Murdo Girl…Ingenious Narrative

Today Murdo Girl and Queen Lav are sharing a cooking experience with all of you. We are following the instructions given in a paper Murdo Girl’s grandson Mason wrote for one of his classes. It details how 2 write a how 2. Mason’s written instructions will be in italics so you can see and understand how to write a how 2, and demonstrate how the how 2 works, with your how 2. Get it? Got it? Good!

Hi guys. Do you love to write? Well if that is so, then you will love this! It’s a narrative instructing you on an ingenious way to write a how 2. Now.. to learn how to do this wonderful task you will need to read this amazing narrative, but don’t read too much at one time. You might hurt yourself.

First you will need your magical supplies.

Queen Val is writing her how 2 as she recreates her Mother Ella’s roll recipe.

Queen Val: (clears throat.) My magical supplies are: The recipe, ingredients, bowls, utensils, a warm spot for the rolls to rise/raise twice…(Preferably not in the sunny spot where the cat suns himself. My cat was rather irritated.)

Once you have all of your supplies gathered, all you need is an ingenious mind and you can get started.

(tick, tock, tick, tock,) Are you ready Queen Val?

Okay now we can get started. First you should start with some sort of thought organizer such as; a t-chart or idea web. This should help you organize yourself. Then you need to think of a hook or something interesting to say. It should intice your target audience to want to read your how 2 narrative and of course, the best outcome is for them to make your Mom’s rolls. (*hint* My example: “Do you love to write? Well if you do? You will love this!”) You should also use descriptive words to replace boring old plain words.

Queen Val: My hook is: Do you love to watch an ingenious, beautiful Queen baking heavenly rolls? (I just searched in my “idea web” which is in my ingenious head, for this gotcha hook!) If you’re hooked on rolls, then welcome to my world.

Now comes the body. This is where you take all of those ideas from that handy-dandy organizer you so ingeniously thought of, (you can thank me later), and just take those ideas right off the page. The body should be full of juicy details that you didn’t give away in your hook. (You didn’t did you?) If you don’t know what I mean by body, it’s just the stuff in between the beginning and the end of your how 2 narrative. 

Queen Lav: I mixed up the dough by following my Mom’s instructions to the T. Well, except I’m not sure what Oleo is. My “idea web” thought of a good idea! I looked up Oleo in the dictionary, which said, “We don’t know. Ask someone from South Dakota. It’s probably going to be the same people who worsh their dishes, instead of washing them.”

wp-1487815725778.jpgQueen Lav: Now for some juicy details. After I let the 10 pounds of dough rise, I had to punch the dough, make little balls, put the balls in the pans and let them rise again. While they were rising, I chewed on a piece of Juicy Fruit gum. That takes care of the juicy detail, so I guess I will do what comes next. I have been working on this how 2 for over two hours. I have dirty dishes to worsh, and it’s hot in this kitchen. I hope the rest of this narrative goes fast so I can get these little beauties baked.

After all of that, you can head on to the conclusion. The conclusion is technically the end. but we all know there is no end to learning. In the conclusion, you can write a nice summary of what you have so perfectly written and done. You can leave the people who haven’t already gone out to eat with a nice little goodbye note.

Queen Lav: To summarize what I have written and done, I will say this. MG sent me Mom Ella’s recipe for rolls that was featured in the 1951 Methodist Cook Book. I spent 2, maybe 4 hours following the instructions on the narrative she forced me to write, baked 36 rolls and then stood in a long line at the store to buy my favorite Hawaiian rolls. So narrative person, what do I do next? Oh yeah, I will leave you with a nice little goodbye…CYA..

MG: I’m sure she meant see ya! I asked Queen Lav to send me a picture of “Ella’s rolls” after she baked them. I told her I didn’t need all 36, just a sampling.

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Gone Fishing

MG: I don’t know what to say except, “Do you like to fish?” You have the hook, you stood in line, and now you have 36 weights or sinkers.  You have created a fishing experience with your hook, line, and sinker rolls, and you don’t even have to swallow them. See?..a frown is just a smile turned upside down.

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Note from Queen Val’s family. We support her narrative. Let’s see, 36 divided by 6 is only 6 fishing weights each. The cat: So I can eat the fish and I don’t have to eat the weights? I’m in!

