Friday, March 09, 2007
NOW ON TO TODAY.....
Yesterday is history and now we get ready for today. Rocky is still sleeping and I’ve been up to care for the critters, raise the blinds, wind our cuckoo clocks and down a breakfast of pancakes. The Andersen Staple. I never make pancakes without thinking of a favorite story my dad used to enjoy telling.
When he and mom married, they took over the responsibility of the family farm. Grandma and Grandpa Andersen moved “to town” and became city folks. The only hitch was they had to keep two of my dad’s brothers with them. Sophus, the elder brother, had been dropped as a baby and wasn’t quite “right”……he was a happy, jovial 12-year old in a man’s body. Robert, the younger brother, was epileptic, although back then, no one knew it. On occasion he would have “fits” and so he and uncle Sophus were relegated to the farm with mom and dad.
Mom was a saint, living with three Danish men who had been raised “old country” and knew very little about manners or making life easier for a woman. However, to get on with the story, mom was mixing up pancakes and dad was sitting at the table when the two brothers came for breakfast. Dad says, “Sophus, how many pancakes can you eat this morning?” and Sophus thought for a while, grinning all the time, “Oh, about 25 I guess.”
Well, mom made more batter and fried pancakes for some time…….putting a full plate on the table every time she had a “stack.” Sophus started out with gusto but the last 10 or so went down pretty slow. However, he did eat the 25.
The next morning, same scene, and dad says, “Sophus, how many pancakes can you eat today?” and he sits grinning at the floor and twisting his hands, finally saying, “Ohhhhhh, about 15, I guess.” Dad roared with laughter every time he told the story and mom grinned knowingly with approval and we heard the story over and over throughout their lives. It was wonderful.
You never know what goofy memories you will carry with you in life. I grew up in a family of storytellers and family who would listen attentively, nodding along for encouragement…….then laughter and knee slapping. Just over pancakes. To be the object of any story was an honor and we loved the stories told “on us” as we laughed at ourselves and each other. It was solid ground to grow up on. Not taking ourselves or each other too serious.
Today is the day we make the future’s memories so it must be spent in good faith and care. I will take care of my Rocky the best I know how, enjoy our critters and be watchful for whatever God may want of me this day. I hope your day starts out with a pleasant memory and you have many opportunities to laugh at yourself. After all, we are the ones who can really appreciate a joke on ourselves…..because we know what fun it is to give someone a reason to laugh.
Until next time, I am,
Essentially Esther
When he and mom married, they took over the responsibility of the family farm. Grandma and Grandpa Andersen moved “to town” and became city folks. The only hitch was they had to keep two of my dad’s brothers with them. Sophus, the elder brother, had been dropped as a baby and wasn’t quite “right”……he was a happy, jovial 12-year old in a man’s body. Robert, the younger brother, was epileptic, although back then, no one knew it. On occasion he would have “fits” and so he and uncle Sophus were relegated to the farm with mom and dad.
Mom was a saint, living with three Danish men who had been raised “old country” and knew very little about manners or making life easier for a woman. However, to get on with the story, mom was mixing up pancakes and dad was sitting at the table when the two brothers came for breakfast. Dad says, “Sophus, how many pancakes can you eat this morning?” and Sophus thought for a while, grinning all the time, “Oh, about 25 I guess.”
Well, mom made more batter and fried pancakes for some time…….putting a full plate on the table every time she had a “stack.” Sophus started out with gusto but the last 10 or so went down pretty slow. However, he did eat the 25.
The next morning, same scene, and dad says, “Sophus, how many pancakes can you eat today?” and he sits grinning at the floor and twisting his hands, finally saying, “Ohhhhhh, about 15, I guess.” Dad roared with laughter every time he told the story and mom grinned knowingly with approval and we heard the story over and over throughout their lives. It was wonderful.
You never know what goofy memories you will carry with you in life. I grew up in a family of storytellers and family who would listen attentively, nodding along for encouragement…….then laughter and knee slapping. Just over pancakes. To be the object of any story was an honor and we loved the stories told “on us” as we laughed at ourselves and each other. It was solid ground to grow up on. Not taking ourselves or each other too serious.
Today is the day we make the future’s memories so it must be spent in good faith and care. I will take care of my Rocky the best I know how, enjoy our critters and be watchful for whatever God may want of me this day. I hope your day starts out with a pleasant memory and you have many opportunities to laugh at yourself. After all, we are the ones who can really appreciate a joke on ourselves…..because we know what fun it is to give someone a reason to laugh.
Until next time, I am,
Essentially Esther
