone, you know you have power, and know that the roads are open.
PhotoHunt # 5
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Lena is back to school after going to Oh, the transition back to school this year was allot easier than last year. She has not cried once when we drop her off, she walks into her class room just like a big girl. I am so thankful for the Christian preschool that she goes to, they are all very nice. They make me feel good when I drop her off and pick her up, like she is one of their own children. There is an older lady that works at the preschool that takes her on Mondays while I am in school. Lena does not like going to her house because she knows that mom picks her up every other day from school. Although this semester I will have 60 hours of clinical to complete so I see her going to Ms. O another day a week unfortunately at least until I finish all those hours. I don't understand why on earth we need 60 hours of clinicals, but it is just another hoop to jump through. At least I only have three more months of hoops for my BSN. You ask "What will having a BSN give me?" Well for my current job I think I will get a 50 cent pay raise, I hope. But my BSN will also help me to find a day job if I am so inclined, or if my Family demands it. Any way we are all back in school for now so I hope everything go smoothly until December.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Back to School
I am back to school which started Monday for the last quarter!! Hey I am taking Management, Ethics and Stats (barf). I am having to take stats because my Statistics was older than Five years, which is OK for my bachelors but if I want to continue in January for my Masters I need to retake it so I am taking it this quarter. The only blessing is that Stats is all online. I may not be able to post as frequently as I did in the summer. I go to school on Mondays and have sixty yes 60 clinical hours. Photo courtesy of Fotosearch.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Colorful PhotoHunters
This turtle is in a park there are a number of different turtles in the park that are sponcered by different businesses. Since I love turtles I thought this would work for Colorful PhotoHunter. Please visit more Great photos at PhotoHunter!
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Thursday's Thirteen Fourth Edition
If you noticed I have not posted in over a week because we have been in Ohio for my Husband’s Granny’s Funeral, so it has put my grandmothers on my mind lately missing both of them. So My Thirteen this week are things I wish I would have told my Grandmothers before they died.1. Thank you for raising my parents the way that you did because I would not be the person I am today without them.
2. Thank you for making lefsa.
3. Thank you for traveling on the bus for six plus hours to visit us.
4. Thank you for making Christmas so special Oyster stew and all.
5. Thank you for the hugs, that made me feel so loved.
6. Thank you for worrying about my mom and us and saving us your extra food.
7. Thank you for correcting my English so that I know now how to sound intelligent.
8. Thank you for having high expectations for me.
9. I am sorry that I did not keep my room cleaner when I lived with you.
10. I am sorry that I did not show you more respect.
11. I am sorry that I did not handle moving to Washington differently.
12. I am sorry that I did not visit Wyoming and Philadelphia more.
13. I love you.
I had some very incredible grandmothers, whom all I miss. My grandma Farrar made the holidays special she always wanted me to do my best correcting me when I said something wrong. My grandma Karl would visit us she would cook and clean.
Photo Nature photo winner.
Please visit more Thursday's Thirteen!
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Congratulations!
To every one who voted for me THANK YOU! The winner of he Write from Karen's photo conteset was Kim of The Misplaced Midwesterner Please go check out her winning picture was really good I really like the smile on his face as he is coming out of the water! Check it out!
IT IS TIME TO VOTE!!!!!!
I would appreciate your vote click the above picture to vote! Then scroll down to the gray box to find Kim at Kim’s Photo Blog , There are a number of other great entries please check them out they are great pictures!!!! Just click here to vote! Thank you Thank you Thank you for taking the time to vote!!
Wordless Wednessday!
Looking at all the Fish!
Please Help! I need voted Until Noon EST today scroll to the top of my blog to vote Kim at Kim's photo blog! Thankyou!!
Please visit more Wordless Wednessday People!!
Monday, August 4, 2008
Five Minutes for Mom Photo Contest Entry!
Granny
Granny and her children.
Pictured left to right standing Kathrine, Herb Jr, Ebby, Carol, Sitting Granny, Auqunette and Reva.
