I ate green beans last night. And it made me realize that I can't remember the last time I had vegetables. Besides potatoes. It's not that I don't like any veggies, it's just that I don't exactly have a well-balanced diet (to say the least). I normally don't sit down to eat with my grandparents, and if I cook for myself, it's just something quick.
I like green beans, I really do. When they're hot and crisp. Last night's GeeBees were reheated and soggy. Yuck. But then it got me to thinking about my life with the Mennonites. Oh, yes.
When I was a wee lass of probably 4 or so, my mother would leave my brother and I with a Mennonite family while she went to work. And every day when she'd come to pick me up, my hair would be in tight braids and I'd be wearing a dress over my jeans.
Since I was so young, I only have random memories of my time there. And a memory from my mom. She said that one day we went over to my grandparents' house, and as I was walking up to the house, I bent down and picked a plant. "Grandma," I said, "You've got chives." Then I ate it. My mom still is amazed. Today, I couldn't tell a chive from any other kind of plant. This is what I recall from my Mennonite days:
*We were not allowed to watch T.V., but I know the lady of the house watched her soap operas when we were supposed to be napping.
*Speaking of napping, one time I got up from my nap, sneaked downstairs, and went into their pantry. I snagged a mini jar of mustard and devoured it. I can't imagine why. But the thought of eating mustard makes me break out into a cold sweat now.
*I helped the mother and her children shell peas and other Mennonite-y things.
*My cousin Jenny was going to be dropped off for one day, and she tried to jump out of the car while it was still moving. She cut up her face, so her mom took her to Dairy Queen and she came back eating a Dilly Bar. I was jealous. Still am. A Dilly Bar sounds mighty fine right about now.
*The oldest son brought me and one of his sisters into the back of a covered wagon. He taught us how to smoke straw. Yeah. Straw. And I was what, 4?
Oh, those crazy Mennonite times. I'd look pretty ridiculous in braids these days.
Oh HAI blog
8 years ago
11 comments:
I beg to differe - I'm sure you'd look cute in braids!! Mustard? So not you!
Yes, those crazy Mennonites...I'm sure they miss you.
I mean, I beg to differ....sheesh
I didn't know you were the begging kind. :)
And I'd look like a fatty patty with braids.
Haaaaa. Fatty Patty. I'm glad my name's not Patty.
Crazy. That's nice of the mennonite lady to watch you, though...I guess.
Yeah, that mustard thing...that's going to stay with me for a while.
Mustard....maybe you thought it was peanut butter???
Did you know that the movie Witness (the one where Harrison Ford played a cop who goes undercover and lives with an Amish community) was dubbed wrong in French - it was dubbed Mormon instead of Amish. French people to this day think that Mormons are the same thing as the Amish - try dealing with that for a year and a half as a Mormon missionary....don't know why Mennonites made me think of that...
Maybe you shouldn't have shown up at their doors driving a horse and wagon then. :) j/k
Redlaw, that actually explains a lot!
I was reading this going, "What's a Mennonite...?" It's my secret shame. :(
April, I hope you don't mind, but I linked you on my blog. Ok with you?
Redlaw, that's very understandable being that Mennonites and Amish have a lot of similarities
rachel, Link away, lady. Link away.
Not that I know a ton about either Mennonites or the Amish, but the Amish don't believe in using electricity or getting pictures taken. I worked with a Mennonite lady at Kmart, though, and she was the biggest smartass EVER. Very funny. She drove a regular car and stuff.
I'm so educated. :)
I'd jump out of a moving car to avoid my pentacostal ex-boyfriend.
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