Sweet Story to Steal Your Heart – Parenting Plights & Delights

Posted on July 30, 2012 by lynnkelleyauthor

This is a sweet story my Aunt Walda, who goes by the nickname Sam, shared with me. It’s from her childhood and offers some valuable lessons for us:

“When I was in third grade, I was taught by the most dear and gentle nun. It was obvious that Sister Saint Hubert should have retired years before, but she was still patient and kind when dealing with her class of seven- and eight-year-olds. 

Lynn Kelley, BBH McChiller, sweet storyLittle Walda as a school girl

“One day, giving in to temptation, I took a quarter from Shirley’s desk and dropped it into my pocket. In the school year 1947/48, a quarter had a bit more value than it does now. Especially to a third grader. Sister made a plea to the class stating that Shirley needed her quarter for the streetcar fare home. 

“My conscience being pricked, I stood up. Sister didn’t let me say anything, but took me by the arm into the coat room. There were no words exchanged. I handed her the quarter and began to cry. She took me in her arms and held me for a few minutes. 

“Then she exited the coat room and shouted back to me so that the class could hear, ‘Walda, please straighten up the coats for me.’ 

“She then told the class, “Walda said Shirley can have her quarter.’

“I still fill up with tears when I remember that incident, and I’m wiping tears from my eyes as I type this. Never underestimate your little acts of love, kindness, understanding, and forgiveness can have upon a young heart. I’m sure Sister Saint Hubert is enjoying her reward in heaven today.“

I don’t know about you, but this sweet story makes me teary-eyed every time I read it. Such an important lesson learned about stealing and also how a kind person can steal our hearts and leave an everlasting impression.

Did you ever steal when you were a child? If so, did you get caught and get in trouble? Parents, have you had to deal with this with your own children? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

(A version of this story originally appeared in the Highland Community News in December 1999.)

 

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Big Sis Hijinks – Parenting Plights & Delights

Posted on July 23, 2012 by lynnkelleyauthor

Charlene Parton shared some of her favorite parenting stories with me. Her eyes lit up as she relived those long ago moments. A mother of three daughters, Charlene’s youngest, Kathleen, was born when Melinda was in high school. A special relationship developed between Melinda and Kathleen, despite the age difference. 
It seems Melinda had a ball teaching her baby sister things. She taught Kathleen that her elbow was called a “knee.”
“She mixed up all her body parts,” Charlene said with a chuckle. “And she told her that ‘zip code’ is a bad word!”
Kathleen told her mother over and over, “I want to go coos.” Charlene couldn’t figure out what she was trying to say. 
Then she learned that Melinda loved to take Kathleen cruising. Melinda would drive her all around town and toot the horn while the baby waved at everyone they knew. Kathleen loved all the attention and thought cruising was fun and exciting. 
When Kathleen was about three years old, she wanted a pair of shoe skates, but she was so petite, they couldn’t find any that fit her. So Melinda bought a pair of tennis shoes for her little sis and she fit the tennis shoes into the shoes of the skates.
Kathleen learned to skate on them, as heavy and bulky as they were. “She had a lot of muscles in her legs from those,” Charlene said.
When the Olympics were on, Kathleen was impressed with the American ice hockey team. She got the plastic golf set her father had given her and skated around the kitchen, pretending she was on the ice hockey team. 
“Melinda was quite a character,” Charlene said. “Kathleen got the chicken pox when she was six years old. I came home one time and discovered that Melinda had played dot-to-dot on Kathleen. She drew lines and connected all the chicken pox!”
Did you get along with your siblings? Were you the oldest, middle child, or the baby? How did it affect you?  

Do you have a parenting or grandparenting memory
or another story you’d like to share? 
If you’re not a parent, memories from your own childhood count, too. 

Warning: I might feature your story in a future post. 
(Names can be changed to protect the guilty!)

I’d like to thank all those who have shared their stories. 
These posts wouldn’t be the same without your input.