Granny and some of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Pictured left to right standing Kathrine, Herb Jr, Ebby, Carol, Sitting Granny, Auqunette and Reva.Granny and some of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Pictured left to right Tony with his daughter in front Shayla, Eric, Serita, Angle, and Renee. Granny infront with Lena sitting on her lap.
Granny with my Husband's family
Eric's grandmother passed away lastnight. I remeber my first trip to Ohio to meet Eric's family, I was so nervous, but Granny made me feel welcome. She told Grandpa (Eric's Grandpa Herb) "get over there and hug tht girl shes going to be your Granddaughter" I loved going to visit although we were not able to go as often as wewould have liked. Granny We love you and will miss you greatly! Love Kim
Photo Contest!
This is my entry into Karen's Summer photo contest and at Five Minutes for Mom!
Please come back and vote for me on August 2, 2008, I will put a link up! Thanks Kim
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Saturday, August 2, 2008
PhotoHunt Clouds!
This picture was taken by my cousin Linda, she was visiting in July of 2007 when this picture was taken at Wild Adventures the ride is the Hangman it is a blast your feet are dangling over wild life. There is so much to do at this park that it takes a good two days, and they have so many concerts during the year I love living close to Wild Adventures! Please visit more Photohunters, they have a number of interesting and beautiful pictures!
Friday, August 1, 2008
Family
The Dysfunctional Family
In this day of space-age technology the social class had to have a label to distinguish themselves from “the rest of us” the learned psychologist came up with the term dysfunctional family.
This anyone who doesn’t fit into their “norm” is dysfunctional. Taking the definitions from Webster’s Dictionary: The definition of function is the normal action of anything. Dysfunction means abnormal functioning.
Okay let’s take a look at our family and see where we fit in. You tell me? Mom and Dad had to raise six little people. Mom was the strict disciplinarian. One of those Southern Alabama women who made you go out and get your own switch, which she would apply to the seat or your pants. You better not come back with some little skinny stick or she would send you back for a bigger and thicker one.
I think that was the beginning of our dysfunctional life. How normal is it to go out and get a boulder knowing you are going to get beat with it? Mom was loving, but wouldn’t put up with any foolishness. Here’s an example of how Mom meant business. One of her most famous sayings was “I will kill you’re a (double) s and dare your soul to move!” I don’t know about the others, but this sent chills up my spine. Now imagine this, she’s going to kill you ant then dare your soul to leave your body. That’s bad! For me she was bigger and badder than the boogeyman!
Like I said, there were six of us little people, Reva being the eldest and setting the example for the rest of up, she was the designated babysitter.
She would let Ebby and Acquanette sneak to the store on the corner and buy Blue Bird pies when Mom was gone. That was nice for Ebby, but Acquanette gained all the weight behind it. Unfortunately, Reva’s babysitting skills left something to be desired.
One evening danger was lurking on the back porch. We heard a noise and then a crash. We all ran for the steps to run upstairs, but our “designated babysitter” tried t run over us younger ones pushing us out of her way to save herself. What is that about? Is that survival of the fittest, or should we say survival of the oldest or abnormal behavior?
Reva, did you know you had a great influence on your sister Ebby’s future dreams? She considered you the “hamburger, beer and cigarette queen.” Her dream was when she grew up she wanted to order her own hamburger and beer and smoke a cigarette just like her big sister. Did you know that Mom? Such great expectations! Duh!!
Pride and Self respect was a hard lesson learned by Ebby and Karolyn. One summer day Ebby and Karol were behaving like best buds, unusual but it did happen. They were walking around with their arms around each other gleefully and singing loudly. As they walked up the front porch their little happy behinds fell over in the sticker bushed. Mom had to help fish then out. Then she spanked them for clowning around making a spectacle of them selves in front of the neighborhood and told them to “go around back acting like dummies” what’s up with that?
One of us who will not be named because of the personal nature of this incident had constipation problem. Mom caught her standing up in a chair at eh cupboard eating Argo starch, for those of you who don’t know what Argo starch is ask Ebby. The person had a mouth full of this starch when mom caught her. Little rocks of starch flew every where when she was startled by mom and tried to speak. Needless to say, she had to go get a switch. Abnormal behavior, you tell me! “Eating Clothing Starch?”
