| Jan 5, 2006 @ 3:35 PM |
childhood experiences
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lecriveuse
Posts: 1,865
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i posted a poem today (in my blog) about a woman who grew up poorer than i was (we were pretty broke).
that woman ate stale sandwiches and drank sugar water until her mom got a monthly check. she looked forward to having oysters, brains and eggs for a "monthly feast". the poor kid went to school wearing a certain set of clothes on a particular day. on top of all this, some little heifer wanted to beat her up.
i didn't get a chance to join girl scouts or play in the junior high band. i did have a change of clothes -- my mom had my clothes made by a mrs. parson's whose former store building is still standing in fort smith. i got taunted for having a "funny accent" (spent a few years in ghana, and i picked up an accent) and talking "proper". we always had enough to eat; at a few times, i noticed we ate the same thing more than once in a week. big whoop. it was mac n cheese, hot dogs and toast. we would beg mom if she'd fix it again, and she would.
my mother never applied for welfare because she thought the state was "too nosy". we kids weren't the demanding type (we werent raised that way, and she probably wouldve popped us if we'd gotten mouthy like that). we really did have more fun pretending with two cans and a string, etc. we didn't believe we were better than other people, and we certainly didn't pick on someone who was retarded, etc. i was bullied in school until high school. something snapped, and i've been running amok ever since. 
ok, food, clothing, books, fairly decent home (leaky roof, but it was better than nothing) and loving grandparents who have always loved me. when i read marilyn's poem, i acknowledge that i was fortunate; i wish she could've had the same.  and i want to thank those obnoxious phuckers for not accepting me as i was. now, i am independent and contented with myself; i don't need ur nasty, conditional acceptance. 
marilyn, i got ur back when we hunt down that hussy barbara jack.
[Edited on 1/5/2006 4:00 PM]
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| Jan 5, 2006 @ 3:54 PM |
childhood experiences |
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Classy_Blonde
Posts: 6,034
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L,
I have always remembered our family as being middle class, until recently. My older sis revealed to me, we were 'lower' middle class. You certainly don't need the finer things in life to be rich. My mom was always my inspiration. She made sure life was fun, even though my dad was abusive. If I hadn't been told, I never would have known the difference.
You reminded me too. Does anyone remember those long hair switch ponytails? I used to put mom's dark brown one on my light blonde hair (I was 8), and I would wear it to school. I'd pretend I was a horse, and it was my tail. Awwwww--the imagination of children.
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| Jan 5, 2006 @ 4:00 PM |
childhood experiences
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spongebob777
Posts: 7,904
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I used to love my great grandmothers stories about her childhood. I don't think I ever heard her complain of being poor but she would only say that there were people worse off than they were.
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| Jan 5, 2006 @ 4:06 PM |
childhood experiences |
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lecriveuse
Posts: 1,865
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long hair switch ponytails
i've never heard of them. it reminds me of how my mom with decorate my two pigtail twists. she'd use colored twine or colored, plastic clothespins. she even told me about one of her buddies who always wanted to know how i'd wear my hair that day. i had an audience. pardon me while i open the door so my head can have some breathing space. 
my dad was abusive, too, and he was shoved outta the picture in 1969 (mom used to celebrate her divorce annually). i didn't think i'd ever get married cos i refused to tolerate that nonsense (that's all i'd seen with him and other male relatives). in my late teens, i tried to hit a few boyfriends with my car -- i was just wild.  it was just fun to me, but i might have had an ulterior motive in the recesses of my mind. well, doesn't matter cos they wouldn't stand still. 
my great grandmothers stories about her childhood
the best, sbob. i'm one of the few familygriots (i'm one) because i was always bugging someone to tell me what it was like when they were little. my brother used to stay with an older man, and i'd ask mr roy what it was like when he worked for the railroad in 1915. the first and only time, he said he didn't know about history. i told him if i wanted (political, economic or military) history, i'd get a book (and promptly fall asleep). social history is the best. 
[Edited on 1/5/2006 4:08 PM]
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| Jan 5, 2006 @ 4:18 PM |
childhood experiences
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kattsmeow
Posts: 21,270
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I never new we were poor until I grew up and my family told me. Weird huh? My mom always made my clothes, I got one pair of shoes for the school year along with a pair of golashs(sp) for when I needed them. I don't remember ever being hungry, although I am sure it was because my parents made sure we had enough food first.
Lots of oatmeal for breakfast, then it seemed like a lot of potato soup. Then some dumplings thrown in the next day.
We picked our fruit from trees in the woods too. My father was a hunter and fished too.
My toys were usually sticks, ( cowboys and Indians.) Running around in the woods, climbing trees too.
Yes, we were very poor at times, and with the love of my mother and father, I never knew it.
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| Jan 5, 2006 @ 4:30 PM |
childhood experiences |
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lecriveuse
Posts: 1,865
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katts, those sticks truly cultivated my imagination. i can remain amused when the electricity goes out, but my nieces and nephews have withdrawals. it's a shame they won't know those simple, wonderful pleasures.
btw, i love soupy oatmeal. it's filling, but if u slurp it, you'll enjoy it more.  
you know, i truly miss all the elderly neighbors we had. i dont know anyone around me (prefer to keep it that way), and i dont see anyone over the age of 50 anymore.
[Edited on 1/5/2006 4:31 PM]
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| Jan 5, 2006 @ 4:30 PM |
childhood experiences
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Classy_Blonde
Posts: 6,034
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Katt,
Who cares if you are poor, if you can have dumplings. Yum! One thing I will never eat again though--tuna casserole. Nasty!
And playing with stick toys--the best. Rocks were good too. I used to line up stones and make them into squares, each one being a room of a house. Kids today don't even know how to be creative or play make believe.
