Tuesday, November 25, 2008

The Story Of Me

It is just two days until Thanksgiving and I'm getting ready for a houseful. I'm feeling a little melancholy thinking about who will be here Thursday and who won't be. This post is more for me than anything else. I'd like to share with y'all the ones responsible for who I am, so indulge me.My Mother and Daddy married shortly after WWII. Daddy was gorgeous in his uniform and Mother was a beauty but never knew it. Look at his eyelashes and her hands. Why oh why couldn't I have inherited those things instead of his knees and her lack of a posterior? And of course, I had to get THE nose! All 3 of their kids got THE nose. But I also like to think I got their sense of humor and love of life. They were both junkers before it was cool to like junk. I was raised going to used furniture stores, second hand shops and junkyards.
Some of y'all have been fortunate enough to get to meet my baby sister, Kerri. She was born 3 years after me and my earliest memory is of her. Mother said I just swooped in and took over. She and I have had the joy of being sisters and best friends. I've pulled crap on her and she's pulled crap on me, but we've always been able to make each other laugh. During the last 2 years of our Mother's life, I don't think either of us would have made it through without each other. She will be with me Thanksgiving with her family who I adore.
Until I married Cat Daddy, this was life. On the left is my grandfather, Tip. He cussed like a sailor, chewed tobacco and was a hoot. He'd take us 3 kids to the jockey lot in McKinney every Saturday morning to buy tamales and cokes from the Tamale Man. My grandmother was a beauty shop operator. You have to remember in the 50's and 60's, women rarely worked outside of the home and no one's grandmother did. Kerri and I got all the latest hairstyles, including but not limited to, pixies which always looked cute on her and dorky on me. Tip, Marie, Joe and Helen were the original road trippers, loading all of us into a station wagon to drive where ever for a weekend.(Marie was busy taking this photo). This particular excursion was to Roaring Rivers in Missouri. That's my brother David being all hip and cool. If you can't tell by looking at the knees, that's me in the middle and Kerri on the end.
This is another weekend outing, this time to Devil's Den for a family reunion. David's on the coke box(would love to still have that) and that cute little girl is me. The guy in the middle is a cousin and again, Marie hiding from the camera. We lost Daddy right before Thanksgiving 1988, Tip, Easter 1998, Mother, Labor Day 1998, and Marie, New Year's 2001. So, I guess you can understand why I'm feeling a little sad, but don't feel sorry for me cause I'm not throwing a pity party here. I am so thankful that this was the life God gave me and these were the people to fill it. My cup runneth over!

9 comments:

Mindy said...

I love the story of you. Enjoy the memories and make some new ones who are still here. Happy Day, my friend. ~Mindy

The Texas Woman said...

Can't wait for the next chapter - Cat Daddy Comes Tom Cattin' Around.

The Texas Woman

French Vanilla said...

I love the pictures. Really enjoyed your reminiscing. Hope your Thanksgiving is a beautiful one. I think for many of us this time of year has a touch of melancholy. My Daddy's BDay is the 28th (he passed 2 1/2 years ago). I miss him every day!!! But I, too am thankful for so many things!! Thank you Lord. peg

Garden Antqs Vintage said...

Oh what great pics and memories. You look like your pretty Mom. Happy Thanksgiving my sweet friend. I'll be thinking of ya!!

cheryls fascinatingfinds said...

Thanks for sharing, I'm with Cher on waiting for the Cat Daddy Chapter,
Happy Thanksgiving to you and all your family,
Cheryl

Lauri Evans said...

Thanks for the great memories! I love old family photos (Except for me in 'ugly phase').
I miss my father (1989) and my mom's in a nursing home with mild dementia and isn't the same person. SO I get it! I don't like the holidays but Lauri is working on ... Happy Thanksgiving!
ox lulu

debi lynn mattingly said...

What a lovely story! Wishing you and your loved ones a beautiful holiday! xo...deb

Rosemary said...

Love the family history :) Cute pictures too!
Thanks for the prayers for megan and her sweet army boy :) We found out this week that he is headed to Iraq dec 27 :( I am going to try and fly megan to Alaska over christmas break,so they can at least have a couple days together before he ships out. So prayers for protection for both of them are most appreiciated :) Rosemary

Unknown said...

Loved the trip down memory lane and all the memories and pictures of your family. Sounds like you were surround by lots of good folks and thank GOODNESS for your sister!
PS: Wouldn't we all just about do ANYTHING for that COKE BOX!?!!!? WOW!!!!