Ebby’s partner in foolishness had a few other quirks. Now, this is one for the Twilight Zone. Late in the evening when the full moon was rising at the witching hour she would rise up out of dead sleep and pick unidentified object out of the air. They were visible only to her eyes. This most definitely was not the behavior of normal person!! Sorry Karol!
And Karol’s twin…..Me (Kathy) I am thankful to be here because I almost wasn’t. Karol got mad at me one day and came at me with a butter knife, she missed. After that, we tried to keep sharp objects out of her reach. Anyone who communicates with unseen forces is capable of anything.
But then Karol may have inherited her homicidal tendencies from you Mom. Remember Jim’s old lady, the “red neck” as you called her? Mom was a scrapper. She didn’t back down from a fight. We think that was her Alabama upbringing. Jim and his old lady lived next door. This woman called mom out of her name. Mom had some hedge clippers in her hands and started off toward this woman with vengeance in her eyes. It took all of us kids hanging one her to hold her back. In reality, I don’t think our sweet little Mom would have whacked t woman’s head off, but she surely would have laid a real hurting on her. Ewe!
Speaking of Mom, Poor dear never learned to drive. A well meaning neighbor and friend decided to teach her how to drive, Karol and I(Kathy) remember this well. We were in the back seat. Now this woman had never been behind a steering wheel in her life. One of us twins called out “Mommy.” Mom turned around to look at us and ran into, tearing up three or four brand new cars while making an illegal U-turn. Ebby ended up with a fat lip and mom had to pay a fat fine and received a scolding from the judge. She never had a driver’s permit! Needless to say, that was the first and last time she ever got behind the wheel of a car.
The experience scarred Ebby. She had a Driving Miss Daisy complex for 30 years. She would always get in the back seat when dad would taker back and forth to work. Thing is, was the only passenger in the car. Weird huh! But, let’s all give Ebby a hand of applause because she beat dysfunction junction. At the ripe old age of 36 she finally made up her mind to get her driver’s license, and she did! Hoorah Ebby!!
Oh, let’s not forget our nest to the oldest sister Aquanette. She was the proverbial black sheep of the family. If there was something to be tried, she was the first to do it. And she was hard headed. I think she got more spankings than all of us combined. She was a revel and had to have eth last word. She loved running the streets. When she turned eighteen Dad would tamper with her car so it wouldn’t run all weekend long, but it started up real good come Monday morning for work. She never figured this out until we told her about eight years ago.
She became the dreaded designated babysitter after Reva left t nest. Her and Karol never got along in the capacity. They always ended up fighting and Acquanette would have to call Mom and tell her about Karol acting wild. There were times when she would have to literally fight Karol off with a chair as if Karol were some wild animal. The only thins missing was a whip. Something, someone, or someone’s isn’t functioning in normal capacity here. This is one for the books.
Acquanette learned first hand what Mom’s phrase “when you think you are grown you get your own place to hang curtains.” When she was 19 she left the nest, got her own apartment and hung her some curtains. Now who would have ever thought this complicated free spirit would be the saved person she is today?
Now, our dear brother, Herb Jr. formerly known as Herbie, his childhood dream was to be an elevator man. He would run that Home Company elevator up and down the shaft collecting trash on the different floors and then climb and jump from shelf to shelf like a monkey.
One day Herbie thought he had a secret. He had a thing about chocolate Ex-lax. He found a box sitting on the table and ate the whole thing. He told me about it and asked not to tell Mom. Of course, smart intelligent me told hen no one had to tell Mom, because shortly she and everyone else in the house will know what he did. We did! OF course he got the switch. Who in their right mind would eat a whole box of Ex-lax? Yuk!
