Susan Writes

Final Four

Posted on April 3, 2014 by susanrray

Now there are four men’s teams and only three more games. I’m already feeling withdrawal and sad because this time next week the college basketball season will be finished, over, done. Some of you are saying, “Thank goodness!’ March Madness has almost been a round-the-clock reality TV show for the past two weeks. A reality show that I’ve recorded and watched and then read about in the newspaper. A reality show that will end when the players of the championship team cut down the net. “One Shining Moment” will be the background music for a video of the tournaments’ highlights. I’ll shed a tear or two.

I understand not everyone cut teeth on basketball gym bleachers as I did and not everyone cares about the Final Four. Maybe you have barely tolerated friends and family who’ve talked nonstop basketball. Maybe you’ve cheered for our OVC and Tennessee teams, and when those teams lost, you lost interest. This writing is for you.

Isn’t there something interesting besides the game score? Some trivia? According to ESPN.go.com, the Florida Gators’ colors are orange and blue. Florida’s forward Jacob Kurtz used to be the team manager. He washed practice gear and handed out socks. From laundry boy to walk-on player to scholarship player.

The Connecticut Huskies wear blue and white. Connecticut, aka UConn, is the only university in the country that offers a Masters in the Puppet Arts. UConn’s Shabazz Napier would play for Puerto Rico, his mother’s homeland, if that team gets into the 2016 Olympics. He could have quit college and played professionally, but he promised his mother that he would graduate. And on Mother’s Day, he will.

The Kentucky Wildcats’ color is blue. All of Kentucky’s starting players are freshmen. How does a coach teach 19 year-olds to share and play together? Kentucky has two great freshmen players who are identical twins, Andrew and Aaron Harrison. Imagine how proud their parents are. And a silly anagram for Kentucky Wildcats is “Twisty Dunk (cackle).”

The Wisconsin Badgers wear cardinal and white. The school’s mascot name came from miners in the 1820s who dug like a badger. Without housing in winter, the miners burrowed into hillside tunnels. During the play of a game, watch 7 foot center Frank Kaminsky – he talks to himself. His teammates are sometimes distracted. Maybe his opponents, too.

Who? When? Where? On Saturday night, Florida vs. Connecticut and Kentucky vs. Wisconsin. The winners play the championship game Monday night. Arlington, Texas (close to Fort Worth) at the A T & T Stadium.

To make it through the next few days around us basketball fans, pretend to be interested. Pick a team, based on any criteria. A color or mascot. One of my Grands said he’s for Wisconsin because his daddy knows people who live there. I narrowed my choice to Florida and Kentucky because those schools are in the SEC (Southeastern Conference) – the same conference that the University of Tennessee is in. I’m going with Florida. Those Kentucky freshmen will get another chance.

And you should know that the women’s Final Four games will be played in Nashville, Music City USA, Sunday and Tuesday. I’ll be in a nosebleed seat. As I write, the women’s final four teams haven’t been determined, but I know my team is the one who plays UConn. I can’t tell you why here. Ask me and I will.

Filed under: Games, sports | Tagged: Basketball, Final Four | Leave a comment »

Children’s Rules

Posted on March 26, 2014 by susanrray

I recently asked a group of 7 and 8 year-old children a question. “If you could make one rule that everyone in the world had to follow, what would be your rule?” Most sat silently for a few seconds. “One rule that everybody follows at school and home and wherever they are,” I said.

Maddy* said, “Never do anything without permission.”

Katie, a girl of few words, didn’t hesitate to say, “Obey.” When I prodded her to explain she shook her head and said, “Just obey.”

Kylie needed only two words. “Follow directions.”

“Don’t be bad,” said Isaiah and then he elaborated. “Like don’t punch or say mean words or anything.”

Ellie said, “Don’t hit anyone and don’t say bad words.” She looked off into space. “Well, it’s okay for Mommas to say a bad word. Like if two parents got mad at each other, they could cuss. But not to kids.” I nodded. Ellie took a deep breath and then said, “But there’s another rule. If a kid sees a bully, she can tell a parent.”

