Shoo Lie Loo

I Cannot Believe This...

As I continue to "de-clutter" our house for the month (today I sold quite a bit, thank goodness), I was stressed out, grinding teeth, fretting about chaos and mess...basically, status quo.

We happened to need to make a delivery to a mom who had purchased items from me from a local swap site. She doesn't have a car, yet she was getting my "nice" items at a steal....

When she texted me her address, I immediately froze and mentally remarked "Chris will be going with me to this part of town or he'll have a kitten fit!"

So, after we all came home from our various activities, we loaded up the van, and Chris drove us to a part of town with which I was not familiar. It was also after dark.

I texted the woman who had purchased a toddler backpack and toddler giraffe costume from me to let her know where we were.

She replied that she lived closer to the laundromat.

Well....in my stubborn, arrogant way, I replied via text that we were staying where we were and would meet here in a few minutes.

In the background, Lulu and Henry were whining in simultaneous cries about being hungry and bored and wishing they were home. Henry even said "This is the worst trip ever!" (We'd been gone from home for less than 10 minutes....)

Both Chris and I were at boiling points.

We waited very inpatiently and annoyed while this woman came to claim her bargains.

And then, we saw her.

A young mom with three very small children dressed in coats and grasping sippy cups, toddling alongside her.

This wasn't a case of laziness.

Nor was it a case of greed.

This was a young, single mom with three beautiful children with runny noses for whom she had purchased these items. And I immediately felt like the biggest jag-a-muffin who walked the planet.

I gave her the bag and timidly took her money. I asked her middle child, who tried to follow me, for a sip of juice. We laughed. I apologized profusely. What a damn FOOL I had been!!! How dare I judge someone I didn't know and then have the audacity to ask her to walk nearly a quarter mile in the dark to pick up....not drugs or alcohol...treats for her kids.

Tonight, this same woman purchased a pair of shoes from me which I had paid nearly $30 for when Lucy was five. They are nearly brand new, as she never wore them. I have decided to give them to her. She doesn't know yet, and I hope she is not embarrassed. I think I will just hand her the bag and wink. :)

Anyhoo, the moral of this story has absolutely NOTHING to do with me.

It's the fact that, after explaining the situation to those two chronic back seat complainers (kids have no money or toys, probably only a little food, no Wii games, etc.), I got prayers for the family from Henry that they receive food and water and toys and blankets and Wii games and we got volunteerism of some of their most beloved toys from both of them!!!!!!!!!

What had begun so annoyingly turned out to be such a teachable moment!!!!! I was crying openly in the van, telling them how proud I was of each of them. Chris, I think, was also in tears. All the frustration in my heart turned to gladness that they are such loving children. They thought Mommy and Daddy were being boring, but they realized that we were helping families in need, if even in a small way.

So, if the snow doesn't kill us tomorrow, I have a stuffed frog Henry wishes to donate along with Lucy's Polly Pockets.

God bless children and their humble, innocent hearts....I wish we were all like them, all the time.

 

 

 

Christmas Wrappings...and Trappings?

It is this time of year where we are particularly vulnerable to "holiday freak-out syndrome".

Did we mail our cards in time, with perfectly matching stamps to our perfectly matching address labels? Did we buy gifts for everyone, including that long lost preschool friend named "Bucky" who once drew a big frowny face on our picture of our family? Did we send thank you cards to the hosts of any and all Christmas parties? Did we visit Santa? Did we visit Santa again? Did we tell Santa what our hearts' desires were? Did we go to the mall to be a part of the "holiday shopping experience"? Did we bake cookies? Did we trim a tree, real and/or fake? Did we string lights on every spare inch of landscaping and/or housing? Have we seen our children in at least one Christmas play or program? (For extra points, did we video tape it and then immediately upload it to FB or YouTube?) Did we purchase perfectly adorable matching PJs for the whole family for that one-time photo on Christmas morning? Did we buy a turkey? Or a ham? Or order catering? Did we watch every single holiday classic on TV? Did we hear Bing Crosby wish us a "White Christmas" 2,000 times????

Not me!

And not because I'm channeling Ebenezer Scrooge.

It's because I'm eternally and humanly flawed. 