Herb was a sneaky little devil. One day Mom saw something shinny in the sticker bushes. Upon investigation, she discovered herb and one of his little friends has hidden a six pack of beer in the bushes to sneak and drink later. Busted! He got grounded. I think Mom thought herb was really into fresh aromas, because he was always burning incense in his room. Personally, I don’t think it was to cover up the smell of his stinky feet.
And now last but not least me (Karol). I guess it’s only fair that I should rattle a few skeletons of my own or I’ll here about it. I have been called a racist. One summer when the family went to Birmingham, Alabama, I was minding my own business until my uncle, (my Mother’s brother) pointed out this dark, poor little raggedy black boy. He told me to call the boy “Little Black Samboo.” Like a dummy I did it. Got bad with it too. I didn’t just do it once but called him that three or four times. “Little Black Samboo, Little Black Samboo.” I seemed to get bolder each time I said it. Well, imagine a high yellow calling a dark skin black boy down south Black Samboo! Yes I had to go get a switch. It seemed like those southern switched were wicked. That was the last time I behaved like a racist.
You might say I also had a Mafia Complex. I would loan people money, but you better pay me back when you promised you would or we were going to fight. Ask Karol, she sported a fat lip for a week. I asked her for my money and she had the audacity to tell me “I’ll give it to you when I get good and ready” POP! She gave me my money and I never extended her another loan.
In closing, I’ve just given some of you a peek into our past. The Normal and the Abnormal. Were we a dysfunctional family? Who can really say? Its how we turned out that really matters. Let’s all give Mom a round of applause. You raised us right and we all turned out to have good careers.
Reva – A teacher
Acquanette – Wiz in accounting records at the college and now a recognized
Writer though a publishing company
Ebby – Executive legal secretary
Karol – Investments and now training for pharmacy assistant
Kathy – Mortgage banking and Real estate
Herb Jr. – Executive vice president at Coca Cola Company
You did a great job Mom!! The secret might have been in those switched.
As read by Kathy at Mom’s eightieth birthday party written by Acquanette.
In this day of space-age technology the social class had to have a label to distinguish themselves from “the rest of us” the learned psychologist came up with the term dysfunctional family.
This anyone who doesn’t fit into their “norm” is dysfunctional. Taking the definitions from Webster’s Dictionary: The definition of function is the normal action of anything. Dysfunction means abnormal functioning.
Okay let’s take a look at our family and see where we fit in. You tell me? Mom and Dad had to raise six little people. Mom was the strict disciplinarian. One of those Southern Alabama women who made you go out and get your own switch, which she would apply to the seat or your pants. You better not come back with some little skinny stick or she would send you back for a bigger and thicker one.
I think that was the beginning of our dysfunctional life. How normal is it to go out and get a boulder knowing you are going to get beat with it? Mom was loving, but wouldn’t put up with any foolishness. Here’s an example of how Mom meant business. One of her most famous sayings was “I will kill you’re a (double) s and dare your soul to move!” I don’t know about the others, but this sent chills up my spine. Now imagine this, she’s going to kill you ant then dare your soul to leave your body. That’s bad! For me she was bigger and badder than the boogeyman!
Like I said, there were six of us little people, Reva being the eldest and setting the example for the rest of up, she was the designated babysitter.
She would let Ebby and Acquanette sneak to the store on the corner and buy Blue Bird pies when Mom was gone. That was nice for Ebby, but Acquanette gained all the weight behind it. Unfortunately, Reva’s babysitting skills left something to be desired.
One evening danger was lurking on the back porch. We heard a noise and then a crash. We all ran for the steps to run upstairs, but our “designated babysitter” tried t run over us younger ones pushing us out of her way to save herself. What is that about? Is that survival of the fittest, or should we say survival of the oldest or abnormal behavior?
Reva, did you know you had a great influence on your sister Ebby’s future dreams? She considered you the “hamburger, beer and cigarette queen.” Her dream was when she grew up she wanted to order her own hamburger and beer and smoke a cigarette just like her big sister. Did you know that Mom? Such great expectations! Duh!!