“To not fight. If someone is nice, don’t be mean back to them. Momma says don’t be afraid. Don’t be scared. Be brave. That’s what I’d do,” Annie said.

Lannie said, “Always be nice.” I asked what nice meant. “You know, like help each other and say nice things.”

No doubt, these children’s rules come from their experiences. I can hear their teachers telling them to follow directions and their mothers saying they must obey. For those children who immediately thought of not fighting, I wondered if they’d recently made a fist and punched someone. And it’s interesting that two children put hitting someone and saying mean or bad words together.

I wondered what Maddy had done without permission, and I wondered if Ellie’s Momma had just explained to her that it’s okay for grown- ups to say bad words. I remember a time I dropped and spilled a gallon of milk on the kitchen floor and screamed a word that can’t be printed here. Then, like Ellie’s Mom, I tried to explain that sometimes adults say words, but it’s not okay for children.

What does the word nice mean? Certainly helping each other. Kind. Pleasant. We adults often tell children, “Now be nice,” and we assume they know what it means.

These children’s rules can be grouped into a short list.

1. Obey

2. Follow directions

3. Don’t hit

4. Don’t say bad or mean words

5. Be nice

The most unique rule was William’s. He didn’t think about behavior, but instead had a whole different idea. “Everyday, everybody would get gold. Lots of gold. And they could spend it on whatever they want.” I asked how he’d spend his gold. “I’d buy 100 toys!” He raised both his fists high above his head three times to emphasize the toys he’d buy. “ Books! Blocks! Legos! Yeah, that’ll be great!” he said.

Yes, William, that would be great. I silently congratulated him on his choice of toys. And wouldn’t it be great if we adults followed children’s rules?

*Names changed

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Filed under: Children, Kids Say Funny Things | Tagged: Rules | 2 Comments »

Long Distance Visits

Posted on March 20, 2014 by susanrray

Through the magic of the Internet, Husband and I visit our Grands who live across the country, close to the Rocky Mountains. We sit in front of our computer, click a Face Time icon and wait to see Dan, age 2 ½, and Neil, 8 months.

“Hey, Dan. Look who’s on the computer!” says Son, as he comes into focus on our computer screen.

I hear Dan running before he comes into view. Big smile, open mouth. I could count his teeth if he were still for just a few seconds. “Hi Gran! Hi Pop!” My heart melts just hearing him call my name. Son prompts him to tell us about a recent trip to the zoo and what he ate for supper. Then Neil appears beside Dan. A happy, smiling baby. Daughter-in-law turns him around so we can see his curly hair on the back of his head, and then he crawls across the carpet toward a red ball.

Sometimes Dan shows us tricks like turning a somersault or throwing his basketball through his four-foot goal. And sometimes he has a new matchbox car to show, but mostly he plays. Neil usually sits in one of his parents’ lap. Daughter-in-law and Son talk with Husband and me, but we rarely see them. They keep the camera focused on our Grands. I’m happy – happy to watch.

Recently, one Sunday night one of our Grands, Elaine who lives just across town visited Husband and me, and I had the great idea that she and Dan, who are the same age, would like to see each other through Face Time. All went well in the beginning. Elaine sat in my lap quietly; she’s not accustomed to seeing her cousins and uncle and aunt on a computer screen. Dan said, “Hi Elaine.” She sucked her thumb. Dan held a green matchbox car so that it filled the computer screen. Elaine jumped down from my lap, ran to the playroom, and brought back a black car to show Dan.

Back and forth, Dan and Elaine showed each other toys. A blue car. A yellow school bus. A tennis ball. A big colorful striped ball. My heart was full. These two cousins were hundreds of miles apart and having fun together. Elaine showed Dan a red truck and he collapsed into a two-year-old melt down. His happy face turned into tears and amid his sobbing I heard, “Go. Pop’s. Gran’s.”

