In 1968, go-go boots, mini-skirts, and the mod Twiggy look were in style. Like most teenage girls of that time, I wanted to be fashionable, but I knew Mother would never agree to my wearing flashy go-go boots or bearing my knees in some mini-skirt. My best option was convincing her to allow me to […]
mothers
May 4 – Inside Mother’s Cracker Box Kitchen
I learned to cook standing alongside Mother but often complained about her cramped, cracker box kitchen. “I hate cooking in here! There’s not enough room to do anything!” Mother stopped what she was doing; grabbed her wet dish towel; and snapped it on my buttocks. “Don’t be so fussy!” Despite its cramped quarters, I loved […]
April 6 – Their Peculiar Ways
“Wash your hands, little lady!” “I already washed them a little while ago. Why should I wash them again?” “You’ve touched countless things since then; your hands are dirty.” “But Grammy,” I turned my hands over, closely examining them. “They don’t look dirty!” “Yes, they are! The kind of dirt I’m talking about is invisible; […]
December 30 – God Laughed
by Kalí Rourke It was 1991 and I had planned a birth with drugs, lots of drugs. An epidural, if you please, and as I arrived at the hospital that morning for the induction my doctor recommended, I heard a woman down the hall screaming and moaning, “Oh, My GOD…” I gave thanks that those […]
December 18 – The Christmas Helicopter (When Santa Came to Town)
by Sara Etgen-Baker It was Christmas Eve morning at our house. The Christmas lights twinkled; the tinsel glistened; the ornaments sparkled, and the Christmas tree silently awaited Santa’s arrival. I peered out the window; newly fallen snow blanketed the neighborhood streets. Barren, frost-covered trees shivered like frail skeletons trembling in the blustery winds; and silent […]
December 2 – It’s Fruitcake Weather!
by Sara Etgen-Baker Tears stream down my cheeks, splattering upon the keyboard as I write this. ‘Tis the holiday season, you see, and I delight in the memories of my childhood yuletides. One such memory stands out as clearly as the glittering angel atop my Christmas tree. November’s blustery winds arrived weaving frost spider webs […]