CALLING PAM

Pam,

I wish to hear about your childhood.

While she is coming--did anyone else have a chldhood?

I didn't have a childhood as a child--I am having a great one now.

The beauty of skipping childhood is you don't need to complain about your folks-wait until they are gone and you can misbehave all you want.

Noone can hit you or anything--it s a great concept--it is much easier to raid the pantry and refrigerator and snoop in your Christmas and birthday presents.

You can sleep or not--Eat or not

Try it --I am certain you will like it.

Alice,
that's better than having a child that becomes a hood.

Abe

You are getting it--your kids will be so concerned about your bad behaviour they will need to be exemplary.

Jo Elle,,

Tell us more--keep it coming!

Obviously they gave you life. I want some examples of how they taught you to live. I like my parents too--they just were not kid people.

I have a wonderful life--attentive husband, great kids, the best grandkids and of course only mavelous doctors and hospitals. My parents were the best for me.


Carol,

My brother and I are as dfferent as night and day also.

Alice,

I liked my childhood. My parents lived with my grandparents and my aunt lived there also. My mother and father were great people. My father believed in the importance of education.

What is strange is how different my brother and I were. You would never know we had the same parents.

Carol

Well Alice, since you asked...

I had a childhood, once. It was a long time ago, and truthfully, most of it took place far far away from here.

My parents are still alive, and in their golden years I quite enjoy them. They were both born in England, and my mom came here when she was 5, my dad in his 20s; they ran a very strict and traditional kind of household. We moved from Canada to the UK twice -- sell everything, get on a plane, start over, come back, then rinse and repeat. The bonus for me was that I got to meet all of my extended family on both sides of the pond, and they're all good cooks!

With all the moving I did not have a huge circle of friends, and I became a reader at a pretty young age, limited only by the rules set by the local library. Mine was not what I'd call play in the dirt, stay outside all summer, laugh your head off kind of childhood, but it wasn't bad. I also read a lot, learned to play several instruments, and to cook and clean like a pro.

As an adult, of course, I get to design my own life, and other than being temporarily short of money, I love my life. I love this part of the world I live in, (most) of the work that I do, and to stay outside and play in the summer.

I have to tell you all that I got a lovely gift from my parents this weekend - it was a parcel of goodies for my daughters and I for Christmas. Inside, Dad had wrapped and carefully packaged a fruitcake that he and Mum made -- which is a special treat this time of year, and one that I really enjoy. It was a pretty cool thing to unwrap.

Pam,

Thanks, I could see they did something right--you even wear the correct pants to work.

The fruitcake is hilarious.

Our daughter married in England and I was determined to have a white wedding cake --not a fruitcake. I lost --we had frutcake.

It was beautiful and probably tastes fully as good today as it did then. That was 13 years go.

I've seen it happen over there - fisticuffs if anyone suggests sponge rather than fruitcake for a wedding! I think fruitcake gets a bad wrap because folks experiences with it are of a tough, dried out lump of raisins, and it's the consistency of brick. People overcook it - poor fools. Fruitcake that is done properly is moist, delectable, and often drizzled with rum. If we ever meet, I'll make sure I have some with me.

It really sounds great, Pam.

My grandmother made fruitcake every Christmas. She brandied her own
fruit, and in early Fall she made blackberry wine. Around Thanksgiving
she poured the wine over the fruitcake, put a cloth cover over it and
let it "ripen" until Christmas.

I hold all fruitcake up to that standard and as yet, haven't found one that even came close.

Brew,

You have made me want frutcake. I never thought I would see the day.

When someone is called "a fruitcake" it is not very complimentary. I don't know how that translates to eating it.
My mother also made or bought fruitcake at Christmas time. I never liked it unless there were nuts in it. Now what does that tell you?

You're all as nutty as a fruitcake.

You recognized that, eh?

Shelagh wrote:

You're all as nutty as a fruitcake.

Right--I am so envious of Jo Elle--when she changes her avatar--everybody notices.

When I give up on being a human and present myself as a cat--nobody cares.

Oh well--can't sweat the little things.

Alice,

I thought it was a cute avatar, but I know you are a person and not a cat.

If I could ever figure out some of how to put pictures on here or change avatars I might put on something different.

Carol

I noticed your avatar, Alice, but just thought you had a 'thing' for ducks. Now, if you had changed it to a different picture of YOU, I think you'd have gotten many comments. Didn't everyone comment on the pic of you in front of PA?

Carol,

Thank you I am honored to be a person.

A person seems more distinguished than a human being.


Zada,

Great idea!

I will see if I can upload that one

Avatar Explanation:

This picture is not here to inflame or upset anyone. I became interested in visiting PA headquarters. We were in Frederick, MD for an army reunion

I dressed myself up in my very best clothing. A doctor friend said, " You look like the Queen of Sheba!"

I had pearls and diamonds on and Mephisto shoes etc

I purchased dark chocolate truffles and somehow ascended that stairway without coming to grief.

I gave the receptionist the chocolate--identified myself and thanked them for publishing my book.-- I told them I was very happy with it.

I was on my way out --wondering how I could get down alive when Meiers himself came out and introduced himself,

In person, he is a charmer. You get more flies wth honey than with vinegar.

Abe F. March wrote:

When someone is called "a fruitcake" it is not very complimentary. I don't know how that translates to eating it.
My mother also made or bought fruitcake at Christmas time. I never liked it unless there were nuts in it. Now what does that tell you?

When I told my co-worker that I was moving to California he said "ah, you're moving to the granola state". I asked him to explain that. He said it was the land of "fruit, flakes, and nuts".

I loved California and its people. I fit right in.

Carol Troestler wrote:

Alice,

I thought it was a cute avatar, but I know you are a person and not a cat.

If I could ever figure out some of how to put pictures on here or change avatars I might put on something different

Carol

Carol,

I love your picture, however if you wish to change it--click on Profle--then Informaton--then avatar--upload whatever you want.

Alice and Carol,

You can set up your own photo albums. Click on "Gallery" on the navigation bar:

Gallery

Alice,
I noticed your avatar change, but I kind of like it better when you have a picture. And as much as I like the picture of the PA building with a tiny "you" waving, I hope you find an even better one to post!

JoElle,
I like your new avatar, too. I lived in Los Angeles for 6 years after leaving my parent's home in Michigan and loved it. I fit right in, too! But the East coast called to me, and here I am.