Salt Maps for an ungrateful child

The other day, Jim Carson posted the recipe for home made play dough and my childhood came rushing back in an ugly flood.

My childhood sucked. But not in the way you might think. It sucked because I was the kid from hell. I was not even the Creative Kid Who is A Bitch To Raise But You Know Will Grow Into a Genius. Nope I was sullen and lazy and unattractive in every way possible. I'm not at all sure why my parents didn't just lose me in a crowd somewhere. I think it's probably because I was their first and they figured all kids are like this.

But, then they had my sister who was cute and sweet and nice (also not too bright and poster girl for Passive/Aggressive Week - but this is about me) and my brother who was cute and finally a boy, etc. It should be noted that all along the plan was for 5 kids. That plan got wadded up and tossed after 3.

Back to me... I was not stupid but I refused to use my powers for good. I loved to read but hated to read what anyone wanted me to. I read Nancy Drew books and Gone with the Wind and Forever Amber and Desiree... Who had time for text books???

My parents tried so very hard to motivate, to get me interested in school, to turn me into a nice kid. They tried. They failed.

I remember my Mom spending hours with me on school projects. She's the one who called around to every other mother she knew for the recipe to make salt maps to show the mountain contours on a cardboard map of whatever. She made home made play dough. I didn't know the term 'lame' at the time but I was able to convey the idea of it fairly well. Everyone else used real play dough in their projects. I had to use homemade.

My father got me one of those new fangled cassette tape recorders back when they first came out so I could practice my French. I practiced being the backup singers for Dione Warwick. My parents sent me to a fancy, expensive fine boarding school that they really had to struggle to afford. I thumbed my nose at it and everyone there.

They tried so hard to make me a success and I tried to hard to make them a failure.

I remember about a dozen years ago, my Mom was on the phone talking about one of my nephews who was probably 15 at the time and she was going on and on about how he was sullen and unresponsive and lazy, etc. I told her to give him 30 years and he'd be fine like me! Some of us just take time to percolate.

I do think I turned out ok but I do regret not being more appreciative of that home made play dough way back when.

Salt Maps for an ungrateful child

The other day, Jim Carson posted the recipe for home made play dough and my childhood came rushing back in an ugly flood.

My childhood sucked. But not in the way you might think. It sucked because I was the kid from hell. I was not even the Creative Kid Who is A Bitch To Raise But You Know Will Grow Into a Genius. Nope I was sullen and lazy and unattractive in every way possible. I'm not at all sure why my parents didn't just lose me in a crowd somewhere. I think it's probably because I was their first and they figured all kids are like this.

But, then they had my sister who was cute and sweet and nice (also not too bright and poster girl for Passive/Aggressive Week - but this is about me) and my brother who was cute and finally a boy, etc. It should be noted that all along the plan was for 5 kids. That plan got wadded up and tossed after 3.

Back to me... I was not stupid but I refused to use my powers for good. I loved to read but hated to read what anyone wanted me to. I read Nancy Drew books and Gone with the Wind and Forever Amber and Desiree... Who had time for text books???

My parents tried so very hard to motivate, to get me interested in school, to turn me into a nice kid. They tried. They failed.

I remember my Mom spending hours with me on school projects. She's the one who called around to every other mother she knew for the recipe to make salt maps to show the mountain contours on a cardboard map of whatever. She made home made play dough. I didn't know the term 'lame' at the time but I was able to convey the idea of it fairly well. Everyone else used real play dough in their projects. I had to use homemade.

My father got me one of those new fangled cassette tape recorders back when they first came out so I could practice my French. I practiced being the backup singers for Dione Warwick. My parents sent me to a fancy, expensive fine boarding school that they really had to struggle to afford. I thumbed my nose at it and everyone there.

They tried so hard to make me a success and I tried to hard to make them a failure.

I remember about a dozen years ago, my Mom was on the phone talking about one of my nephews who was probably 15 at the time and she was going on and on about how he was sullen and unresponsive and lazy, etc. I told her to give him 30 years and he'd be fine like me! Some of us just take time to percolate.

I do think I turned out ok but I do regret not being more appreciative of that home made play dough way back when.

Exactly how much wine was there?

Mom and her friend, Libba, took Polly (who is my age and runs a help-the-old-people service) out to lunch today. She had told me earlier they were going downtown to a fancy place that serves the best gespacho soup ever.

I just got a note from Mom and I quote exactly:

"I am home. We had a ball. Polly is so much fun. Lunch was delicious, so was the wine and gauspaacia."

Exactly how much wine was there?

Mom and her friend, Libba, took Polly (who is my age and runs a help-the-old-people service) out to lunch today. She had told me earlier they were going downtown to a fancy place that serves the best gespacho soup ever.

I just got a note from Mom and I quote exactly:

"I am home. We had a ball. Polly is so much fun. Lunch was delicious, so was the wine and gauspaacia."

Surprise!

I was supposed to go in an hour early and leave an hour later today working on a conversion that has to be done by Friday but... the server had a spasm. It may be fixed tomorrow or not. It's likely the Friday deadline could slip. But, I'm ahead anyway so I'm good even if it doesn't.

But, since there wasn't anything to do... And, I had started an hour early, leaving after 8 hours put me in my living room by 2:30 in the afternoon! It's like having a half day off.

Plus when I got home and got the mail, I discovered that treebreeze sent me snow!!! There was not one, but two beautiful postcards from him in the mail and one of them was of a snowy country side. What a wonderful treat. And a great addition to my mantle postcard collection. Thank you!!!

Not too bad for a Monday!

Surprise!

I was supposed to go in an hour early and leave an hour later today working on a conversion that has to be done by Friday but... the server had a spasm. It may be fixed tomorrow or not. It's likely the Friday deadline could slip. But, I'm ahead anyway so I'm good even if it doesn't.

But, since there wasn't anything to do... And, I had started an hour early, leaving after 8 hours put me in my living room by 2:30 in the afternoon! It's like having a half day off.

Plus when I got home and got the mail, I discovered that treebreeze sent me snow!!! There was not one, but two beautiful postcards from him in the mail and one of them was of a snowy country side. What a wonderful treat. And a great addition to my mantle postcard collection. Thank you!!!

Not too bad for a Monday!

steps = 4712

 

steps = 4712