Believe it or not it isn't a Barbie Camper. That ship sailed years ago. Literally....
The 70's was the era of the "muscle car"~ Chevelle, Dodge Dart, Charger, Nova, Camaro, too many to name and some I don't even know about I am sure. In grade school I remember the guys talking about how they loved "this" car and "that" car and that "this" car was way cooler than "that" car. Black or red seemed to be the universal choices in colours. The girls, well, we really didn't give two hoots because we were more interested in roller skating and gum.
My son had asked me the other day, while watching "Top Gear" on BBC America, "Mom, what is your favourite car?"
Immediately I was whisked back to my childhood conversations (or thinly veiled arguments) about muscle cars and which one was the best. Was it the '72 Chevelle? The '73 Nova? The '73 Corvette?
I asked him to clarify, "Do you mean which car that I owned was my favourite?"
"No, Ma," he said a little frustrated with me and my lack of an immediate answer, "I mean which car is your favourite of all time?"
Wow...
The choices are just too numerous and to choose just one seems...sort of....I don't know...limiting.
I currently drive a Chevy Avalanche (yes a truck, everyone feel free to laugh at the idea of me in a pick-up) and I have driven SUV's, owned a mini-van or two, a Pontiac "POS" 3000 and yes, a Ford Mustang (everyone should have at least ONE sports car in their life).
"Seriously, Mom...it isn't a hard question."
Not a hard question?! Are you SERIOUS!?!? Of course, it is a hard question and not one I have ever really thought about or ever expected to hear or answer for that matter.
After close and careful consideration and an expectant glare from the 8-year-old, I blurted out "An invisible jet like Wonder Woman's."
"Good choice, Mom. You had me worried for a second...because it was a trick question."
*Whew* Dodged a bullet there, I guess...
Friday, November 16, 2012
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
We will see you again, Grandma
Novermber 13, 2012 will forever be etched in my brain until the day I die. It is the day I lost my Grandma Beva.
She had been going downhill for a few days and my mom did warn us kids that her days were numbered so we could prepare ourselves for the inevitable. No matter how much you try to convince yourself that it is a blessing, it doesn't make it any easier. I don't think anyone is ever truly prepared to lose a loved one and it is never easy to watch that person fade before your very eyes. Especially when it was someone like my Grandma.
My Grandma Beva was so full of life, love and happiness. She embraced each day as a blessing and did everything within her power to make it a good day, no matter the weather or the circumstances. She could always find that elusive silver lining.
I have so many memories of my Gramma, some vivid and some a little hazy, but all of them good. Holidays come to the forefront of my mind when I think of her. Thanksgiving and Christmas were always full of fun, food and family. Gramma would cook up a storm and there was always enough to feed an entire platoon of starving soldiers. Turkey, stuffing, ham, mashed potatoes (a little lumpy please, Gram!), lasagna, oyster stew, homemade bread and cookies and pies...treats for everyone. I don't ever remember her sitting to enjoy the fruits of her labour, but I do remember her standing and surveying her handiwork and standing over the sink to eat so that way there was always room for someone else.
Christmas was extra special as a kid because it always meant that Gramma made you a special gift. I remember at the age of 4, she had made all of us grandkids homemade rag dolls. Mine (I thought) was the most beautiful of them all. They were all made to match our hair and eye colour. I named mine Laura because she was dressed like a pioneer girl (aka Laura Ingalls Wilder) in a red cotton dress with a red sun bonnet and little black felt mary janes on her stocking feet. She still sits on my dresser in my bedroom.
After gifts we would start to clean up and get ready to go home. I remember clutching my doll to my chest and not letting Mom put it in the laundry basket to carry home. Gramma would help bundle us up and make sure we had on our hats and mittens (that she, of course, made) and giving us a big kiss and a tight squeeze she would say, "Remember, Jenny, in this family we never say goodbye, we say 'We will see you again.'"
So, Gramma, you may be gone from this earth, but you will never be forgotten and will always be loved and missed.
And in your loving words,
"We will see you again."
She had been going downhill for a few days and my mom did warn us kids that her days were numbered so we could prepare ourselves for the inevitable. No matter how much you try to convince yourself that it is a blessing, it doesn't make it any easier. I don't think anyone is ever truly prepared to lose a loved one and it is never easy to watch that person fade before your very eyes. Especially when it was someone like my Grandma.
My Grandma Beva was so full of life, love and happiness. She embraced each day as a blessing and did everything within her power to make it a good day, no matter the weather or the circumstances. She could always find that elusive silver lining.
I have so many memories of my Gramma, some vivid and some a little hazy, but all of them good. Holidays come to the forefront of my mind when I think of her. Thanksgiving and Christmas were always full of fun, food and family. Gramma would cook up a storm and there was always enough to feed an entire platoon of starving soldiers. Turkey, stuffing, ham, mashed potatoes (a little lumpy please, Gram!), lasagna, oyster stew, homemade bread and cookies and pies...treats for everyone. I don't ever remember her sitting to enjoy the fruits of her labour, but I do remember her standing and surveying her handiwork and standing over the sink to eat so that way there was always room for someone else.