If you don’t want to leave a comment but would rather contact me by email, 
here’s my address: lynkelwoohoo at yahoo dot com.
(A version of this story originally appeared in the Highland Community News in October 1999.)
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Chuckles – Parenting Plights & Delights

Posted on July 16, 2012 by lynnkelleyauthor

Years ago my Aunt Sam shared some of her favorite parenting stories with me. Here’s some of her favorites, in her own words:
“My son Bill learned to say The Lord’s Prayer very early and said it each night before going to bed. One evening when I was particularly attentive, I heard him say, ‘And deliver us from eagles.’ 
“Along similar lines, my friend, Joyce Cotterman, was telling her young son, Kevin, about Jesus, explaining that all you have to do is believe in Jesus to belong to the Kingdom of Heaven. Kevin considered this for a few minutes and then said, ‘I’d rather be a Mouseketeer.’
“My daughter Nancy was eating her very first ice cream cone. She consumed it with relish but with just one small problem. She ate the cone first and was left holding a blob of ice cream. She still likes the cone better than the ice cream. 
“When I opened a can of fruit cocktail, I prayed that there would be an even amount of cherries or my two children would fight over the odd one. I eventually solved that problem by eating the odd one myself. 
“My brother-in-law, Neil Hoppe, had a car painted bright red and was delighted with the results. He parked it in the driveway and admired it as he walked into the house. Later, when he came out to admire it some more, he discovered many stars scratched in the paint. 
“His young daughter, Linda, had learned how to draw stars at school that day, and the beautiful red paint seemed like a real nice place to practice.” 
Thanks for the chuckles, Aunt Sam, and for sharing your memories with us!
Do you have a parenting or grandparenting memory
or another story you’d like to share? 
If you’re not a parent, memories from your own childhood count, too. 

Warning: I might feature your story in a future post. 
(Names can be changed to protect the guilty!)

I’d like to thank all those who have shared their stories. 
These posts wouldn’t be the same without your input.

If you don’t want to leave a comment but would rather contact me by email, 
here’s my address: lynkelwoohoo at yahoo dot com.
A version of these stories originally appeared in The Highland Community News in January 2000.
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Trashed – Parenting Plights & Delights

Posted on July 9, 2012 by lynnkelleyauthor
This is one of my favorite parenting stories. It happened years ago when my sister, Cindy, was eight months pregnant with her second child. Her hormones were raging and she’d cry over any little thing. 
On a hot summer day, she relaxed on her front porch as she watched her two-year-old son (Soldier) help her husband, Jim, with his yard work. Soldier helped his dad roll the huge trashcan across the lawn. It was provided by the city, the kind with a heavy lid that hangs down when it’s open. The lid almost scrapes the ground when you roll it at an angle. 
Suddenly, Jim disappeared. Cindy noticed the trashcan had fallen onto its side. She wondered what in the world was going on. Then she noticed Jim’s foot sticking out and wiggling. He slowly emerged, crawling backwards on his hands and knees. He had tripped on the lid and fallen face down into the trashcan. 
Cindy busted up, laughing hysterically. As hard as she tried, she couldn’t get a grip, and tears poured down her face. Then she noticed a cut on Jim’s leg. Her normal response would be to get a bandage for him, but the hormones fueled her laugh attack so it mounted with greater intensity. 
Knowing Jim wouldn’t appreciate her laughing at him, she went into the house to calm down. After five minutes of sidesplitting laughter, the thought occurred to her that all that laughing might trigger labor. 
That thought, plus the realization that Jim might get mad at her, sobered her up in an instant. Cindy’s hormones did an about-face, she cried uncontrollably, sobs racking her body. 
Soon Jim and Soldier walked into the kitchen and stared as she wailed loudly. One look at their puzzled faces and Cindy’s crying fit turned into screams of laughter. 
Jim didn’t get mad and Cindy carried the baby full term. She had a boy, who I call Joker, and he ended up with a wonderful sense of humor!
Do you have a parenting or grandparenting memory
or another story you’d like to share? 

