Chinese Fire Drill (Louise)

(Told by Louise; typed by Jeanne)

In Duluth, we were stopped at a light and we all yelled, "Chinese Fire Drill!" The doors flew open. We got out, ran around the car, dad yelling at us to get back in the car. We were laughing like hyenas. We got back in, the light changed, and we drove off. It was hilarious. Mom and the kids were all laughing, but dad was pi**ed and afraid we'd get in trouble. He didn't understand. (This was when Ann lived in Duluth; either late 70s or early 80s.)

(Added by Jeanne:)

Part of the fun of being with mom was that unpredictability. She could be very law-abiding and correct . . . or completely lawless and crazy!

(Louise:)

She loved to get her money's worth. At the movie theater, she would plot out the end and start times of movies. She would pay for the first one, then casually walk into the second one for free. She was a juvenile delinquent at heart. I think she even got Sister Josette to sneak into a movie!

Comments

Another Song Memory (Jeanne)

It's weird for me to think that my perception of childhood was that we weren't very musical . . . and yet I keep having memories of songs from my childhood! Yesterday the song "It's Me, Oh Lord" came to mind and I started singing it. What a blast from the 70s! I know we sang it as part of the worship music at St. Joan of Arc Church, but I also wish I could have a conversation with my parents about the words. It definitely stems from Matthew 7:3-5 about taking the log from your own eye before trying to remove the splinter from someone else's. (Actually, I say "definitely" because that's my own perspective. Perhaps I'm way off!) Anyhow, I can absolutely say that I need prayer. Every day, every hour of the day. We sang this song a lot - mostly at church, but at other times, too. It's a good reminder that I am in need of prayer. I need God's grace, love, and mercy. I wonder what my parents thought about this song. Here's a link ...

Nicknames (Jeanne)

I don't remember the why behind these names, but as kids we had them. Ann was "Cookie," Louise was "Toosie," and I was "Poopsie." I don't remember whether Tom had one or not . . . I'll have to ask my siblings. I remember liking my nickname until one of my Canadian uncles thought it was "Poopy." I was soooo upset! I kept correcting him - "It's POOP-SSEEE!" No child wants to be called Poopy. That's just gross. I'll have to add to this entry once I've queried my older siblings about their memories on our nicknames.

Toilet Paper and Thriftiness (Jeanne)

Jeanne's story: Once when I was in high school and a bunch of my friends TPd our house, mom insisted that I collect all the "perfectly good" toilet paper and put paper grocery sacks of it in the bathroom. She took away the rolls of TP until we had used all the outdoor stuff first. She hated wastefulness!

Eileen and Larry Somers

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