Mem'ries..............

Well, it's Tuesday.
My travel day.

It used to be such a big deal to go overseas. But now it's pretty much like taking the bus downtown.
My bags are packed, I'm ready to go.......(did you know that song was written by John Denver, btw?)
Anyway, I am still in my jammies here, getting ready to do my last load of ironing, running the dishwasher one more time (Wheelie is using paper plates this week)

In case you're wondering...I will not be using people's real names on this blog (to protect the innocent :>) So, my hubby will be Wheelie, my daughter will be Bugs, and my grand baby will be Boo-Boo. Boo-boo's Daddy we'll just call Daddy. I'll make up other names as they encounter my blog sphere.

Bugs and Boo-Boo came by yesterday to wish me a good trip and all that. We made some more pictures, did some serious kissy-kissy-kissies, and off they went to go shopping.

Wheelie and I went to Publix for some last minute groceries, which came to $95!!! At least he'll have enough food to last him if I decide to stay away for a month. (not really)

It has been two years since I've been 'home' and I am looking forward to seeing everyone again.
My parents are now 85 and 87 years old. Both in reasonable good health. Considering. My Dad has had a lot of problems with his heart and his prostate. My mom has all sorts of ailments, most of which we chalk up to attention-getting-itis. But I am sure some of her complaints are for real. It's just that she is a pisser and a moaner, and we've all come to take her complaints with a large grain of salt.
Their longevity (and their solid marriage of 62 years) is due to good old fashioned common sense, and plenty of good humor.

As I am reaching the twilight (Oh Lordy) of my life I am starting to understand just how well they did, and still do. You've got to be amazed by these two, raising four brats into pretty well adjusted individuals. Mom never worked outside the home, but always worked her behind off.
My Dad was employed by the same boss for all of his adult life. They saved their money, they were extremely frugal, but as children we never went without anything.

Mom was recently bemoaning the fact that nobody "does" birthdays anymore, or just celebrating the holidays. Times have changed.
I pointed out to her that we will always have our memories of the good times. And we talked about those for quite a while.
I hope it made her feel better to know that we appreciate those times.
Traditions were very strong in the old days.

Birthdays went something like this:
One would not be able to get out of bed until you heard everyone sing: Lang Zal Ze Leven! (Happy Birthday) Only then could you get up and enter the living room, where the family would stand with presents hidden behind their backs, singing. After opening the presents, you knew there was still the BIG present somewhere in the house, or the basement, and we would go on the hunt for that. Usually the BIG one was something like a bike (made from scratch, but looked brand new) or something else my Dad made, like a doll house, a garage for the boys...

On schooldays you would go to class in your Sunday best, and a box of candies to dole out to the classmates. You would also have special candies for the teacher, and the principal, and other teachers. You were allowed to go from class to class to hand over the goods to the teachers, and they in turn would give you a little holy print for your church book.
This whole thing made you feel very special and important. The visit to the principal (a very stern nun named Alphonsine) was scary, but she was always very nice.

Back home there would be a party. We were allowed to invite our friends, we had many. There would be limonade (in those days before Coke and bubbly stuff we had syrup that was diluted with water.) The house would be decorated with garlands, and there would be cake (home made on a special stove top pan, we did not have an oven) decorated and with candles.
Dinner would be YOUR choice, and we always picked something we loved. In my case that would be either beets with hachee, or mac and cheese, or Dutch pancakes.
I remember my tenth birthday. I invited my entire class, we must have had 20 kids, and I wanted Dutch pancakes. My Mom and my aunt were in the kitchen all afternoon making those blasted things, while me and my friends were practicing ballet in the hallway and knocking each other's teeth out.
In later years my Dad would be sent out for French Fries and croquettes.
In the evening the adult relatives would stop by.
First there would be coffee with gebak (pastries), then snacks and drinks. Cigarettes were presented in small glasses on the coffee table, these only came out of the closet for special occasions.

If there is one word in Dutch that doesn't exist in the English language it is: gezelligheid.
Losely translated: cozyness.

Mom and I decided and agreed that those days were fabulously gezellig.
Warm fuzzies still surround me just thinking about those birthdays.

I tried to make this tradition my own for years with Bugs and Rancid, in the beginning it was doable, but when they got older, they thought it was weird to be woken up by us singing "Happy Birthday"

Bugs was particularly pissed if we played the Beatles Birthday Song LOUD at 6 in the morning.
*lol*

SO...Mom and I decided that having our wonderful memories would just have to do.
I hope she realizes that I for one appreciate their efforts, and their unshakable love for their family.

Perhaps we'll have a few hours to sit and reminisce.

It's time to get my arse in gear here.
Thanks to those of you who figured out how to leave replies to this blog, and email.

Love you all!

See you on the other side of the pond.


SGMKJ!