If you’re not a parent, memories from your own childhood count, too.
(Or another family member’s or a friend’s story) 

Warning: I might feature your story in a future post. 

(Names can be changed to protect the guilty!)

I’d like to thank all those who have shared their stories. 
These posts wouldn’t be the same without your input.


If you don’t want to leave a comment but would rather contact me by email, 
here’s my address: lynkelwoohoo at yahoo dot com.
A version of this story originally appeared in The Highland Community News in April 1998.

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Bonedigger and Mr. Beerbelly?

Posted on July 6, 2012 by lynnkelleyauthor
It’s Friday and I’m feeling quirky, so here’s a Paul Simon song with some quirky lyrics. This is the Chevy Chase version, so I hope it puts a smile on your face and a hop and a skip in your step.
A nice kickoff for the weekend, don’t you think?
Paul Simon – You Can Call Me Al
Chevy Chase version!
The song lyrics are pretty random, especially the “Bonedigger Bonedigger” part.
Skeletons might get a bit rattled.
“I don’t dig bonediggers even if it is in a cartoon graveyard,
and please get those mutts away from me!”
 
By the way, who’s Mr. Beerbelly? 
 
Just call me Ale, mateys. Bottoms up. Arr!


 Do you understand the lyrics?

A man walks down the street

He says why am I soft in the middle now
Why am I soft in the middle
The rest of my life is so hard
I need a photo-opportunity
I want a shot at redemption
Don’t want to end up a cartoon
In a cartoon graveyard
Bonedigger Bonedigger
Dogs in the moonlight
Far away my well-lit door
Mr. Beerbelly Beerbelly
Get these mutts away from me
You know I don’t find this stuff amusing anymore
If you’ll be my bodyguard
I can be your long lost pal
I can call you Betty
And Betty when you call me
You can call me Al

A man walks down the street
He says, why am I short of attention?
Got a short little span of attention
And why are my nights are so long?
Where’s my wife and family?
What if I die here?
Who’ll be my role-model?
Now that my role-model is
Gone…Gone
He ducked back down the alley
With some roly-poly little bat-faced girl
All along…along
There were incidents and accidents
There were hints and allegations

If you’ll be my bodyguard
I can be your long lost pal
I can call you Betty
And Betty when you call me
You can call me Al
Call me Al

A man walks down the street
It’s a street in a strange world
Maybe it’s the Third World
Maybe it’s his first time around
He doesn’t speak the language
He holds no currency
He is a foreign man
He is surrounded by the sound
The sound
Cattle in the marketplace
Scatterlings and orphanages
He looks around, around
He sees angels in the architecture
Spinning in infinity
He says Amen! and Hallelujah!

If you’ll be my bodyguard
I can be your long lost pal
I can call you Betty
And Betty when you call me
You can call me Al
Call me Al

 
According to Wikipedia, “The names in the song came from an incident at a party that Simon went to with his then-wife Peggy Harper. French composer and conductor Pierre Boulez, who was attending the same party, mistakenly referred to Paul as “Al” and to Peggy as “Betty”, inspiring Simon to write a song.“It also states that the lyrics can be interpreted as a man experiencing a midlife crisis. 
 
Are you a Paul Simon fan? Do you think these lyrics are a wee bit random? I mean, c’mon now, “Scatterlings and orphanages” and “He sees angels in the architecture” and “Spinning in infinity”? 
 
I have to admit I can relate to “Spinning in infinity.” Yep, totally digging that line! And since I’m such a random being and love random acts of weirdness, I LOVE this song. 
 
Have a wonderful weekend. By the way, you can call me Betty, if I can call you Al! I’m off to find a bodyguard…
 
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Never a Dull Moment – Parenting Plights & Delights

Posted on July 2, 2012 by lynnkelleyauthor
Mary Alice Parker writes family stories down to preserve them for future generations to enjoy. These stories took place in the 1940s but are incidents parents today can relate to:

“My cousin Dottie Chinnici’s youngest son, Gerry, was a very active child who walked early. He had more locomotion than common sense. It was summer and still light when they put their 10-month-old baby into his crib, kissed him goodnight and closed the door.

