I am back in France. I have a new grandson-number 7-I went skiing in Colorado, and I spent time with all of my children and other grandchildren. I had a wonderful time but it is still great to be back. I feel like France is home now. It was so nice to have blog entries from Emily. I usually stress a little about my blog when I’m not in France so this was a real treat for me. There will be some more from Emily from time to time. In the meantime, here is a meme I saw on another blog. There are a list of facts and the highlighted portions are the ones that are true for me.
Original source: The list is based on an exercise developed by Will Barratt, Meagan Cahill, Angie Carlen, Minnette Huck, Drew Lurker, Stacy Ploskonka at Illinois State University. The exercise developers ask that if you participate in this blog game, you acknowledge their copyright.
Father went to college
Father finished college
Mother went to college
Mother finished college
Have any relative who is an attorney, physician, or professor
Were the same or higher class than your high school teachers -I’m not sure what this means. My father owned various businesses as I was growing up, a Five and Dime, a clothing store, a drive-in movie theater. Does that make him that same class as a teacher? My mother was a stay on home mom-never worked, but she sure could shop.
Had more than 50 books in your childhood home-My mother read quite a bit but I don’t have a memory of books in our home. I came home with what I read from the library.
Had more than 500 books in your childhood home - see above
Were read children’s books by a parent -no, but I grew up to be a book lover anyway.
Had lessons of any kind before you turned 18 - piano lessons but I am really bad at playing.
Had more than two kinds of lessons before you turned 18 -piano was it
The people in the media who dress and talk like me are portrayed positively I guess so, except for the old part.
Had a credit card with your name on it before you turned 18 -not in my day. That wasn’t done when I was young.
Your parents (or a trust) paid for the majority of your college costs. My Dad paid for my college. I worked part time in a hamburger joint too and worked every summer for him in his clothing store.
Went to a private high school-nope, just public
Went to summer camp -church camp
Had a private tutor before you turned 18 -you must be kidding
Family vacations involved staying at hotels Does this count if we only did it once? We did the trip from hell from Arizona to California and up to Oregon. We spent most of the time in the car. My mother snuck her dog into the room, a little chihuahua, and I remember that one night the dog had diarrhea all over the place-probably why motels don’t like dogs in rooms.
Your clothing was all bought new before you turned 18 Yes. Not only did my father own a clothing store but my Mom was a major shopper. We always looked well dressed.
Your parents bought you a car that was not a hand-me-down -yes, I had a used car that was always dying and that was hard to start, an old Renault. I learned to drive way before I was 16 with my father’s jeep so I’ve always been able to shift. My main memory, after getting my driver’s license, was stalling out every single time on a big hill when the light turned red.
There was original art in your house when you were a child -not a bit
Had a phone in your room before you turned 18 - The family only had one phone in my day. In fact I can remember when we talked to the operator to get a number called and our phone number was just three digits long. There were also party lines where, if your neighbor was talking, you had to wait your turn, or you could listen in to their conversation, which I never did of course.
You and your family lived in a single family house yes
Your parent(s) owned their own house or apartment before you left home Yes, see above. We’ve always had a home, never rented.
You had your own room as a child - sometimes, I shared with my sister
Participated in an SAT/ACT prep course. They didn’t have those yet when I was in high school. I just took it cold. I think we were better prepared in those days anyway.
Had your own TV in your room in High School- only one TV in our house although we did have the first TV in the neighborhood when they came out. There were just two channels and it was only on a few hours a day.
Owned a mutual fund or IRA in High School or College, Nope.
Flew anywhere on a commercial airline before you turned 16 -Yes, flew from New Mexico to Texas as my mother’s family lived there. In those days, you dressed up with hat and gloves. I threw up on my first flight.
Went on a cruise with your family-nope
Went on more than one cruise with your family -never
Your parents took you to museums and art galleries as you grew up -no, my family was very uncultured. No museums, art, music or lectures. There was music if you count church music. My Dad taught himself the electric guitar and had a religious band. He even did a recording and, in the middle of it, you can hear me jabbering in the back ground as a baby. I wonder where that record is?
You were unaware of how much heating bills were for your family - didn’t have a clue. Children weren’t involved in that sort of thing then.
