Tuesday's Thoughts

Good morning ya'll. Have a cup of coffee with me and let me ramble around a bit in my head and put it down for all ya'll to read. You see the reason I started this blog thing was to pass on our family heritage to my children and nieces and nephews and because we are living in Texas, Alabama, Georgia and Iraq it's kinda hard to sit on the porch or gather round the kitchen table and talk about, "Remember when......". or "Let me tell you about......" or other stories about our family and where we grew up. Whew that was a long sentence. William Faulkner would be proud of me. So, I've said all that to say that if my grammar is not correct and it seems a little disjointed, I am just putting down the thoughts that swirl through my head and being ADD they sometimes are little confused (Roy said all the time) and I tend to jump about in my thoughts. So hang in there for the ride.

I heard the Mom's Song by Anita Renfroe for the first time from Youtube this weekend and laughed and laughed. It is hilarious and if you haven't heard it, go to youtube and watch and listen. You see I heard my mama, myself and all the other mamas I know as she sang this song. You remember when you said, "I sound just like my mama" as words came out of your mouth and they were the words you hated to hear as a child. Well, get over it for it is going to happen and your children will say the same things. I thought of a few of my favorites and here we go.

As we would enter the kitchen for breakfast we would hear, "Are you going to wear that to school?" Well obviously we had planned to, but maybe not. We had it on our bodies and were ready to run to the bus but mama sometimes had a different idea. "Frances, that is too short or too long or too tight or you don't wear stripes and polka dots together and red and pink are never worn together or it is too little and didn't I tell you not to wear your Sunday clothes to school." With the boys it would be, "You can't wear those jeans until I patch those knees. What will people think about your mama?" Obviously we didn't care what people thought about our mama or we wouldn't have on those clothes.

"Hurry and eat your breakfast, it's almost time for the bus, slow down and chew your food, you're eating too fast", sit up in your chair and don't slouch, use your napkin, don't chew like that, you sound like a pig, don't drip the jelly on your clean shirt, wipe your mouth, sit up straight, no you can't read your book at the table, take your elbows off the table, don't talk with your mouth full, did you get your homework, Arvin don't eat the whole jar of fig preserves, Sam and France want some, hurry up, slow down, THE BUS IS HERE!!! Hurry. This would be breakfast conversation.

Now as we went out the door we would hear floating in the air following us as we ran, "Don't run, you'll fall down and skin your knees or tear your jeans. Hurry, Mrs. Tubberville doesn't have all day to wait on you, behave, don't let me get a phone call from the school (or the 'mama police') did you get your books, too late now, just get on the bus." Is there any wonder we loved school so much?

When we got to school it wasn't much relief for we would hear out of the mouth of our teachers, "Sit down, stand up for the pledge, don't run in the halls, hurry now, stop talking, doesn't anyone know the answer, stop talking, tell me what the story said, sit down, will you please shut the door, slow down, walk fast we are late going to the lunch room, slow down before you fall, Frances stop talking." We were so glad when it was time to go home for our ears were just plumb wore out.

As we jumped off the bus and ran to the house it would start all over, "Didn't I tell ya'll not to run like that, you'll fall and skin your knees, come on in, change your clothes, do you want some cookies, don't chew with your mouth full, hurry up so you can get your homework, slow down you will choke, did you bring your books home, why not, didn't you know you had homework, well it's too late now you'll just have to take the punishment, go play, stop and get your homework, better go play before it gets dark, did you practice the piano, why not, that's no excuse, I'm paying for those lessons and I get at least 30 minutes of practice out of you, Sam have you practiced your trombone and Arvin where is your trumpet? Can you imagine the sounds which would tumble through the air as we all three tried to fulfill those commands from mama? Do you wonder why we were so tired when bedtime came? Our ears were slap worn out and our brains also for we had to think to get all that straight.

Then there were some used most days but maybe not everyday. "Stop that crying or I will give you something to cry about." So you cut it off and you were left with the snuffling sounds and you heard, "Stop that noise and go blow your nose. Can't you just be quiet?" Well it's kinda hard to do when you cut a good crying session off and caught a good case of the snuffles and your nose is running like a stream and your eyes are watering and you have to snuffle and blow. Then you decide maybe it will be safer outside and you hear as you go out of the door, "Don't slam the door off the hinges, close the door, were you raised in a barn, quit running in the house, hurry and close the door, you're letting the flies in or the cold in or the hot in." Just getting out of the house was hard work.

Playing was also fun. Arvin, stop pestering Sam, Frances play with your brothers and quit bossing them around, you're not their mama, Sam play with Arvin, he's lonesome, Frances put the book down and play, stop throwing dirt, you'll get it in your eyes and then we'll have to go to the doctor, don't ride your bicycle so fast, you'll fall, ride faster or it will fall over with you, don't get so dirty, feed the rabbits, why don't ya'll play? Well we are still trying to figure out how to do that and keep all those instructions. Solution? Head for the barn or the creek, just out of sight and out of hearing range.


Night time was another litany of instructions. "Take your bath, did you wash behind your ears, Frances get out of the tub, you aren't the only one needing a bath, why is the washrag not wet, did you use soap, how come you aren't wet, did you bathe everything, have I got to come in there and bathe you myself, put on your pajamas, get in the bed, get out of the bed for family devotions, don't roll your eyes at me, yes you have to pray out loud, no you can't have anything to eat, bow your head so daddy can pray, listen to the Bible reading, wake up, you can't sleep when daddy is reading the Bible, go to the bathroom, get in the bed, cut out the light, stop talking, Frances put up the book, Arvin settle down and leave Sam alone, good night, love you, don't let the bedbugs bite (comforting thought) cut out the light, no you can't have any water, I know it's cold or hot or whatever, just go to sleep."

Oh me oh my. Sleep would come and the sweet dreams would follow and way to soon we heard, Frances, Arvin, Sam, it's time to get up, breakfast is almost ready, get your clothes on, wash your face.............

Nuff said,

The Georgia Peach

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Becky sit down, Becky be quiet. Sounds very familiar.