Pride and Self respect was a hard lesson learned by Ebby and Karolyn. One summer day Ebby and Karol were behaving like best buds, unusual but it did happen. They were walking around with their arms around each other gleefully and singing loudly. As they walked up the front porch their little happy behinds fell over in the sticker bushed. Mom had to help fish then out. Then she spanked them for clowning around making a spectacle of them selves in front of the neighborhood and told them to “go around back acting like dummies” what’s up with that?
One of us who will not be named because of the personal nature of this incident had constipation problem. Mom caught her standing up in a chair at eh cupboard eating Argo starch, for those of you who don’t know what Argo starch is ask Ebby. The person had a mouth full of this starch when mom caught her. Little rocks of starch flew every where when she was startled by mom and tried to speak. Needless to say, she had to go get a switch. Abnormal behavior, you tell me! “Eating Clothing Starch?”
Ebby’s partner in foolishness had a few other quirks. Now, this is one for the Twilight Zone. Late in the evening when the full moon was rising at the witching hour she would rise up out of dead sleep and pick unidentified object out of the air. They were visible only to her eyes. This most definitely was not the behavior of normal person!! Sorry Karol!
And Karol’s twin…..Me (Kathy) I am thankful to be here because I almost wasn’t. Karol got mad at me one day and came at me with a butter knife, she missed. After that, we tried to keep sharp objects out of her reach. Anyone who communicates with unseen forces is capable of anything.
But then Karol may have inherited her homicidal tendencies from you Mom. Remember Jim’s old lady, the “red neck” as you called her? Mom was a scrapper. She didn’t back down from a fight. We think that was her Alabama upbringing. Jim and his old lady lived next door. This woman called mom out of her name. Mom had some hedge clippers in her hands and started off toward this woman with vengeance in her eyes. It took all of us kids hanging one her to hold her back. In reality, I don’t think our sweet little Mom would have whacked t woman’s head off, but she surely would have laid a real hurting on her. Ewe!
Speaking of Mom, Poor dear never learned to drive. A well meaning neighbor and friend decided to teach her how to drive, Karol and I(Kathy) remember this well. We were in the back seat. Now this woman had never been behind a steering wheel in her life. One of us twins called out “Mommy.” Mom turned around to look at us and ran into, tearing up three or four brand new cars while making an illegal U-turn. Ebby ended up with a fat lip and mom had to pay a fat fine and received a scolding from the judge. She never had a driver’s permit! Needless to say, that was the first and last time she ever got behind the wheel of a car.
The experience scarred Ebby. She had a Driving Miss Daisy complex for 30 years. She would always get in the back seat when dad would taker back and forth to work. Thing is, was the only passenger in the car. Weird huh! But, let’s all give Ebby a hand of applause because she beat dysfunction junction. At the ripe old age of 36 she finally made up her mind to get her driver’s license, and she did! Hoorah Ebby!!
Oh, let’s not forget our nest to the oldest sister Aquanette. She was the proverbial black sheep of the family. If there was something to be tried, she was the first to do it. And she was hard headed. I think she got more spankings than all of us combined. She was a revel and had to have eth last word. She loved running the streets. When she turned eighteen Dad would tamper with her car so it wouldn’t run all weekend long, but it started up real good come Monday morning for work. She never figured this out until we told her about eight years ago.
She became the dreaded designated babysitter after Reva left t nest. Her and Karol never got along in the capacity. They always ended up fighting and Acquanette would have to call Mom and tell her about Karol acting wild. There were times when she would have to literally fight Karol off with a chair as if Karol were some wild animal. The only thins missing was a whip. Something, someone, or someone’s isn’t functioning in normal capacity here. This is one for the books.
Acquanette learned first hand what Mom’s phrase “when you think you are grown you get your own place to hang curtains.” When she was 19 she left the nest, got her own apartment and hung her some curtains. Now who would have ever thought this complicated free spirit would be the saved person she is today?
Now, our dear brother, Herb Jr. formerly known as Herbie, his childhood dream was to be an elevator man. He would run that Home Company elevator up and down the shaft collecting trash on the different floors and then climb and jump from shelf to shelf like a monkey.
