CHAPTER 16 - THE DATING GAME
* Not much luck on the dating scene yet Lynne,I suppose you met one or two more gropers along the way before you met Mr Right.I hope you took your Mom's advice and stayed cheerful and that's before and after you've smacked those gropers in the mouth.Hee, Hee.
* too bad our first experiences have to be with JERKS
*I am mad at Robert,Gary and Bert, and at your Mom to,Oh my i'm just mad at them all, you are so sweet and they are all doing you wrong.. well I am waitng on the next chapter to see what happens.
* I guess you've gotta kiss a lot of frogs before you find your prince! LOL. Looks like you found a few froggies there, Lynna Girl. Nope, your mama came from a different world...
* you really knew how to leave all those goofy guys!!!MR. Right will be along soon.
* Ah yes, the date scene. Different names .. same drill. Yuck.
* Well, I have had some of those kinds of dates too! I sometimes marvel at how I made it home alive with some of those who drank. I will tell you about one incident that no one could ever do today as I did then. It was a blind date with a girl I worked with and her boyfriend. He seemed fine at first and we went to a dance. I had no idea he had been drinking so much. He said he wanted to take a drive and get some air. We went up this dirt road sort of a hill as I remembered and he stopped. He did not exactly grope me but he kept saying "What about me?" and muttering nonsense. We were there quite a while and I had about had it as he would not go back and for all I know he probably couldn't even see the road. I got out of the car when I saw car lights and waved them to stop.(This would be unheard of today). It was some of the kids at the dance and they took me back to the dance and my girl friend. I can't remember how we got home but that guy kept calling and apologizing but I did not want to got through that again.
CHAPTER 17 - LARRY
* what did the Lord tell you about Larry? Oh! did he say this is he...or did he tell you why Larry didn't talk and sing..was he just sad or shy?
* Larry just isn't the guy for you...even tho he sounds like such a very nice person. I think you needed someone to talk and sing with
* Larry seems a nice guy to me. So he's quiet,that's more talking time for you,he doesn't sing,well he probably can't,not in tune anyway.He can't have kids..........MARRY HIM QUICK LOL
* My husband went to heaven in 1997. He was a very quiet man. Everyone always teased me about me asking him to marry me
* quiet is hard when you can talk up a storm!! LOL.
* Larry seems like a real nice guy Lynne,marry him,after all he did make you an egg sandwich.LOL
* its hard to be married to a guy who won't talk, I know, I am married to one. We can't get anything done around here because he won't talk.
CHAPTER 18 - SHOO-FLY PIE
* I was raised in Lancaster, this story brought back so many memories, especialy the food!
* It sounds to me that you had a nice day with Larry, things are looking up for you, I'm glad you are through with all the troubles you had.
* My husband was raised in the Amish country although he is Not Amish.
* I was right there with you all day long! I visited there one time so I remember much of what it looked like.
* I have an Amish doll, too, did you keep yours?
CHAPTER 19 - IF YOU LOVE ME LET ME KNOW
* Are you going to say yes? or has God gave you an answer and he is telling you no don't marry him?
* I think that was soooooooo sweet of Larry to bring you food when your stomach was growling because you were hungry. The Lord told him you were hungry!!!!!!!!
* Oh my, now what is going to happen. was him showing up with food a sign that he would be the one, or was the thunder a sign to tread carefully ...
* honey, he might love you but you don't love him. Wait for someone better is my advice. P.S. Hurry up with the next chapter so I know what you did.
* None of us ever meets Mr. Right, go ahead and get married, work it out.
CHAPTER 20 - FLOWERS AND SCARY PEOPLE
* Oh my gosh...you did marry Larry!He didn`t seem all that concerned about your almost assault by that creep of a repairman...I`ll bet your marriage goes downhill from here, doesn`t it.
* Have I missed a chapter here or what Lynne.? The last chapter I read Larry proposed,now you are in BED with him.Then you as good as proposition the repairman by telling him that Larry works late(Are you quite sure your'e a preachers Daughter Lynne LOL.?)....,Larry should have come home early when you phoned him,but that's men for you.
* Oh the dog! I can't believe he didn't come home to protect you. See, I told ya you should have said "NO" when he proposed. Hindsights great tho, I know.
* now that Larry should have stayed home or come in early and got that guy--that would have made me stay in to protect My Lady Fair-- all the Old boys from my era would have loved to been there and a lot of friends would have joined too --
* did that stinking washing machine repair man ever come back? did you get the machine fixed, and right now I want to choke Larry..he should have been sick with worry about you...Oh men!!!!!!
