This might be the most calm depiction of my parents’ relationship in the history of my prolific journal. I typically omit the more stressful entries, and was so thrilled to see this gem of a story. Maybe we were a normal family (sometimes) after all! My father remains a big fan of pizza at home, and my mom continues to have birthdays. Adorable.
Start the video before you read any further.
Excerpt from my prolific elementary school journal, dated 2-10-93:
“Dear Journal: Today Mrs. Mango told the class about the special table, and the manatees. We also got to see a really neat manatee movie. Tommorrow Katy’s coming over.”
Yesterday my fell outside and hit and hurt her rearend. She couldn’t be a lunch Lady because of it. She said that she would go to the doctor if the wouldn’t go away in a few days. “
1. I’m moderately concerned about my diction here, given the obvious absence of “mom” in line one and “pain” in line 2. Was I so upset about this that I couldn’t write out those two words, as a sign of weird aphasic empathy for my mom’s severe pain?
2. She must not have been in that much pain given that I don’t remember this incident whatsoever. I do remember one time she fell up a few concrete stairs and got a nasty big shin cut. Good story.
3. GREENERIE TRIVIA: My mother was my husband’s lunch lady during middle school. Mine too. It’s a great sign that she has no recollection of him, because she only remembers the kids who are now incarcerated. Some middleschoolers are just memorable like that.
“Dear Journal, [date unknown - 1993?]
Yesterday night I went to Plymouth and saw all sorts of ice sculptures. Kim came with me. Her favorite was the sculpture of a horse head. I like the one of a whale with feet sticking out of his mouth. Actually they were all good except I think that was the best.”
Kim and I sound like a couple of vindictive blood-thirsty second graders here, with her preference of the Godfather-esque icy horse head, and mine of the Jonas-didn’t-quite-make-it-out-alive man-eating whale! Where were the sculptures of butterflies and puppies? HMM? Ice sculptures SOUND so innocent, but you really have to second guess the impact such public art has on children. Terrifying.
“Yesterday my sister Kristen twisted her ankle. Her ankle got kicked buy a boy in gym. I wondered why she was lapping behind and hopping on one foot.”
So empathetic you are, Young Self! Sheesh! In case you’re wondering, I have grown into a much more caring adult than second grader, and my sister has fared even better and walks without any external assistance. That kicking terror of a boy was never identified and is probably still kicking kindergartners left and right. Jerk.
Fast forward a couple decades and the same little sister is now celebrating some amazing milestones. Yesterday she heard her fetus’s heartbeat for the FIRST time (ahhhh!!!) and when I asked whether she cried and got all emotional she replied that such signs of weakness aren’t scheduled until the second trimester. How touching.
In other news, it’s her baby daddy’s birthday today (also known as “husband”) and I wish the whole family a fun night despite Kristen’s boring, socially-imposed, “ethical” sobriety streak. I’m sure they’re all celebrating somehow - wish I could be there!
Here’s me wishing the little whippersnapper a Merry Christmas. It appears that my right arm is inserted through Kristen’s body and giving the little munchkin a pat on the back. So be it! Our own fetal oven (“mother”) is the seated one.
On my Christmas vacation I went to Disney World. My favorite rides were Humuga Kawabunga, Horizons, Splash Mountain, and Peter Pans Flight. Spaceship Earth was pretty good to though Horizons was better.
It’s weird how such an incredibly momentous childhood vacation can be summarized in three flippant sentences. I shall teach my own future children to be more deeply reflective and appreciative of their own milestone experiences - though I’m sure my parents tried too. It definitely made a lasting impression on me, though, since many subsequent entries are devoted to the trip. I don’t have many specific memories of the rides listed above (and apparently Horizons has been closed for over ten years now), but I DO have great memories of spending that Christmas and New Year’s with not just our immediate family but also our Aunt Valerie and Uncle John. It’s so cool that my Dad’s brother and sister traveled with our bustling young family and I hope to do similar extended-family vacations in the (distant) future.
Today Yesterday we put lights on our house. We put them on both doors, and around the house. I got to help.
What a simple memory of childhood Christmastime. Well, I don’t actually remember doing this, but this original record counts for something. I wonder if they were multi-colored or white. Big globular ones, or icicle-style. Either way, with new snow on the ground here, it’s quite a calming scene and I’m happy I got to help.
Yesterday I got a diary. And every place I went with it they (-> my sisters) kept bothering me and trying to figure out where I was going to put it but finally I found a private place to write and they don’t have a clue where I put it.
You’re a stealthy one, Thirdgradeself. Even I have no idea where you put it, since you were crafty enough to leave no written record of this private place. Did I really have a whole separate “diary” from this journal, in which I have just about an entry a day for three years in a row? Did I have THAT much to say? I shall go hunting for this “diary” over the weekend, maybe it depicts a complete alter ego of which I have repressed memories. FASCINATING!
On Sunday I got to go to my Grandma La boots. It was fun. We had pizza for dinner and it came thirty-five minutes early! We had choclate pudding for dessert. After that we played a game of yahtzee. I won 1st place with 284 points., And Grandma - 2nd place with 201. I can’t remember what my sisters had. Before I went to grandma’s house we went for a walk in the subdivision with our neighbors, Bill and Janet Donahue. We went down a little trail and it seemed as if we were going in one big circle when we got back because we ended up jumping over our creek Because the trail must of been in a circle
Wow, third grade self. You sure had a lot to share during journal time today! You must have been really energized by that monstrous Yahtzee performance - I remember those contests getting pretty heated in our family. Glad to see you pulled through for the win. Let’s be honest, Grandma probably let it happen. I do hope she tipped the pizza-man an extra dollar for being so early. :) By the way, why the hell were you timing it so carefully? Shouldn’t you be playing or something? No reason for a third-grader to be so carefully timing things. My parents must have been very concerned at my future nerdiness.
On Saturday my family had a big party and all my realitives came over and only three people didn’t come. Aunt Kandi who didn’t want to come, Uncle John who wasn’t invited and Uncle Mike who was sick. We stayed up very late. Aunt Janice, Uncle Rick, Ben, and Josh were about to stay over night except they left. (They live up north.)
Also Yesterday I got to go to Beth’s house. (She called on Saturday except I had to tell her no because of the party.) I got to play on her computer. And I all most went to the second level in Willy the worm.
Note to self: children are perpetual eavesdroppers. How in the world did I learn that Aunt Kandi didn’t WANT to come, or that poor Uncle John was mercilessly excluded from our gathering? YIKES! This was a particularly dramatic fall for our family, as we geared up for our one big DisneyWorld Christmas/New Year’s vacation, with aunts and uncles included! Today also marks the birthday of our faithfully departed Uncle John, who passed away nearly 6 years ago. Love you, Uncle John, and I’m sorry my parents didn’t invite you to our party.
