This is a picture of George and Matthew contemplating the chess board when we were at Lake Anna.
I am interested in your comment, Naomi, about Grandpa's temper. He was "risible." The quality that made it easy for him to be funny and laugh, also made it easy for him to "fly off the handle." I remember his taking us out into the yard to pick a slender branch that he would devest of its leaves and make into a "switch." He would hang that switch in the kitchen above and behind the mirror that hung above the sink. Then when we were being difficult, he would look at the switch with a great and horrific scowl, and we would laugh. He never actually used the switch, he would just use it in that good humored way to help us change the activity, whatever it was.
I found myself using this technique in teaching. I would make a hideous face and slam a book on the desk to shock the students out of bad behavior. Never had to do any more. They would laugh because the faces I made were so awful, they were funny.
We kids learned that dad would "blow up" about small things, but when real emergencies arose he was always there ready to do whatever was necessary. Broken bones or illnesses were handled with great care and attention. He always "had our backs" as the kids say now.
I have an endless store of stories about my dad. I will trickle them out for your amusement and amazement as time goes on. And then there's mom. Wow. You will have to stay tuned to get all of these memories into your own memory box.
Take care.
7 comments:
After I started this class at the Loft in writing memoirs I find it is contagious. Loretta and my neice Sue both started thinking abut memoirs. My class runs until Christmas time. I have written pages. It's fun. Anon.
I think I could safely say that Tony is also "risible" ha-ha!
Yes I too know a man that could be considered "risible". Sometimes he does need a woman to put him in his place-namely-me!
Oh I know about the "switch" from the tree all too well. First of all, I rarely needed "training" other than my mouth. Second, Dad would use the end of the belt used to hang the milk buckets on the cows to jar our memory of how to be a proper young lad or lassie.
My sister was a little different story and I got plenty of amusement out of watching mom lose any sense of control and grabbing anything close at hand to "train" her one of the things being a switch from a tree.
My sister has a daughter just like her mother now. INTERESTING!!
Is it just a male thing to be "risible"?
I see 4 comments posted.
You HAVE to know the "guess who" is not me! I would surely take credit for any legitimate "razzing" I give you!
Bet you are in Virginia smothering that adorable Matt with Grandmother Love.
Vicki I love that painting of the seashore and the bottle. Wonderful. I wish you would do more realism.
I'm glad you are here, as I miss you when you are gone, but sorry that it had to be under these circumstances.
Fun time last nite at the wonderful Evansville gallery.
love, Carol
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