Pages

Thursday, October 11, 2007

Me at 5 years old

(my favorite bird was the Goldfinch at 5 years old. I got the sticker from Bible school and stuck it on my picture.)


The year was 1971, and I wanted to be Tarzan. Do I hear laughter all the way from blog land? I was not your average 5 year old girl. That summer I ran around in my underwear, (it was 1971) Tarzan didn't wear clothes, neither would I. It was a common occurrence for me to be in the front tree of our home and let loose with a Tarzan yell. I practiced those yells daily. You know, the old Johnny Weissmuller yell, the best Tarzan of all. One day the neighbor lady was putting water in her birdbath when I let loose with one of these yells. She tripped over herself trying to find out what that heinous sound was and fell flat on her back. My Mom comes running out because she has seen the whole thing from the window. She helps the lady up, I am ordered in the house. She came back in a few minutes and explained to me, while trying not to laugh why I should not scream like Tarzan when older people were around, I agreed. But, occasionally still let loose a yell , when the bird lady was in the yard.

I remember very vividly my birthday that year, my Mom never got me a present, or baked me a cake (no, we are not Jehovah witnesses). So I waited until she took her afternoon nap. And crept into her room and cracked eggs in her knee high boots. It was a glorious feeling. I put them way back in the closet and about a week later the most horrible smell erupted from her closet. She started searching for it and came upon her boots. She took them out of the closet and black mold had grown all the way to the top! She asked me if I knew anything about how they got like that. I looked at her very solemnly, and told her Dad had cracked eggs in her boots when he was drunk. And she believed me! It wasn't uncommon for him to do stupid crap like that when he was drinking.

I remember being fascinated with everything around me. I was so curious. I loved to color and create things. And I ran everywhere. I knew the names of trees and birds, because my Mom taught me those things. I had an imagination out of this world, and was convinced our next door neighbor was a werewolf.
I drove my Mom crazy because I wanted to be a singer when I grew up, and I would go around singing Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves at the worst possible times, like in the grocery store at the top of my lungs. When people would ask why I liked that song I would tell them because my family was a band of roving Gypsies. Dad spanked me once for that when he overheard me telling the mailman we wouldn't be needing the mail delivered at our address anymore because we were getting ready to leave for a long trip across America in our caravan.

I also was madly in love with the boy next door, who also was madly in love with me. He was an ass. He taught me to pick my scabs and convinced me to eat one. I know that is pretty gross. He did it first!

We broke up after the little brat knocked me out with a horse at the park. It was one of those swings in the shape of a horse. He said, "Hey Nita, come here." So I go running over and he pulls up on his horse hits me in the temple and I go out like a light. Still makes me mad.

I really liked me. I remember thinking I could be a dentist because I pulled my own teeth. None of my friends were that brave. Yep, that was me at 5. ~nita~

What were you guys like when you were 5 years old?

22 comments:

Deb said...

Obviously, you were MEANT to be an artist! I loved this post!

Deb

Donna said...

What a sweet spirit you are..then and now! Have a great day sweetie!

~Red Tin Heart~ said...

Deb: Thanks, I am glad you liked it. I really liked your site but could not leave a comment. Your site is so informational. I am going to try some of the stuff you have on there. xo Nita

Donna: Thanks. You have a good day to. xo Nita

Simply Shelley said...

Hi Nita, you were very bold for a five yr. old ,putting those raw eggs in your Mom's boots. I bet that was a horrible smell. Guess, she should have use those eggs to bake you a birthday cake.(smile) Hope you got one the next year ! The picture is so cute of you. Sweet that you saved the little bird sticker from bible school. I remember letting out a few of those Tarzan yells as a child myself. I never could sound as good as Tarzan did tho. I also had a little boyfriend next door once. I gave him a bloody nose when he decided to break up with me. I can't believe I did that, but I really did.

Blessings,Shelley

~Red Tin Heart~ said...

Shelley: Thank you. And thanks for sharing what you were like when you were 5 years old. I bet we would have been good friends. love Nita

~Red Tin Heart~ said...

Shelley: I was bold for 5 years old, and I thought she should have used the eggs to make a cake to.She never did celebrate my birthday until my sister was killed in a car wreck, I was 12 but turned 13 the day they buried her. love nita

The Feathered Nest said...