One day Herbie thought he had a secret. He had a thing about chocolate Ex-lax. He found a box sitting on the table and ate the whole thing. He told me about it and asked not to tell Mom. Of course, smart intelligent me told hen no one had to tell Mom, because shortly she and everyone else in the house will know what he did. We did! OF course he got the switch. Who in their right mind would eat a whole box of Ex-lax? Yuk!
Herb was a sneaky little devil. One day Mom saw something shinny in the sticker bushes. Upon investigation, she discovered herb and one of his little friends has hidden a six pack of beer in the bushes to sneak and drink later. Busted! He got grounded. I think Mom thought herb was really into fresh aromas, because he was always burning incense in his room. Personally, I don’t think it was to cover up the smell of his stinky feet.
And now last but not least me (Karol). I guess it’s only fair that I should rattle a few skeletons of my own or I’ll here about it. I have been called a racist. One summer when the family went to Birmingham, Alabama, I was minding my own business until my uncle, (my Mother’s brother) pointed out this dark, poor little raggedy black boy. He told me to call the boy “Little Black Samboo.” Like a dummy I did it. Got bad with it too. I didn’t just do it once but called him that three or four times. “Little Black Samboo, Little Black Samboo.” I seemed to get bolder each time I said it. Well, imagine a high yellow calling a dark skin black boy down south Black Samboo! Yes I had to go get a switch. It seemed like those southern switched were wicked. That was the last time I behaved like a racist.
You might say I also had a Mafia Complex. I would loan people money, but you better pay me back when you promised you would or we were going to fight. Ask Karol, she sported a fat lip for a week. I asked her for my money and she had the audacity to tell me “I’ll give it to you when I get good and ready” POP! She gave me my money and I never extended her another loan.
In closing, I’ve just given some of you a peek into our past. The Normal and the Abnormal. Were we a dysfunctional family? Who can really say? Its how we turned out that really matters. Let’s all give Mom a round of applause. You raised us right and we all turned out to have good careers.
Reva – A teacher
Acquanette – Wiz in accounting records at the college and now a recognized
Writer though a publishing company
Ebby – Executive legal secretary
Karol – Investments and now training for pharmacy assistant
Kathy – Mortgage banking and Real estate
Herb Jr. – Executive vice president at Coca Cola Company
You did a great job Mom!! The secret might have been in those switched.
As read by Kathy at Mom’s eightieth birthday party written by Acquanette.
Granny
For our mother
We’re celebrating you today
A mother laughs our laughs, shed our tears, returns our love, fears our fears. She lives or joys, cares our cares and all our hopes and dreams she shares.
It’s always good to know you’re always there with advice when it’s asked for, with encouragement when it’s needed, with kindness when it means the most.
A mother’s love is like a garden reflecting tender care for wherever there is beauty, a mother’s love is there.
How do you find the words to thank her for sacrifices she’s made – for the ones we know about and the ones she’s never told us of – and the countless times she put our needs before her own?
I hope you always know in your heart how much we love you, respect you, and thank you for the countless ways you have helped make our lives what they are today.
You’ve given love and so much more that all of us are thankful for and in our hearts, we all agree you’re all a mother is meant to be.
As written and read by Evelyn D Edwards.
We’re celebrating you today
A mother laughs our laughs, shed our tears, returns our love, fears our fears. She lives or joys, cares our cares and all our hopes and dreams she shares.
It’s always good to know you’re always there with advice when it’s asked for, with encouragement when it’s needed, with kindness when it means the most.
A mother’s love is like a garden reflecting tender care for wherever there is beauty, a mother’s love is there.
How do you find the words to thank her for sacrifices she’s made – for the ones we know about and the ones she’s never told us of – and the countless times she put our needs before her own?
I hope you always know in your heart how much we love you, respect you, and thank you for the countless ways you have helped make our lives what they are today.
You’ve given love and so much more that all of us are thankful for and in our hearts, we all agree you’re all a mother is meant to be.
As written and read by Evelyn D Edwards.
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