Brer Rabbit

I loved loved when Dad would read to us at nights. Especially when he busted out the Brer Rabbit stories. Dad had the best accent for those stories and the story of the Tar Baby is the one that I remember the most. I also remember Where the Red Fern Grows and Sounder. They all bring back the wonderful, peaceful, lightning bug-filled summer nights in Kentucky. I miss those days!

Cougarettes!

A couple weeks ago Dad was visiting Andy and I. He had come up for a conference. It just so happened that there was a basketball game on the weekend he was here. It was so fun! The atmosphere of a BYU basketball game is incredible. Plus, we got to watch Jimmer play! Wooo hooooo! During half time, the Cougarettes (the BYU dance team) performed. They are 8 time national champs. Obviously they are pretty good. Well, Dad was just glued to their half time show. After they were finished he let out a big "PHHHEWWW! That was technically sound!" It was probably one of the funniest things. Andy and I still say it. Dad knows what's up!

Murderers.

I was in my American literature class and my professor was talking about times when we have perhaps been deceived by someone. I thought of a great story that happened to me about 2 years ago that i haven't talked about in a really long time. I feel it should be documented.

So I'm working at my Dad's office one summer. A middle aged couple comes trudging in. I say trudging because they looked horrid. They were dressed in rags and were quite sweaty to be descriptive. They seemed a little wacked but of course I helped them anyway. They said they had been to the emergency room and they had just told them they were dehydrated. But something was definitely wrong with these people. I went to the back and got them a drink of water. I got back and decided I just needed to call the ambulance. I can't even remember what they said was wrong. But I sure found out later.

I got the Mr. a wheelchair and wheeled him out to the parking lot--the Mrs. said she would drive him back to the ER. They didn't want the ambulance to come. Suddenly the man just started yammying all over. I felt so bad for him and I'm pretty sure I even offered to drive them to the ER--I did this a lot with my Dad's patients that didn't have a car. Good thing I didn't!

A couple days later, this couple was charged for murder of a teenage girl in St. Johns. It turns out they had come to the office after brutally murdering a girl. Ya, I'd probably be sick too.

Ya, Professor Cutchins. I've had an experience when I have been deceived by someone!

Wake up wake up!

Remember in Kentucky when Mom would come in each morning blasting Sister Hazel "All for You"? Ya, I'm listening to it right now. She was a lot nicer than Dad who would come in singing "Roll out the barrel" or "Rise and shout" He would give you like POINT TWO seconds to get out of bed and if you weren't up....prepare for an entire glass of water being tossed into your covers. Ick. I choose Sister Hazel!

I got a Gal I do

Rachie and I decided it would be really cool to collect the lyrics to all the fun family songs we sing. Here's the first one!

I got a gal I do

Her name is Slough foot Sue

She’s chief engineer at the shirttail laundry

Down by the river side blue

Her farm is all she had with a face like a soft shell crab

All day she would tussle with her feather in her bustle

My gosh but she was bad

That’s where my money goes to buy my baby clothes

I buy her everything to keep her in style wella wella wella

She’s worth her weight in gold by coal black baby

Say boys that’s where my money goes

I promised I’d meet her with the clock striked seventeen

At the stockyard just three miles out of town

Where pig’s eyes and hog’s ears and tough old Texas steer

Sell for sirloin steak at 90 cents a pound

She’s my honey my baby

She’s humpbacked she crazy

She’s lantern-jawed, she’s knock-kneed and she’s lame

And I know her teeth are phony from eating strong bologna

She’s my lop-eared consumptive Mary Jane

Hamblin Family Traditions

I love our once a month get togethers for family home evening with the whole family. i LOVE singing our old family traditional songs. "Whoa Mule Whoa," and "I've Got a Gal I Do."..... and of course all of our songs with rounds.

The cycle of our family get togethers usually goes along these lines...

The Uncles are chosen to lead the separate groups and give us the pitch. One brother gives the pitch..but no..."That's too Low."...Eric says trying to reassure that he is the correct brother. but without fail Scott remarks "No...Eric...We're not all sopranos here." It takes a few more times as The Brothers hum their pitch and finally agree on one. Once we start there's no stopping. As you look around room you can see the 24 cousins. The young cousins are wailing pitchy words to a yelling kind of tune as they punch, poke and giggle as they cause their usual ruckus. They become more hyper and out of control with each belted word. The older cousins are slouching over and barely getting the words out. You can see the expression of...well not really anything. You can look from Merrill to Steve, to Scott---...all with looks of concern on their face that their group is flying out of hand and torturing the songs that they have have put together for THE FHE song. all of a sudden.......OKAY.STOP! We need to start over.

Uncle Steve is usually the one that puts us to the halt. It takes about a minute for everyone to realize that half of us have stopped singing. .....An again..we begin the tortuous, but pleasant family song. We spend the next half an hour continuing with rounds of songs trying "to make up for the last one", until finally we agree to just sing a song that doesn't require so much thinking, so as not to strain the Uncles' brains too much.

I want that!

Remember when we used to watch TV and EVERY  single commercial that advertised any kind of toy, Rachel and Blake would yell out, "I want that, I want that, I want that!" I mean every time. It never failed.