No dear readers my house didn’t burn down, dinner didn’t go up in flames, nor did my auto become a car-b-q on the I-10 freeway. Why then you ask the need to call the loyal men and women who help pull people from burning buildings? You see today is a special day; in a lovely town in Northern California there is a cake that has 49, that’s right f-o-r-t-y n-i-n-e candles on it and is now one big combustible pile of sugar right now as I type. Hence the need for firemen with lots of water.
You see it’s my sister Tam’s birthday today. Forty-nine years ago today she came into this world; the twinkle of my parent’s eyes, the baby of the family. She had lots of curls and was a real cutie petutie but probably was a bit annoying to our older sister (the one with the birthday in the previous post).
Well Tam didn’t have long to cherish the title of ‘baby of the family’ as just less then two years after her birth she became the ‘middle’ child, as along came ‘me’. Now there are perks to being the oldest and perks to being the baby but I’m sure at times being the middle child had very little perks. There are many birth order books that analyze this fact but it doesn’t take a genius to see that the middle child got picked on by the oldest and the baby got away with everything. Now before you grab the hankie to wipe the tear that is about to fall let’s just say this ‘middle’ sister was not without her ‘moments’.
You see when the oldest child moved out of the house the middle child became the oldest and can I say did a fair job at terrorizing me, i.e. The Baby. I think the reason I was good in sports was because I got a lot of practice running away from Tam and when I was cornered would drop into the defense mode on my back with my legs and feet kicking wildly hoping that it would save me. At times it did and at others it didn’t, character building I’d like to call it. May I just say my best comeback really wasn’t intentional but I couldn’t have planned it better if I had tried.
You see as kids we shared the same room and had bunk beds. Being the oldest she got the top bunk though I’m not sure why but that’s a discussion for my therapist. One night we were probably bickering back and forth and though the conversation will never be remembered I must have been tweaked as I put my feet up onto the bottom of her bunk and pushed. You see, our bunk beds had springs on them and not hard boards as they’re make today so the person on the bottom can give a little shove to the person on top. Now in my defense I’m sure my leg muscles were way stronger then I realized from all the defensive kicking I mentioned previously. I’m sure you have already figured out that I did one too many leg pushups on the upper bunk bed and my sister kerplunked to the floor below. I believe Tam was lying breathless and stunned on the bedroom floor and I well, I’m sure I was laughing. Laughing that is until our parents came into the room. I’m sure I got in big trouble for that little incident but I can’t remember what the punishment was. I do know that that is a fond memory that both my sister and I laugh about every now and then. It took her a while to get to the laughing stage but seriously folks, wasn’t that one for the books? Ah childhood memories, gotta love em.
As the middle child I believe she sucked up all the patience and left me with none (no comments from family members please) as she has the patience of Job and would help anyone who needed it. Did I mention how patient she is?
My sister turned out to be the true Libra as her astrological sign implies, always balancing everything out. No seriously she balanced my checkbook for years and we lived 1,000 miles apart. It kills her now as she doesn’t do it any longer and neither do I. Sis you were the level headed one and was always there for me more times then I can count, the big sister watching out for her baby sister and I thank you. Sometimes we were partners in crime other times you covered for me but what I cherish the most is the friendship we share.
Sis, thank you for letting me follow you around as a kid and for driving me to high school even though mom forced you to. I’m humbled by your caring and gentle spirit and honored to be your sister. I’m glad we turned out to be good friends as I can’t imagine my life without you in it.
I’m sorry I couldn’t spend this special day with you but I hope it was a very special day.
Happy Birthday
Luv, Sis
You see it’s my sister Tam’s birthday today. Forty-nine years ago today she came into this world; the twinkle of my parent’s eyes, the baby of the family. She had lots of curls and was a real cutie petutie but probably was a bit annoying to our older sister (the one with the birthday in the previous post).
Well Tam didn’t have long to cherish the title of ‘baby of the family’ as just less then two years after her birth she became the ‘middle’ child, as along came ‘me’. Now there are perks to being the oldest and perks to being the baby but I’m sure at times being the middle child had very little perks. There are many birth order books that analyze this fact but it doesn’t take a genius to see that the middle child got picked on by the oldest and the baby got away with everything. Now before you grab the hankie to wipe the tear that is about to fall let’s just say this ‘middle’ sister was not without her ‘moments’.
You see when the oldest child moved out of the house the middle child became the oldest and can I say did a fair job at terrorizing me, i.e. The Baby. I think the reason I was good in sports was because I got a lot of practice running away from Tam and when I was cornered would drop into the defense mode on my back with my legs and feet kicking wildly hoping that it would save me. At times it did and at others it didn’t, character building I’d like to call it. May I just say my best comeback really wasn’t intentional but I couldn’t have planned it better if I had tried.
You see as kids we shared the same room and had bunk beds. Being the oldest she got the top bunk though I’m not sure why but that’s a discussion for my therapist. One night we were probably bickering back and forth and though the conversation will never be remembered I must have been tweaked as I put my feet up onto the bottom of her bunk and pushed. You see, our bunk beds had springs on them and not hard boards as they’re make today so the person on the bottom can give a little shove to the person on top. Now in my defense I’m sure my leg muscles were way stronger then I realized from all the defensive kicking I mentioned previously. I’m sure you have already figured out that I did one too many leg pushups on the upper bunk bed and my sister kerplunked to the floor below. I believe Tam was lying breathless and stunned on the bedroom floor and I well, I’m sure I was laughing. Laughing that is until our parents came into the room. I’m sure I got in big trouble for that little incident but I can’t remember what the punishment was. I do know that that is a fond memory that both my sister and I laugh about every now and then. It took her a while to get to the laughing stage but seriously folks, wasn’t that one for the books? Ah childhood memories, gotta love em.
As the middle child I believe she sucked up all the patience and left me with none (no comments from family members please) as she has the patience of Job and would help anyone who needed it. Did I mention how patient she is?
My sister turned out to be the true Libra as her astrological sign implies, always balancing everything out. No seriously she balanced my checkbook for years and we lived 1,000 miles apart. It kills her now as she doesn’t do it any longer and neither do I. Sis you were the level headed one and was always there for me more times then I can count, the big sister watching out for her baby sister and I thank you. Sometimes we were partners in crime other times you covered for me but what I cherish the most is the friendship we share.
Sis, thank you for letting me follow you around as a kid and for driving me to high school even though mom forced you to. I’m humbled by your caring and gentle spirit and honored to be your sister. I’m glad we turned out to be good friends as I can’t imagine my life without you in it.
I’m sorry I couldn’t spend this special day with you but I hope it was a very special day.
Happy Birthday
Luv, Sis
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2 comments:
Wow, Linda, you were quite wordy. You must be out of breath by now!! Could you see the glow of the candles from your place?? Thank you for the birthday wishes and the trip down memory lane. Though you make it sound like I was the instigator in the ‘terrorizing’, but I think it went both ways. Okay, I know, I know... I must remember that you’re ‘The Baby’ and can do no wrong! :p We had some great times growing up, though I recall them much more fondly now than when we were kids. Who would’ve thought I would still love and actually like the person who kicked me off the top bunk?!? You are truly a friend and a wonderful sis, too!
Love Tam, i.e. ‘The Deprived Middle Child’
Dear Deprived Middle Sister, we did have some good times. Don't worry if you can't remember some of the good ole' days, that's why I'm here to remind you.
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