Does a first grader fall in love? I had a "boyfriend" in first grade. David D. But was I "in love"? No idea. It was very important to me that he was my "boyfriend," and we played a lot together. Maybe he was just my first "boy" friend. Have to say that I never really deeply loved anyone until Kev.
lost someone close to you?
My great grandad died when I was in 7th grade. His death was the first one I experienced and I remember so many firsts. His was the first viewing I went to. Our family went with Grandma and Grandpa. The room was dark, no one else was there. Not creepy, but not comforting. I think I was more curious about what all went on at the funeral home and I don't remember any real grief. His was the first funeral dinner. After the dinner, and before the services, we great-grandkids did a lot of running around. I remember several of us going into the sanctuary and looking at Grandad B. up close. I remember that his lips were blue. That freaked me out. I did not like that. And then Duane dared me to touch Grandad. I didn't do it, I was already freaked out. It was the first time I remember my Mother crying in church too. She cried, yet her own father, my Grandpa, didn't cry. (I didn't really know that Men just don't cry in public.)
I don't do viewings anymore. Primarily because I would rather remember a loved one as they were, not as they are in that casket, with blue lips.
drank alcohol?
Well, the first time I tasted alcohol I was 10 or 11. A friend, Beth, and I snuck a can of Lite beer from the refrigerator in the well house. That refrigerator was used to keep cattle medicine cool, and Dad kept a few beers out there. That beer tasted awful. I couldn't imagine why anyone would drink such swill. A few years later, when I was 14, another friend of mine, Wendy, drank, so I shared a beer with her. It wasn't as nasty, but not something I really liked. I learned quickly, while running around with Wendy, to fake drinking beer. I got quite good at it too!
got kissed?
I don't remember it, but everyone else in Sunday School remembered me and Davis D. kissing on the church steps. But first "real" kiss was probably Billy C in 6th grade. First French kiss would have probably been Jeff K. in Jr. High. I remember that he was a sloppy kisser and, well, kinda like the beer, I didn't really like it.
went to the hospital?
My first visit to someone in the hospital was my Dad when I was 10 or 11. Dad had pneumonia and was in the hospital in Laverne, OK. He was in again when I was in a sophomore in High School with a broken leg. My first time in the hospital was when I gave birth to Andy.
got your heart broken?
I'd have to say that my heart hasn't been broken. Kev tried to break it a lot when we were dating and our relationship was so iffy, but since we always worked things out, it wasn't broken, but it was severely wounded.
lost a pet?
I have a vivid memory of my Dad dumping one of our cocker spaniels near town. She was a pup still, but had bitten me on the face. Daddy has a strict policy, if a dog bites, the dog is gone. I remember standing in the pickup, facing backwards, watching that dog run after us down the river road, tears streaming down my face. What I don't remember is Mom's reaction when we got home (but I've been told about it). She was pretty hot. Evidently, Dad was supposed to take the dog to the vet. The dog was adopted by a family that lived on the river road, he was one of my teachers. This dog lived a good long, happy life. Our loss was their gain.
We lost several dogs growing up, I can't remember any being truly traumatic. The first real traumatic loss was when I lost my dog, Peaches. She was a teacup poodle, 15 years old. She broke her little leg, and at her age, the best thing to do for her was to put her to sleep. Christmas Eve day. I bawled all day long. I got Peach when I first moved here, before I had Kev, before I had Andy. She was my family. I still miss Peach.
smoked a cigarette?
I experimented with cigarettes when I was 14. Two of my close friends smoked, I though it was cool. I think I used a pack up. Never inhaled tho, I couldn't figure out exactly how to do that, I mean, you want me to breath in that smoke? Purposely suck it in? So, I actually usually pulled the smoke into my mouth and then blew it out. That was the cool part, right? Exhaling, with lips puckered just right, smoke billowing gracefully up into the air, holding that cig just so. I quickly decided that smoking wasn't for me. It was too much work, and I didn't like hiding them from my mom.
broke a bone?
I broke my foot in 1997. Tripped over a blanket while running for the phone. We waited until the next day, Saturday, before going to the emergency room. I got it casted on Monday. I had no idea that broken bones hurt so. And all I broke was the smallest bone in my foot. I can't imagine the pain of a broken larger bone.
got a job?
There aren't many opportunities for jobs in a town of 100. No cafes, no fast food, no grocery stores, nothing. I could:
- work for a farmer--if I found someone who didn't have kids or have a hired man already or
- work for my parents. Guess which one I did.
Mom started back to work full-time when I was 14. So, during the summer, when I was out of school, house work and cooking meals became my responsibility. When I was 16, I could finally work at the Bunge Grain Elevator during harvest. Excellent pay for 1980, I got $5.00 an hour. Minimum wage was around $3.00 an hour. And, because of the long hours you put in, I had 40 hours in 3 or 4 days, so we got lots of overtime. And those custom cutters...dreamy. Unfortunately, harvest jobs last 3-4 weeks at the most.
got cheated on?
Never that I know of.
rode the city bus?
Yeah, well, I've never lived anywhere where there were city buses. I have ridden one though, in Kansas City, when I was 14 or 15 and on a 4-H trip to the American Royal. I was part of a group of kids and thankfully someone knew when and where to get off that bus!
went to a concert?
1980. Ronnie Milsap in concert at Dodge City. I had permission to go, but only if we left after school. We left at noon. My little brother told on me and I was grounded like...forever. It was then that I learned you can't use the excuse "But you did it when you were in High School." with your parents.
Met someone famous?
I haven't met anyone famous.
dyed your hair?
Not until I was 40.
got your own cell phone?
We got one in 1997 when I became a Creative Memories Consultant. We had it disconnected as soon as we could, cause we just didn't use it. I didn't get one again until we moved to our country home and I shared it with Andy. Then, we got Andy his own and I didn't have to share anymore...until Kat starts needing one.
snuck out the house?
Now where was I going to sneak to??? I never snuck out of the house. No where to go and I never felt like I had to sneak out.
drove a car?
I was probably 4 or 5. Helping Daddy feed cattle in the winter. He'd put the pickup in low and then let Steve or I steer while he threw hay off the back. We couldn't even go 10 mph. We were supposed to either drive in a straight line, or a big circle. It was a very big responsibility to us and we felt oh-so-important and grown up.
got your own digital camera?
I still don't have a digital camera.
how old are you now?
43
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