Well I hope you liked my how 2 on how 2 write a how 2. This has been a lot of fun. If you’re reading this, or if I’m reading it to you, my hope is that you have a nice day..Mason Masteller. Now I’m off to shoot some hoops.

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MG: Unfortunately we are all out of time. The ink is barely dry on my amazing narrative. I will leave you with some tantalizing photos of my world-famous apple and zucchini chips and psgetti squash, accompanied by psgetti squash seeds, which I have roasted to perfection.

If you beg me, I might show you my narrative. I’ll copy it as soon as the copycat moves.

wp-1487889718080.jpgSkyler: Isn’t Grammy funny? That’s her Loretta pose. Ryan Constance: Am I funny haha, or funny peculiar like Grammy?

Murdo Girl…The wise old woman

Today’s Cookbook Findings

Remember the story I found in my Cookbook? The one my son wrote in 1989. Well, I found the 2nd page of it and started to read what turned out to be a book report of sorts. Craig apparently had to read a story and answer “thinking” questions. When I first started to read it, I was irate. I would have called the school, but then I remembered the report was written in 1989, when my son was only eleven. You will see by the comments I made at the end of my review, that I changed my position.

The story is quite relevant, so I’m going to share a little of it with you.

Why were there no old people in the village? The young lord of the village ordered everybody over 71 to go to the mountains and die. He thought older people were useless.

What did the farmer do with his 71-year-old mother? He took her to the mountains to die, but on the way up she broke up small twigs and dropped them along the way so her farmer son wouldn’t get lost on his way back down from the mountain.

*MG’s translation..Son, you can’t even find a jar of peanut butter in a cupboard full of peanut butter much less make it back down this mountain..that is..without your mother.

Why didn’t the farmer leave his 71-year-old mother on the mountain to die? The farmer changed his mind about leaving his mother because he was too close to her and he could not think what it would be like without his mother.

*MG..Good answer my loving son. I probably would have added that it might get too dark before he got down from the mountain and he wouldn’t be able to see the twigs…or wild animals lurking about.

What did the farmer do with his mother when he got her back down the mountain? He just couldn’t let her die so he brought her back to his house and hid her in a hole he dug. The farmer knew if the young lord of the village found out his 71-year-old mom was hidden in a hole, the farmer and his mother would both be sent to the dungeon to die. (Craig spelled dungeon wrong, but that’s beside the point.)

*MG..wait a sec.. a hole? Doesn’t this village have someplace better for you to hide your 71-year-old mother? How big is this hole? Is the dungeon bigger?

This next question I don’t quite get. I only have Craig’s answer.

The farmer’s mother laughed when her son told her about the impossible task of making a rope out of ash because she knew how to make that very, very, easily.

*MG..Of course she did. The question is why do you need a rope made from ash? A cub scout badge perhaps?

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How did the young lord figure out what was going on? The 71-year-old mother saved the village 3 times. The lord knew that the farmer was not that wise so he asked the farmer if anybody had helped him. The farmer could not lie so he told the young lord that his mother helped him.

*MG..I probably would have said “MY MOM DID IT ALL YOU IGNORANT YOUNG LORD!! Where is your Mother? That’s what I would like to know!”

What lesson did the young lord learn? He learned that old people are not useless, but they are wise.

MG* I probably would have told the young lord that my son is very, very, wise. He learned it all from his Mother the Queen.

 

*MG..I think this book or story should be mandatory reading for all 11 year olds. They should have to read it a 2nd time when they are 16.

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1932 picture of the E.A. Thomas and M.E. Sanderson families. Mom is 2nd row, dark short hair and hat. Valerie’s Mom is the tall girl next to her with the bib overalls. Mom was 11, the same age Craig was when he wrote about the old wise woman. Uh oh..I don’t believe my Mother lied about her age when she was 12. She crossed out 12 and put 11. She probably did this after she became a wise old woman. Well at least she was consistent. She changed her DOB in Grandma’s family Bible too.

 

 

Murdo Girl… It’s all in the recipe (book)

You have to see what I found today. I won’t enter it in the water tower contest, but coincidinks are things meant to be appreciated. Just look..

All of you know how many thousands of pictures I have accumulated since I started writing Murdo Girl. Tonight, I picked up a small photo album that Gus brought when he came for Christmas. This photo was among several more recent snapshots, most of which I had already seen.

