A Bike, The Mumps and Christmas Snow

Chritstmas Tree

 

So much snow, so many memories-

When I was 8  I came down with the mumps just before Christmas.

I got to stay home from school, and I spent most of my time drinking soda pop and coloring. It was great. My Mom bought me a ton of coloring books and paper dolls and I had our family dog Punky all to myself.

The only fly in the ointment was that year it wasn’t even cold enough to frost the windows let alone snow.

Then on Christmas Eve there was a cold snap and wouldn’t you know it? It started to snow.

My Dad bundled my brother and sister in their winter gear and took them for a walk in the snow with the dog and they left me at home with my stupid crayons and paper dolls. I stood in front of the living room window and  watched them merrily break a path in the new snow, which did indeed twinkle in the moonlight.

I didn’t say a word.

Then I went into my bedroom/jail cell and wrote a letter to Santa:

 

Dear Santa,

I hope you crash your sleigh and I hope your Reindeer get rabies and eat you.

Anita

 

I stuck my letter in my Christmas stocking and went to bed.

I woke up sometime in the night and I heard my Dad and his cousin laughing.

” That girl is a piece work ” one of them said and as I fell back to sleep I’m pretty sure I agreed.

 

The next morning I rolled out of bed, I put my robe on inside out and didn’t wear my slippers- which were pink and spectacular because they had little puppies all over them. I put one snow boot on and stalked out to the living room.

When I got out there, right next to the tree was what I had been asking for since the previous Christmas- a new bike.

It was lime green and had a gears and it had tiny little pale green daisies on the frame.

I was in love.

I sat next to my bike and opened my other presents- it was a haul- I got a rock tumbler, roller skates an etch a sketch, a butterfly yo-yo and a purple yo-yo. I even got a couple of Barbies, Sea Monkeys and a crystal growing kit.

My Mom pointed out my mumps would be gone soon and maybe the snow will have melted and I could take my bike and skates out and try them out.

I was in such a good mood I agreed.

Did I mention I got a Shrunken Head kit too?

We cleaned up the paper and started in on the treats and I took my bike to the pantry and where there was a back door that led to the back yard.

I guess someone looked up and saw me flying by the window in one boot, one slipper, my inside out robe on my new bike down the snow and ice filled street.

I’m not sure how long I was out there, but by the time I got home I had a huge bump on my forehead a couple more on the back of my head and I had sprained my ankle.

Plus side is, I got a couple of candy canes and a color book from the Nurse at the Doctor’s office.

For the rest of the night my Mom and Grandma kept waking me up and asking me my name and I almost ended up back in the hospital when I said, ” Emma Peel “.

 

So there it is- a snow memory and one of my best memories ever.

Apparently my parents thought it was pretty great too because years later I found my Santa Bite Me letter in a box with the Christmas ornaments.

As you can see,  my weirdness didn’t pop out of thin air.

The Holly Berry doesn’t fall far from the Holly Tree.

 

snow

Our Random View: Christmas Prompt Snow

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