title explained

Onward and upward! something that you say in order to encourage someone to forget an unpleasant experience or failure and to think about the future instead and move forward.

My e-mail: jjmiller6213@comcast.net

Monday, February 15, 2016

Yesterday-When I was Young

I remember making little Valentine's cards to take to school and put in the other kids boxes, just made for that purpose.  I can't ever remember leaving any kid out of getting a card from me.  Even the kids I didn't particularly like got a card.  The kid might wear ragged, dirty clothes and smell bad, but they all got a card.  We didn't want anyone to feel left out and sad.

When I had birthday parties, and as an only child, I had many; we always invited ALL the girls in my class.  Even the one that smelled bad, because at 8 years old, she still wet her pants.  Even the one whose nose was always running and she never wipes it.  Even the one that most of us didn't like because she acted like such a brat.  We didn't want anyone to feel left out and sad.

Of course, back then, it was easier than now.  Small class sizes with only about 15 girls to invite.  As I got older and had a birthday celebration, where my Mother took us out to the lake to swim or to a movie, THEN I got to invite just my very closest friends.

I loved Valentine's Day when I was young.  Yes--we all had our boxes with the slit cut in the top to receive our cards, but, every year there would be a special card in that box.  From a boy who liked me and I liked him.  A "real" two page card!  I made a special two-page one for him too.  4th,5th,6th grade--I remember them all.  Kenny and Myron and Albert--all dead now.  

Valentine's Day was a real holiday.  Named for Saint Valentine, who helped a lot of people.  Unlike the October Sweetest Day that was created by Hallmark Card Company, a few decades ago.

Fred made a big deal about both days.  A beautiful card, Roses, candy and dinner out on Valentine's Day.  A card and a beautiful Lily plant (to replant in my garden later) and dinner out on Sweetest Day.

Now that he is no longer here, I just feel a huge Bah Humbug on both days.  

I used to hate February.  It felt like the longest month of the year.  All gray and dead and depressing.  11 years ago on the 27th of February, Fred and I had our first date.  After that, I loved February.  I was not depressed.  Of course, it may be the Natural Sunlight lamp/bulb that shines on me whenever I sit in my recliner that helps now--but I always gave Freddie the credit.
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So--enough of all that.

I spent the entire weekend in my wee, comfy house.  I am very lucky that this unit (as most of them are nowadays) has 4 inch thick walls that are packed with insulation, plus the space between ceiling and roof, and under the floors, covered with heavy black plastic, my house is very warm.  Plus, I have double-paned windows with the gas in between the panes.  Nice and tight in their frames.  There is not one draft in this manufactured house.  The temperature stays at a nice 73 degrees, until I got to bed at night, at which time, my thermostat drops to a cool 68 degrees.

Today, I HAD to travel up to the Wal-Mart as I was out of water for the humidifier, milk, wet cat food, chips, cheese, crackers and bologna.  

It was good to get out in the cold and to get some exercise by walking around the Big Store.    I don't plan on going out again until Thursday, when I travel up to my hometown for Lunch with the Old School Gal Pals.  We are eating with the Senior Citizens at the hometown school cafeteria that day.  Five bucks for a pretty good lunch.  Then of course, afterwards, out to The Farm to visit with my sister.

19 comments:

  1. Well you already know I don't need a big deal made of Valentine's Day, but that's okay. I get treated like royalty on my birthday, Mother's Day, and our anniversary, and of course on Christmas. God please make my tongue wither and fall out if I ever complain. When I was a kid we moved every year, sometimes twice a year, so there was never time for even ordinary friends, much less best friends. I did make a dear friend in sixth grade but I don't remember ever seeing her after that year. I was always the new girl. I guess that has its charms too (although at the moment I can't think of any) but it doesn't include memories of densely-populated birthday parties or lots of valentines. Ah well. Bygones. Stay warm and cozy. xoxo

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    1. Jen, I pretty much stayed put. My family has lived on the same farms for over 100 years, so---we know everyone in that area and they all know us.