The beautiful young woman wearing the fur coat is my Mother. She is holding Billy. This picture is over 70 years old. Maybe one of you Murdo readers will be able to tell me where it was taken. The Murdo water tower is in the reflection of the window, and in Mom’s handwriting on the back it says..Doc Murphy said this is a good picture of the water tower.

This is amazing for several reasons.

1) To state the obvious, I’m collecting photos of water towers. It delighted me to find this one.

2) We lost many of our older family photos when the storage unit Mom and Gus had the pictures stored in flooded.

3) Mom was not a preserver of anything. I can tell this photo barely made the cut. It looks like she spilled her coffee while she was writing the description. I also have a nice 5 x 7 picture of Mom’s very dear friend Sugar and her husband George taken on one of their special anniversaries. Mom wrote her grocery list on the back of it.

I have all of Mom’s old recipe books. Two Methodist Church, and one Jones County Cookbook. Mom’s favorite recipes are dog-eared, but it’s not the recipes I treasure, it’s the entertainment. Mom had all kinds of notes, newspaper clippings and letters tucked between the pages. I found a two page handwritten recipe for soft oatmeal cookies. I purchased all the ingredients, mixed the batter, and was down to the last bit of instructions on how to bake them, when I noticed on the bottom of the second page, she had written, “Emily’s on page ? of the Jones County Cookbook are much better.”

In all fairness, I’m not any better. Inside my Jones County Cookbook, I found a newspaper clipping that Mom had cut out and sent to my son. It was an Ann Lander’s column describing the best way to get rid of blackheads. At the top Mom wrote, “I noticed last time I saw you, you had some breakouts…Try this.”

In the same cookbook, I found another newspaper clipping telling me If I was going to move to Texas, I would need to know how to kill cockroaches. The advice was to place oranges all over the house. Fortunately, I never had the need to try that particular remedy.

Inside my cookbooks I found 2 report cards (Mason), immunization records (Heather), a note from our daughter (Heidi) telling us what she wanted on her hamburger, and birthday cards to various people. I’m sure I didn’t send them because I didn’t remember I put them in the cookbook. Many of the pages of my books are torn out of the binding, but I can never quite manage to put them back in the right sequence. Everytime I make lemon bars, (Mom’s recipe), I have to turn the book upside down and shake the page out that has the recipe on it.

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This sample packet of Morton’s Season All has been inside the Methodist Women’s Cookbook for at least 20 years. I’ve never thrown it away because..well, it must still be good. See.. it’s still in the wrapper. I also recently found the warranty for a Rival crock-pot I haven’t had for probably 15 years.

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This is the recipe file my Aunt Elna Miller gave me 40 years ago. It’s been a while since I’ve looked inside. I found a story in there that was written by my son in 1989. Maybe I saved it because he got an A+. I guess it’s not a story, but it’s a pretty good read.

wp-image-846531793jpg.jpgNext, I found a picture of Aunt Elna, Mom and Grandma Sanderson. I haven’t seen it since around 1989. (I would guess.)

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I know this post is later than usual, and I never got around to writing the next Connie Story, because I was too busy looking for a recipe I can’t find.

Note to cousin Valerie: I found a recipe for Ella’s rolls. Do you have it?

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Terry Sanderson and Billy Francis..1946

 

Murdo Girl…Life’s Mementos

I’m wondering how many of you Murdo Girl readers surround yourself with things that remind you of love, laughter, family and friends. I hope all of you do. I had a lot on my mind last night and I have a brain that can’t be spread too thin. I sat and stared at the computer for a while, but I didn’t really feel like writing. Then I started to look around the spare bedroom where I do a lot of my blogging. I have stuff everywhere. (I started this last night and I decided not to change anything other than to tell you that I started this last night.) Here are some of my mementos. (In no particular order.) I have to stop for a minute, I just heard from Teresa…back now.. She and several others have come up with some great questions as you all read tonight’s (last night’s) Connie’s story.

Back to mementos. You probably think I spelled it wrong. Spell check spelled mementos with an e instead of an o, so I’m going with it. Hopefully someone will research the correct spelling and let me know. Oh, wait a sec, I just heard from Sherri. She had 5 questions about Connie’s story.

I took all of these photos tonight right here in this room. I even photographed the picture of Mom and me. (It’s me not I, I checked.)