“About a half an hour later, a neighbor rang the front doorbell. ‘Does this child belong to you?’ Gerry had managed to unlatch the window screen and open it, climb out of his crib and over the window sill, lower himself to the ground, and was apprehended walking down the sidewalk in his yellow sleeper with feet. Needless to say, the windows in his room got nailed shut, and they figured out another plan of rescue in case of fire.

 

“This same kid, Gerry, was quite a climber. He was a little older but still astonishing his parents with his athletic feats. Some were not appreciated. This was World War II and sugar (as well as meat and gas, etc.) was rationed and highly prized. Sugar meant cookies and birthday cakes and canning apricots and peaches and some in the coffee and tea.

 

“The sugar was put on top of the refrigerator for safekeeping. Somehow little Gerry climbed on top of the fridge with the sugar, tore open the bag, spread it all over his face and clothes while sampling it, and sprinkled the rest like snow all over the counters and floor.
“He survived all this mischief (he was a very cute boy), and when he was about four, he went with his mother Dottie to visit great-uncle Clark Woodruff who lived on a small orange grove ranch on Bandini Street in Riverside, California. Uncle Clark was a very old, tall, thin and pale gentleman with white hair.
“Gerry kept looking up at him all the time his mother and great-uncle were visiting. At a lull in the conversation, Gerry said, ‘Are you one of my ancestors?’
“Uncle Clark looked a little startled and then said, ‘Yes, Sonny, I guess I am.'”I bet Mary Alice’s relatives are tickled that she preserved these stories. I don’t know about you, but I sure got a good chuckle out of them.

Looks like kids making messes is something every generation deals with!
Kids Destroy Home With One Bag of Flour
YouTube November 2011
Do you have a parenting or grandparenting memory
or another story you’d like to share? 
 

                          If you’re not a parent, memories from your own childhood count, too! 

Warning: I might feature your story in a future post. 
(Names can be changed to protect the guilty!)
 
I’d like to thank all those who have shared their stories. 
These posts wouldn’t be the same without your input.
 
If you don’t want to leave a comment but would rather contact me by email, 
here’s my address: lynkelwoohoo at yahoo dot com.
A version of this story originally appeared in The Highland Community News in November 1999.
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Lost in Cyberspace

Posted on June 28, 2012 by lynnkelleyauthor

Those of you who know me realize I’m a cyberspace case. I struggle with all things techie, even the remote control. I joined Twitter a year ago and just this week learned about making lists when I read Amber West’s blog post You’ve Got Questions – Everything Twitter.

In the comments section of Amber’s post, Renee A. Schuls-Jacobson recommended we also check out this link to Nina Badzin’s five-part blog series about Twitter.

I learned some Twitter etiquette, how to make lists, and how to do a proper @ reply retweet. I had no idea a period should go in front of the @ for certain replies retweets. Either a word or a period @ should be used at the beginning of a retweet. Did you know about that? Thank you, Amber, Renee, and Nina, for helping me find my way around the Twitterverse. I’ve always struggled with it.

(NOTE: Nina Badzin left a comment regarding the above paragraph, which I got wrong. It’s RETWEETS, not REPLIES that this info applies to. I’m glad she caught that, so I changed it.)

Guess I need to tighten my cyberspace seatbelt cause I’m constantly heading out into foreign territory.
Running into unfamiliar terrain is an ongoing experience when dealing with the internet and technology. This is how I feel:

Lost in Cyberspace
I’m wearing my Funny Bones getup in this.
I played around with iMovie’s special effects options
(which I just discovered last month), and this is what I ended up with.
My oldest daughter said I look like a Muppet!
YouTube clip – 47 seconds long

Are any of you old enough to remember the television show Lost in Space? It was pretty cheesy but I was a big fan of it when I was a kid! It was on CBS from 1965 through 1968.