* I think you should have shot a gun out the window.lol
* I hope I get to read the chapter where Larry gets his behind kicked.
* I REALLY GOT ANGRY AT LARRY FOR HIS SELFISHNESS AND HIS NONCARING ATTITUDE TOWARD YOU; BUT I REMEMBER THINGS IN MY LIFE THAT #I DID TO ME SO I CAN REALLY UNDERSTAND HOW ALONE YOU FELT AND LATER DOWN THE ROAD HOW ANGRY YOU FELT AT HIS SELFISHNESS
CHAPTER 21 - MY LIFE AT WORK IS OVER
* When I became pregnant with my first child and was told by my employer that I would have to leave when I started showing...I thought it was the normal thing to do...it makes me mad now to think how we were pushed around back then. And yes, I agree...once you leave it's not the same. After a while you're out of the loop. It's sad.
* I was one of the first mothers in our neighborhood to go to work in the 70's, I couldn't stand to stay at home all day. People didn't like me for it.
* I was telling one of my daughter-in-law about how pregnant women were not wanted in public work places back then so I took in ironings and cleaned houses when I started showing. She couldn't believe it. But then she couldn't believe a lot of the way things were. She really laughed when I told her that when I went to the hospital I fully expected that the doctor was going to use a silver screwdriver to open my belly button and take the baby out. Did I ever get a shock, LOL.
* Back then we didn't know much, did we?
* Times sure have changed, huh?
* We were pretty uninformed back then..shoot, I got most of my knowledge through books but still didn't know wht to expect. Oh and back then they knocked you out right before the baby was born. Now they go through natural childbirth - give me drugs anyday!
CHAPTER 22 - IN SORROW THOU SHALT BRING FORTH CHILDREN
* I think it was all the rage to be by your wife's side,when my wife gave birth to our Daughter,what an experience to be there, I would recomend it to any father to be there.
* i remember when i went in labor i drove myself to the hospital because he was at work; but he did care about the baby and as soon as he got off work he came to be with me. my labor was long and hard and i made up my mind then not to repeat this but i did 6 years later.
* I know how painful it is having had 7 children myself but t he blessings are so great! I lost one at 5 days and one at 21 Months but the five grown children with their own families are my treasures
* I'm sure glad that it's the women who give birth and not men Lynne
* My first weighed 10lbs 4oz. Makes me wonder why I would let it happen 2 more times.
* Awwwww, I KNEW you'd like him once he got here!! Good for you to name him what you wanted, LOL. I agree - you go through the pain, you ought to get the naming rights. I'll tell my daughter-in-law. She's due in less than two weeks, and they still haven't agreed on a name for her (we think it's a girl, anyway). Isn't it amazing how we can go through all that, and then do it again? 'Course now they've got some good stuff to make it easier. I'm glad you got your baby boy, Lynne. And you're right - he's VERY cute!
* Now does Larry, love him or check out every line and eye color to see id this doll baby belongs to him or not?
* I have been worried about Larry, maybe saying that Baby isn't mine: and I hope it looks just like him, so he will know for sure it is, if it was born that day..did it look just like him???
* Oh Lynne, you were such a babe yourself. What a situation! I can only imagine your shock to not only find out you were pregnant, but 4 MONTHS! I'm glad you didn't have to have your head in the toilet for weeks tho - I promise that is no fun. LOL
* Larry can't have children,you're pregnant,pst, as that repairman been around again Lynne,you can tell me,I wont breathe a word,honest.LOL
* This was amazing because I did exactly the same thing when I was pregnant for my first child. The Dr. said he was due April 20th and this was April 4th and we were staying overnite with my husbands parents. I went back and forth to the bathroom all nite long. My mother in law said that morning that I should go to the hospital. I said no, the Dr. said the 20th. She laughed and said "That baby is coming today" and he came at 2:30 that afternoon. I was so ignorant that I thought it absolutely had to come on the 20th, and I thought you got what you wanted and I wanted a girl. I have never forgiven myself for this as he is my only son along with 4 daughters.
* I WELL REMEMBER MY LABOR PAINS;
AND HOW I THOT I WOULD SURELY DIE AND MADE A VOW TO NEVER REPEAT THAT BUT DID
AGREE TO ONE MORE TIME 6 YRS LATER TO HAVE THE BOY. BUT FRANKLY I THINK
BEING A PARENT IS HIGHLY OVER RATED AND IF I HAD HAD AN INKLING OF WHAT WAS
IN STORE I WOULD HAVE SAID NO THANKS TO THAT.