Mementos

The Beasterhop

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We Shall See what We Shall See

just close your eyes and it will be.

Sometimes when we close our eyes, we can see much better.

The Beasterhop came to life and I said…”Dad, let’s look at him together.”

When I first wrote about my memories of growing up in Murdo, I sent the pages to my brother Billy. After reading them he said, “You didn’t write about the Beasterhop.” I hadn’t thought of it until he mentioned it, but I decided it should be a story all by itself.

When I was a little girl, I would sit on my Dad’s lap and he would tell me stories. Usually they came from an old Mother Goose book I had. It’s pages were tattered and torn. Dad knew all the stories and he told them so well. I loved those nursery rhymes. I looked at the book while he recited all the stories from memory and of course, he added a little bit of his own color here and there.

One day he turned the tables on me. He asked me to tell him a story. That day the Beasterhop was born. I have added two more Beasterhop stories to the little book and I will put them all on the blog when we get a little closer to Easter.

I found the figurine pictured above and took my Beasterhop along with my story to visit my friend Pat in the hospital. I dropped the Beasterhop and broke him. Pat said to give her the pieces and she took them home and glued him back together. He looks like new, and every time I see him, I think of my Dad and Pat.

Bonnie Blue

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I found this beauty I named Bonnie Blue, standing in a glass case at the Goodwill Store. Something about her intrigued me. I asked the lady working there if she would take the doll out of the case so I could get a closer look at her. The tag on her toe said $6.00. I bought her, brought her home and wrote a 45 page story about her. In a way, she became real to me, and now I know all about her life. I read a quote once that said, “I wrote the story, because I wanted to read it.” That’s how I feel.

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I have other mementos stuffed in this little room. The picture above is part of a collage of photos I have on my desk. I love this picture taken several years ago when I visited Mom and Gus and also Billy and Liz and their family in California. Gus took this picture when he dropped Mom and me off at the Pomona fairgrounds. They have simulcast horse racing there on the wk-ends and Mom loved to go. You can see how excited she was. I’m holding the pillow she used to put behind her back. Look at her Converse tennis shoes. She wore them before they became popular. Billy always said Mom was the first person to photo shop. She took an ink pen and colored in areas of a picture that she didn’t particularly like…mostly her arms (age spots), and her neck. She bought cheap tennis shoes and drew the Nike logo on them. She loved to go to garage sales, but only in the rich neighborhoods.

On this particular day, we really had fun. When I went up the two flights of stairs to get my 3rd baked pretzel during the running of a race, the guy sitting next to us leaned over to Mom and said, “I don’t think she’s really paying much attention to the races.”

I look at that photo and remember a fun day with my Mom, and it always makes me smile.

Here we have Jerome and Fay with a few other things I have collected for future stories. Next is a small bulletin board with a Valentine cousin Valerie made and sent to me last year, a card from a my friend Barbara that says,”We can’t all be Queen. Someone has to bow as I go by.” On top is the collage Judy Dykstra Brown and Patti Dykstra Arnieri made and presented to me at the reunion last summer. There is a picture of Grandpa Sanderson picking up the Christmas presents from everyone’s house on Christmas Eve, and one of our two cockers, Sammie and Pattie. You already know them and Cyndie..she is Pearl the dog in the Connie stories. You have also met Dollie the cat. The cross was given to me by my friend Fran, and the other dog picture is of Obie, who was very special to me.

To the far right is the ashtray my cousin Mark won on a “free game” when Dad took us to play Bingo. Mark kept it all these years and gave it to me last summer. Inside the ashtray is a bracelet one of my grandkids made for me. The ball of tinfoil is the very tinfoil Patti Dykstra Arnieri helped me make my crown with the night before the big parade.

I could go to the other room where I have a beautifully framed cork board Heidi gave me to display all of the grandkid’s most recent art and photos, but I better stick to just this room.

I use these old photo albums full of family pictures..both Kip’s and mine. Many were taken during the same time period as the Connie’s stories, so the photos you see are mostly of our families.

I’m sure you remember Dad’s pink ceramic giveaway holding one of the crowns Sherri Miller sent me. (Jerome and Fay fight over it.) I have crowns from my good friend Pat. (She has made 2 for me.) I have another from Sherri, one from Lady J, and two or more from others. I also have two T-shirts with crowns on them.