I wanted to stretch my arms through the paths of the Internet, wrap my arms around Dan, wipe his tears, and give him the red truck. Son hugged Dan, but there was no consoling. Elaine dropped the truck. Thankfully, Husband caught it before it hit the computer. We said our good-byes quickly and signed off. “Dan come to Pop’s and Gran’s?” Elaine asked.

How can toddlers understand that they can see and talk to someone, but can’t visit right that minute? Dan wouldn’t come to visit that night, but another time. And sometime we’ll go see Dan and Neil and their parents. Until then, we see each other on computers.

You have to be a grandparent to appreciate that a highlight of my week is to stare at our computer screen and watch Dan line up matchbox cars on a windowsill and see Neil crawl across the floor.

Filed under: Grandchildren, Technology | Tagged: FaceTime, Grandchildren, visit Grands on computer | Leave a comment »

JUMP IN!

Posted on March 12, 2014 by susanrray

I don’t jump into water. Not into a swimming pool, nor a lake. I don’t like water splashing on my face and I don’t like being a six-foot torpedo in depths known or unknown. I ease down a ladder into water. As a mother and a Gran, I’ve treaded deep water for as long as my children and grandchildren wanted to jump. But jumping in water is one thing I’ve told how to do, but never shown. “Just jump. You’ll come right back up,” I’ve said. So imagine my apprehension when I was suited up to snorkel in the middle of the Caribbean Sea near Belize, and the guide says, “We’ll jump off the side of the boat.”

I’d been snorkeling before. In this same location, but on a big boat – big enough that it had a ladder with wide steps so I carefully made my way down while wearing giant-size flippers. This was a 25-foot dive boat that carried only nine people – a guide and eight paying snorkel guests.

I was excited about seeing water wildlife again and I was comfortable wearing a life jacket, a snorkel mask, and giant flippers. Chris, the eighteen-year-old guide, stopped the boat at the Hol Chan Marine Reserve in the middle of the sea, but surrounded by many boats. I could see at least a hundred snorkel tubes sticking out of the aqua clear water. Chris adjusted my mask and I said, without my fellow snorkelers hearing me, “I’m nervous about jumping in the water. I don’t jump in water.”

Chris pulled strands of my hair out from under my mask. “No hair under mask so no water in nose. The ladder is too narrow to go down. You could fall and get hurt. You can jump,” he said. I wasn’t so sure. He guided me to the side of the boat. “Sit here.” On the six-inch wide side. “Now turn and get your legs over the water. Push off with your hands.” I could see foot-long silver fish and the ocean bottom, about twelve feet below. “If you go under, count to 3. You’ll be back up before you get to 3.” That’s what he tells the little kids, I thought as I pushed myself off the boat.

I did go under and counted 1, 2 and surfaced. Before I could focus my eyes I heard, “A turtle in front of you!” A green turtle, as big as a galvanized steel washtub, swam just inches from my nose. I felt his back flippers swish on my stomach. I lay my hand on his shell and pushed to give myself some water space. The turtle swam away. I looked around to locate my friends and our guide in the water.

The snorkeling adventure was all I’d hoped for. Thousands and thousands of brightly colored fish, turtles, anemone, coral, manta rays, even nurse sharks. I’d do it again.

And now I have another reason to be eager for warm weather. My Grands will be shocked when I put on my life jacket and jump off a pontoon boat into the lake. Last summer they said, “Gran, don’t go down the ladder. Jump in with us!” I’ll be a nervous and I’ll hold my nose and I’ll count to three.

Filed under: FIRST, Travel, Water Fun | Tagged: jump in water, never too late to learn, snorkel, travel | 1 Comment »

A School Playground

Posted on March 6, 2014 by susanrray

Her arms are like airplane wings as she walks across a log that washed to shore with the tide. Her two friends follow her. One small step at a time. At the end of the log, the girls reverse order and wave their arms as an airplane caught in a windstorm. Two boys, about their same age of 8, stand close by. Heads together, talking. The boys run toward the girls. A boy pushes a girl, just enough that she loses her balance and jumps onto the sand, but not enough that she falls into the water on the other side of the log.