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    2. Speaking of farms, I'm planning to back "over home" the first of March. I haven't been there in six years. I'll tell you, though, Judy it's a given that when I drive past where my grandmother lived, I'll tear up. We spent so much time there when Dad would be overseas, and then when I got my driver's license I NEVER went anywhere except there. Long weekends, vacations, etc. Big Mama was our only grandparent that we knew, and truly except for Dad, I had so much respect for her. We were really close. When she passed away @ 104 1/2 when I was 35; my world just went quiet for a long time. Okay, I'm done and I know you didn't ask for this "book". LOL xoxo

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  2. I have some of those same memories of making Valentine's and boxes with slits in the top. My dad was sentimental about Valentine's Day but Don really wasn't and that was okay with me. He bought me special things whenever he saw something he thought I'd like all year round. He didn't like Hallmark telling him when to do it. Hard to stay warm here! I have too many windows.

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    1. Yeah--Fred was a sentimental, mushy guy too. I loved it. :-)

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  3. I have been home as well, except for my trips to the airport with my son. I am always so happy to be home, snug as a bug in a rug.

    The hubs built our home in 1983, it is very well built!!

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    1. If you build your own, you know exactly how well it is constructed.

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  4. I hope the worst cold is behind us. -5 here, but I keep it a toasty 67 inside.

    Are any of your Old School Pals the ones you exchanged Valentine Day cards with? What a wonderful history. Amazing how we outlive the boys. Only two out of five of my old boyfriends are alive today. I'm so content I chose the best one :-) even if he has to now blow me kisses from heaven. Happy Valentine's day (late)!

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    1. All of my Old School Pals I started Kindergarten with and graduated high school with.

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  5. I'm glad you had birthday parties as a child. I had not one that I can remember. But, like Jenny maybe because we moved a lot.

    Enjoy your lunch with the pals. I stopped going to ours since there's only a couple of people I'd like to see. Of course, ours are shared with several other classes with people I don't know.

    xoxo

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    1. I haven't been to the Luncheon in a couple of months because out of the usual 8 of us that attend, there are three that drive me nutz! BUT this time it is only 20 miles away and in my hometown and in the school cafeteria which is more open with more people to maybe talk with, and I will go--for an hour and then out to The Farm.

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  6. I can't recall making any Valentines for my classmates. My mom was too busy with 4 kids for that kind of stuff, I guess! We always bought the box with a bunch of them. I remember being embarrassed to put a valentine in the box of whatever boy I liked at the time!

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  7. I wanted to tell you also; those beautiful cupcakes that Hunter made for valentine's day? She told me that on girl said hers were ugly and threw it in the trash. Hunt said the teacher got all over her for that. It's a shame that some parents these days aren't teaching manners. Okay I'm done again. See, when I don't blog, I talk too much to my blog friends. :) xoxo

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    1. Kids today are just awful--especially snotty little girls!

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  8. Oh, that was our Valentine's Day, too. There were boxes with slits, and cards for everyone, and either heart-shaped cookies, or special cupcakes. And there always was a Valentine's dinner at the church. I can't remember if it was mother-daughter, or father daughter, or a family event. Isn't that strange? But I do remember making valentines with lace doilies, and red construction paper, and all that. It was great fun.

    Some years -- I think after I was in Blue Birds, and Camp Fire -- we'd make nut cups or some little something and take them to the nursing home. Such great memories -- thanks for raising them up!

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    1. My Mother used to buy the paper lace doilies and I would paint them with water colors to look like flowers around the edge. Thanks for raising THAT memory to my mind!

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  9. Judy, I remember the valentine boxes; Oatmeal boxes made the best, all round and with their own lids. I wish I had kept some of the special cards I received; well, I do have two, one from a boy in high school and one from the farmer after we were married. They were the big, puffy kind of cards. The last cards we bought for the girls, and the ones they got, were not nearly as pretty as the cards in the "good old days". Charlotte

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    1. Nothing is as good as it was in the good old days, including most of our society. Sad.

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