Danger Will Robinson – Lost in Space
YouTube clip – 31 seconds
There was no such thing as cyberspace way back then!
Amber West (A Day Without Sushi) is now accepting questions about Twitter and other social media things in her new series, You’ve Got Questions. Feel free to ask her about anything you need help with. The links listed above are definitely worth checking out.
So, how about you? Do you ever feel like a cyberspace case, or is it a cinch for you?
 
P.S. If you want to check out some of my other YouTube videos, click here!
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In Memory of Iz – Israel Kamakawiwo’ole

Posted on June 26, 2012 by lynnkelleyauthor
Today I would like to honor the memory of singer Israel Ka’ano’i Kamakawiwo’ole, better known as Iz, one of the most beautiful voices of all time. Born in Honolulu, Hawaii on May 20, 1959,  he died on June 26, 1997.
 
If you’re not familiar with him, you’ve been missing out. He often blended jazz and reggae in his ukelele songs, creating his own unique style, but it’s his amazing voice that transforms his music into magic for people of all ages. Chances are you’ve heard him without knowing who the artist was. 
His medley of “Over the Rainbow” and “What a Wonderful World” was featured as a sound track in the movies Meet Joe Black, Finding Forrester, 50 First Dates, Fred Clause, Madagascar, Glee, in addition to many TV shows and commercials. 
 
According to music blog Chart Watch “Gone but Not Forgotten” post for the Week Ending October 2, 2011, by Paul Grein, “The best-selling digital hit by an artist who is no longer with us is Israel Kamakawiwo’ole‘s ‘Somewhere Over The Rainbow’/’What A Wonderful World,’ which this week tops the 3 million mark in digital sales.”
 
That means that as of October 2011, Iz’s digital hit surpassed:
  • Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” which had sold 2,796,000 
  • Freddie Mercury’s (Queen) “Bohemian Rhapsody,” which had sold 2,609,000
  • Ronnie Van Zant’s (Lynyrd Skynyrd) “Sweet Home Alabama,” which had sold 2,498,000
It’s interesting to note that the two songs in Iz’s hit medley are old songs. “Over the Rainbow” was a hit sung by Judy Garland in the Wizard of Oz in 1939 (Click here to see the video). Louis Armstrong’s hit “What a Wonderful World” came out in 1967 (click here to see the video).
 
Here’s a YouTube video featuring Iz singing his medley
Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World
 
 
This is worth taking a few moments to listen to, 
especially if your soul needs a little soothing. 
 
At the end of both videos there’s footage of the sprinkling of Iz’s ashes at Makua Beach
where thousands of fans gathered on the shore, in the water, on boats, 
in canoes, and on surf boards to bid Aloha to “Brudda Iz.”
 
This Official video of Over the Rainbow
has had over 70 million views on YouTube.
Iz struggled with obesity all his life, weighing 757 pounds at one point. He stood 6′ 2″ tall. Respiratory problems and other medical complications led to his early death at age 38. He’s survived by wife, Marlene, and daughter Ceslie-Ann “Wihi.”
 
The Hawaiian state flag flew at half staff the day of Iz’s funeral July 10, 1997. His body lay in state in Honolulu at the capitol building, the third person in Hawaiian history to receive this rare honor. He’s the only one who wasn’t a government official. 
 
For more information about Iz, you can visit The Official Site of Israel IZ Kamakawiwo’ole or Everything “IZ,” which has music, stories, and videos. 
 
Other Iz YouTube videos you might want to check out:
 
 
I would like to thank Iz for all the moments his “Over the Rainbow” song lifted my spirits and offered me more than any pot of gold ever could. And how awesome that his version of “What a Wonderful World” enriched so many lives and actually made our world even more wonderful. 


Is there a song that inspires you every time you hear it? If you’d like to leave a link to it in the comments, that would be great! 
 
Until inspiration returns, my friends, Aloha!
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Senior Prank Backfires – Parenting Plights & Delights

Posted on June 24, 2012 by lynnkelleyauthor
(Note: The names in this post have been changed to protect the innocent and the guilty!)

