Tuesday, March 29, 2011

BACK IN TIME PART 3

It is an absolutely beautiful day in California and I think spring is finally here. We have had several days of COLD rainy weather, and I for one am glad to see the sun finally come out. Jeff and I (OK, I was actually watching from the window most of the time as it was soo cold) potted a few plants for the front porch last week-end and dug out the spring/summer wreath for the door. It's looking good. We are supposed to be getting a couple of pigmy palms planted today in our little front planter, though I have not seen them (the gardeners) yet and it is nearing 4 o'clock. Hope they are still coming. Sat. they will lay the sod and it will all be complete so I am waiting until then to take pictures. I am excited to see the final results. I took my mom to lunch today and we did a little shopping. I got just the cutest little Easter chicks and a runner for the dining room table AND some new candles. Haven't bought gear for the house in MONTHS and it was pretty fun. AGAIN, I will take some pics on Sat. when I get everything set out. Next week-end will be a busy one as my oldest son Joe and his family is moving on Sat. and we will help out. Actually, again Jeff will help out and I will entertain kids and give tips on how to set up furniture, haha. And then on Sun we will head down to San Diego for the whole day as James will give the Sunday morning message at the new church, and then Sun. evening there is to be a guest speaker at the old one...Sarah Hill. Don't know if any of you have ever heard of her. She is a missionary in Hawaii and originally from Maranatha. She was instrumental in the life of Bethany Hamilton who is the surfer girl who got her arm bitten off by a shark. There is a movie coming out about this on April 8th and Carrie Underwood is playing the part of Sarah Hill. I am excited to both hear this testimony, but also to see this movie; how I LOVE Carrie Underwood. It should be good. Melly will be here a week from tomorrow...YAY!! That is really all that is new around here. I've decided I might as well continue the story of the looking back on my life. I know you are all on the tips of your seat.


OK, let's see....I think we were ready to move to the first home my parents bought in California. It was a brand new house and in Garden Grove. I was 6 years old. I remember MANY things about this house and this time period in my life. For one, my sister Diane and I went to Catholic school. St. Polycarp. We got to ride the bus to school which I considered a GIANT bonus, haha. How old I felt. My mother taped my bus pass to the front of my lunch pail (obviously quite smart) which I just HATED. It not only covered up my flowers on the lunch pail, but it was the first time I became aware of what the "cool" kids did, and those who weren't, haha. The "cool" kids kept their passes in the front pockets of their blouse or shirt (depending of course on rather they were girls or boys) and whipped them in and out in a cool fashion upon entering the bus. How I wanted to whip mine in and out!! My mom of course told me it was ridiculous, as of course I would only lose it. As I think back on it now, WHY did they even have bus passes?? The bus driver knew who all her stops were etc.; seems kind of dumb. But anyway, I had those passes, BIG!! Going to Catholic school meant uniforms of course, but we could wear any kind of shoe we wanted. When it is ALL you've got to make yourself somewhat unique, trust me, SHOES were also big. Again, my mother went with the very practical dark brown leather Mary Janes. And those “cool" kids?? They were sporting PLAIN white tennis shoes. Now obviously, this WAS stupid, but how I longed for those white tennis shoes, haha. As I got older she did FINALLY let me get tennis shoes, but only in BLACK, lol. I remember school being VERY difficult. There was a lot of homework, and the nuns were VERY strict. I got sent to the principal’s office once in the first grade for (now get this!) talking in the girls restroom!! Can you honestly imagine? First of all I was one of MANY little girls chatting away in there, but I must have had the loudest voice, as I was singled out. It traumatized me for years....The house we lived in was small but very nice. I shared a room with my sister Diane. It had hardwood floors and we had fluffy pink throw rugs on the floor, sheer white ruffled curtains on the window, and a soft white bedspread with BIG pink roses on it. I LOVED it. Diane and I were sick A LOT in that house. We had the two weeks measles, the German measles, the mumps, Chicken pox, and various different colds and stomach flu's. And everything we got at school, we brought home to the "little ones" and my mom at home. I remember once my mom was soo sick herself (and she was pregnant again with her 5th child) that she was unable to care for all of us who were sick with one thing or another and we were all in bed. They had to hire a nurse to come in during the day for a few days to take care of us all! My poor mom...The nurse was VERY mean as I recall, and I was glad when she was gone. My mom always made such an event of it when we were sick. She would roll in the little portable black and white TV (no color ones yet) and would serve us our meals on a tray with straws for our drinks. Such pampering; you could almost enjoy it if you weren't soo sick! Good thing kids can get vaccinations for all of those things now. I'll just tell you about one more thing before I end this for today as it is getting long. Diane and I had MANY games we played. But some of the best were played after we were sent to bed. Why on earth we were soo naughty when it only brought about a harsh scolding or even spankings, I can't be sure. Maybe they were just that fun, lol. One of them was house boat. We would collect EVERY doll and every stuffed animal either of us owned, and would somehow get them all into bed with us. This usually required our dragging our little wooden bunk beds for our dolls over to the bed and tying it to the headboard with a ribbon, and several of the "older" ones would ride on this attached boat, haha. We snuck in food (usually grapes) and would then have to make sure everyone was feed. I can close my eyes and remember our conversations as we played, the jammies we had on, and the fun we had. I can also remember the crackling of the newspaper and the creak of the rocking chair which told us our dad was on the way down the hall to see what we were up to. Those were some fun days.

