I'm such lucky person to have the best sister anyone could ask for. I know that, even if I wasn't able to speak... she would understand me in every way that she already does.
I don't have to ask questions or make statements - she already knows. Even if it's thru text in an email, she can hear my voice thru my typing. It's a connection that I have with her and only her. I cannot trade it in and I can't get rid of it, nor would I ever want to.
I feel bad for people who don't have a sister or brother... you would never experience the true delight of having another person, completely different from you - experience everything you have in your childhood.
Stories you never have to retell, feelings you don't have to explain and memories you never forget. A sister has always been there.
When Laura and I were little (5 & 10) we would watch TV in her room... this TV was hilarious. My Dad was a salvager of all electronics found at garage sales, even peoples garbages (this isn't something I'm proud of... but without this hidden treasure, I wouldn't have this hilarious memory).
I was a gullible child.. hell, I still am. Did you know that Gullible is in the dictionary?! Anyway, my sisters TV was the sweet mini wooden TVs with the two dials on the front for changing channels... way before the remote control was invented. The screen was a nice almost oval square that looked like a balloon coming out from the faux-wood box it sat in. We would watch our daily Saved By the Bell, Fresh Prince and on weekdays in the summer - Jerry Springer (I'm sorry but anyone who grew up in the 90's is guilty of this).
When the TV was on, there was a tiny green light at the bottom of the dial right above the brown material speaker on the right hand side... My sister convinced me that if you push this button (which I learned later wasn't even a button but a light that had no movement or importance other than indicating that the TV was "on"), the TV, the house, everything would explode. For years, I was terrified of this little green light and every once in a while would stop watching the television show and stare at this horrifying button that could end my life. I couldn't understand how she was so comfortable sleeping in the same room as this evil TV!
A few years later, I was sitting in my sisters room alone watching Bay Watch - yes I remember it this well... and looked at the little green button and feeling quite rebellious...
"It can't be that bad... it'll probably just make a bang or something"... so I pressed the button... I kept waiting and waiting for the TV to start making noises, shaking, becoming a ticking time-bomb. I got so scared that I couldn't handle the wait any longer and pressed the button again to reverse the explosion, killing me and my family. I never learned the hard way if that button would ever explode... I learned from my mother when I told her that Laura had an explosive inside her TV... one of the many things Laura fibbed about to get a rise out of me... including that I was adopted because of my straight hair and different shaped nose. I was never able to get her back because she wasn't as gullible as me.
The first time I ever thought my sister was bad-ass was when she came home from school with a tape, put it in her cassette player and pressed play. Alanis Morrisette comes on after waiting the inevitable 30 seconds before the tape starts playing. This song was hard-core. It even had the word "shit" in it. I knew at this moment, my sister was pretty sweet and could break the rules.
Siblings all have their ways of dealing with things... hitting, screaming, calling each other names. Though I did drop a rock on my sisters head then kicked her in the face for telling on me and then biting her until she bled for crying about it - my sister and I were not violent at all.
Instead, if I came into her room and she wanted to be left alone... her way of making sure I wouldn't bother her was by putting her foot in my face and screaming "lick or leave"... I'll tell you... it never failed to make me run faster than I ever had before. No wonder I have an immense hate for feet.
Laura, I love you... and though this is a hugely public and mushy posting on my blog... I don't want anything that happens in our lives to come between the bond you and I have had since the day I was born.
We both know where we come from... we both know what's happened. I'm tired of being broken apart from my family and I refuse to let this happen to us. You mean too much to me.
It's not easy to go thru the ups and downs of family drama... but the one person who always gets me thru everything, is you. I know I can count on you... and without your thoughts of wisdom... I wouldn't have the strength to put my foot down when I need to, and to put my wall down when I'm being too hard.
Though these are memories of good things... I will still always blame you for my fear of toilets... that olive green toilet will always haunt my dreams... considering I was face-to-face with it as you pushed me int and flushed.
xoxo
Aw, I love this post! I have fond memories of that tv as well - begging Laura to play duck hunt on it and sleeping under that crispy yellow/orange flowered blanket to watch it late at night on the lowest possible volume so we didn't wake your parents! I also remember thinking Laura was insane for calling it a converter (the remote)...it's a "tv thing"!
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this post, I really hope Sloan has a sister that she is as close to as you guys one day!
Since Laura and I grew up together, we have so many memories, and you were there for so many of them! I loved your stop light. It wasn't just an olive green toilet, but a matching tub, and sink as well! And.....I'll never forget the day that I was in your parents room, watching your mom make her bed amazed at the amount of pillows that I noticed the VCR in there was the one that went missing from the garbage at the end of MY driveway! Priceless, and yes, your Dad was great at reusing electronics, clocks, etc.
ReplyDeleteSiblings are so important in our lives, especially our childhood, and I think we often take advantage of them, and put our stresses or joys on them, without even realizing it at times. Laura is so understanding and so loving, you are truly blessed Ingalls!
Joelene, the coverter is the BOX that you pointed the remote at, older TV's needed them to get the higher channels that the dial didn't have!
Charly, thank you for taking the time to write this. It means a lot to me. I think part of the reason our family has some ongoing issues is because some don't come out and compliment others as easily as they can tear them down. It's nice when you get a really good surprise and lastnight when I was at home and randomly popped on my little sister's blog; this was a nice surprise.
ReplyDeleteIt means a lot that you remember the stupid little things, as bad as that sounds. Dumb small memories that keep you smiling and laughing for years are the ones that help you get through any obstacle.
With that said, Charly, I hate to tell you this but that TV would have blown us all up into smithereens, but I had shut the trigger off because I knew you would eventually press it.
I will never regret pushing you towards an over flowing toilet or sticking my feet in your face as this has turned you into the person you are (someone please pat me on the back).
