Short Sweet Story

Kayti loved to call Pennsylvania on her mommy's cell phone. She said, in her kindergarten little-girlie voice, "Mammaw! I have on my pink shirt, my pink pants and my white tennis shoes with the pink shoe laces!"

"A N D," she continued, "My mommy is going to put a pink ribbon in my hair!"

"Oh, Kayti!" I  giggled. "You must just love pink!"

"Not really," she confessed.

Father's Day

Mom told me this. In the 1930's affordable houses were small bungalows built close to each other.....so close that there were very few secrets on Oak Street. Illinois summers, actually Illinois Julys, were 'sweat-heavy,' and oscillating (sic) fans from Montgomery Wards were pricey. The only fan in the house was near the kitchen, by the radio, and under the banjo clock. (Google banjo clock.)

On those 3-h (hazy, hot and humid) July nights everyone had trouble sleeping. All windows were open, of course, in a futile attempt to lure a little air in through the screens.  Mom and dad's bedroom windows and the neighbors' bedroom windows almost touched across that small space of yard between their houses. The air didn't do much circulating, but the arguments those neighbors had nightly came through loud and clear.....timed, usually, around midnight.

Finally, on one of those exasperating nights, the exhausted husband,  weary of his screeching wife,  bellowed out, "Why don't you just shut up?"

She screamed back, "You can't shut me up!"

My dad, worn-out, fed-up,  and totally fuming from those evening bouts next door, stormed out of bed, ran to the open window and roared  back, "Hell no. You ought to know that by now!"

Never again any nocturnal sounds at 140 Oak Street ....except maybe, now and then, a hoot from an owl or a hoot from my victorious father. 

Life is full of tiny triumphs. My dad had many.  

Since Lisa was three years old.....old enough to bring home one of Chuck and Donna's kittens.....she has been supplying us with things we seemed to be needing!

The list includes, but is not limited to, pretty rocks, a cell phone, cards and calenders, dozens of dandelions, a coffee maker, Lucky Charms, books and games, acorns, a Wii, tons of Tab (remember Tab?), a DS Lite, pine cones, a couple of red-headed boyfriends who didn't make the cut, colorful leaves, a pair of turquoise capri pants, two construction paper Mother's Day handkerchief holders, an assortment of milkweed pods, a Piggly Wiggly t-shirt..... and a Phi Beta Kappa key.

THEN, from the University of Virginia, she brought home Gary.....and together they have given us Andy, Willie and Kayti.

Bring it on! 

My Baby Blog

So.....now I have a blog!

And I said to my neighbor,"I have a blog." She answered,"Not a problem. I have a stain stick that should get it right out."