Tone of Voice (Jeanne)

One of the things I heard a LOT in the late 70s / early 80s: "Watch your tone of voice!"

I would snarl back, "What tone of voice?" I had so much attitude!

When I was older (young 20s), I apologized to my mom for how awful I had been as a 13-year-old (and 14, 15, . . . ). She just laughed.

"Seriously, mom. I was such a brat. I'm so sorry for how I talked to you." She shrugged it off. I think she was waiting for me to experience that with my own children. Alas, she didn't realize that my boys were very different than their mom had been as a teen. None of them was ever as awful to me as I was to my own mother!

I'm glad I apologized to her when I did. Even though we had another twenty or so years together, I feel as though my ability to reflect and appreciate only grow with my own aging. I can now better understand how she could be so sanguine about my youthful awfulness.

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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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