L,
I am in total agreement about social history.
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| Jan 5, 2006 @ 4:34 PM |
childhood experiences |
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lecriveuse
Posts: 1,865
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Who cares if you are poor, if you can have dumplings
girl, my momma threw down on chicken and dumplings. she boiled that cken into submission while she made dumplings from scratch (rolled out on the table, ty). we would hurt ourselves on that gooey, doughy goodness. i tried the drop flour in boiling water. gross! we should find the author of that recipe and make them eat that chit.
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| Jan 5, 2006 @ 4:42 PM |
childhood experiences
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kattsmeow
Posts: 21,270
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I miss those days. When it was too hot to sleep inside, I remember mom and dad getting blankets and all of us going outside to lay down. Then the storys would start about the Milky way and the stars.
One thing though,,I always wanted to be the Indian so I could scalp my older brothers!!!!
Slurpy Oatmeal!!!! With sugar and milk poured on.
Dumplings!!! The one thing I still haven't gotten right.
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| Jan 5, 2006 @ 5:51 PM |
childhood experiences |
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Classy_Blonde
Posts: 6,034
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Thanks for sharing, Mis.
Mama L--
You get an A+ for starting this thread. These are the kinds of stories you can write books about.
Two thumbs up.
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| Jan 5, 2006 @ 6:10 PM |
childhood experiences
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spongebob777
Posts: 7,904
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My great grandmother was from up your way Angel. She was born on a farm outside Mancelona. It must have been pretty wild back in 1900 when she was born.
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| Jan 5, 2006 @ 6:18 PM |
childhood experiences |
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Classy_Blonde
Posts: 6,034
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Spongecakes,
As well as you write, you could be putting your book together right now.
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| Jan 5, 2006 @ 11:52 PM |
childhood experiences
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Angel54214
Posts: 14,056
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Ever gotten lost?
I remember when I was about 5 years old, I was outside playing. I decided to follow a butterfly, well I ended up amongst houses I didn't recognize or even the people. I must have cried and walked for seemed like hours. A nice police officer asked me if I was lost. I nodded and he took me home in his big shiny black car with blinking lights.
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| Jan 6, 2006 @ 12:59 AM |
childhood experiences |
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lecriveuse
Posts: 1,865
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,,I always wanted to be the Indian so I could scalp my older brothers!!!!
I am still the same woman that my parents raised.
why mess up a good thing? i've had attitude adjustments because things and times change, but i'm still the same kid, too.
ur right, classy. i love threads like this; it feels so familiar in times where i truly believe i don't belong. when i hear a kid mouthing their parents, that's one thing. once i saw a kid (thankfully on tv) sassing his grandmother. if i EVER saw that, i think i'd go to jail. i can't abide a disrespectful, mouthy kid. so, i think i'll stay with threads like this. maybe i should look into an anthology about this with everyone's contribution. we'll all tour, and u can hold me back on oprah (yeah, i'm gonna b mouthy). 
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| Jan 6, 2006 @ 8:49 AM |
childhood experiences
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lecriveuse
Posts: 1,865
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bear breaking into local stores and deer walking down Main Street in the middle of the night
i'm so glad i just see things like that on t.v. something was howling around my in-laws. the dogs stood at the yard's perimeter and had fits; i cheered them from the kitchen window. i dont know what it was and i still dont want to know. i appreciate everyone having guns around there, too
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| Jan 6, 2006 @ 1:59 PM |
childhood experiences |
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kattsmeow
Posts: 21,270
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Lol, I remember getting lost in a corn field!!!!! As you can see, I was found,,lucky for all of you huh???
Oh, lets don't forget the car rides huh? My family used to get in the car with a loaf of bread, and pound of bologna ans some drinks and just ride around on a Sunday too. Simple things that I brought my children up on.
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| Jan 6, 2006 @ 2:55 PM |
childhood experiences
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Classy_Blonde
Posts: 6,034
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I can't remember getting lost, but I remember when my sister decided to run away from home.
She was five. My mom helped her pack her suitcase and walked her to the door. The walk around the block must have given her just enough time to reconsider.
Car rides--yes.
Mom would put us in the old Plymouth and take us for long drives. There is one road, in particular (I still use it), and it has dips galore. We would sit in the back seat, yelling, "Faster! Faster!"
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| Jan 6, 2006 @ 3:02 PM |
childhood experiences |
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Mischief484
Posts: 645
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girl, my momma threw down on chicken and dumplings.
I can make a pot of chicken n' dumplings that would make you slap your momma. Dumplings from scratch, too.
My grandfather was an amazing cook and taught me a lot. He could make the most amazing things with some of the most ordinary ingredients. My ex would go to the pantry or the freezer and say "we don't have anything for supper."
I'd go look, and see everything I needed for a pot of hot soup, stew or etouffe. It's not the ingredients that make great food. It's the love, baby. Which is why I know you'd never slap your momma over my chicken n' dumplings. You'd eat'em though.
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| Jan 6, 2006 @ 3:07 PM |
childhood experiences
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Classy_Blonde
Posts: 6,034
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Damn it Mischief,
Now I have to go to the kitchen and see what I can throw together for lunch. You made me hungry, and I really need to go grocery shopping.
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| Jan 6, 2006 @ 6:27 PM |
childhood experiences |
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lecriveuse
Posts: 1,865
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ol fashion grocery shoppin, classy. i used to do all that home cookin from scratch, chile. now, that microwave done made me plain lazy. hear?
now, mischief, i dont know iffn i can believe a man who looks like an imp and has a name like that. since it was ur grandfather, i think i'll believe that cos grandfathers dont make up stories bout good cookin 
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