Last weekend, after getting a wonderful deal on the Internet, we flew to Phoenix anticipating temperatures in the 70's with lots of sun. we weren't disappointed. We flew into Phoenix and we were met at the airport by 2 of Steve's sisters and their husbands. We went to see the third one and had a great time.
We went to Old Tucson the next day and hung out with some dangerous fellows. It was fun seeing the set where so many of the western movies were made...including, Three Amigos.
There were lots of rules in this town, one for sure that Steve wouldn't be able to keep..."Mourners at a wake can not eat more than 3 sandwiches. " So limiting when there may be several varieties! Beef, ham, chicken, cheese, the choices are limitless...and to be limited to 3?
There were lots of silly rules:
* One armed piano players must play for free.
* Every citizen must take a bath one time every year.
* It's illegal for a barber to threaten to cut off a kid's ear.
And here is one that would need some additional explanation...Donkeys cannot sleep in bathtubs.
You have to wonder about those rules. But then I thought of all of the rules we have: We have rules or laws that we must follow in our city, county, state, and country. We have rules that we have established within ourselves. Sheets should always be "pattern facing together" when making the bed (that is one of mine.) We have rules in church: You can't smoke, drink, swear, or chew; and you don't associate with girls who do.
Rules: here's a question for you...do you have internal rules? Behavioral rules? When you think about them, do you wonder where they originated AND are you passing on the rules to your family? What is the basis for them? Are they real or would snopes.com report them as wrong?
I remember that whenever there was a tornado watch, my mom would rip us out of our beds and we would sleep downstairs. I never remember sleeping, but I do remember watching my mom worry. When we had a tornado watch, we would just ask the kids if they wanted to sleep downstairs. I don't think that we were panicked. I just knew that if the siren went off at night, we wouldn't hear it. Now my kids MAY see this in a bit different light.
Any rules that you remember?
2 comments:
* the sheet rule (one of my favorites)
* always close the cupboards when you're done (what a silly one)
* park your car so it's NOT facing into the wind
* Don't buy 1/2 a pair of shoes & let your sister buy the other 1/2... one shoe won't really complete your outfit (unfortunately- this was NOT a rule... but it should've been... remember those clogs??)
* Don't ever borrow Dad's toothbrush- or if you do- don't ever tell him......
* If mom is having an asthma attack- act like everything is normal...
* If mom has hives- don't mention them....
* Stay within the boundaries when riding your bike/going for walks/playing outside
.... and that's all I've got... Jane... what do you remember???
Okay the boundaries one for sure. And we wonder why America has a problem with over weight children or why I can't ride a bike more than a half a block without being winded. It was those stupid "boundaries!" No wonder I am a failure at distance riding. I figure when I get to the end of the fence I have to head back home.
Rules...hmmm..
*be home before the bird clock strikes Robin or Mary Tyler Moore starts (Because mom hated both of those)...no not Mary Tyler Moore...The Donna Reed Show
*Always wake me when you come home, although I will be wearing earplugs and won't hear you coming so will react to you like you are a burglar then ask you a silly question like, "Are you home?"
*NEVER answer the silly question, "Are you home?" with sarcasm...apparently it is not too funny at night to say, "Crap, no, I am not at home. How did you get here?"
*No live mother's day gifts
*No homemade gifts, until we got good at them, then she wanted her own popcorn bowl, too bad the rule was in place and you had already refused the beautiful crocheted sweater and sewn jacket. No popcorn bowls for you!
*No eating the raisens off of dad's cereal bowl, even though to this day those are the only raisens I like.
*QUIT ANTAGONIZING YOUR SISTER! (what other 2 year old knows what that means other than me?)
* kneeling...the ultimate punishment because with that rule came the subrules
**no playing with toys
**no making faces at your sister
**no drawing messages in the carpet to your sister who is kneeling on the other side of the room and is your best audience, so really it isn't punishment
**No getting up until you say sorry
***really, no getting up until you say sorry
****okay, you need to say sorry
*****I don't care if you aren't really sorry, you need to say sorry
******fine
(Ironic that you remember using Dad's t-brush, because I remember several occasions when Mom used mine)
* Everybody sits at the same spot at the table because otherwise there is a fight over which table leg you can rest your feet on
**only one table leg per person
AND THE ULTIMATE FAVORITE
*If you ask for a friend to come over when they are either in front of you or on the phone the answer is no. You have to say, I have to ask my parents then hang up or walk away and ask.
Those are pretty much the ones I rememeber!
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