The game begins. Girls chase boys. The five children run in circles. Laughing. Squealing. They run around and around until a girl grabs a boy’s arm. The other boy stops running and laughs as the three girls hold his friend’s arms, pumping them up and down. What now? The girls caught him, now what? Jump and pump and laugh until someone falls to the ground and the boy wiggles free and runs away. Now far, just a few feet.

Run and chase. A game that children play on school playgrounds. No rules. No score. Just chase, catch, and release. This playground is a sandy beach in Ambergris Caye, Belize, bordered by the Caribbean Sea. There are no fences around the playground – it’s not even on the school campus. It’s across the street from the concrete school building painted sky blue. It’s between the San Pedro Visitors’ Center and the restaurant where I’m eating lunch on the porch.

The children are students of the primary government school, grades 1-6. The school day is 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., with a break between 11:30 and 1:00 for lunch and free time. Children who live close walk home for lunch. Some eat at a restaurant or buy food from a street vendor. Some bring their lunch and eat outside. And some, like the ones I watch, walk across the street to the beach to meet their parents, and younger siblings, at one of the five picnic tables. After the students eat, they play.

They wear school uniforms. Navy blue long pants and white button front, short sleeve shirts with collars for the boys. White blouses with peter pan collars under navy blue A-line jumpers for the girls. Both boys and girls wear black slip-on shoes. The boys wear dark socks; the girls, white anklets.

Children run along the hard packed sand on the beach and on the wooden plank piers, to the end and back. The boys climb palm trees. Parents, sitting in the shade at the picnic tables, call out and the children stop climbing so high and running so fast. The older girls gather in small groups and talk. Young children, using their hands, dig and draw pictures in the sand. Two girls sit at a picnic table and write in a spiral notebook. And many students, like the three girls I watched closely, walk nature-made balance beams, logs washed ashore.

As I walk down the steps from the restaurant onto the sand, children run along the water’s edge. They laugh and squeal. Boys chasing girls. The girls stop, turn, and grab one boy’s arms and legs. Four girls swing him like a hammock just inches above the sand and one step from the sea.

Filed under: School, School Stories | Tagged: Belize, children playing, Playground | Leave a comment »

Another Day to Celebrate

Posted on March 2, 2014 by susanrray

Sunday, March 2 is Theodor Seuss Geisel’s birthday and if he were living, he’d be 110 years old. Dr. Seuss Day, also known as Read Across America Day, was created by the National Education Association to celebrate reading, and it began on March 2, 1998.

Geisel first signed his pen name “Seuss” on a cartoon that was published in the Saturday Evening Post in 1927 when he made a living as an illustrator and a cartoon artist. His first book, And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street, was rejected 27 times before it was published in 1937. But it wasn’t until 1957 when The Cat in the Hat was published that Dr. Seuss was recognized as a children’s book author. I’m thankful he kept trying.

Some of his books are nonsensical and children love them. I wore out Hop on Pop and Green Eggs and Ham reading them to my children. As I whipped green food coloring with scrambled eggs my stomach turned flips, but Son thought green eggs were a fun breakfast. And while he read the book, I cooked the eggs.

I’m not encouraging anyone to eat green eggs, but I hope that all children had someone to read to them. As an educator, I welcome questions about how to help children learn. It’s a three-word answer: read to them. Whatever you want to read or whatever they want to hear. Dr. Seuss said, “You’re never too old, too wacky, too wild, to pick up a book and read to a child.” And, in my opinion, no one is ever too young or too old, too small or too big, to be read to.

How do you choose books that are appropriate for children? Choose a book in the children’s section at the public library. Ask your child’s teacher. Search Google. Read the classics that you read as a child. Children quickly tell you which books they like.

My Grands have their favorite books. The toddlers choose Little Blue Leads the Way, Go, Spot, Go, and books about trains or Curious George. My almost five-year-old Grand’s favorites are Goodnight Gorilla, A Snowy Day, and all books featuring Flicka, Ricka, and Dicka. My first grade Grand likes books by Mo Willems (her favorite is I Am In A Book) and the Little House on the Prairie books. My oldest Grand is in a Star Wars phase so he chooses The Yoda Chronicles and anything about Star Wars – not my favorite topic, but I don’t let him know. All he knows is that I like to read to him and hear him read.