The 1967 MHS annual was given to me by Connie Jackson’s brother Eddie. It belonged to Connie and I treasure it. The butterfly pin was given to Mom by her best friend Sugar Nyquist Parker many years ago.

The picture below hangs in this room. It was given to Kip’s Grandma Lois McNinch by the Green River Valley Cowbells. Kip’s grandparents homesteaded in Big Piney, Wyoming. You have probably heard Big Piney mentioned on the weather report, as the coldest spot in the Nation.

I recently found this Prayer for Family that spoke to me. It’s not in a frame yet, but it will be.

I’ll stop now, but there is more..so much more..I’m sort of a late blooming Queen. (I can’t bring myself to say old..Okay, less young.)

I was feeling a little sad when I started this. I feel much better now. It’s nice to revisit happy memories.

Murdo Girl…The Brick House Valentine

In honor of Valentines day each misfit in the Brick House Gang has written a short poem for all of you constituents out there.

Happy Valentines Day

Roses are red, violets are purple

You’re as sweet as maple surple

NVP Lav

Convertibles are red, and I’m feeling blue

My fast Valentine, cause I’m without you.

I’ll go to Murdo agin and agin

If we can go for just one more spin.

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Without you my love, candy ‘s inedible

One more ride would be so incredible

Oh I admit,

I’ve porked up a bit

Some say the pounds make my crown look smaller

but I think my small crown makes me look taller.

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Just kidding Lav is still svelte

*************

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Sherri the Photographic Drawer

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I‘ll be yours forever, I love you that much.

Even if I leave you, I’ll still be in touch

So see Valentine it’s a win win

put me on your schedule and I’ll pencil you in.

💌✏

Jerry the Bean counter

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My whole life has been full of beans

On Valentines day cross my palm with some greens

I’ll be your true love, for any amount

But I prefer 5o’s they’re so easy to count

💚🏦

Pico

Oh Murdo people, it’s you I adore A

Be still my heart so full of amore’

Whenever I see you my heart misses a beat

I throw you all kisses and dance in the street

14-Eddie and Mari

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Is she for real?…Just keep smiling

A I

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Valentines candy? I can’t get enough!

I prefer sweets over flowers and stuff.

I’m an Aggressive Informant some say I’m a spy

Be my Valentine, or I’ll make you cry

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Jeez A I, did you just spit in my eye?

🤗💟🌰

DM

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They call me Danger Monitor. Feb 14th is just like any other day to me. I don’t rhyme stuff any other day. Every day there is lots of danger for me to monitor…I’m busy.. Besides Valentines Day is a lesser holiday..wait is that a limerick?

Treason

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All the above sounds way too sappy

 I’m so  bored I feel like taking a nappy

On Valentines day, I do as I please

No flowers or candy, just give me some cheese

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I’m taking a nappy

TC

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Okay Treason do as you please

But I’ll tell you one thing, you can’t have my cheese

Can you believe all of the fawning?

 instead of town crying, I’m sitting here yawning

***

Carol the Singer and Sometime Snake Trainer

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This valentine’s greeting is going down hill

I can’t sing my song cause this poem made me ill

“I don’t care what they say, I’ll play with snakes everyd ay ay,

but I’ll send all my lovin to you.”

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Some days I wish my name wasn’t Murdo

Queen E.

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Some say I don’t know if I’m coming or going

I look in the mirror and think that it’s snowing

I’m really much smarter than you are my chum

It takes one to know one so that means your dumb

hmm

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Our Moms said we couldn’t write bad stuff on Valentines.

 Murdo Girl

Giddy up Governor, let’s get out of town

Before someone sees me in my crown and red gown

This Valentines I need just 2 things

Please someone buy me a Coke and a Bings.

***************

We were gone all day and I had to hurry

and write this Valentine in a flurry

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The End

Murdo Girl…Put on your crown hat Queen E

 

Our beautiful Queen E. hasn’t been getting much attention as of late, so we’re going to remedy that today. You know how much she loves Murdo and Murdo indeed loves Her Royal Highness. She vacations in the South of South Dakota quite often. Occasionally, there will be a Queen E sighting at one of the local campgrounds. She loves spending time roughing it in her RV Coach. 

