I got a bit of snoose up my nose this morning regarding Diaryland. I know that there are those of you who support Andrew and his server problems, but I think there are better ways to handle the situation than to just cut everyone off with the exception of the Gold Members. How about giving all “freeloaders” a 30-day free trial to see whether or not they like Diaryland before they start paying a monthly fee. Wouldn’t that make more sense? This type of behavior only makes me NOT want to become a paying member and to look elsewhere for service. And if he truly is having trouble rebuilding his server and it’s taking this long, maybe he’s got the wrong boys doin’ the job.
ANYWAY – enough on that subject.
I wrote something several days ago regarding May Day. I suppose it’s really not relevant anymore, but I’m going to post it anyway – just because I can – so there. (Gotta get rid of that “snoose” in my nose, ya know.) So here goes:
When I was a kid we used to celebrate May Day every year. By May 1st the weather is usually warm and sunny on a daily basis, a very definite reason to celebrate in Minnesota. And then there was Mrs. Broberg, my grade school teacher, who definitely believed in all things traditional. And May Day and May Poles were on her list of traditions.
We had a tall pole in the schoolyard located so that we could use it as a May Pole. Every year one of the bigger boys would shinny up the pole and attach a bunch of crepe paper ribbons to the top. Then Mrs. Broberg would drag the record player outside, set it on a little table, run a bunch of extension cords back to an electrical socket, and we would practice the May Pole dance. Heaven forbid it would rain at anytime during the week that we would practice, because then the crepe paper ribbons would run and bleed and one of the bigger boys would have to shinny up the pole again and replace them. May 1st would finally come, and all the parents would be invited, chairs set up out in the schoolyard and we would perform the dance.
We girls were all dressed in dresses that matched the pastel color of our crepe paper. And we wore big beautiful hats made from paper plates covered in crepe paper flowers that we had spent hours making. The half of the girls would have a ribbon and walk to the right; the other half would take a ribbon and walk left. We’d walk in opposite directions holding the ribbons tight, and as we met, we would alternate by going under the ribbon of the first girl then go over the ribbon of the next girl and so on. This up and down or in and out movement would create a weaving pattern down the pole as the ribbons got shorter.
Of course there was a series of winding and unwinding the streamers to the music, a few dance steps tucked in here and there, and when the pole was finally all woven we would end the celebration with cookies and Kool-aid in the school yard.
Then it was home to deliver all the May baskets to our friends. Sneak up to their door, leave the basket, knock on the door and run as fast as you could. I don’t know why we felt we had to run to get away because our friend was also out delivering May baskets and wasn’t home to chase and kiss us anyway!
May baskets were a real competition as to who could build the prettiest. We’d work on them for days ahead of time selecting just the right paper, ribbon, and contents for each friend. They were usually made of old wallpaper, construction paper, gift wrap, etc., with pipe cleaners for handles and maybe a few silk flowers or curly ribbons attached for decoration. We’d save our money and shop for penny candy to fill them. Back then a dime would buy a sugar high that would last for days. Root beer barrels, fire balls, lemon drops, sweet sippers, bubble gum, well, you get the idea. It was almost Halloween repeated in the spring.
Do the kids still celebrate May Day by delivering May baskets? Or is that something that has faded into the past. Lovely Daughter is 31 now, and none of my friends have school age grand children, so I’m just a wee bit out of touch. It’s certainly something I look back on with fond memories.
ANYWAY – enough on that subject.
I wrote something several days ago regarding May Day. I suppose it’s really not relevant anymore, but I’m going to post it anyway – just because I can – so there. (Gotta get rid of that “snoose” in my nose, ya know.) So here goes:
When I was a kid we used to celebrate May Day every year. By May 1st the weather is usually warm and sunny on a daily basis, a very definite reason to celebrate in Minnesota. And then there was Mrs. Broberg, my grade school teacher, who definitely believed in all things traditional. And May Day and May Poles were on her list of traditions.
We had a tall pole in the schoolyard located so that we could use it as a May Pole. Every year one of the bigger boys would shinny up the pole and attach a bunch of crepe paper ribbons to the top. Then Mrs. Broberg would drag the record player outside, set it on a little table, run a bunch of extension cords back to an electrical socket, and we would practice the May Pole dance. Heaven forbid it would rain at anytime during the week that we would practice, because then the crepe paper ribbons would run and bleed and one of the bigger boys would have to shinny up the pole again and replace them. May 1st would finally come, and all the parents would be invited, chairs set up out in the schoolyard and we would perform the dance.
We girls were all dressed in dresses that matched the pastel color of our crepe paper. And we wore big beautiful hats made from paper plates covered in crepe paper flowers that we had spent hours making. The half of the girls would have a ribbon and walk to the right; the other half would take a ribbon and walk left. We’d walk in opposite directions holding the ribbons tight, and as we met, we would alternate by going under the ribbon of the first girl then go over the ribbon of the next girl and so on. This up and down or in and out movement would create a weaving pattern down the pole as the ribbons got shorter. Of course there was a series of winding and unwinding the streamers to the music, a few dance steps tucked in here and there, and when the pole was finally all woven we would end the celebration with cookies and Kool-aid in the school yard.
Then it was home to deliver all the May baskets to our friends. Sneak up to their door, leave the basket, knock on the door and run as fast as you could. I don’t know why we felt we had to run to get away because our friend was also out delivering May baskets and wasn’t home to chase and kiss us anyway!
May baskets were a real competition as to who could build the prettiest. We’d work on them for days ahead of time selecting just the right paper, ribbon, and contents for each friend. They were usually made of old wallpaper, construction paper, gift wrap, etc., with pipe cleaners for handles and maybe a few silk flowers or curly ribbons attached for decoration. We’d save our money and shop for penny candy to fill them. Back then a dime would buy a sugar high that would last for days. Root beer barrels, fire balls, lemon drops, sweet sippers, bubble gum, well, you get the idea. It was almost Halloween repeated in the spring.
Do the kids still celebrate May Day by delivering May baskets? Or is that something that has faded into the past. Lovely Daughter is 31 now, and none of my friends have school age grand children, so I’m just a wee bit out of touch. It’s certainly something I look back on with fond memories.
3 comments:
howdy howdy and welcome to bloggerland!!! i remember maypoles!!! i guess people dont do that anymore!!!
I remember doing May Day baskets once when I was a teeny tiny kidlet. Neither of my children has ever done it. I think it's a thing of the past.
I'm glad to see you posting. Stupid Diaryland! I think it's time for Thor to set me up with my own place.
boom boom said: i once blew fifty cents at the dimestore.. i had enough candy for about a month.. except i ate it all in a week!
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