Nita! I love that picture of you...adorable! You were fiesty and oh so brave too. That'll teach your mom not to make you a cake! That stunt that boy did makes me want to hunt him down right now and pop him in the face!!! I can remember when I was five, waiting for the kindergarten van and looking down on the driveway at these giant earthworms crawling across. It had rained and they were all out. It terrified me. I would visit next door with the sweet old woman and she grew strawberries and would make me strawberries and cream with sugar on top (the beginning of my love affair with sugar). You know, five years old was a LONG time ago for me!! xxoo, Dawn (I love it when you write, Nita!)

Susan @ Blackberry Creek said...

Nita, you've really been through some trials, haven't you? I praise your wonderfully brave, creative spirit. God has some special blessings waiting for you; I know he does. BTW, when I was little (a bit longer ago than 1971), my sister and I played Tarzan all the time. I always had to be Tarzan. She was Boy. Have a blessed day, Nita.

Unknown said...

Hmmm. When I was 5 I was jealous of my brother and kicked him where the sun doesn't shine. We were living with my grandparents and they made such a fuss over my brother because he was the first born grandson (and was the only grandson for the longest time). I kicked him more than once I think(different ocassion) and they were sure that I had made him sterile for life (I have a nephew now, so I must not have hurt him that bad. ;). I was the oldest of 5 kids and we fought like wild dogs at times. I laugh as I write this because we are nothing like that as adults. Pretty tolerant and respectful of each other now!

Amy said...

Nita, You never fail to crack me up!!!!!
I loved you at 5. At times while reading it I had to rememind myself that I was not reading one of my made up episodes of Fantasy Family!!!!!!!!!!!!
I was an interesting(??) 5 year old. I will have to write about it.
Amy

Unknown said...

Oh Nita, you were a hoot as a 5 yr old! I love the gypsy story - made me laugh out loud! I really don't remember much when I was five. But we moved from Ohio to Florida when I was 7 and I remember there was a sea grape tree right by my bedroom window that had a limb shaped just right for sitting on a leaning back on in the shade. I used to go out there and read all the time - I was such a bookworm.

~Red Tin Heart~ said...

Dawn: I am glad you like that picture of me. I think it is my favorite of me. I loved that outfit as a kid. Thank you for wanting to hunt that punk down, I never knew how he grew up. But with his penchant for violence I can't say it was to well. I loved your memories of you. xoxo Nita

Susan: In many ways I see that the trials made me creative. I had to have an imagination at times to surrvive the horrors of childhood. Thank you Susan for your compliments , you have a kind and generous heart. love nita

Nathalie: You sounded kinda mean. I like that. It is crappy when Grandparents or parents favor one child over the other, it should be outlawed. Then the offenders should be forced to clean dirty cages from nasty monkeys. Ok, I thought that would make you laugh!! Are you laughing? love Nita

Amy: You crack me up too! This is a real story though. I did just notice I have a camel toe in those shorts though, and it disturbed me greatly. Did you notice? Don't tell me. xo Nita

Jill: I am still a hoot!! But, thanks, I was a crazy little kid. I had all sorts of stuff that happened to me that would make a great book. I liked your memories. I was a major book worm too. I use to read one book per day. xo Nita

Anonymous said...

I was a little trouble maker for sure! http://farm1.static.flickr.com/177/403015949_ba63920ea4.jpg

Q said...

Dear Nita,
You were and still are a great kid!
When I think back to the growing up years I am often amazed I survived. You have been given so many challanges in life. I love your honesty. I admire your tenacity.
Sherry

~Red Tin Heart~ said...

Monarch: i'll check that out. ~nita~

sherry: what dosen't kill us makes us stronger. i have always lived by that. i admire you sherry for bringing so much beauty to the world with your photos and your spirit. love nita

Dena said...

I loved this post Nita. I can see your determined spirit shinning through in that 5 year old. I wish I were brave enough to put eggs in peoples boots at times even now ;) I remember putting my dollies up by my pillows on my bed and sitting down at the foot so that I could "drive". My bed transformed in to my car and I was taking my daughters to fabulous places and spoiling them rotten like I wished I was. The Brady Bunch created terrible expectations for me!