Why read to children? Dr. Seuss said it best in I Can Read With My Eyes Shut! “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” A quote that screams “Read!” A quote that urges adults to read to children.

To celebrate Dr. Seuss day, my Grands might think me a bit wacky when I don my tall hat like the tall cat wore in The Cat in the Hat and read the book aloud. But they’ll like the cupcakes, and I’m not telling them that the book has been around since I was a kid.

Dr. Seuss’s birthday. A day to celebrate reading.

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Filed under: Holidays, Reading | Tagged: Dr. Seuss Day. Read to children, Green Eggs and Ham, March 2 | Leave a comment »

Counting the Days Until Spring

Posted on February 19, 2014 by susanrray

There are 29 days until the first day of spring and this winter’s cold, gray days have almost broken my spirit. I hope that sunny days like the past few will stick around, but I don’t trust Old Man Winter 2014. So I’ve searched for ways to celebrate, hoping these last days of winter days will go by quickly, and I found a website that lists Funny Days, Weird Holidays, and Celebration 2014. According to http://www.daysoftheyear.com, every day is a special day, most in more ways than one, and I picked a day or two each week to celebrate.

Today is Chocolate Mint Day. As in Girl Scout Chocolate Mint cookies and York Peppermint Patties. Can’t this be a weeklong holiday?

Wednesday, February 26^th is Oh, for Pete’s Sake Day. A day to mince words, to substitute an offensive word or phrase with something more acceptable. When I say ‘For crying out loud!’ which was one of my granny’s expressions, and ‘Oh, for Pete’s sake!’ I wonder who’ll know what I mean.

Friday, February 28th is Flower Design Day. I’ll celebrate this day in honor of my mother who opened a flower shop in the basement of my family’s home to earn money for my college education. It’s a day to appreciate floral design as a creative art form, and to show off flowers – real, dried, or fakes – or even draw a picture of flowers. Wonder if I remember how to make crepe paper roses?

Tuesday, March 4th, is Grammar Day. On my calendar, every day is Grammar Day. My dad was a high school English teacher and he always corrected my grammar, even when I taught 6^th grade English. This day is also Pound Cake Day. Did you know pound cakes have been traced back to the 18^th century? And that pound cake got its name because of its ingredients? One pound of butter, eggs, flour and sugar.

Friday, March 7th is Doodle Day. A day to celebrate the idle sketches we all make while listening to a speech or during a boring meeting. On this day we can deliberately doodle all day.

Monday, March 10th, is Dream Day. It was created in 2012 by a Columbia University instructor to encourage the achievement of dreams and to make the world a better place. Dream Day, a day to make a plan or help someone achieve a dream.

Friday, March 14th is Potato Chip Day. I wish I’d know about this day before now. I’ve often said, “When I open a bag of chips, I’m not happy until the bag is empty.” On this day, I’ll eat every chip and celebrate.

Wednesday, March 19th is Chocolate Caramel Day. Any candy worth its calories has chocolate and caramel. There are so many choices.

And finally, Thursday, March 20^th is the first day of spring! A day to dance and sing! Hopefully, in the sunshine, but I’ll celebrate a rainy spring day.

Choose your own special days. You might like Fill Our Staplers Day and Inconvenience Yourself Day. If you’re looking for an excuse to eat, on almost every day the list of Funny Days, Weird Holidays, and Celebration 2014 celebrates a food. How about Melba Toast Day and Corn Dog Day?

Just 29 more days.

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Filed under: Holidays | Tagged: days until spring, unusual holidays | Leave a comment »

Becoming the Big Sister

Posted on February 12, 2014 by susanrray

At the lofty age of 4 ½, Ruth has many nights of experience over her little sister Elaine who is only 2 ½. Ruth had spent the night with Husband and me about every third week for the past two years. And even though Elaine has stayed with us several nights, last week was the first time these two sisters have stayed together. Just the two of them, without their two older siblings who usually lead the way for these two little sisters.

