Imitating Phyllis

I said to Phyllis a few months ago, "Lots of us talk about writing. But you actually do it." She laughed but it is true.  I have enjoyed the pictures of family heirlooms that she has blogged about, and the little stories that go with them. 

I don't seem to have a huge passion for the act of writing, but I do want certain things to have been recorded. Things my parents tell me, old stories, thoughts I have. Who knows if anyone will actually ever read them. But I think I could at least enjoy jotting things down after I hear them. I've got a number of word documents in which I've done this, but it's a bit more fun to share it with others don't you think?

So -- Here is what I wrote the other day after visiting with my parents.  This event probably happened in the early 1950s.

Dad says the Fed (i.e. the Young People’s Federation in St. Louis, associated with the E&R church) would put on a musical every year, and the Reinert boys always sang something in it. One year, the musical was coming up and they hadn’t thought of an act yet. So they said they were going to sit down in the living room and not leave until they had their act figured out. They ended up with the song Chopsticks, which they sang in 3 part harmony to the tune of Chopsticks. They song was sung in 4/4 time with the 3-beat pushed.

This topic came up because Dad and Uncle Milton recently sang this song during the coffee hour at Friendship Village. I wish I would have been there. But here are the words that he gave me:

Chopsticks

Intro (verbal? Musical?): When Chinese people go to eat, they eat veg’tables and meat. Chow Mein is a well-known treat – But how do they eat soup?

Chop chop chop chopsticks, for food they do fine tricks, but
don’t ever try them with soup.
You slop slop with chop sticks, the soup drops with chop sticks, the
spots dot the top of your suit.

Now this is what happened when they started lappin’
this watery food with a stick.
Because of this fa-ad, a young Chinese la-ad met
death when his plan didn’t click.

Wong Long the cleaner had found bus’ness leaner and
wondered just what he could do.
He had a brainstorm, the idea took form and
promptly he broadcast the news.

That “’Mel-i-can” Lassies could trim down their chassis
by difficult eating with sticks.
Instead of food inside, soup spilled on the outside and
Wong Long was soon in the chips.

Wong saw a good chance for his shop to advance so
he bought a big Laundromat
With washers and driers connected by wi-res, poor
Wong Long could not long combat.

He tripped on a wi-re, caught his pigtail in the drier, through the
roller of the wringer he was fed.
Poor Wong Long from Hong Kong was not long for this song,
his bus’ness just went to his head.

Now heed to our warning, the idea we’re forming is
never use chopsticks for soup!!


The picture:  Celebrating my Dad's 90th birthday in March 2015, at Steak n Shake
Left to Right:  sis Carol, Dad, Mom, sis Nancy, me, Aunt Marilyn, Uncle Milton

A Year Later

Gave up on this blogging thing. Shall I try again? I have a lot to think about right now. Tomorrow is the last day before I go back to work after 5 weeks off -- off-time due to my husband's severe illness and hospitalization. Very scary time, but also very full of confirmation of God's love for me in the form of family and friends pitching in to help, to comfort, to pray for Vic and all of us. As I write, he's been out of the hospital 2 weeks and is recuperating but still experiencing more discomfort and more weakness than I am satisfied with. That is, I'm concerned and am very glad we will be at the dr on Tuesday so I can ask some more questions.

Everybody talks about new years resolutions at this time, and I've thought about it a bit, too. I could determine to exercise more regularly, to read the Bible more, and many other things that I plan to work on, resolution or not. But I think I am making one actual New Years Resolution: to figure out how to be really honest about my faith in God and my simultaneous lack there-of. As an oldest child, I am strongly inclined to keep up strong front; I hide my weaknesses and doubts and questions almost reflexively. I especially hide them from my kids, not wanting to 'infect' them with my own issues. However, the actual outcome of this is that I often don't wrestle with "what does God have to do with this situation". Often, for me, the question looks more like "what does a good girl/good parent/good Christian do in this situation". And my answer is usually along the stiff upper lip, saving face, be strong lines rather than giving voice to my questions. What I want to work on is some real honesty with myself and with others when I'm in the thick of a challenging situation. I hope this will involve delving into the Word more, as I try to include Jesus the person in my conscious life.

Jobs

I often wish I could stay home and not go to work.

But so far this week --
- I helped identify a possible hearing problem in a child, who will now probably receive further screening and help with speech
- I sat with a mom while her eyes filled with tears at the thought of weaning her first child, which she must do in order to try to also carry and bear her son's sibling-embryos
- A little girl created a "house-bed" for her doll out of scrap boxes, paper, and tape while I watched and helped
- I held a little premie and helped her mom understand how to read her cues and soothe her.
- I helped another Parent Educator puzzle out a concerning situation with one of her families
- A little toddler kept pushing his way onto my lap with a book for me to read
- I played with a 2 1/2 year old non-stop talker who is already reading some words
- I received a sloppy hug from a cuddly 11 month old bear of a boy who is just learning to walk.

I guess I like some things about my job after all.

Family

A few very sweet moments from the last two days:
-singing Christmas carols at my parents' apartment
-having Vic and the children -- ALL of them, including Tim and Liz in their PJs -- walk into the bedroom on Christmas morning singing Happy Birthday
-an incredible interesting pile of 75 'cake balls' for my 53rd birthday cake -- very easy to serve! "Chocolate, vanilla, or citrus?" Plop - on the plate!
-family members liking the presents I made for them -- Ben's t-shirt quilt, my sisters' decorated gourds, my neice's barretts and cloth bags
-seeing Vic and the boys work together installing technology
-walking upstairs and finding out that Betsy had cleaned both bathrooms
-giving out my okra santa ornaments to friends
-enjoying my cleared-out work-room by having plenty of space to sew, do crafts with Emily Vastola, and set up an extra eating table for Christmas dinner

Making

I have developed quite an urge to make things over the past few years. I've done a little painting, sewing, woodburning, and other 'crafting', and it is so satisfying to produce something that I like and give it to someone I love, even if it's just a simple apron or Christmas ornament. Is this one of the ways we are 'in God's image'? Look at all the beautiful gifts he gives us each day.. I find there's a particular pleasure in looking at something I made and that I'm pleased with despite its flaws. Remember when God looked at it all and said it was good? Is that something like trying on the apron and looking in the mirror, or spreading the quilt out on the table just to enjoy looking at it?