* I know I was NOT prepared for childbirth..NO way!!!!! I had no idea...and...then after a lot of suffrering they then had to do a C-Section...and...I was NOT prepared for that either!!! LOL...But...guess I forgot...cause I had two more...
* I was one of those lucky women who had very little pain and fvery quick deliveries, and no one with me but a nurse for the first two and a Dr. who panicked because I insisted on natural childbirth for the last. I think I spend most of my labor for this one coaching her through it.
CHAPTER 23 - SPIDER!
* As a person so comfortable with animals, I can tell you this in utter honesty. A critter in my bed would scare the ever-living you-know-what out of me! Yuk, and double yuck! But still, you afforded me a laugh out loud moment. Still giggling! A spider anyplace else in the house would be tenderly swept up and put outside, but one in the bed would get the same fate as your poor specimen. Still laughing!
* I think I would have done exactly as you did. I hate spiders
* made me remember a time when my oldest was only about 2, I found a big spider lurking behind the chair and whacked it with a broom..I didnt know that mama spiders carried their little ones on their backs, and when I hit that spider, little ones went scurrying everywhere!! Talk about panic, I was about hysterical! I finally went for the bug spray and sprayed that entire room, corners, baseboards, everything...and then took my son outside and we sat on the porch until the smell went away!!! To this day I can't stand spiders, they give me goose bumps!!
* this one had me sick for a moment there I was so afraid you were going to say you got a bite taken out of you by that creepy spider, that I just knew you were alone with Adam, and needing to go to the hospital from being half ate by that ugly spider, you sure were brave, had that been me, I would have picked up Adam and left the spider to own the house, I actually did that once with my car, there was a spider in that car with me, so the spider and the car, got left in the middle of the highway, and some one called the police, so he came and kiled the thing and I was still to scared to get in it...so my husband got called to get the car.LOL..I am serious.You are so much more brave than your Sis..LOL..
* I bet Adam thought you were playing a game with him. LOL I hate spiders!!! Any kind!!! Everytime I see a bug I grab for the spray!!!!
* Yikes! I HATE spiders too, shudder. I would have done the same thing....and sprayed like crazy!! I think we're all laughing because most of us have "been there". Hummmm, hugely pregnant. Yes, that would add to the emotion of the situation!!!
* i laughed and then i cried and then laughed some more. poor spider; kinda like the garter snake on the patio that i chopped with a hoe until it was unrecognizable as a reptile but i was so proud.
* Great story, but I felt sorry for that poor little spider
* Well, they never scared me... except when they are big and dangerous byte.
Other insects do like louses, roaches, ... musquitto's and many others.
Amongst insects, spiders are almost my friends. Almost. LOL.
I never killed them, always tried to displace them and told them not to come back.They are extremely usefull to environment
* One morning when I awaoke I saw something from the corner of my eye on my pillow, then when I realized it was a spider I jumped out of bed screamed as hard and loud as I could, hubby jumped out of bed screaming too...Not knowing what I was screaming for..I told him there is a big spider on my pillow staring at me..he just yawned and said "Is that all" and went back into bed...I told him to get up and kill it...he did get up but could not see the spider anywhere, he said I must have frightened the life out of the poor thing and it has gone hiding! I made him search everywhere, after a long time he found it, he would not kill it...he put it outside in the garden. After that I cleaned our bedroom and threw the pillow cover out..I shiver every time I think about this...I don't like spiders!
* Yep, I know the feeling. At some point is is like something snaps and it wasn't just the spider you were beating.
CHAPTER 24 - PAULA
* This story about Paula is wonderful! I have a new friend that sounds kinda like Paula and can just see and taste and smell the smoke and coffee..
* After reading the instructions on the fire extinguiser glad you and Paula managed to put out the fire.LOL
* I love Paula, and I am so happy you have her for a friend, I worry about you being alone so much with Larry working and attending school to. I am glad she invited you to her church,and it was one you liked and felt at home in. Guess what! I have fire do-me gigger--in my kitchen, and I am going in there now and read the instructions, I am serious...I don't know how it works either :-)....so this story has got me to read the fire Hicky gigger..to see how it works.
* how did the church turn out? and did you keep attending the services?
* I'm so glad you found a friend and went back to church. I know that must have been a real bright spot in your life. We all need those special friends who come along when we REALLLY, REALLY need them!
* was right there with you, laughing on the floor. I think I'll pull my fire extinquisher out tomorrow & read those instructions again.
* Isn't it wonderful how God knows exactly what you need and when you need it, and provided a way for you to find a new friend and a good church to go to? ..Even if it did take a fire to do it!!
* I could just see you both trying to figure the fire extinguisher out... That was funny... Then I thought... I do NOT know how to use one either... I have NO clue!!!! Yikes!!!
* Now have you learned how to use a fire extinguisher? PULL-AIM-SQUEEZE!
CHAPTER 25 - MY MOM
* "MOM" I only wish I knew!! My MOM went to Heaven when I was 6yrs.old. Oh, I wonder what it would have been like to have her hug me and tell me stories. I'll see her in Heaven and she will know me and I will know her. PRAISE GOD FOR BEING SO GOOD
* you are so right: about forgetting and forgiving for your Mom, is getting older and life is to short, Oh!! if life now was as it was in Noah's day..that would be wonderful. what did your Mom, think of her two precious and beautiful grand babies? I bet their smiles got to her:-)
* I'm glad to see that you realized how much you loved your mom and that you took the babies to see her. I'll bet that was quite a trip, tho
* It was wonderful that you got to be with your Mom and Dad again. Age does creep on folks. If you are with someone all the time, you don't notice the aging but be away from them a while, and you wonder how come they aged so much
CHAPTER 26 - MY MARRIAGE
* Even though this chapter is sad I really understood alot of what you are saying.....been there done that type of thing!
* I just got to read your chapter on my marriage, and I cried a while, and to tell you the truth I am sniffling now also, for this sound just like my life way back when, after canning all day and working in the garden, taking care of Debbie, and house work but after Debbie, was old enough to go to kindergarden I started teaching school, and things wasn't so lonely then, I had far to much to do, and began to wish I was lonely again :-)
* I can relate to how you felt in your marriage totally- been there done it exactly the same and wore the T shirt for over 20 years till finally it did come to a climax, and I got out.Out with loads of heartache, loads of debt, and homeless with nothing after all these years. No self confidence, ill with lupus and totally unloved. Even my boys thought at that time their dad was the best - they know differently now. God gave me a beautiful ,loving man who cares for me, loves me and is just wonderful in every way. We have been together 12 happy years now.
The memories still hurt and the damage is still there but the burden has gone for good.
*at one time I had that same image of life and marriage.. On TV were the commercials of bubble baths even, and I was saying to myself - Where are the children?"... I always heard a knock at the door and "I have to go potty!" etc. as I tried to even get a simple bath in.. :) Yes, books, and TV even have the parts of life that are a bit overdone. The luxuries most will never see!!
* I think all of us at some time or another have gone through feelings like this. Sometimes our friends tell us how great their marriage is and we wonder what is lacking in ours, but often times, theirs is as confusing as yours, and they are just saying what they really wish theres to be. I doubt that any marriage is absolutely perfect but if your mate dies, you wish with all your heart for it to be back the way it was
* Wow. I felt like I was reading my own story. We've been married for 11 years and I still fall into the pits of depression over why I'm married and what level of stupidity had come over me when I fell in love with him. My boys are 4 & 7, this has been going on for about 7 years! LOL Don't kids just wake you up to how fallible you are and how much you need to be loved and cared for? How much you need a partner? I did that whole sex it up thing years ago...and found that we were still too tired or had too many chores to do to enjoy it or have it. Sad but true.
* It takes guts to tell the truth like you do.
CHAPTER 27 - GROCERY SHOPPING AND THE BAY OF PIGS
* This was especially good considering we're all sitting here waiting for terrorist attacks. Loved the grocery list!!!
* Wow! things were cheap back then! I remember when I was going to high school, my Dad would give me a quarter and told me to get a pound of hamburg. Those were the days!
* Times really haven't changed all that much now ...have they? I remember the craze to have a bomb shelter. We had one in the basement...actually it was a second bathroom and I highly doubt we would have survived a bomb anyway. I don't blame my parents for being scared since they lived through world war 2. I couldn't help but laugh when I read your story. Brought back memories.
* I had just read your lastest chapter, when I opened your email message to me. It was so refreshing to read about the scare of the "Bay of Pigs." We have seen some mighty scary times in our lives and happy that most of those things we were afraid of never came to pass. Mostly because of our involvement in the world's eradication of communism. I pray that God is with our brave soldiers and servicmen, fighting the latest threat to humanity. God please wake these people up and let your presence be felt in their lives, even though they don't know you.
* loved the grocery list as i worked many years at the A&P food store and i priced many of those same items myself
* Loved the shopping list. I remember going to the store with $10 to spend (I think for the whole month). I saw my aunt at the store (she was close to my age) and she exclaimed that $10 was her MEAT budget for the month and there I was trying to buy everything for that much. Sigh. My husband was a full time student and we lived off my $156.50 a month income and he worked after school and in the summer long hours to pay tuition. That was in 1966-68. I'm amazed we made it through three years with no help and no student loans, and had one kid and another on the way by graduation.
* Reading your memories of fearing for the lives of your children during the Bay of Pigs makes me think of my own worry and concern last September 11. I remember how much I wanted to leave work and get Mitch out of school, to hold him in my arms and praise God for another day. I remember watching the news for hours on end, praying and hoping that survivors would be found. Such de ja vu. I wasn't born until 1969, but Mom says that the fear of Nuclear war was very real...she talks about Bomb drills at school. Sometimes I wonder if it does ever happen, if we'll all be taken by total surprise the way we were on 9/11/01, or if we'll be sitting by our TV sets watching and waiting.
* Ah yes, I remember how frightening it was, fearing for the children, worrying because there was no bomb shelter near .. no extra provisions to store away in case ...
* Oh!! how I remember those days and having one baby daughter my self I thought the same thoughts, and I would also think I don't want to be the only one in a shelter and come out and no one on earth living but me and my baby, and I would think if we go to a shelter what good will it do we will all starve because every thing above earth will be ruined by radiation and nothing would grow ever again. Wow! what a time we went through back then! but now I am tinking along those same lines...and it is scary once again.....
* On the other site of the pond people were holding breath as well.Having same grocery notes..and fears and tears and anger.
* Oh...me!!! what memories that brings back.. I, too, was very angry over the Bay of Pigs...
* Love the grocery prices, Lynne. I can relate to that...when I was first married, I budgeted a whole weeks groceries for $11..wow, how times have changed!
* How well I remember the Bay of Pigs. My husband was stationed at HOmestead AFB. I was pregnant with my first child. I rememver sitting at the kitchen table thinking "My father was born during WWI, I was born during WWII, now is my baby going to be born during a war too."
CHAPTER 28 - THE SAD LIFE AND DEATH OF DUKE
* Okay, I'll admit it - I cried. I have regrets like that too over my treatment of animals, and they haunt you all your life!
* Oh!! Sis, I all ways did the same thing, I never let a dog into my house, for the exact same reasons, the slobber, fleas and ticks I just shiver at thinking about a tick..you know I hate creepy crawlers and spiders is on the top of my list, my sister use to chase me all over the place when we were kids holding a red worm out towards me..Ohhhh! she was mean.
* That boy that ran Duke down, did he ever get caught? he needs a jail sentence..AMEN!
* Oh Lynne! .. The story of Duke is so sad..we have had several pets over the years that have gotten killed or died and it is always so traumatic each time. Duke sounds like he was a really good dog..I know you really did miss him!
* Oh, Lynne, how beautiful this story is about Duke. I remember how much I loved my dog when I was a kid. Caesar was such a sweet dog. My dog from marriage has been a different story. But the faithfulness and loyalty of a dog is like no other.
* That is very sad! I have had a few dogs run over. The worse was Katie my beloved Schnauzer who was due to have puppies the next week. My son ran over her. She died before I could get her to the vet. I always thought I should have cut her stomach open and got the puppies out..There has never been another dog like her!
* This is very sad but I belive that God gave us gardains angels and our pets are amoung them I also belive that some day we will all be together again In heaven and you and Duke will be happy to see eack other again his name is God spelled backwards and they always forgive so please don't let your hurt go on as I know in my heart that Duke is up their just wagging his tail waiteing to see you some day God bless
* Made me so mad that the guy didn't even stop! What a jerk!
* I just this moment got through reading about Duke. So sad about him having his back broken and having to be put down. It is so sad, as he thought he was protecting you and I'm sure you had some guilt complex because of that, I know I would. Our first little puppy named "Princess," was a cutie and was eaten up with fleas. We got her on the day before Father's day, in 1955. She added so much to our lives and lived for 14 years before we had her put down, because of kidney failure, the Vet said. There was one time she was almost killed when a car hit her. It was a glancing blow to her head and caused a very bad concussion. She pulled through it ok and was a little staggering for a while, like running into chair legs. But she survived into an old age for a dog.
* What a sad thing to happen. I truly hate people who have no regard for animals and some even intentionally hit them. There is a 3 legged cat next door and the children there told me a car hit him and never stopped. The car behind him stopped and brought the cat to their door. They took him to the vet and they had to amputate the front leg but he is such a nice cat and living here on Main St.seems to have learned his lesson about the street. He gets along fine and sometimes suns himself on my steps.(Or maybe he is watching for the squirrel that I feed every day!
* Sometimes I think you are living my life.