Christmas long ago

I vaguely remember a time when I believed that there was a Santa Claus.  My parents never let on that the fictional character wasn't real and until I was in first or second grade I waited anxiously on Christmas Eve for Santa's visit.

I recall vividly one such Eve.  I was being a pill.  My mom wanted me to get to sleep so she could do what parents do to keep the sprite elf's visit a mystery, and told me if I didn't get to sleep there would be no visit from Santa.  The threat of getting a lump of coal in my stocking was real, as we still has a coal-fired furnace.  Poor dad.  He had to go down and bank that thing every night and then stoke it first thing in the morning. 

I digress.

So I weedled her into allowing the shade that was pulled down on the window next to my bed to be raised all the way to the top so that I could watch out that window for Santa and his sleigh to arrive.

Of course, I soon fell asleep.  All I needed was a reason to really keep my eyes open, and then the lids slammed shut faster than a rabbit runs into his hidey hole.

The next morning I found a doll -- my first -- which I still have.  It had the kind of eyes that close automatically -- quite a treat for me.  I held that doll all day long on Christmas day.

One more thing.  This must have been before I was 5 because my sister wasn't in bed with me yet.  She was still in a crib. 

Ah, memories!

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Remembered again

I know I have a tendency to be redundant in these BLOGs but sometimes I can't find a remembrance I'm looking for in the list of BLOGs I've written for Runnemede Remembered, so if this is a repeat, just stop reading.

I think one of my first recalls I have of my life is the arrival at home of my mom from the hospital with my sister, Debbie.  Yippee!  I'm three years older than she, and in youngster years that practically made me an adult as far and I was concerned. 

She and I didn't get along too well when we were growing up, mainly, I think, because of that big gap in our ages (a little sarcasm there).  We yelled at each other.  We'd mess up each other's side of the bed we slept in.  If I didn't clean the floor soon enough, she'd write in the dust on my side of the bed, "Judy's dirt".  Neither she nor I would dare mop the other person's side of the bedroom, even though the mop certainly could extend under the bed all the way.  We were just that ornery with each other.

Her friends weren't my friends, and my friends weren't hers.  She was a freshman.  I was a senior.  I got married first.  I had my babies first.  But by then we were catching up to each other and became more endeared to each other.

I don't when it happened, though, that we really bonded.  However, I'm so glad it did.  We talk almost every Sunday.  And those talks make me feel so much better.  My husband can't understand what we have to talk about, but then he is not a great conversationalist.  I think we just gab.  She makes me laugh.  And I often cry.

I so wish we lived closer to each other so we could talk face to face.  That would be so nice. 

I am writing this because this week my dear sister sent me a Christmas bouquet and I'll have that to look at (and talk to?) for at least a couple of weeks.

Thanks Deb for all you mean to me.  I thank our Lord for you every day.  I love you.

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First kiss

Do you remember your first kiss?  I do, sort of.

My husband (then boyfriend, sort of) and I were on one of those Delaware River cruises with several other church kids and I bet him a quarter he wouldn't kiss me.  Pretty smart, huh?  Well, he leaned toward me and he told me he kissed me on the cheek, and he's still sticking to that story.  I didn't feel it. 

So, does that count?  I don't know.  I didn't feel it, and I didn't pay him a quarter.  We did, however, eventually kiss each other, and still do.  And yes, we still enjoy kissing each other.

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Just wondering

Is the Borough Hall still between 4th and 5th Avenues?

Is Santa's shed still in front of Borough Hall?

Do the police still work out of Borough Hall?

Where does one go to get a marriage license these days (in Runnemede)?

Does NJ still require a physical exam before issuing a marriage license?

Do all Runnemede students stay for lunch, or do most go home, like when I went to school?

Do all Runnemede students ride the bus now?  Or do most walk, like when I was a kid.  Note:  Out here where I live all students ride the bus even if they a couple of blocks away from the school.  And...the buses in some of the counties stop at every single house, even if two students live next door to each other.  This is very annoying if you get behind a school bus in the afternoon.  Since the school buses start picking up at 7:00 a.m., I wouldn't be involved in trailing one.  But I have trailed a bus on more than one occasion in the afternoon.  What ever happened to walking five miles to school, one way, in the winter, in foot-deep snow, uphill going and coming? :)  I've learned to not be out driving around between 3 and 4:30 p.m.

See what things I think about when I'm falling asleep at night?  Stupid, huh?

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