Regardless of the days when you drive me mad, it's a nice reassuring feeling that no matter what, I know we forgive and forget with each other. Nothing is worth giving up the sisterly relationship we have. Siblings fight and argue but perhaps it makes us stronger because we always overcome the upset.
If our parents did one thing right, it was raising us together as sisters, as best friends and as part "dip" and "stick".
It's ridiculous that we fought over who would be the dip and who would be the stick but I wouldn't change that for the world.
Joelene - I have no doubt in my mind that Sloan will have a sibling (hopefully a sister too!) that will help her on her life's journey. They will be bestfriends and always have endless fond memories. You are a person that will raise a child with traits of love, compassion and a kind heart; just as you are.
Randi - You're so sweet with sending those kind words. I think we are all lucky (Me, Charly, Joelene and yourself) including your sisters and David; as well as a couple friends who haven't yet read this blog. We are all lucky because I consider it a friendship that feels like sisters. I can tell you guys anything and never have to feel bad about it. You're always there for me. Through thick and thin.
I'm very lucky to have a sister who posts a mushy blog about me.
I'm very lucky to have girlfriends who serve purpose in my life like additional sisters I never had.
"Having a sister is like having a best friend you can't get rid of. You know whatever you do, they will be there."
"A sister is a little bit of childhood that can never be lost."
"If you don't understand how a woman could both love her sister and want to wring her neck at the same time, then you were probably an only child."
"A friend is one who believes in you when you have ceased to believe in yourself."
"I count myself in noting else so happy as in a soul remembering my good friends."
"A true friend stabs you in the front." (hehe)
One more note:
The VCR that my dad stole about 17 years ago from the trash at the end of the Farrish's driveway is currently at my grandmothers apartment. It works fine to this day. Seriously.
PS - I'm the dip.
Aw, and now a great comment from Laura! You guys are going to have me crying all day! Randi, I know the box was the converter, but Laura used to call the remote the converter and I thought she was insane for it (among other things! lol).
ReplyDeleteRandi and Laura, you guys have been like my sisters that I didn't get, and Charlie the little sister! - maybe I should write a mushy blog post about you! :)
Oh, and that "thing" (I don't even know what it was) that your Dad turned into a lamp that my parents have....they still have it!
Way to go, Charles Ingalls - making all my friends aka sister's and me cry. RUDE!!! haha
ReplyDeleteIt's nice to spill guts sometimes and get it all out and be mushy together. Too bad virtual hugs and snuggles aren't the same as the real thing because I want to send it to all three of you! xoxoxoxoxox
Joelene, it was a converter! I still call it that too. I always ask Mike for the converter. haha
What lamp, Joelene?? Oh God. I can only imagine the horror. My dad made a lamp out of a shelacked (sp?) bat! It was the first to see. With that said, I do NOT think your parents were the ones who would buy it.
Then again, someone else bought Charly's old jeans (shelacked as well) and made into a table. I'm dying laughing. omg
I love all you guys.
Randi, Joelene, David, Brittany - you were all my sister (and brother) during childhood. We were all so lucky to have that support team growing up.
ReplyDeleteJoelene - Running outside screaming Happy New Years and Happy Birthday for your 15th birthday (I believe you turned 15).
Screaming inside your garage to see if people outside could hear because you once screamed when you found your dead hamster frozen in the freezer.
Randi - Watching Mr. Heeley living in tighty-whities and playing on what I can only assume was the most dangerous thing in Bruce county - the giant ice thing at the park from a broken pipe.
Laura - Playing store in my bedroom, having 80's movie night, letting me dance to Madonna while stuffing my shirt with socks so I could have boobs, driving really fast in the mini van into town on school days, blasting Bush at 7:30 in the morning.
We all have amazing memories. To make our days even more enjoyable, we should always put an effort to remind each other of these times that made us laugh and still do.
Joelene - until you JUST said that the "converter" was the BOX and not the remote... I always thought it was the other way around... no joke. Thank you for educating me, lol.
I still ask for the "converter" as well.
ReplyDeleteCharly what a nice thing to say about your sister.
ReplyDeleteI remember with Randi and I we would stuff our shirts with socks too, to have big boobs and we would also wear pantyhose on our heads so that we had long hair.
I also remember dressing Brittany up like a hobo then going down to my mom's salon in the basement and telling her and her customer that we had dressed her up like a homo.
I think we got in trouble for saying that.
Omg... I can't contain my laughter - this is a fully enjoyable story!
ReplyDeleteMy cousin Sara and I would go around her apartment building switching her neighbors door mat.
Laura and Sara took it to the next level by running around in their underwear doing the same thing.
Mind you we were in our teens when we did this.
I remember one year the bus was so late to pick us up because it was winter time and there was a storm that we went to your place to wait with Randi and Brittany. It was so cold out and we were out there for so long that our eye lashes had frost on them!
I also remember being on the bus and someone poked you in the bum with a needle... not cool.
Um, just in my defence, when I was running around an apartment building in my underwear (fact), I was also putting my pants on my head to look like a turban. And I wasn't in my teens. I was about 22. No shame.
ReplyDeleteI died at Christine's story about Brittany. DYING. That's soo funny.
Who poked Christine in the bum with a needle? That's sooo mean!
Christine, I remember that as thought it just happened.Ah, the good old days eh!
ReplyDeleteI also rememeber Laura and I in my battub in bathing suits playing with her fake food. and we weren't crazy young either!!! hahaha
It was great that we all kinda grew up together! And playing The Little Mermaid at the park was fun! The pipe wasn't broken either, it was for flooding the ice rink, and there wasn't a turn off valve, so it just rand for months on end, making a giant ice castle for us. This was before Laura stormed off mad because I made her be Eric, since she was always Ariel, and I always had to be the boy!