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June 06, 2005
A Story about Ralph and Ugly Shirts
When I was 9, I got a cheap stuffed mouse in my Christmas stocking. Actually, to be more specific and truthful, I got a kangaroo and traded my little brother for a bear. Only I thought it was a mouse.
I had recently re-read Beverly Cleary's The Mouse and the Motorcycle and so named my new mouse, "Ralph", as I named everything. Including my pet chicken who turned out to be a girl. This cracked me up, so my stuffed mouse was also girl named Ralph. Who I loved and loved and loved. For many years, Ralph was my good friend, accompanying me on vacations and road trips and sleep-overs. I played with her like she was a doll, only Ralph has no arms or legs, just felt glued on. I still made clothes and accessories for her, like sleeping bags and hats and earrings.
Now Ralph sits in a box, her head all smooshed flat and her one remaining sleeping bag outfit on- earrings long gone. I tried to give Ralph to my daughter to play with, but just couldn't bring myself to allow poor old Ralph that sort of treatment by a two-and-a-half-year-old.
Maybe Ralph will be in Signa's 9-year Christmas stocking. Or maybe Ralph will stay in the box until this story is long forgotten and great-great grandchildren wonder why their crazy old ancestor kept such a hideous thing for all these years. If only they can know that that sleeping bag outfit of Ralph's actually came from the sleeve of my 1976 floral shirt. Maybe they'll save at least that.
And now some...
Signa Snippets:
* The other day, Signa was playing with her Fisher Price people and I asked what their names were. She had the two African American boys who both are the same figure except have different accessories. I asked what their names were and she said, "Dis one is Uncle Bobby and dis one is Uncle Scott. They are going to Applebee's." So there you have it. Bob and Scott have not only made it high enough in Signa's world to be Fisher Price Little People, but they also are esteemed enough to dine at the renowned Applebee's restaurant.
* There is a scene in Star Wars where C3P0 takes an oil bath (sometime after or before Luke whines about power converters). Signa is obsessed with shampoo for C3P0. "Where is CP0's shampoo? CP0 needs shampoo!" What kind of shampoo washes IN the oil? Not sure I know the answer to that.
* It's funny to watch Signa try to figure out language on her own. The other day, she said someone was "talking for us!" She meant, "Calling us." But if you think about it her way, it does make sense.
Posted by Debbie at June 6, 2005 12:51 PM