Hugs,
Dena

Unknown said...

Nita, I think your judgement of my grandparents is a bit harsh, but I am laughing anyway! heehee. You are funny. And as for camel toes... EVERYONE had one in the '70s. Tight pants/ shorts were the fashion. Do you remember "hot pants"? Yikes! And to think all of that is coming back in style in one way or another. Makes me feel like an old geezer. heehee. And I am not that old (3 years older than you).

Anonymous said...

I LOVED that song.. Gypsies Tramps and Thieves! LOL! When I was five I was busy wishing I had a different father, but my imagination was huge. We'd nail towels crossways up the stair case and make little "compartments" like we were riding in a train! We'd also flip over rusted tomato cages and bounce on them in the yard, they were our horses out on the prarie! Loved seeing your picture of you when you were five! You looked so spunky!

Susan @ Blackberry Creek said...

I had to stare at that photo for quite a while before I figured out what a "camel toe" is. Now I know. I guess that's my new word for the day.

pchickki said...

You had some nerve putting eggs in those boots! I love this picture of you and I remember bible school. You must have a very vivid memory to remember way back when you were 5 years old! I don't recall to much. I gave my little brother dog food just to see if he would eat it....he did! We raised chickens and I remember soaking a hankerchief in iodine and cutting it into small squares and making scarves for our little roosters because the big roosters pecked them until they bled. I remember swimming in the drain ditch and hunting for asparagus. We lived on a farm so my brother and I used to eat the horses oats stored in the barn in a big barrel. My Mother just had her car upholstered and my little brother and I used to play in the car like we were driving. I discovered that the cigarette lighter made such pretty perfect circles in the new seat covers....boy did I get in trouble. Wow, I guess I remember more than I thought I did. Camel toe huh? Yep, I had pants that showed the camel toe! You have made me laugh until I think I am going to pee my pants.
XOXO
Patti

Mary said...

Oh, my. What a gal! Your story made me giggle here at the office...

The only time I ran away from home when I was five. I packed a grocery bag with my stuff and marched across the alley to live with Miss Eva who always spoiled me with loads of candy. My Mom didn't allow me to have it because of allergies. I was gone for two hours and returned home.

~Red Tin Heart~ said...

Mary: I was quite the little stinker. That is funny you ran away for 2 hours. Did your Mom spank you? xoxo Nita

About Me

My photo
I love beauty, whether it is in nature, literature or art. And I love music... My day feels incomplete if I haven't had a chance to listen to some good music.. I also love beautiful souls, and kind hearts.

Followers

Copyright@ 2007- 2013 by Nita Barrow- Zimmerman
all rights reserved. Please do not use my original art, photos, or reprint my writing without asking me for permission. Thank You...

Pick out one person a day to encourage.


Please pray for the protection of Israel.
And for the Jewish people who live there. May God give them the strength they need to defeat their enemies.
“To love means loving the unlovable. To forgive means pardoning the unpardonable. Faith means believing the unbelievable. Hope means hoping when everything seems hopeless.”
—G.K. Chesterton (1874-1936); writer, critic
"There will come
a time
when you believe
everything is finished.
That will be the beginning."
Louis L'Amour
(1908-1988)

"Wisdom is knowing what to do next;
virtue is doing it."
David Star
(1851-1931)
exert from
The Philosophy of Despair
It is never too late to be who you might have been.
George Eliot
Friendship is a sheltering tree.
Samuel Taylor Coleridge
~Wishes are free~
So why not make one?
Psalm 138:7

Though I am surrounded by troubles, my God will preserve me against the anger of my enemies. He will clench His fist against my angry enemies! His Power will save me. The Lord will work out His plans for my life- for His faithful love endures forever.

Blog Archive

If you haven't any charity in your heart, you have the worst kind of heart trouble.
Bob Hope

How to Build a Fairy House

How to Build a Fairy House


Minature Quilt

Janet Bolton

Janet Bolton
Quilt and Textile Artist

Miniature Quilt

Miniature Quilt

Miniature Quilt

FEEDJIT Live Traffic Feed