He chewed it like a bone, the dress was shredded and Irene was so upset and crying. She slept with her little doll, carried it around. Thank goodness my sister in law was able to get the same doll the next day. It wasn't any special doll, not a Cabbage Patch Doll, or any one of the big sellers of the day but she was Irene's "baby". 
Me and my sister Linda used to tease her about her doll's name. Horrible aunts! She was just a toddler, but we would ask her what the doll's name was and she would say "Baby". We would say no, what's the baby's name? She would get all upset and say "Baby, it's Baby!" She was the center of attention, the first niece for us, my parents first grandchild, the world was centered around Irene. But poor Mac, he was the king of his castle. My brother loved his dog and even celebrated his birthday with cake and party hats! Mac was a typical bulldog, his jowls always filled with gooey saliva and he would shake his head sometimes and I would get hit with that slime flying across the room! But I loved Mac, he was a good dog. My brother became a father when he still had Mac and what Mac went through with my niece Jessica! She tortured the poor dog and he let her, never growled or bit or went after her, he knew she was the reigning princess. He also humped everyone! You had to watch out if he was coming near you. It might just be to get a big old pet, but it mostly was to hump your leg! The only person he never did that to was Jessie, he knew enough. Again I loved Mac even with some of his "annoying" habits! Jessie grew up thinking that's what all dogs did. When I got Molly she asked me if Molly humped. I cracked up, it's so funny what kids think and say, so honest about everything!
I used to love the Candid Camera show, especially when Allen Funt would talk to the kids. So innocent and honest. Here's a great clip from Candid Camera with Muhammad Ali surprising some kids that were being asked questions about him and their faces when they see him they are so real (that's reality TV!!) and so honest. And by the way, the last kid who talks with Ali mentions Chuck Wepner, nicknamed "The Bayonne Bleeder". Me and my friends used to run into Chuck all the time "down the Jersey Shore". His license plate said "Champ" and he always had an entourage of young girls hanging around him getting free drinks. My brother Bob came down one weekend and we all went to the Headliner. Chuck was there with all his girls. My brother, who has a few drinks in him, starts imitating all the girls around Chuck, saying "Chuck, Chuck, oh Chuck!" It was time to leave! We got out of there before Bobby became "The Brooklyn Bleeder"!
And when my sister-in-law Debbie reminded me of Irene's doll, I remembered what my brother Michael did to my Tutti Doll.
The Tutti doll came out in 1965, so I was about 6 or so when I got the doll.
She was Barbie's little sister. We didn't have lots of Barbie Dolls when we were young, we had more paper dolls. They were popular when I was growing up. I don't think kids today would be the least interested in playing with them, but me and my sister Linda, our cousins and friends had hours of fun playing with them. I had Mary Poppins paper dolls and even Little Women, so many more. I loved my Tutti Doll and me and Linda, I'm sure, each had one. I'm 2 years older than Linda and my mom pretty much bought 2 of everything in different sizes. My brother Michael is 4 years older than me and as I've mentioned he was one of the biggest busters you ever met! Especially to me when we were growing up. He didn't tease Linda at all, I was a much better subject, he could get a rise out of me by looking at me. And he was 12 or so years older than my sister Debbie and to her, he couldn't have been sweeter, they had a very special relationship from the start. Michael had an assignment in school about Joan of Arc and actually asked me to use my Tutti Doll as Joan of Arc, all sweet and nice, like he didn't just put a fork in between his teeth and bite down on it, something that drives me crazy! I probably said something like no way, you're not using my doll for anything, and besides I don't even like you.
Of course Michael used my doll. I came home to find her burned at the stake, he cut up a sheet and made some kind of dress for her and actually set her on fire, she was burned, her hair all gone. I was furious! I don't remember, but I hope he didn't get a good grade on that project!!
Dolls.
Wonderful memories of playing with my dolls. Funny now, not then, but Michael burning Tutti at the stake (an ice cream stick) was funny. They entertained me and my friends for hours, using our imagination to make up stories. I didn't have a lot of Barbie Dolls, maybe two, but some of my friends did and shared, they had more Barbie dolls, the house and car, so much more than I did, and I learned about sharing and also some people had more than me and some less, and that was okay.
Brothers!
I have four, three older, one younger. The older ones drove me crazy most of the time when I was young, again mostly Michael, but there were many times I thought they were cool and was proud that they were my big brothers, and now, the older ones may still see me as their baby sister, even though we're all in our 50s, we're friends, love each other and spending time with each other, I wouldn't trade them for anything. And my younger brother Joey, my buddy since he was a baby, my best friend.
Dogs.
We had a dog in our family ever since I can remember. Sometimes two at a time and a cat or two in there as well. Sandi, Prince, Mr. Tibbs, Heide, Kissie and then my beautiful Molly. Meant for me. All my brothers and sisters, cousins and friends, a lot of dog lovers in my life, especially my friend Maria, who has three now, all of them she rescued and I've never seen more animals in anyone's home and I'm not talking about her three dogs, her cat and turtle. Everything is an animal. Her coffee cups have animal pictures on them. Her paper towel holder, her hamper, prints on the wall, her jewelry, all animals. She's one of those special people when it comes to animals. And as much as her husband loved dogs before knowing Maria, I think he loves them more now. She gives her time and money to all kinds of animal charities. When she rescued Dixie, she was part of a chain of people that brought Dixie and her brothers and sisters up from the south. They would meet at state lines and then the next person would transport the puppies to the next state line. Maria, in New Jersey, was the final stop for the pups and got to drop them all off with their new families. She spent a few hours driving with them and picked her Dixie and also said it was amazing, each of the puppies really fit with the families that picked them. Even the last person, who didn't get to choose, the pup fit with them. They were all meant for each other.
1 comment:
I am sitting here at my desk at 7am, waiting for a parent meeting, having a crappy morning, and you just made me literally LOL at my desk! Thanks! Love ya!
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