What is it about the tradition of senior pranks at high schools? It seems that some kids who aren’t pranksters by nature are tempted to get in on senior pranks. 
Ann Surles shared a story about her daughter Patricia and boyfriend Mark that happened at the end of their senior year. It was supposed to be a harmless prank. Mark wasn’t a jokster, but he got caught up in the pre-graduation fun. “Patricia and Mark both did cross-aid training for grade school kids and rode a school bus to the elementary school.” It was a small bus that transported them and other teens.
Mark hurried onto the bus before the others and pulled out a bottle of Essence of Sulfur, then splashed it on all the seats. 
When everybody got on the bus, they thought that someone had a problem. Whew! What a smell! They snickered and looked around to find the stinker. 
The smell got stronger as they proceeded along. Some of the teens grew so nauseous, the bus driver pulled over to let everyone out for some fresh air. The fumes didn’t let up, so the driver had to call for another bus. 
Of course, Mark never meant for anyone to get sick. He just got a little carried away sprinkling the sulfur, but sometimes even harmless pranks can backfire! By the way, the stinker was never caught!
“Few things make me sadder than when someone farts on a plane and I can’t escape it.”  
 ~ Olivia Munn

It wasn’t me!
Twinkle Eyes says, “Ew! That’s worse than a doody diaper!”
Have you ever played a senior prank, or do you have a good one to share with us? C’mon now, out with it!
Do you have a parenting or grandparenting memory
or another story you’d like to share? 


If you’re not a parent, memories from your own childhood count, too! 


Warning: I might feature your story in a future post. 
(Names can be changed to protect the guilty!)

I’d like to thank all those who have shared their stories. 
These posts wouldn’t be the same without your input.

If you don’t want to leave a comment but would rather contact me by email, 
here’s my address: lynkelwoohoo at yahoo dot com.

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Ugly Foot Finds Its Doppelganger

Posted on June 20, 2012 by lynnkelleyauthor
“Creativity is contagious. Pass it on.” 
~ Albert Einstein

Inspiration! It can happen anywhere!

Ideas are born in the strangest places, ignited by bizarre objects or strange people. Or a random photo from my daughter’s honeymoon pics.

Here’s the scoop: Lily was excited to get a window seat. Then the passenger behind her rested his/her ugly, bandaged foot on Lily’s armrest. She couldn’t stomach the sight of it. Her hubby gave in and traded seats. (After all, a happy wife is a happy life, right?)

If you were in an English class and were given an impromptu assignment to write a paper based on the photo below, what would you write?

Nonfiction? How to politely elbow that foot off your armrest? How acts of violence can get you kicked off a plane? The importance of cleansing wounds? *yawn*

Humor? Is there anything that could possibly be funny about that foot? Hmm…what would Erma Bombeck have written?

Horror? Remember the movie The Crawling Hand? It scared the heck out of me when I was a kid! How about writing a sequel called The Prowling Foot?

The Crawling Hand trailer – 1963

Sci-fi/Paranormal? Ugly Foot Finds Its Doppelganger in an Alternate Dimension?

Fairytale? A parody on Cinderella? Would the prince dare to try the glass slipper on that foot, or would he turn and run? What if the toe wound made Cinderella’s foot swell and she couldn’t fit it in the glass slipper? There would be no happy ending. Instead, maybe an outbreak of Athlete’s Foot destroys the kingdom?

Romance? Good grief! I’m not going there.

Mystery? One with lots of subplots and dead bodies with missing toes? *Shudders* Definitely not a story I could write!

 “Everything in life is writable about if you have the outgoing guts to do it, 
and the imagination to improvise. The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.”
~ Sylvia Plath

 Could you stomach sitting next to that ugly foot? Do you find ideas in weird places? What inspires you to be creative?

You know what that photo inspired me to write? A crazy blog post!

“Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures.” 
~ Henry Ward Beecher
Posted in Authorly Stuff, Creativity, Creepy, Funny, Writing, YouTube Video | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments