JUST A NORMAL DAY?

A few days ago I was waiting for my grandchildren in the commons area of their school.  There were plenty of interesting discussions going on around me, but one in particular caught my attention.  A young dad and his preschool daughter were having a presumably typical after-school chat, which started with, "How was your day?" To which the preschooler responded--"Just a normal day."  Her dad laughed, as did I, and answered, "Just a normal day?  You can't complain about a normal day."

That made me think about what constitutes a normal day in my own life, and if I appreciate it enough.  This winter's been more difficult weather-wise because we've had 50+ days of below zero weather in Minnesota.  That bone-chilling cold became the "norm" too often, and I did complain vehemently.  Even so, I've been lucky to have a warm, cozy home to return to at the end of the day.  I don't take that for granted, no matter how routine.

A normal day for me involves a lengthy morning drive to my grandchildren's school, various errands and projects to work on, for myself as well as a friend, and a return trip to school and back home. There's often not much that's eventful, but every day is filled with interesting and delightful discussions with my grandchildren (9 & 12), and we laugh uncontrollably at times.  We're good observers of the daily life of others along the way, as well as good listeners of one another and topics on the radio.  There's a normal routine to our day, but it's never boring.  As I'm pondering my future and realizing that within a year, my life may be very different, I feel more than a little sadness.  I've been taking care of children--my own three, my grandchildren, and others for more than 41 years, in addition to working other jobs.  It's soon time to move on with my life and discover what a different kind of "normal" entails. 

   Photo by Heinrich Richter, Barntrup, Germany

Our lives are filled with normal, everyday activities, which may or may not give us reason to complain, but sometimes it's not a bad idea to check ourselves and listen to the wisdom of the young dad--"Just a normal day?  Well, you can't complain about a normal day."  After all, as Rose Kennedy once said, "Life isn't a matter of milestones, but moments."

Manhattan folks, busy with normal, everyday activities

        

Here are a few pictures of others, young and old, and those in between, doing normal things in the course of a day.

WHAT WOULD AMELIA THINK?

I've always loved reading children's stories, and some of them have reminded me of myself and my own comic actions and misinterpretations.  My family and friends could tell you

 
endless stories about my knack for taking things literally.  Maybe that's why the stories about Amelia Bedelia particularly resonate with me and have me laughing out loud most of the time.
Amelia Bedelia, the character created by Peggy Parish over 50 years ago is a delightful maid and housekeeper, as well as an exceptional cook, which literally saves her from being fired on a nearly daily basis. Amelia always has the best of intentions and works diligently, but her efforts often have disastrous results.  Through the years, her wealthy employers known as Mr. and Mrs. Rogers learned to adapt to Amelia's miscues and often rewrote instructions, remembering Amelia's literal-minded thinking. Initially told to "dress the chicken," Amelia proceeded to dress the chicken in tiny clothes, no doubt wondering why anyone would need to do such a thing. When Amelia was told to dust the furniture, she proceeded to throw dusting powder on various furniture items, which totally exasperated the Rogers when they came home.  Instructed to change the towels, Amelia used scissors to change the looks of the towels, in her own creative way.  It wasn't quite what Mr. and Mrs. Rogers had envisioned. As time went on, however, they came to appreciate Amelia and her well-meaning ways, as well as her delicious pies, which never required her use of recipes.

 

Through the years, the beloved stories of Amelia Bedelia have sold over thirty-five million copies.  Peggy Parish, the author, based her character on a maid that she had come to know when she lived in Africa for some time.  Even the unusual hats that Amelia wears were based on Peggy's recollections. 

Following Peggy's sudden, untimely death, her nephew Herman continued the stories of Amelia.  Peggy had often stayed with his family in South Carolina and Herman had come to admire and appreciate his aunt.  Not wanting the stories to continue to be written by other authors outside the family, Herman studied Peggy's writings of Amelia and has since written many wonderful books about her.

If you're ever fortunate enough to travel to South Carolina, make a point of visiting Manning, South Carolina, Peggy Parish's home, where you'll find a statue of the one-of-a-kind Amelia Bedelia.  Better yet, check out some of the delightful Amelia Bedelia books at almost any library or bookstore.  You'll enjoy being a kid again and the laughter just might be infectious.