Example: I may have gotten our Christmas cards out on time, but I still haven't done nearly 1/2 my shopping. This "Santa's Helper" paid her bills on the wrong cycle of paychecks. So, while our gas and water won't be shut off on a peaceful winter's morn, we can't finish our Christmas shopping until the next pay period - the Friday before Christmas, which is also only two days before Christmas this year. Can you imagine the crowd that I'll be joining? Well-meaning hubbies and college kids and last-minute "they-got-us-something-so-we-have-to-get-them-something"-ers.

And I love to shop for Christmas presents!! I really, honestly do! It's a guilt-free way to indulge on the important people in my life. And there's always that thrill where you find the perfect gift, that you know, undeniably, your loved one will adore.

So, given my circumstance, it's easy to think I might be down about the holidays.

Truth is, I'm quite excited!

This year, we have a flurry of activity going on Christmas Day, filled with our family! Yes, the whole day will be spent with the WHOLE family. It might include driving lots of miles and some quick-thinking and extra doses of patience when it comes to managing over-stimulated, tired kids, but it's ONE DAY A YEAR!!!! And it happens to be the most magical day, to my way of thinking, that there ever could be!

So those are the trappings that I mused about in my title. What of the wrappings?

One of the things that stands out to me so vividly from my own childhood was Christmas morning. Heck, what kids whose family celebrates Christmas doesn't have their own treasure trove of memories??

We had a small house - I'd estimate it to be about 800 square foot before we built on in the 1990s. I remember being woken by Butch, my older brother, at the crack of dawn. Ok - actually, dawn probably hadn't happened yet. It was awful early. But what better day or better reason to get out of bed than to see what Santa had brought????

So we'd go nudge the parents from their sound sleep, who'd then go get their coffee and join us next to the tree. Oh the waiting...the waiting!!! Because, when we first entered the living room and saw our gorgeous glowing tree stuffed with presents, the first thing that always came to my mind was "Santa was really, really here - and he really left us so many things!!!"

The packages - oh the boxes of all shapes! Oblong, square, rectangular - each snuggly wrapped in a colorful paper covered with dancing snowmen or smiling, pipe-smoking Santas, penguins with scarves, elves working on little wooden benches, Santa checking the naughty and nice list (which clearly I had dodged the naughty list at that point, seeing as how there was a bounty before me). Bright colors - reds and greens and golds and blues, snowflakes and ribbons and bows!!!

Could you imagine if Santa just left all our presents unwrapped in a heap under the tree??? The wrappings are nearly as much fun as the presents themselves! The mystery as to what's inside. And the thought that those magical Santa hands had placed these very presents under our tree while I was sleeping, no matter how hard I tried to stay awake...  And, Mom and Dad, I promise you and Santa - I never once woke up before there were presents already there! 

And then the stockings! We didn't have a chimney, but my mom somehow managed to adhere them to the walls. And they'd be stuffed to overflowing. My memory isn't always accurate (my mom thinks I invented half my childhood, ha ha!), but I recall there were two things that were always there: a stuffed animal peeking out over the top along with a plastic candy cane filled with either M & M's or Hershey's Kisses.

I don't recall as to whether or not my folks got presents. I was way too busy absorbed with my own Christmas fever to even look. However, as a parent, I now understand that that's really what the Santa theme is all about. I don't need Christmas presents - I enjoy watching everyone else enjoy what they are getting and watching their eyes filled with wonder and excitement.

Though not that it's been without its disappointments...

I remember for Lucy's third Christmas and Henry's second - Santa had spent quite the time carefully displaying beneath the tree a track of cars for Henry and a babydoll set with stroller, potty chair, mini-diaper bag, etc. for Lucy.

Perhaps it wasn't Santa's expectation, but it certainly was mine (and I daresay Chris'), that the kids would come bounding down the stairs in wild anticipation squealing and screeching over the toyland display he'd set forth!

Not so much...

It was more like Henry ran for his cars and set about quietly playing with them, with little concern for the other presents carefully arranged beneath the tree. And Lucy, my darling Lucy....she calmy approached her dolly set and went about playing with it as though these were her regular toys. Not one squeal amongst them. And it was a daunting chore to get them to open the rest of the presents, for which they held little interest. Why, some of Henry's we had to open for him. (sigh)

I remember my friend Mindy commenting on Dropshots, where we house many of our pictures, that "It isn't quite what you expect, is it?". She has twins around the same age as Lucy, so she surely understands.

Two years later, Santa tried again. This time, he set up for Henry more advanced car tracks where the cars sped at lightning speed and whirled around huge loops, and, for Lucy, a beautiful Georgia plantation-style dollhouse, taller than she was, complete with furniture and a family of adorable wooden dolls. Again...it was not what I had expected, but, again, I had the camera at the ready to capture their shocked and excited faces. (I regret to inform you that Lucy's dollhouse sits unplayed with in their toyroom - it would have been a dream toy for me, so I think I shall have to adjust my schedule to start playing with it myself one of these days, for I'll never get rid of it...)

Christmas is still not what I had anticipated it would be like, as it certainly doesn't seem to fit the magical memories that I have. Even with a four and a five-year-old, there is this attitude of "entitlement". Even though they've both had their very naughty days, they know in their hearts and minds that, even if Santa stands them up, they have two sets of grandparents who would never dare to do such a thing! :) So what's the matter if they bend their own rules every so often?

But alas, I'm becoming cynical again.

As of right now, both the children are en route to Grammy Ahasic's for a few days of unrequited spoiling as Chris and I work and get ready for the holiday. I have to admit, I'm thankful for the break. These few days before Christmas can be so hectic. And I don't want to fall back into those "Christmas trappings" and be-Grinch myself.

This will likely be my last post before the holiday, unless I find that I'm way ahead of schedule!

Merry Christmas, everyone! I hope that your holiday is beautiful, peaceful, joyful and filled with magic!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Homeschooling?

This is now old news, but I am resigning from my position in January to stay at home with our son, Henry, for the last few months that he is a pre-schooler.

Unknown to many, homeschooling has always been my dream. I want to teach to my childrens' interests. I want to take field trips to places that seem inconsequential to much of the world, and I want to find out what makes each of them "tick".  And I want to teach to that.

Example: when I found a large caterpillar last year, I captured it. We watched it spin a cocoon (which is what moths do vs. butterflies, who spin the lovely chrysallis). We had to move in the interim, but we learned everything we could about "Nopal", learning that he was an Emperor Moth and that he was unable to eat after emerging but only could reproduce for a short time.

One of my front porch ponderings tonight was, what do other parents think of homeschooling? Do you have resources that you recommend? Do you wish you hadn't homeschooled? Do you wish that you had? Have you had any interactions with homeschooling parents or children? How did it go?

In Kewanee, we are fortunate to have a fairly large homeschooling co-op which utilizes the YMCA for frequent gatherings to socialize the kids to give them a physical workout and regular social opportunities.

We also have a wealth of materials at our disposal. Why, even the local dollar store has an entire section devoted to schooling.

Ironically, many of the families of children with cancer that I have counseled have benefited from the resources that I, as a non-homeschooling parent, was able to access. Children who need allogeneic (not from their own bodies) stem cell transplants are usually required to stay out of school for at least a year, as their severely compromised immune systems recover.

In essence, they have no choice. They need to be away from their peers, away from potential bacterial and viral sources. For a full year. And many of these children were not sick previously. Their cancer came on quickly and unexpectedly. Yet, with the resources that have evolved over the past decade, they are thriving and emerging from their immunocompromised state equal to their public schooled friends.

Do I think I am a better teacher than the highly-educated and dedicated teachers in our school district? Not necessarily - but I do know that I know my children better than anyone else. I am also eternally grateful that my children are not sick enough to be removed from school - though it happened to us when Henry was an infant. His respiratory problems were so severe, his pediatrician told us that we needed to hire a nanny vs. putting him in daycare. 

One other thing that I feel confident in saying is that I do know that I can hone in on their individual needs and interests better than anyone else.

I've known several homeschooling families. All of the children from these environments were fared very well in life.

Back in my day, homeschooling was considered an "alternative lifestyle".  One of my friends came from a highly religious family, however, after entering public school in her freshman year of high school, she maintained her high moral standards, despite a fair amount of teasing from her peers. Today, she is a proud homeschooling parent herself. Who'd have known??