While we ate supper, Ruth said, “Elaine, after we eat, we’ll go in Pop and Gran’s bedroom and dance. Okay?” Roll and skip and hop and twirl to the melodies of Old McDonald had a Farm and The Itsy Bitsy Spider.

When I said it was almost time to put on pajamas, Ruth took charge. “Elaine, stop!” she said. “We’re going to put on our pajamas and brush our teeth and then Gran will read us some books.” When Ruth stays alone, she plants herself in either Husband’s or my lap and stretches out reading time. But not this night. “Elaine, let’s sit on the floor together,” Ruth said. I sat in a wingback chair, read, and showed the girls the pictures. After the first book, Ruth wiggled beside me in my chair and whispered, “Elaine might want to sit in your lap.” With both girls close, I read another book and Ruth shared words of wisdom.

“Elaine, do you know what we eat for breakfast at Pop’s and Gran’s?” Ruth asked. Elaine shook her head. It’s hard for her to talk with her thumb in her mouth. Ruth said, “Oatmeal Squares. Do you know what Gran puts on them?” Elaine didn’t. “Sprinkles. Do you know why we get sprinkles?” I think Elaine had stopped listening. “When you stay in your bed and don’t get up, you get sprinkles.”

I didn’t know that breakfast sprinkles were perceived as a reward for staying in bed. And if they are, then I’ve given the reward many times when it wasn’t warranted. “Now, Elaine, Pop will take us to bed. You stay in your bed (a crib) and I’ll stay in mine (a king size bed.) We’ll be right in the same room,” Ruth said.

Ruth told me, “Gran, I can get up and get Elaine a drink if she needs one. You and Pop don’t have to come upstairs.” I wish all had gone according to her plan. Ruth stayed in her bed, except when she got up twice to hand Elaine a glass of water. But, Husband and I each ‘checked on’ Elaine several times before she finally fell sleep. The next morning Ruth said, “Gran, I think me and Elaine both need sprinkles. She tried really hard to stay in her bed.” What’s cereal without sprinkles?

Lest you think a four-year-old is capable of bestowing sisterly love and guidance throughout an entire evening and morning, you should know that there were some glitches. When big sister pushed a drawer shut on little sister’s fingers. When big sister wanted the toy that little sister held in her hands. When little sister wanted to put on her socks without big sister’s help.

This overnight visit reminded me that children need opportunities to be in charge. A chance to be the leader and the one who knows what to do. And don’t we all?

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Filed under: Grandchildren | Tagged: Big Sister, Grandchildren, Overnight | Leave a comment »

Memory Games

Posted on February 5, 2014 by susanrray

“I wonder if that really works,” I said to Husband. We’d just watched a series of television commercials that interrupted one of our favorite programs, NCIS. Husband, seated across the room in his favorite recliner, looked at me. He turned his palms up, tilted his head, and squinted his eyes. I read his body language, “What?”

“That website. Lumoisity.com.” I said. Husband frowned. It was obvious that he didn’t know what I was talking about.

“Did you hear that commercial?” I didn’t wait for an answer. “Lumosity is online games to improve brain function and memory. I wonder if it would help me remember.”

Husband shook his head. “I don’t know.” He’d turned his attention back to NCIS. I picked up the pencil and paper that I keep next to my chair and wrote ‘Look up Lumosity.com’ and lay the note next to my computer.

Two days later as Husband and I travelled in his car, we listened to NPR on the radio. “The following program is sponsored by Lumosity.com,” the announcer said while we were stopped at a red light.

“Hmmm. Lumosity? Seems like we’ve heard before,” I said. “What was it? Do you remember?” Once again I read Husband’s body language. He slowly turned his head toward me, barely grinned, and raised his eyebrows. “You think it’s something I should remember?” I said.

He nodded. “You will.”

“Did I ask another silly question?” I said. He didn’t respond.