Queen E. Has her own room at the Brick House. (Murdo’s answer to the White House.) Some of you may remember her palatial Queen Cave as the English Room in the old high school. It still is the English Room in the old high school. How appropriate. Not only does the Queen like her digs, she is close to the Oblong Office, which means she can eavesdrop..I mean attend some of the meetings she is invited to, and all the ones she isn’t.

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WE SEE YOU QUEEN E

Now for the expose’ of several candid photographic drawings provided by Sherri the Photographic Drawer. Below each drawn photograph is a description of the moment that has been captured.

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“IF YOU’RE HAPPY AND YOU KNOW IT CLAP YOUR HANDS”

BOW AND ARROW

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PUT ON YOUR EASTER BASKET
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I PREFER A FIST BUMP
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“I’M GENE KELLY..YOU BE DEBBIE REYNOLDS
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“I’M NOT IN MURDO ANYMORE AM I TOTO?”
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TOTO..NO
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“I STOPPED TO SMELL THE ROSES”

 

“MAKE SURE THEY HAVE CABLE”

Oh here’s for Murdo Coyotes..the orange and black ones.. They’re bound to win..which cheerleader outfit do you like best?

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WHERE’S MY CAMERA WHEN I NEED IT.
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OH..It appears Sherri wasn’t finished..Great Brows!
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Whatever you said..Well Said!
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WHAT ARE YOU LOOKIN AT?

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YOUR TURN..WHAT IS THE CAPTION? put your caption on FB, comment on the blog, or  email…kmtexas2@gmail.com

ONE AND TWO 

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THREE

 

 

 

 

Murdo Girl…The Brick House.. Surprise party

It’s Monday morning at the Brick House and Next Pres Murdo Girl is at her desk in the Oblong Office. She is busy as usual.. filing her fingernails. Pico (Person in Charge of Brick House Functions), walks in.

MG: Quickly shoves her nail paraphernalia in her already “stuffed with junk” desk drawer..Hi Pico, thanks for getting here so quickly. I have a Brick House function I want you to be in charge of.

Pico: I’m just a hop, skip, and a jump away Next Pres. I spend most of my time down in the employee lounge.

MG: I noticed you’ve been hopping, skipping, and jumping a lot lately..too many mochas? Anyway, I just found out that yesterday was Sherri the Photographic Drawer’s birthday. I want you to organize a surprise belated birthday party for her in the gym. It has to be tonight. Can you do that?

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This is Sherri and her daughter Niki. She is planning to follow in her Mother’s footsteps and become a Photographic Drawer…or a veterinarian. 

Pico: Consider it done HRH Next Pres MG. Pico doodles a minute on a sheet of paper then hands it to MG. Here’s your invitation. Gotta go! See ya tonight and don’t forget to bring the cake and ice cream.

Invitation to a Brick House birthday party

Come one come all. You’ll have a ball.

Sherri’s birthday is belated. We haven’t even celebrated.

The Brick House team will unite, and give Sherri a special night.

Her age is still a secret? Has Sherri reached her peak yet?

Every constituent is invited. Not one person will be slighted.

Dress real stylish and come at fiveish.

The Brick House team, except for Sherri, will meet in the gym at 4:00 o’clock for rap practice?) This is a SURPRISE!!

At fiveish, the whole team and a smattering of constituents are in the gym waiting to surprise Sherri…tick tock, tick tock, tick tock..

wp-1486582773062.jpgsmattering of constituents 

Smattering of Constituents: TC! Will you please stop saying tick tock?? We feel like we’re on that TV show, “The Price is Right.”

TC: manages not to cry..Okay Smattering of Constituents..I just felt like I should town cry something, ya know? I hate silence ya know? I have to fill voids with something ya know?

Lav: looks at Treason and says: Is miss not so sharp cheddar cheesehead over there for real?

Treason: I kinda feel sorry for her…having to wear a wedge of cheese on her head all the time. I heard she’s having a problem with mice. Can’t we afford to get her a real Town Crier hat?

Jerry the Bean Counter: Who is eavesdropping..No. I had to dip into the bean bag for a new cheesehead when I accidentally squished her old one. A real town crier hat is cost prohibited.

Treason: You mean prohibitive?

Jerry: No..I mean prohibited. I bought the wrong thing first. Do you like Head Cheese?

A I: I have a stupid question. Did anybody tell Sherri she was supposed to be here?

Carol: A I, use your head for something other than a straw hat rack and a place to hang your shades. It’s a secret so Shh! Now let’s practice this rap one more time. Lav’s going to rap it, and we’re gonna tap it.