Today, there are thousands of resources available to parents interested in this option. You can purchase homeschooling (also called "unschooling") software for your child where they can learn everything from the basics required to keep them up-to-date with your state's reqs to religious cultures, political science and even any foreign language you like, all thru the aid of a virtual teacher!

The educational part is not what concerns me most - it's the socialization. I know that both of my kids, both daycare and preschool kids, desire and need interaction with other children. I can imagine that it is very easy to get absorbed into a "dysfunctional routine" where the kids are isolated from their public or private school counterparts, spending their days in PJs instead of getting dressed per usual, eating lunches on the run, watching cartoons during "recess". And, a parent who craves convenience, is particularly prone to developing this routine for their child. I do realize that homeschooling is an incredibly important responsibility.

Again, thank goodness for the homeschooling co-ops.

So, those are my thoughts. This is after a very bad day with my son, where I questioned whether I even knew who he was...

Happy weekend to you!

 

Mama Knows Best

When I was a little girl, I used to flap my arms.

To this day, I can't explain why I did it. But I know that, if my child did it, I'd call the doctors, the psychologists, the specialists, the psychics, ad nauseum.

My mom believed that, when I flapped my arms, I was concentrating, being creative and focusing. She also recounts that it was "sooooo cute!" :)

And, you know what? Even a 1970s Mom knows best...

I'm not a terribly unusual adult. I don't have any unusual habits or behaviors to this day, though some may disagree should they know me intimately, ha ha! I twiddle my fingers some. And, as my mom explains, I meditate a lot on circumferential things. (In the simplest form - circumferential means "circular".)

Look at many world cultures and religions - they focus on fires, water and the growth of plant life. They sit in circles and speak in tongues amongst each other to  become closer to a higher being. In the book Siddhartha, he gives up all worldly possessions and wanders into the forrest.

Poet Khalil Gibran, whose birth town I have been fortunate enough to see in person, believes that nature and peace are one entity. Doubt me? Read "The Prophet". It'll change your life, if you focus on what you are reading.

You know what? I'm GLAD my mom didn't think I was unusual. I'm glad she didn't diagnose me with some unknown form of autism. I'm glad that I can sit, with a wee bit of frustration, in a traffic jam and spell license plates backwards and forwards and make words out of them while I wait. I'm very happy that I can listen to the same song over and over again (even welcome it) when Lu or Henry ask me to play a song for them in the car.  I'm glad that I was born blessed with a talent to learn languages, dialects and, even accents. (I wish I had been born with even basic math talents, alas...such is life...) I'm glad that I can write like the wind and smile like the sun.

Mama knows best - if you are ok with your child the way he/she is, you are probably right. Enjoy them. They will grow into their own unique and interesting humans. And, if you find that your child marches to his/her own beat, that's ok, too. Because, the world would be far less intersting (and advanced!) without its own set of "different drummers".

Afterall, you'd have to be pretty "out there" to invent something such as electricity, cell phones or even a Wii...ha ha!

Good evening, all - just my thoughts for the night! :)

 

 

Walldogs Coming to Kewanee!

A community of artists has formed to visit towns around the country on their "working vacations" to paint murals representative of their communities.

They are coming to Kewanee in 2013! (I know that sounds like a long way off, but this takes a lot of planning!)

Here is the link - what an amazing opportunity!!! I'll keep you posted as I learn more!

http://www.thewalldogs.com/

A Midsummer's Night Theme

Sooooo....

I've long been accused by my loving (and chafingly accurate) mother that I get bored very easily.

I have projects lined up as long as a "country mile". A wicker table for the front porch, my antique magazine rack, my sewing table/desk, planters and vases....

But in the last week I've....well....I've been tired. Feeling run-down and a wee bit useless. Last weekend I daresay I spent 90% of it in bed shrugging off something that made me as limp as a wet dishrag and cranky as a wet wasp's nest. (Chris will gladly confirm this for you.)

Noooooooooooo, I'm not in "the family way" (don't I wish, as that would make my snappy mood swings so much more excusable). Nooooooooooo, I'm not depressed. Nooooooo, I'm not suffering from a lack of sunlight.

