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Friday, July 15, 2011

More About Me and Booger County Life!

Since there wasn't enough room in the "About Me" box I thought you probably deserve the full colorful version (instead of that awful run-on paragraph).
So, I guess I'll start with my childhood....
I am the oldest of three children, one sister, one brother. My parents were also born and raised here. My father passed away almost three years ago now and it's still hard to talk about. He and my mother were also high school sweethearts. They got married and moved into a trailer (no judging) next to my Dad's grandparents on their farm. My great grandpa was ill and needed help on the farm. So I had the run of an 80acre farm with hay fields, a spring, woods and all the stories Grandpa George had! Boy do I wish I had had the good sense to write them down, but sadly no.
OK, so... little girl, on the farm, pick'n daisies and climbing trees. Oh yeah, I was a tom boy but I like to play with my dolls too :) Grandpa was a cut-up and so was my Dad, so it's safe to say that's where I get it.
We went to church every Sunday, Sunday night, Wednesday and any other time services were held. (I've got a few good stories right there!) Now, that's not to say that when those awful teen years hit I didn't rebel a little...I've got two teenagers now so we won't get into details there...we are all imperfect and it's a daily struggle, wouldn't you agree?
SuzyQ is the nickname my mother always called me, Dad just called me "Shug" (as in short for sugar?...cause I'm SSSSWEEEET! :) anyway, I was happy to think he thought so. Mom called my sister Sally Ann. I don't know why but we all tend to do that... in my family at least. My boys suffered "pooky-toot" and "turkey-butt"! I have NO clue how I came up with that but I liked turkey-butt so much I used it on the last two! LOL
My brother survived with "bub", or just the fact that he goes by the initials of his first and middle name probably helped.
Most of my family on both my mother and fathers side trace several generations here in Booger County alone so yes, I'm practically related to most of the county! I always say that if my husband wasn't originally from California there would have been a REAL GOOD chance I'd have married relation...not on purpose people!, but when you live in a small rural area and don't know all your second and third cousins....it's totally possible! I have a running joke(one of many), whenever you're talk'n bout someone who's not quite all there, I'll usually comment that "Their parents are probably first cousins!"
I won't lie...city people annoy me. Now obviously not ALL city people, but I've got to say that I've watched alot of them move in around these parts and if it ain't the locals pull'n stupid crap- it will be the city people! I don't have anything against someone wanting to move from the crammed up cities out into the country...just don't buy a tractor when you only have 10 acres and use it to MOW YOUR LAWN! Geesh! Plus it's a real slap in the face to your neighbor who owns 80+ acres, out cutt'n his hay in his old Ford tractor, in 100 degree weather, to look over at you in your John Deere, In-closed cab, not a spot of dirt on it, tractor, mowing circles around the flower bed in front of your house!
Yes, I have lots of stories/rants such as that...
Most of the people here in the Ozarks are of  the Scott/Irish decent, with a little Cherokee mixed in. Yes, everyone says they have a Cherokee Indian Princess in their ancestry...even me. Of course I haven't found any definitive proof she was an actual Princess but doing some searching of my own I found out that Diane Sawyer had traced her lineage to the same person, Princess Cornblossom. Doesn't every little girl want to be a princess??? Maybe not one named Cornblossom, but we take'em as we get'em..oh yeah!
Anyway, that should explain why alot of the old-timers are backwards and hot tempered, this includes my wonderful Irish Grandparents- who fight like cats and dogs but really do love each other. Grandpa Riley does not like leave his farm and if he does have to...well, the minute you get there he says "Let's go home!"
We always got the biggest kick out of them coming over to visit, translation: for Grandma to get her hair done,(my mom was a beautician). Grandpa would be hurry'n her from the second they got out of the car. The real funny part was when it was time to go Grandma would be still talk'n to us while Grandpa was in the car yellin "Come on Katie!", and slowly pullin away. She would have to trot after the car to catch up and when she got close he'd give it gas and pull away a few feet! She would get frustrated and repremand him but then break out laughing...how could you not?...the whole darn thing was quite the scene. My Dad would sit on the porch and laugh and we'd all way bye... over...and over...until Grandpa finally let her in the car and off they'd go!
Well, I guess I'll leave ya with that, and hopefully wanting more so you'll come back and read more from me.
Feel free to ask questions...I'll be happy to answer ya!

Only in Booger County...
SuzyQ