A I: I have another stupid question. We’re gonna tap dance to rap music?

All gather their props and lineup.

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MG: Comes walking in with a cake. Sorry I’m late. I had to wait til the cake was done. It’s not like you can just walk into Super Value and get an already baked cake.

DM: It looks like a pancake. Did you bring syrup?

Sherri..Sherri baby.. Sherri..Sherri baby..Sherri..

Sherri is in the employee lounge drawing a photograph of herselfie, when she hears her name. She proceeds to follow the sound to the gym.

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Happy Birthday Sherri…from the Brick House Gang

“Sherri Sherri ..Where B the Cake Rap”…by Lav

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Thank you Lav

Queens who wear toilet seats on their heads get stinky head cheese

Murdo Girl…What makes us strong?

 

 

 

When I watched Mrs E. eat a  Spam sandwich with lots of jalapeños or the extra “hot” Jimmy Dean sausage patties with her eggs, I would marvel at her iron stomach. She always said, “Daddy told me to eat hot stuff. The hotter the better.” Then she would flex her good arm and double up her fist and say, “He told me it would make me strong!”

I think there is some truth in what her Daddy said. Maybe an iron stomach indicates an iron will in a person. Mrs. E was strong willed..that’s for sure. Personally, I don’t like a fire pit  burning in my tummy. There has to be another way.

I’m not talking about physical brawn. I’m talking about emotional strength. I can’t imagine what it would be like to be able to face every fear with courage. A fox hole prayer doesn’t get enough credit. Even if it’s used as the last resort, it suggests at least a seed of faith. It takes strength to resist saying or doing what I shouldn’t say or do. It takes strength to resist temptation and strength to be disciplined and patient. Patient?

Mom always said, ” Mary… patience is not your middle name.”

It’s hard to outgrow childish ways if you continue to think like an 8 yr old. It’s a lot more fun, but the consequences of the misdeeds of an adult are indeed more severe than the punishment metered out to an 8-year-old. Being sent to my room doesn’t have the same impact as it used to.

Still, being strong and patient doesn’t cover all the bases. The ability to accept the things I cannot change is the hardest thing for me to do. I can’t change people, places or things. The only thing I can change is my actions and reactions to them. Here are some things that have been useful to me…when I remember them.

“Don’t push the river, it flows.” I know I have said this before, but it bears repeating. I am bad about trying to make things happen. As a result, some things have happened that maybe shouldn’t have. Have you ever heard the Garth Brook’s song, “Thank God for unanswered prayers?” It’s about a guy who was jilted by his high school sweetheart.Twenty years later, he went back to a high school reunion. He looked at the old girlfriend and then at the woman he married and thought, “Whoa!! Thank God I didn’t get what I prayed for.”

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The above applies to times when we want sympathy because we have suffered consequences of our actions..before we have stopped crossing the ocean. We all need to believe in our own ability to cross our own oceans. Another way to say it is, ” if you want your head to stop hurting, stop hitting it against the wall.” It’s good to try a new solution when the one we keep using… keeps not working.

I’m one who has been given much. I know I don’t always give as much in return. It’s also very difficult to give love and support unconditionally.

I don’t mean any of these thoughts to have a negative connotation. “Think positive,” is my daily montra.

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5-year-old granddaughter (her daddy is giving her a bath and I’m watching.) Daddy, what is the capacity of this bathtub?

Daddy: What?

Charlie: Daddy..how much water does this bathtub hold? That is what capacity means.

Daddy: I don’t know, but you are very smart.

It’s okay to say we don’t have all the answers.

I just watched the coin toss before the start of the Super Bowl. As President George H.W. Bush and Barbara were crossing the field to toss the coin, they were given such a warm ovation, it touched my heart. While he was in the hospital last week, President Bush’s main focus was to get well enough to be released in time to go to the Super Bowl. This was another goal reached by a man who skydived on his 90th birthday.

Memo to self: Don’t try to be great…aim higher. Strive to be good…

I want to thank all those who are praying for our daughter-in-law as she prepares for her surgery on February 15th. Your prayers and friendship equal strength and gratitude.

