The Pyrenees---Southern France

The Pyrenees---Southern France

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

I Remember...

         I admit it. Any time I can slip in an ellipsis, I do.  So, when I saw Barb's memoir piece on her blog, I pounced on it. Not because I wanted to share a part of myself via a piece of writing. No, I knew that I would have the opportunity to slip in an ellipsis (or six) if I wrote a "I remember" piece.  So here goes...


photo by Stephanie Whitehead


      I remember going on vacations in the Falcon station wagon, a flyswatter flailing back at us when we got too loud, and eating picnic lunches along the way...

      I remember falling in love with James Taylor, lipsyncing to Carole King, and taping David Cassidy's picture all over the basement wall...

      I remember learning about apartheid through Alan Paton and the French Revolution through Dickens and about Kent State and Woodstock because of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. And I remember discovering that a thirteen-year old girl has no chance of winning the heart of a God of an English teacher...

     I remember giving birth to a beautiful daughter at home--in my own bed--and afterward, having cake and coffee with the doctor...

     I remember going to France for the first time. Four hours for dinner, shooting off the top of champagne bottles into the woods so "champagne trees" could grow, and wishing I could stay forever...

     I remember my life changing with a couple of messages in my in box. The discovery of a sister I never knew about. The news that, yes, someone other than me saw value in my stories...

     I remember, and now that I am past middle-aged, I grasp my memories tighter with every advancing year...



      What do you remember?  And you have my permission---go crazy with the ellipsis...

   

6 comments:

  1. Hey Sioux! I had to pop over to Barb's blog and see what you were talking about! So, I'm back now....gosh...so many memories.....I can't even think of anything unique, after reading yours and the ones on Barb's!...so many similar ones. I'll guess I'll have to get back to you on it!...oh, I saw that you'll do Barb's basket! Awesome! Remind me at the meeting!

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  2. Sioux - What a great post! David Cassidy...his pic was plastered all over my bedroom wall. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young's Four Way Street is still one of my favorite albums. You hit on some strong memories. Thanks. Your telling is beautifully rendered.

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  3. Sioux, I really enjoyed your memories. Wow, you had your baby at home!! My hat, if I wore one, goes out to you. Traveling to France must have been an awesome experience. You've been more than once, right? I loved your last line about "grasping your memories tighter with every advancing year". Thanks for offering to do the basket. Chocolate theme sounds like a winner. I will make the announcement Saturday for contributions.

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  4. What lovely memories.... :) Here's another thing we have in common: I had a baby at home, too. The memory your post triggered was when my big sister played her Woodstock album in front of me, and her eyes got real big and she made me promise not to repeat the naughty word I'd just heard. And I was VERY upset that I hadn't been paying attention, because I'd gone and missed a perfectly good naughty word. I too love your line about the grasped memories. How true!

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  5. I loved reading your 'i remember'...Beautiful! I wonder if I can make a list that's a tenth as interesting...
    Cheers
    Padmavani
    PS I love your writing!

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  6. Hi Sioux,
    What lovely memories.
    You have led a fascinating life.
    Donna

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Thanks for your comments. I appreciate you taking the time to stop by...