I think it's my body adjusting to all the new nutrients I'm subjecting it to and also the lack of white sugar, red meat, carbs, caffeine and sugar substitutes. However, if this new "lifestyle" continues to leave me feeling so depleted, I must reconsider...maybe I'm meant to eat garbage????? I shall confirm with Dr. Chad tomorrow after my weekly adjustment.

In any case, being the avid lover of summer that I am, I was too exhausted to bask in the glory of the summer solstice, a day that leaves me with a quiet conflict. The days will now get shorter, meaning the longest day of the year is now officially a year away.

However, I adore the 4th of July with all its splendor.

My dad would take our Bronco out to the backroads of Sheridan, Illinois, and we'd join dozens of other families as we watched the fireworks from afar. Bug spray and lawn chairs were optional. Sparklers were mandatory. Lines of pick-ups and station wagons with their backs opened parked along the roadside. The smell of cigarettes, beer and cheap icy, fruity winecoolers wafted thru the air.

Sometimes, a wayward redneck counterpart would get out and light off a "doozy" in the middle of the road, before the show started, to which we'd all cheer. And then, when the real show started, we would clap like crazy and make booming comments all during.

As soon as my dad identified the "grand finale", we'd hightail it outta there as if we were heading home from a packed Bears' game, chased by a growing cloud of dust on those gravel roads as others followed in our wake. And it was one of the very rare times you had to wait to turn left onto the blacktop to head to town. 

We'd land in our yard where we'd have an even more spectacular display in our own backyard as he and our neighbor Ron rallied together to have the best show. (The first true definition of "punk" for me was a long, incense-like stick that you used to light fireworks from a distance.) And what a blast that was!!!!!! (Picking up the "spents" the next day did not offer nearly as much pleasure, but so is a girl-child's work after a night of rauckous, unrivaled entertainment, and it would never be punishment.)

I can't also forget the awesome 4th of July parades in Wheaton, IL with my Grandpop and Grandmom Cleary. The memory is a little more distant, so I hope not to recall incorrectly. I remember my grandparents lived not far off of Main Street. Someone would head down early to secure us spots on the sidewalk at the intersection of Main and Madison. We ALWAYS had great seats. And the governor at the time, Governor Jim Ryan, always made an appearance, which meant little to me as a child. I remember the best goodies from those parades, though. Candy, yes. But also Frisbees! And hats! And t-shirts! It was like Christmas!

Afterward, we'd head back to Grandmom and Grandpop's house to have a grilled meal - I think one year they tried to grill a turkey? But I remember it as one of the few times I had to really enjoy my grandparents backyard. The hammock...the swing....the mysterious shed.

But those times are foggy. Grandmom died in1989, to my great and terrible sadness. Grandpop followed in 1993 on (ironically) the 4th of July. I was so devastated I couldn't visit his casket and just viewed from afar as a grieving relative.

I have never forgotten them to this day, and I only pray that they are proud of what I have managed to accomplish with my life.

And, to all the veterans who have given their all and to those who have given their lives, I stand proudly as an American who can thank them for their service - my dad, my Uncle Bud, my brother, my Grandpop Cleary, my Great-Grandpop Reber, Dennis Kabara, my brother-in-law Joey, Robert Ficht, Jr., Kenneth Kozbiel - you gave your all to protect us who now live in freedom. I can honestly same that I am proud to be an American.

 

 

 

YMCA Tumbling Revue - True Grit!

Guestbook - Star Courier

As the parent of a pre-k student in the tumbling program at the YMCA and a relatively new resident of Kewanee, I have to say that I was incredibly impressed by the hard-work and stick-to-it-tiveness of the YMCA coaches and staff as well as all the little tumbling champions for the Friday, June 3, 2011 Revue at the Armory.

Despite the agonizing heat, all of these children, and especially the adult volunteers and staff, made sure that the show was a hit! By the end, my out-of-town in-laws commented that it was like Cirque du Soleil with these awesome coaches and leaders doing their thing on the trampolines and the tumble mats! It re-energized the heat-worn crowd!