 

 

Murdo Girl…The Brick House..Community service

It’s Monday morning at the Brick House and Murdo Girl is hardly working at her desk in the Oblong Office. She’s working on a crossword puzzle. Sherri the Photographic Drawer walks in. Murdo Girl quickly shoves the magazine in her desk drawer. She’s embarrassed at being caught goofing off so she picks up her crossword puzzle dictionary and pretends to be reading it.

Sherri: Are you still reading the dictionary? I tried to get through that book, but I only made it through L. It drags in parts and there aren’t enough pictures.

MG: I agree. I’ll wait for the movie..So, what’s my Photographic Drawer up to today?

Sherri: I’ve been drawing pet photograph posters for Lav. I needed a break. I’m drawing snakes now and I’m not real fond of reptiles.

MG: I don’t know what to say. I’m really afraid to ask why..Okay why?..WAIT! Don’t tell me….Okay, tell me.

Sherri: What rock have you been hiding under Next Pres? The whole gym is full of animals. Lav decided to add dog catcher to her list of Murdo Government responsibilities. She decided while she was at it, she would include all animals and reptiles…and a few bugs. TC has a sore throat from Town Crying and allergies, so she’s going around putting posters in all the merchants windows and on all the telephone poles.

MG: OH NO! She can’t be doing that!

Sherri: Why not? She says other than an irritated throat, she feels just fine.

MG: Not TC..I mean Lav. I better get down to the gym and see what’s going on!

Sherri: Okay, break’s over..I’ll go with you. I can’t miss this.

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I’m Lav. I caught this dog.
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Don’t worry, we’ll get Killer back
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Am I on life support?
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I’m TC, I cry a lot

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I’m Sherri..I drew all of these photographs

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Meanwhile Jerry the Bean Counter is at Harold’s barbershop uptown. Anybody who thinks all barbers talk and joke around a lot don’t know Harold. Since Jerry never has the 2 bits for a haircut, he worked out a deal with Harold. Jerry keeps the customers entertained while Harold cuts their hair, and in turn Jerry gets a free haircut.

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Baby: But I don’t need a haircut!! (Jerry and Julie kissing the baby)

Jerry to customer: Hey, how do you want your hair? Do you want Harold to cut it a little longer in the back? Haha. He cut the last guys hair twice and it’s still too short. Haha.

Customer: Haha..say, I was wondering, when would be a good time to bring my 2 yr old in?

Jerry: When he’s 4 haha

Customer: Haha. Hey, could you trim my eyebrows a little?

Jerry: Why? They’re almost long enough for a comb-over..haha

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Meanwhile… while Jerry is at the Barber shop, DM and Pico are over at the Harold Thune Auditorium giving cha-cha lessons to the drill team. They don’t get paid or anything. They’re doing some community service work..and they’re having a few difficulties.

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Carol is with them. Can you hear her singing? 1, 2, chachacha, 3, 4, chachacha. What is she doing with a snake?

DM: Come on people! We’re not doing.. 1, 2, do-si-do, 3, 4, do-si-do… it’s chachacha, so quit swinging your partner!!!

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Pico: See my outfit? Wouldn’t you rather wear this than a square dance skirt and all those petticoats? Comfortable shoes? You want to wear Comfortable shoes?

Murdo Girl has left the gymnasium to go back to the Oblong Office. Here is some of what she has witnessed.

(Kitties: she took us from our home.)

(Treason: She’s trying to find me a home. I already have a home.)

(Carol and snake: How much?)

 (Barney: Barney??)

( Lav: Don’t worry next Pres, I’m going to find them all a home.)

The Town of Murdo is all twitterpated again. Lav has taken everybody’s pets and now she’s trying to find homes for them. The Queen can’t find her Corgi’s..It’s just one awful mess.

Murdo Girl: If I hear one more person tell me Lav’s heart is in the right place, I’m going to scream so loud it will wake the dead! I knew it was a big mistake to give her free reign of the Jeep. Isn’t it enough that she’s Vice Next Pres? Now she wants to be a dog catcher.

I don’t care how many crowns you give me…I quit! But first, I’m going to pick out a nice dog. One that doesn’t belong to someone. One that isn’t looking for it’s rightful owner.

Then I’m going to disguise myself and spend the rest of my life collecting water towers and eating Bings. Yeah..that’s what I’ll do. Haha!!

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Hey Next Pres Murdo Girl…wake up. I think you’re having a bad dream. It’s Lav, wake up!

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