Christmas was extra special as a kid because it always meant that Gramma made you a special gift. I remember at the age of 4, she had made all of us grandkids homemade rag dolls. Mine (I thought) was the most beautiful of them all. They were all made to match our hair and eye colour. I named mine Laura because she was dressed like a pioneer girl (aka Laura Ingalls Wilder) in a red cotton dress with a red sun bonnet and little black felt mary janes on her stocking feet. She still sits on my dresser in my bedroom.
After gifts we would start to clean up and get ready to go home. I remember clutching my doll to my chest and not letting Mom put it in the laundry basket to carry home. Gramma would help bundle us up and make sure we had on our hats and mittens (that she, of course, made) and giving us a big kiss and a tight squeeze she would say, "Remember, Jenny, in this family we never say goodbye, we say 'We will see you again.'"
So, Gramma, you may be gone from this earth, but you will never be forgotten and will always be loved and missed.
And in your loving words,
"We will see you again."
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Slacks
Slacks.
I heard this word today at work and it made me think of the 70's and the Two Wild and Crazy Guys the Festrunk Brothers and their tight slacks that show off their bulge-ez. I laughed out loud.
Slacks. Who says that word anymore? Say it out loud. It's funny!
It kind of ranks up there with trousers, blouse and sport coat. Does anyone even make a sport coat anymore? I remember Haggar Sport Coat ads in the Sears catalog next to the Liesure Suits.
And there's another thing! Remember when you waited all year for the Christmas catalog to come out from Sears, JC Penny and Montgomery Wards? I believe they called it the "Wish Book." I would sit for hours and stare at all the wonders that were available via mail order and dream of opening all the gifts under my tree that Santa would get from these wonders of modern shopping. My sisters and I would circle and initial all the things we wanted in the catalog so that way Mom could tell Santa. By the end of it all, it was easier to say what we DIDN'T want.
But I digress. We were discussing slacks.
It is strange how some words in our language have gone by way of the Dodo. Words that come to mind are davenport (which is NOT just a town in Iowa but another word for sofa) and rumpus room (family room). What exactly IS a rumpus anyway? (Don't worry, I will google it.- and yet another example of a funny word.)
Other words that I find funny are the words that my Gramma used to say to replace swear words. Interesting phrases such as "Heaven's to Betsy!" and "Crimeinettly!" (which as I got older finally realized was Crime-in-Italy) and the ever popular "My stars and garters!"
Having two impressionable kids of my own, I have taken to substituting other words for swear words myself. I am partial to "What the schnitzel!?" I find it encompasses many situations and can be implied that I am still swearing without actually getting reprimanded by my mother for saying the actual word.
Unfortunately, there are many epithets that still escape my mouth without guarding my words and yes, I have said them in front of my kids. I will admit, I swear like a sailor. I need to curb my tongue.
The best example of learning to watch my mouth was when I was driving. When my daughter was 2 years old and some jerk cut me off, I promptly laid on the horn and said "HEY! YOU....(child in the seat behind you, keep it clean)... COWBOY!!" From the back seat I hear in an adorable little lispy voice "jackass." Nice.
I heard this word today at work and it made me think of the 70's and the Two Wild and Crazy Guys the Festrunk Brothers and their tight slacks that show off their bulge-ez. I laughed out loud.
Slacks. Who says that word anymore? Say it out loud. It's funny!
It kind of ranks up there with trousers, blouse and sport coat. Does anyone even make a sport coat anymore? I remember Haggar Sport Coat ads in the Sears catalog next to the Liesure Suits.
And there's another thing! Remember when you waited all year for the Christmas catalog to come out from Sears, JC Penny and Montgomery Wards? I believe they called it the "Wish Book." I would sit for hours and stare at all the wonders that were available via mail order and dream of opening all the gifts under my tree that Santa would get from these wonders of modern shopping. My sisters and I would circle and initial all the things we wanted in the catalog so that way Mom could tell Santa. By the end of it all, it was easier to say what we DIDN'T want.
But I digress. We were discussing slacks.
It is strange how some words in our language have gone by way of the Dodo. Words that come to mind are davenport (which is NOT just a town in Iowa but another word for sofa) and rumpus room (family room). What exactly IS a rumpus anyway? (Don't worry, I will google it.- and yet another example of a funny word.)
Other words that I find funny are the words that my Gramma used to say to replace swear words. Interesting phrases such as "Heaven's to Betsy!" and "Crimeinettly!" (which as I got older finally realized was Crime-in-Italy) and the ever popular "My stars and garters!"
Having two impressionable kids of my own, I have taken to substituting other words for swear words myself. I am partial to "What the schnitzel!?" I find it encompasses many situations and can be implied that I am still swearing without actually getting reprimanded by my mother for saying the actual word.
Unfortunately, there are many epithets that still escape my mouth without guarding my words and yes, I have said them in front of my kids. I will admit, I swear like a sailor. I need to curb my tongue.
The best example of learning to watch my mouth was when I was driving. When my daughter was 2 years old and some jerk cut me off, I promptly laid on the horn and said "HEY! YOU....(child in the seat behind you, keep it clean)... COWBOY!!" From the back seat I hear in an adorable little lispy voice "jackass." Nice.
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