A few minutes later, I shouted. “Lumosity! Memory games on the computer. That’s it, isn’t it?” I laughed at myself, and Husband, true to his nature, was so kind that he didn’t tease me. “It’s a word we don’t hear often and it was a couple of days ago that we saw that commercial,” he said.

My forgetfulness was my sign that I should check out Lumosity. I registered for the free version using my email address as my user name and I chose my password. And for the next 20 minutes, I clicked bouncing colored balls on my computer screen. I completed numerical and geometric patterns. I identified objects from one picture to the next. I felt pretty good about my brain function. For three days, I played brain games and then over the weekend, I didn’t practice bouncing balls and patterns.

Monday morning, I opened Lumosity to log in. I typed my user name and password. And this message popped up: Invalid email address/password combination. I hate that message! Three times, I typed both my address and password, trying different passwords, and I got the same response. On the fourth try I read, ‘Would you like to reset your password?’ NO! I shut down my computer.

That afternoon my four-year-old Grand and I played a card game, Matching. We spread 24 cards face down on the table, and took turns turning over two cards at a time and hoped to match the pictures on the cards. I quickly matched the pairs of hippopotamuses and toucans. At the end of the game, we’d both made six matches.

Too bad about that online brain function game – whatever it’s called. Playing cards will keep my memory going just fine and I don’t need a user name or password. All my Grand required was a lap and hug.

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Filed under: Everyday Life, Games, Memory | Tagged: computer game, forget, Memory game | Leave a comment »

Keep the Animals Warm

Posted on January 29, 2014 by susanrray

Television newscasters have given suggestions to endure the frigid temperatures we’ve had this month. If you don’t have to get out, don’t. If you do, travel safely. Bring your pets in. Keep your animals warm. When I hear that last one, I think of a night that my parents told my older brother, who was 15, and me the same thing.

The animals were newborn piglets, born during a late winter snowstorm. When the temperature fell below freezing, my brother, Roger, and Dad were concerned that these tiny animals might not survive in the barn.

Before Mom and Dad left our home one Saturday night to play cards with friends, Dad said, “Now, check on those pigs. If one or two aren’t close to their mother, bring them to the house so they won’t die. You know where the bottles. I’ll check the others at the barn when we get home.” We’d brought pigs to the house before. And a colt and calf, too, and bottle-fed them – that’s what farm families did. So Roger and I knew that Dad meant that we should put the piglets in a newspaper lined cardboard box and bring them to the enclosed back porch.

As Dad backed the car out of the driveway, Roger and I ran out the back door toward the barn. We put all ten piglets in a box and carried them to the house. Those newborns snuggled against each other. I sat on the concrete floor to watch them and I got cold. A small room heater heated the back porch and it wasn’t nearly as warm as the rest of the house that was heated by a coal-burning furnace. “Let’s take the pigs in the living room,” I said. Roger reminded me of Mom’s rule: No animals in the house. I probably begged and whined, as only a ten-year-old little sister can, and Roger agreed. We’d let the pigs get really warm for just a little while and then take them to the back porch before Mom and Dad got home.

To protect the living room hardwood floor, we covered it with old towels and set the box in the middle of the living room. Those little hairless animals were cute. Eyes closed. Soft and cuddly. They were my dolls and I wrapped them in tiny blankets. Roger and I fed them milk from bottles, and then they curled up in a pile and went to sleep.

Roger watched television and I watched the pigs and we both fell asleep. He slept in Dad’s recliner and I, on the floor. That’s where our parents found us when they got home. The pigs, Roger, and I were all sound asleep. And, of course, those ten little pigs had wet through the newspaper and cardboard and towels. When Dad moved the box and towels, there was a big dark spot on the wood floor. It was wet and the varnish had completely dissolved. Not only had Roger and I broken Mom’s rule, but also we were responsible for ruining the floor.

Our punishment? We helped refinish the floor and we never ever complained the many times for years afterward when we waxed that floor with Johnson’s paste wax. And the piglets? They all survived because Roger and I brought the animals in and kept them warm.

Filed under: Animals | Tagged: cold weather, living room, pigs | 2 Comments »

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