Friday, June 4, 2010

Flashback With Siblings...



I cannot believe I did not post anything this week. Where did the time go? Oh I remember the funeral in Omaha. A sad sad story!

But we have better things to talk about so...

This week we are flashing back with our siblings. I think I could write a book, but I will try to contain myself!

As a lot of you know I have 2 older brothers, yes I am the youngest, and the only girl. Does that tell you anything? And I was Daddy’s girl! James the oldest was born in 1942, Tom in 1948 and I came along in 1957. Hello… I think I have always been a surprise! I remember teasing James telling him, he was actually old enough to be my dad. He never thought it was funny. No sense of humor…

Growing up, James and I were not really close. He lived with our grandparents in Arkansas and went to high school. Came home to Illinois during the summer and over Christmas break. I actually remember asking Mom, who that guy was that stayed with us and mowed the yard during the summer. She tried to tell me it was my brother, but I didn’t believe her. His son Jimmy was born when I was 7 years old. So he was actually more like a little brother, than a nephew. And the sun rose and set in my mom’s eyes with him. He did no wrong! lolol. James and I are closer now than we have ever been.

Tom and I had our moments. Looking back at things, I understand why I had no self-esteem at all. He was always saying something or doing something, which I did get him back at times, remember I was Daddy’s girl! Tom and I were always fairly close. We got along really well. However, even that can change. We have not really spoken since Mom passed away. Funerals can bring out the worse in people. Sad but true! I hate that it happened, I still love my brother, and pray for him often. But I also Thank God that my mom told me about the money for her funeral that she had given Tom. Enough said about that!

I do have a lot of memories about our growing up years. And I may have shared some of them already, if it is a repeat for some of you…sorry! What can I say…having a brain fart!

I remember when we got our new chest type freezer, it seemed huge to me. It was big probably 4 or 5 ft long. We lived on the farm and it was in the bathroom. Tom politely told me that he was going to stick me in there and I would be froze by the time mom and dad found me. Yes it scared me… mom often wondered why I hated going to the bathroom by myself.

Tom used to sit on me and hold me down and give me the Indian Torture or just tickle me and call me smelly Nellie. I hated that absolutely hated it.

He also told me one time that they found me in the garden in the cabbage patch. I was devastated because my friends were there because her families loved them, and they just found me in the old dirty garden. I cried over that one.

I remember him getting in big trouble one time because mom caught him letting me do something very dangerous. We lived in a farmhouse and there was a roof out over the front porch. On the 2nd floor, in the room by the porch we had a ping-pong table. And of course during the summer we would have the windows open, and there were no screens. So every once in awhile the balls would go out the window and roll down the roof and catch on the edge, or in the gutter. Tom would let me go out there and get the balls. I thought it was fun, what did I know? I was 4 or 5 years old on the 2nd floor angled roof at the edge bending over. I really actually though she was going to kill him that time.

Every Friday night dad would bring ice cream home, and he would always ask on Thursday night what kind we wanted. Tom always wanted regular ice cream either vanilla or chocolate, but not me, I always asked for ice cream sandwiches. Needless to say 99% of the time we got sandwiches. Remember, I mentioned I was Daddy's girl! And thinking back now, I never ate the chocolate part; I would squeeze the ice cream out and throw the rest away. I think it was because I knew Tom wanted the other. Sad, sad sad…

I also remember, hunkering down in the floor and covering my face with my hands and laughing. It would actually sound like I was crying and my dad would yell, “Tom what are you doing to her now?” Then I would look up at him and stick my tongue out. You know it is a wonder that he did not put me in the freezer!

As long as this is I think I made up for not posting this week! Sorry!

Memories… gotta love them!

We would love to read about yours. You can get the prompt from Linda at Mocha with Linda. Then after you write about your memories make sure to link up so we can all read them.


until next time… nel

10 comments:

  1. My brother was outnumbered by sisters so he was generally on his best behavior. We all adored him as kids and still do. He is just a very easy person to love.

    I enjoyed your honest memories. Nice to see you back!

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  2. You have some interesting and funny sibling moments, Nell. Especially the part about crying because you thought you came from the cabbage patch! The freezer terror story was interesting, too...it's a good thing you were "daddy's girl" to help overcome the sibling abuse...LOL

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  3. Oh, this was such fun to read! You must be a hardy woman to survive all that! Good thing you were Daddy's girl or you'd probably be in serious therapy!

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  4. Oh Nel, girl it's a wonder you are still alive. My brother's would have killed me for that! Thanks for the laugh.

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  5. :D Love the "Daddy's Girl" comments, that must have really helped you out over the years haha!

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  6. That SO sounds like the relationship I had with a brother who was 3 years older than me! And, of course, I did nothing wrong...ever! ;-)

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  7. That part about you hunkered over and laughing...I did the same thing with my brother. Only he thought he had really hurt me and was a little upset when I looked up and laughed. But he didn't pick on me as much after that. Brothers!

    Thanks for sharing your memories.

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  8. What a fabulous post! I remember being tickled mercilessly too! Why do kids always think that's a good thing to do to each other?

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  9. What a great idea, I love the thought of memories and telling them on the blog...before I close I'll try to do one..

    You have such a cute site...I'll keep stopping by..

    Dorothy

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  10. You are a survivor, girl! Bless your heart...being told you came from the cabbage AND being threatened with banishment to the freezer! You shouldn't feel guilty AT ALL about the ice cream sandwiches! :-)

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