When I was growing up, we had people living with us occasionally who were not family members. Some of them, like Joan Allen became family, others we would rather forget. Carol can elaborate on that, her memory is lots better than mine. Our home now has always been open to others. My kids can say whether their lives were affected or not, but I feel nuturing souls is one of my life's callings. This all came to mind when I realized only a year ago we were a household of teenagers with Andrea, Jed, Tabi and Matthew. Now we are a household of little children. (Don't take that too personally Dave) That got me to thinking about all the people who have come and gone through Donald and mine homes.
There was Tom Silvia in Virginia shortly after we got married. He adored Jennifer. He later married a first cousin. Last we heard he was living in Valdosta. Pat Davis, Donald's used to be BFF until he got his feelings hurt and cut off contact with us, was living with us when I got pregnant with Helen. Aunt Susan and family lived with us a couple of times. That was always an adventure, especially when she would sneak around the corner of the waterbed and rear up her head hoping to scare the daylights out of me. Then there was Mel, who loved David. She suffered a mental breakdown because of stuff guys in the squadron put her through and other issues in her life, but boy was she fun! Remember Cindy? She didn't get along with her Dad after her mom passed away. There were a couple of women fleeing abusive husbands who spent a couple of days with us. Uncle Jimmy lived with us for a few months before I had David. Since we have been in Tifton we have had Kevin who stayed with us when his parents moved to Texas his senior year. He fell asleep at the wheel of the suburban driving home from Valdosta one night.
He introduced Matthew to the joys of having tv video games in the home. Tom Stayed with us briefly before he and Aunt Susan got married. Ryan stayed here a lot while he and Helen were dating. Matthew had a couple of friends who thought they lived here. All this has been preparing me for my career if Dad goes to the big guest house in the sky before me. I figure I can run a boarding house. I hear they are making a come back in these desperate financial times. I think I am qualified as long as I get a good accountant. ( That would be you, Rich) I can cook, I just happen to be a big softie as evidenced by this blog.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
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8 comments:
"The big guest house in the sky"?
Someone's getting carried away with the purple prose!
And I am very offended that you forgot to mention US! The guests that bought you so much joy (and ran all your errands for you and BUILT YOU FURNITURE). I thought that time *MEANT* something to you! The weekly Scrabble games! Jed playing musical beds! The Saturday nights when we were all in our jammies by 6pm and we watched through the window as Grandaddy mowed the yard!
And sadly, I remember most of the crazies who lived with us while we were growing up.
Oh yes...Pat Davis. Thank goodness my mother taught me that if you can't say something nice about someone, don't say anything at all. So, I won't say anything further about Pat.
Oh, I forgot Nancy - you must have been alluding to Dennis and Carolyn who lived with us for waaaay toooooo loooooong while we were at Eglin AFB. That was the couple that Mom and Dad offered temporary help by letting them move into one our bedrooms. She was or became pregnant, they couldn't move out for some reason so they STAYED! They stayed in their room so much, hardly ever coming out and never cleaning it. When they finally did leave, I think Mom burned or threw away move of the washable items. Dad also loaned them use of one of our cars that Dad was trying to sell. He could use it while trying to sell the car. However, that didn't work out either. I think we celebrated our own national holiday when they moved. Good riddance to some peoples!
I guess I forgot you guys because Dad and I had the poolhouse for some of that time. Also, as you mentioned we had such fun times. You guys should be happy not to be included among the crazies. Ya'll fit into a totally*different* category.
Rich can be the accountant and I can be the photog, people can stand by the scary tree face and get their pics taken for "oh so lovely memories of that quaint little b&b in tifton"
Hey why wait for anyone to go to the "big guest house in the sky" we could do it now !!
No really your house is what I always wanted as a child in my home,someplace everyone wants to come to and when they do they are comfortable,loved and welcome only I want normal people not the crazies :)
Hopefully i didn't qualify as one of the crazy people who lived on the compound. Granted I lived in the poolhouse, but I also had BLAZE the beautiful dog that hated dutchess and shelley. Oh well, they didn't kill each other. Jenn you and I were such fond memories, they don't think of us as guests but as true family members that belong.
Yeah, all the people who have lived in the poolhouse are a whole nother blog. Luckily we have truly loved all of them with the exception of "Hannah" who we try daily to forget. We count her as a learning experience.
Hold the Phone!!!! We are mentioned in the blog, so does that mean we are part of the crazies??????? Say it isn't so! I have such fond memories of the fire drills, horris and morris and the fog horn that would call us in for dinner. Help preserve my fond childhood memories by putting us on the "people who stayed with us that we love and cherish bc they are so awesome: List or the "P.W.S.W.U.T.W.L.C.T.A.A." list for short!!!
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