And the touching finale, a giant group dance to the "YMCA", was the perfect ending.

Despite the heat and the gallons of h2o needed to make it thru the night, it was a fanstastic show! Thank you to ALL of the YMCA's Tumbling Staff. Not only were your stunts amazing, your teamwork was inspiring to young and old. Happy to be a teensy part of it!!!!

Communism Comes to the 'Burbs?

Chris has been going to our former house to pick up some items that are still there.

One of the "items" he came home with this week is a list of "rules" our former subdivision's association has compiled. I was aghast! Seriously, folks? Oh....and there's a $100 fine for each violation. Read on for a laugh (or a scare). Can they legally inforce these rules??

1. No modifications to your home's exterior without written permission from the board. (Does that include planting a rosebush?)
2. Garages must be kept closed at all times, except when entering and leaving your home. (Ought to make for fun times at Christmas - forget a string of lights or an extension cord, up goes the door, cha-ching, $100... And we thought buying gifts for everyone and their uncle was the real cost...)
3. Vehicle maintenance only allowed inside said garage, must be performed with the door shut (in accordance with the above rule). (Everyone better invest in a good carbon monoxide detector...)
4. No BBQs or baseball games conducted on common property (public park). (They forgot kite flying, football, soccer and playing....)
5. Overnight parking on the street is prohibited.
6. Satellite dishes need board approval prior to installation. If rules are violated, the board can forcibly remove the satellite dish from your home without notice or permission. (This is where I wonder if there might not be an illegal satellite dish crime ring being run out of Grundy County...)

If I were still a resident, I'd like to petition the board to consider curfews for adults, the banning of all junk food from your home (so as not to attract ants), no bikinis for anyone who has birthed a child, no music, no art, no books, and a scarlet letter to be worn by all those who dare to not use their Jewel Saver Card.

Ridiculous, preposterous and downright unfair. Who pays the association fees and taxes anyway?? Oh....wait....not us anymore. Well, I'll take some stray cats and the occasional "ya'll" in place of being afraid to really live in my home.

To those friends who still reside in this subdivision, my heart goes out to you, and I hope you battle like crazy to get those rules altered and/or done away with completely.

FREEDOM!!!

 

 

Papers

If you were to ask my mom, I have papers everywhere.

Bills, school papers, crafts, newspapers, coupons, magazines, scribbled messages, etc.

Any house that I've ever lived in has various landing pads for papers. And, more often than not, I'll be searching desperately for that one piece of paper needed for any particular moment.

Tonight, I was going thru some boxes to get some items to donate to the preschool or old things to throw away when I came upon several papers. They were buried in with baby shower cards and pictures and expired diaper rash ointment coupons from four years ago.

My first find was a book of Persian art. The lithos are small, but they are most definitely frameable (which appears to be the purpose of this old book, as there is no text). I thought they might make an interesting art project.

My second find was a Zip-Lock baggie that I've toted from house to house in my adult years but never really examined. In it is a detailed reference guide of my mother's side of the family's geneaology, done back in the 1960s by my Grandma Cleary and her relatives. I was astonished to find one paper dating back to 1706 tracing my family tree back to my great-great-great-great-great-great-grandfather, Johann Leonhard Reber. More to come on that and some of the interesting tidbits I'm learning.

Additionally, I found my Great-Grandfather Raymond Reber's marriage certificate to my Great-Grandmother Marie Rowe, dated September 6th, 1917. How incredible to hold such a piece of family history! And it's in unbelievable condition! Like marriages back then, the paper they were marked on must have held up better (ha ha!)

Additionally, I came across a pre-World War II bright orange booklet titled "Popular Home Remedies and Superstitions of the Pennsylvania Germans", of which my mom's side of the family is largely descended. Chris and I shared a smirk or two at some of the proposed remedies. In example, did you know that if you name your dog "Water" or "Fire", he cannot be bewitched? (Dad, are you reading this...?) Also, if you are looking to cure epilepsy, simply swallow a rattlesnake's heart (now available at your local Walgreens).

