Wednesday, June 22, 2022

FAMILY TIES

There are many things that tie families together, some better than others. (Romans 12:10)
Hanging our heads out the rolled down windows to avoid cigarette smoke might not have been a good one but we "back-seaters" remembered it even long after our parents quit smoking.
Growing up in Hoptown we shared a "wolf" language taught by Daddy that was only understood by us.
Dalfaddy, Bulfuddy, Dolfotsy and Bolfobby were in the know. Silly. Yes! ....... But to this day it's a tie that binds.
Stories we heard over and over whether we were there when they happened or not. Several years after Daddy came home from the war, my older sibling who was 4 yrs old at the time, asked Daddy to go to church with Mommy and him. Daddy's reply was he couldn't because his shoes weren't polished. Well, that was an easy fix. Older brother, already dressed in his "Sunday go to Meetin' ", white pique suit with white Peter Pan collared shirt proceeded to the cabinet to get the black polish. The shoes were duly polished and his clothes probably had as much blackness as, if not more than, Daddy's size 11 shoes. Daddy went to church that Sunday and for the next 64 years until his stroke incapacitated him. Faith is certainly a tie that binds in a positive way. In 2010 he was honored as one of three oldest living members of Hopkinsville's First United Methodist Church. 
Inside jokes also bind well. "Cut the mustard" always gets snickers at our house....especially as we recall the time Reverend Grimstead said it! Crazy Ada's "Oh just forget about it" rings a bell every time we hear someone refer to it."
These days my youngest child and I have an ongoing "Fun" dispute.
Any one out there have disputes on punctuation marks? Is ampersand in your vocabulary of dispute?
At my house they have been gifted as reminders. Quite a gift! Fun reminder!
From paper weight to wall hanging, I smile every time I walk past an ampersand. 

It's "my" Molly's way of greeting me with a wink!