Monday Meme

I think this is my favorite part of the week.  I decided that I need to be flexible.  Some days I don't get to touch my computer, so I probably won't get to every part of my little schedule all the time, but I'll keep doing what I can. But this particular day I just really like doing. :) I think I'll just tell you a few childhood memories I've been thinking of.

1. At one point my siblings and I decided that calling each other mixes of animal names was super insulting.  I remember once that in a sassy voice I called Jennifer "Pig-giraffe!  Half giraffe, mostly pig!" And then I ran because I knew I had just earned myself a beating.
2. Once we were playing outside in the sprinkler and we decided we should make a swimming pool in the sandbox.  I know at least Jennifer and James were with me.  We turned on the hose and filled up the sandbox and had a great time.  I remember I could just barely float above the sand without touching it. I thought it was wonderful!  Mama didn't agree, though.  We were in trouble when she came out to check on us.
3. I used to like to play Cowboys and Indians or Cops and Robbers with James and his friends.  It was great fun.
4. We once had turkeys, and one of them was named Snood.  He was mean!  He would chase us like he wanted to bite us.  It was kind of creepy.
5. We also once had a dog named Rolly.  This was at the time I was just starting to remember things (I mean, like I was really little).  My parents took him to the pound, though.  He was a naughty doggy and liked to chase cars.  I don't remember him very well, though.
6. We had chickens for a long time.  They lived in a fenced part of the backyard and had a big coop.  It was at the back east corner of the yard by the wood pile.  My siblings and I liked to climb on top of the chicken coop.  It was great fun.  I can't remember if it was allowed or not, but we sure did climb up there a lot. If I remember right there was something like shingles up there, and I liked to feel the roughness of it under my shoes. When it was time to eat them we'd take them to the Chlarsons' house, and those boys would chop the chickens' heads off and then prepare them all just right, I believe.  I only went along once when the chickens were killed, and I don't remember it much.  I do remember it was in their backyard.  I was probably skipping around playing, too busy to watch much.
7. Robert had rabbits for a while at one point.  One of them was white with pink eyes.  One of them got out into the backyard one evening, and we all had a fun chase to get it back.
8. We had some finches at one point.  I believe we had two sets of them.  I loved them so much.  (Not enough to clean out the cage, mind you, but I did love to sit and watch them.) One of them we named bowd (bode?) because it was like how one of our younger siblings said bird.  I can't remember how the birds died.  Oh, wait.  I think they didn't get fed because somebody thought they had enough food when really it was seed shells that they left in their bowl.  Anyway, I remember we buried them over on the east side of the house.  I made little headstones out of sticks and wrote their names on them with crayon or something.
9. And speaking of pets, we had goldfish when I was little.  It seems like they were kept up on top of the kitchen cabinets because I remember climbing up there and crumbling crackers in there, trying to feed them.  I was pretty little.  Well, let the record show, crackers are not good snacks for fishies. 
10. Goodness!  I wonder why I'm talking about animals so much today!  Well, here's one that isn't about animals.  We used to go watch fireworks on the 4th of July at the football field at the high school.  They charged people by the carload to get in.  It was fun to sit there in the stands with half the town.  The fireworks were set off at the visitors' side.  We all sat there and said, "Oooh!  Aaah!" together.  I liked that.
11. One time Kimberly and I were sitting on top of the chicken coop talking, and she said something I knew we were not supposed to say.  I knew that she didn't know she shouldn't say that, but what I saw was an opportunity to get her in trouble.  So without missing a beat I went and told Mama.  Oh, that was so mean!  Poor Kimberly!  We often weren't very nice to her.  But we were jealous because it seemed like she always got the best toys for her birthday.  Ha, ha!
12. OK.  Last one.  When Lynnette was born we older siblings were sent to stay with the Wiltbanks.  We spent the night there and then went to school the next morning.  We were supposed to ride the bus back to the Wiltbanks' house after school, but that was a different bus than we usually rode.  I wanted to make sure it was the right one, so I asked my teacher.  She said, "No. You don't ride that bus.  You go to Sunset Acres." Then she went along the line of buses asking, "Do you go to Sunset Acres?"  She found my normal bus and put me on it.  I was scared all the way home.  I was sure nobody would be there.  Well, I got home, and the car was there.  I knocked on the door, and Daddy answered.  I asked if I could please come in.  He said no.  He was just teasing, but I was such a nervous wreck that I started bawling!  He let me in and assured me he was just teasing.  And I got to meet Lynnette before my other siblings. :)