I also came across some family Christmas letters my mom had written back when I was four and five years old. I marveled to Chris how creative she is and how much I've really grown to take after her in some respects. She could describe the year, in great detail, for seven family members (me plus my three brothers and sister plus her and Dad) on one piece of paper!! We are definitely two very different people, but, Mom, I'd like to thank you for passing along your kindness and cheerful heart. I love you!!

Lastly, I came across something my mom printed out for me some time ago that had belonged to my Grandpop Cleary - "How To Tell When It's A Bad Day". Here are some excerpts that made me bust out (thanks, Grandpop, for making me laugh from the Heavens):

You know it's a bad day when...

• your boss tells you not to bother to take off your coat.
• the bird singing out your bedroom window is a buzzard.
• you put your bra on backwards and it fits better.
• your Income Tax Return check bounces.
• you see the team from 60 Minutes waiting outside your office.
• your horn goes off accidentally and gets stuck while you're following a group of Hell's Angels down the highway.
• your wife says "Good morning, Bill" and your name is George.

Have a great week, everyone!!!

Learning a New Language

horn·swog·gle

  [hawrn-swog-uhl]

–verb (used with object), -gled, -gling. Slang .

to swindle, cheat, hoodwink, or hoax.

 

Courtesy of dictionary.com.

 

It has come to my attention lately, as eluded to in some of my earlier posts, that my speech has changed.

 

It has also occurred to me, not so recently, that I am extremely susceptible to acquiring accents (sort of like how others might collect magnets, keychains or postcards, when traveling, I collect the regional accent and/or dialect).

 

Before we moved to Kewanee, I spoke with the typical Midwestern accent (mixed with a bit of the Northwoods and maybe a wee bit of Canadian).

 

Since moving to our new town, I find that I am speaking quite differently than I did previously. And not just with a slight Southern drawl, as is common in most of the residents here, but also with a whole new collection of words that previously were unfamiliar to me.

 

Ya'll stick with me....I think I can explain.

 

I chose to highlight "hornswoggle" because it sounds ridiculous. Completely and utterly nonsensical. Until you hear it used in daily speech. It then becomes as commonplace as "fooled" or "cheated". And I have acquired this word and have found myself using it in conversations.

 

Additionally, I have taken on words and phrases such as "gully washer", "I'll be jiggered", "aint'cha", "dang tootin'" and, occasionally, just a plain ol' "howdy".

 

So, after a conversation with both hubby and my very dear friend Erika today, I decided to do some research on the validity and origin of these words and phrases. (This is where I must interject that hubby has taken on a language of his own, none of it fit to be shared here, at his new job. And he admitted to me today that he has to stop himself frequently 'lest he inadvertently unleash a barrage of F-bombs just to describe what he saw on the daily news...)

 

These words/phrases, from this point forward referred to as "Kewanee dialect", are actually quite antiquated. To our ears, names like Ezra, Henry, George, Archibald, etc. might sound "old-fashioned", which they are. However, you will occasionally run into a young fellow bearing such a name (my own son proudly bears the name Henry). Before meeting Henry (or Lucille, my daughter), you might presume that he is a gentleman vs. a preschooler.

 

Nonetheless, those names are classics, destined to repeat themselves as passed on thru generations (hello - we still use the names Matthew, Joseph, Thomas, James, Paul, John and Patrick...all quite rooted in ancient history, even if slightly altered into a more Latin-friendly version).

 

So it makes sense to me that, in the dictionary, the terms that I've "picked up" as part of the local dialect are valid, therefore perfectly acceptable and maybe even a tad-bit dignified, even if considered "slang".

 

So, I'll continue to acquire my new language. It befuddles me how quickly the brain and tongue can adapt, however, each one of us uses our senses differently. I am, apparently, an auditory learner. So I can't help but defend Madonna for speaking in a British accent (who was ridiculed mercilessly years ago by the press for the aforementioned) - maybe she suffers the same "accent affliction" as I do. (Mind you, I am not a Madonna fan, I just happened to pick up the story on my People magazine guilty-pleasure a few years back. So I feel my defense of her accent acquisition is legit.)

 

Anyhoo, tonight's blog will be shorter than usual because I'm tuckered. It's time to prop up m' legs and watch the tube or surf aimlessly on this confounded contraption.

 

;-) Have a great weekend....ya'll...