Monthly Archives: March 2009

Family matters

Choose your own adventure

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You have been given a choice.

You can go to your bedroom and choose your clothes for the day, or you can sit on the steps and stare at the wall. If you are a Normal Person, you will get dressed. If you are three and a half, you will sit on the stairs and rail against the injustices of the world. Your brother, meanwhile, will paddle around the kitchen in his footed jammies, chanting “Mo’! Mo’! Mo’!” in protest of his meager breakfast of a banana, a bowl of Fruit Loops and a cup of milk.

Your mother is grateful that she woke up early today to do a little yoga with Bob. She credits this decision for the fact that she is, remarkably, OK with the 3.5-year-old and the 17-month-old being a bit ridiculous this morning. She may even try to do it again tomorrow.

Music

Reason No. 3,291 to love the Internet

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Works for Me Wednesday logo

I clicked over to Sarah Jane Studios this morning to check out her terrific art gallery idea, which had been featured on The Crafty Crow. Sarah Jane’s site is packed with fun ideas, but my very favorite thing there was a link to Kiddie Records Weekly. It’s a huge collection of downloadable kids records from the ’40s and ’50s. There are some real treasures there. I downloaded a bunch of stuff to put on the iPod for our next road trip. Which might just be to Target. But still. These were too good to pass up!

Visit We are That Family for more Works for Me Wednesday tips!

Family matters

Dreams and idle threats

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Now we know that Mattie did indeed join D.L. in Detroit, and that Cornell was at least planning a visit home.

I know the drive “home” from Detroit now would take about 11 hours. I’m guessing they would’ve taken the Dixie Highway.

Detroit, Mich.
Oct 21, 1942

Dear Daddy,

Will write again. Why haven’t you wrote to me? I haven’t heard from you all since I’ve been up here. I wrote Polly a letter and you a card. I got a letter from Cornell and Grannie. I wrote them the same time I did you. They’re both OK. Cornell said he was coming home about the [illegible] of Nov. I guess I’ll be home in about 3 or 4 weeks. D.L. got his questionarre Monday. We’re coming home when he has to take his examination. Tell Beckey I dreamed about her pocket book the other night. I dreamed she lost some money and me and Junior was the only ones that had a chance to get it. Ha. Tell her to write to me. Is Lennis still going to school? Where is Polly now? Tell her to write too. Well there’s not much to write about. I wrote to Cornell today. Well answer real soon. If you don’t write to me I’m going to hurt you when I come home. Ha. Well I will close.
Love Mattie P.

P.S I dreamed you come up here the other night. Ha.

A few years ago, my mom gave me a shoebox full of old papers that her grandfather had saved. Some of them were yellowed receipts and such, but there were also quite a few letters from various family members. This is one of them. Here are some others.