Blogging is just one more form of procrastination, so I'll admit it up front: I am bored! I actually usually go to dinner at 4:30 (right now) so I'll just take a shorter break.
All afternoon I've been yawning--and I'm not sure why, since I woke up without my alarm, I took a quick walk, and I had a decent lunch. I even ate outside!!
But I feel the need to blog, the itch, the yearn, to write, to publish!
And I don't really have anything pressing to say, but I just read three blog entries in succession that actually tie into each other pretty nicely, and as I am expecting my parents in a few days, family seems like a good thing to write about.
- Amy is looking into getting another child into her house--go Amy!
- Newlywifed is worrying that her worrying will affect the person growing in her stomach--Amy and the rest think not.
- Amalah is visiting her family, and writing about why she doesn't write about family.
It all reminds me of what the redneck philosopher Jeff Foxworthy says at the end of his countdown show: "You're not alone, everybody's family is crazy. Now go kiss your kids and call your mama!"
I used to think our family was immune. We were such a nice family. But my friend Ellie once said to me, "Your thirties is when you realize your idealism of your twenties was misguided." (Not her exact words, but I was in my twenties when she told me that, so you'll forgive my not remembering the exact cynicism of the moment...)
Now I see that our family is a great family, yes. But we have it all, too. Heartache, heartbreak, of all shades and shapes and colors. But I guess the best thing about family is when they love you. My childhood was such that the people that have known me the longest aren't the kids I went to kindergarten with, or high school, even. My parents and my siblings and my cousins, they are the ones that hold my memories. I have a couple of friends that I consider family. But the breaking in process takes time!!
Meanwhile, Kiki remembers my mother reading Uncle Remus. I remember when she came and stayed with us at the lake. Weddings and funerals and holidays...And she might even remember my fourth birthday party where I squirrelled my peas in my cheeks so that I could move on to cake...that would be blowing out the candles...yes, peas. And the Easter that it was so hot we were hunting for chocolate goop. Of course, all captured on family films...
My sister, who can be reclusive, is one of my favorite people. I remember being mad that she liked The Slipper and the Rose, because that was MY movie to like. (I wonder if that's just a big sister thing--it's mine, I don't want to share it!) Her favorite show was Alias, which I've only ever seen 15 minutes of once in the middle of the night when I fell asleep with the TV on.
I'm rambling. I'm tired. North Hills Sally is going to come over tomorrow morning and we're going to whip my apartment into shape for the coming of my parents. So I'll finish up Station #5 on Thursday morning.
Okay, I'm hungry now. Off to dinner...
2 comments:
Peas? Really? Hmmm. Do I remember that????
I remember the swinging doors into your kitchen that were all sorts of fun.
I remember singing every stupid song I could come up with to your sister and brother.
I remember making a pillow in home ec in 6th or 7th grade for your sister with the wrong date for her birthday. It had a big smiley and rainbow shoes.
I remember a story about your brother shortly after he was potty trained. The family was on a long road trip, and not near a rest area and he learned to pee in the great outdoors. He didn't want to go inside again...
Most of my memories aren't actual memories, but more like feelings. The warmth & love that was always in your house. I missed out on a lot of the petty jealousies because you always put them away when the cousins came.
Though I do vaguely remember getting mad once because you got your hair cut short like mine. I guess I wanted to be unique. Now if someone tried to look like me, I would be flattered. Puzzled, but flattered :)
I had forgotten about the swinging doors in the kitchen--they were fun!
I remember the pillow. I wonder if Sis still has it. Well, we thought it was her birthday, too!
I remember "Little Bunny Fu Fu" that first summer at the lake, and how I thought you were so glamorous. I still have pictures I took of you from that summer. I remember rowing across the lake for the newspaper and getting ice cream.
I don't remember that story about my brother...hee!
I remember always getting fed really well whenever I came to State College when I was on break in college.
I remember the year at New Year's your mom made flaming plum pudding and for dinner we had pizza--sausage and onions, a combination I'd never had before but loved. I hold these memories like gold...
I remember one time at the lake I was pretending to be asleep and you said loudly, the bathroom's free and I cracked up. Maybe someone made a comment about "why, was it a quarter before?" and I just could not keep my pretense of sleep. I am laughing remembering that, even now.
It is so good to remember the good times. And so good to have someone that remembers them too.
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