I have a few more stories about this house and time era, but I will continue this later. Hope you are all enjoying the beginnings of spring. 

 

11 comments:

  1. Hi Debbie, So glad your weather has changed, ours is up and down. I hope you will show pics. when your yard is complete with all those beautiful flowers.
    How blessed that you and your mother get to go shopping, my mom came by for a visit today, and we had a fun time, she brought us some soup, and brownies for dh. Poor guy has been suffering since I have got off sugar.LOL
    I can so relate to your excitement of Mel coming.

    And Debbie as I was reading about your story of your early days I was thinking what a wonderful legacy you are leaving them. I woulds so love to of had a journal of my parents and grandparents early life.
    Just keep writing for them, and enjoy the memory of those days.
    Hugs,
    Sue

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  2. Wish I could just pop in out there in California to say hi in person. Have a blessed week, my friend.

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  3. Yes if those walls could talk, what tales they would tell, lol I love the old houses, and hope you have a wonderful day, Spring has started here, and there is just so much beauty to be seen, I love this time of year.

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  4. Hi Debbie. Thank you for the birthday well wishes. I had a great day!

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  5. Hi Debbie, I love when you share about your childhood-I related to much of it,especially about wearing shoes that weren't what everyone else wore. I had to wear corrective shoes with wooden heals and did I get teased about them.
    Love that you spend time with you mom. Like Dianna, I too wish I was out there so we could all go to lunch together.
    Hugs & much love.
    Noreen

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  6. What fun events, both in your present and your past. You have such wonderful memory of your past..I too shared a room with my sister and we also got in trouble at night for not going to sleep. I think we were put to bed by 7!!, maybe we weren't tired. LOL

    Enjoy your new yard and plants, sounds wonderful. Your grandkids this weekend with the move. We have been hearing about the movie and I had read about her life..amazing.

    Have a great weekend...keep these tales for your grand children.

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  7. I love me some Mary-Janes. I bet you looked darling!

    Blessed weekend rest to you.

    peace~elaine

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  8. Deb -

    Can't wait to see your pictures - of your new bunny things and your front plantings as well! Always so much fun:) Getting things all ready for Miss Melly to get there...and her little one:)

    Loved your look back at elementary school. Oh, how I wanted to be cool...but I don't think that ever (ever) applied to me. My brother, on the other hand, was always in with the coolest crowd - which only further highlighted just how "uncool" I was. Come to think of it, he was always in some kind of trouble...or so it seemed. Maybe there is a connection?!??! Just thinkin'

    Funny - the only time I was ever sent to the principal's office...which yes was HIGHLY truamatic!...was for playing in the restroom!! Funny.

    Hope you are enjoying a great week. Look forward to that fun busy weekend...and more time with the grandkids! Lucky you:)

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  9. Hi Sweetie! It sure is hopping out there, isn't it? Our lives are just so full! So delighted that you are getting some time with your girl soon! Two of mine were gone for the weekend, and it was strange, but we enjoyed the peace and quiet amidst all I had to accomplish!
    Have a joyful week!
    Love ya,
    Becky

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  10. I love how you did your planting from the window. Sounds like something I would do, heeheh..

    Make sure you post those pics of your cool new Easter stuff, and especially those pigmy palms. They're going to look divine!

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  11. I love reading your back in the day posts! This was so cute. My sister and I used to play so many imaginary games when we were kids. Thanks to her of course, I did not have such a vivid imagination and at times thought she might be a little crazy, but at the same time, those are some of the best memories that I have of being a kid! I always wanted her imagination! Hope you are having a fabulous Monday Debbie!

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I am so glad that you would take the time to comment on my thoughts and feelings, it is such a blessing to me!