Tags
Chateauguay, childhood, Diana Schwenk, family, growing up, Hump Day Chronicles, love, memories, parents, Quebec, Relationships, Stuff my parents used to say and do
WAY BACK WHEN our family lived at 111 Edgewood Drive in Chateauguay Quebec – before it became Chateauguay Centre, before Canada issued postal codes and switched to the metric system, Dad used to say this thing that kinda drove Mom a bit crazy.
When Mike and I were knee-high to a grasshopper – ok, that’s a bit of an exaggeration – but we were little (see photo above), our family moved into the home we would grow up in.
It was a duplex. Dad sold part of his stamp collection for the down payment. The room that we spent most of our time all-together in was the kitchen.
Upon entering the kitchen from the hallway, one would notice the fridge to the right. It was a BIG one and the refrigerator (top) and freezer (bottom) were equal in size.
The kitchen table was on the left with bench seating that also doubled as storage areas by lifting the seats, ran along two walls and two chairs were placed across from the benches .
I sat on the bench on the short wall immediately to the left. Mike sat around the corner along the long wall. Dad sat across from me in a chair with his back to the patio door. And Mom sat across from Mike with her back to the stove.
On the long wall, where Mike sat, was the telephone. Remember when phones were on the wall and they had actual dialing? The phone was black and had a super long cord so you could walk to the sink or around the corner into the dining room for privacy – as if one actually had privacy whilst on the phone.
On the other side of the fridge, on the floor, is where Mom kept the penny jar, an old milk bottle, the kind that was delivered to one’s house and yes, we had milk delivered back then! Mom and Dad threw all their pennies into that bottle and by the end of each year, they’d saved $300 or more that was used toward Christmas shopping.
Along the adjoining wall is where our stove sat, cupboards were above and on either side of the stove.
The next wall was home to the kitchen sink below a window that was covered with white lacy sheer curtains that were gathered and secured to each edge of the window frame with pretty ribbons. Beside the sink, one more cupboard and then the garbage can – you know the kind that you step on the foot petal thingy and the lid comes up?
Anyway beside that was the patio door and if you walked further, past the phone on the wall, you’d be in the dining room.
It was at that patio door, when it was raining, that Dad would stand up, look outside and say that thing that drove Mom nuts.
“You know…if it was colder out, it would be snowing…”
I think he did it on purpose, because when Mom became frustrated by his comment because she’d heard it hundreds of times before, I saw the corners of his mouth curl into a smile in the reflection of the patio door.
~ HUMP DAY CHRONICLES ~
Minuscule Moments said:
Diana HOW CUTE were you, love that photo and your treasured memories. I hope you have that pic in a frame its gorgeous.
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dianasschwenk said:
Thanks Kath, I don’t but I should – great idea! ❤
Diana xo
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earthriderjudyberman said:
That’s a beautiful description of your home, Diana. I do remember the old phones with the long cords – and, later, those curly-cords that stretched for miles or it seemed. Both gave the illusion of privacy.
My Dad also used to say things that would prompt Mom to say: “Don’t laugh. It’ll only encourage him.” I think she enjoyed the joke, too, but she didn’t let on. 😉
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dianasschwenk said:
I’ve never been married but I’m thinking humour goes a long way in keeping a marriage together Judy! ❤
Diana xo
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earthriderjudyberman said:
It certainly does. 😉
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Bill said:
Remember how heavy those black telephones were? They would’ve made good murder weapons. 🙂 We had a party line. If there was one long ring, it was for us. Two short rings meant it was for our neighbor. You couldn’t make a call (or receive one) if they were on the phone.
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dianasschwenk said:
yeah you could do some damage with those phones Bill! ❤
Diana xo
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Jennifer's Journal said:
Diana, you should write a book! You spin a good yarn. 🙂❤️
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dianasschwenk said:
Sweet, maybe one day- thanks Jennifer means a lot coming from a published author! ❤
Diana xo
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Jennifer's Journal said:
Soon to be!
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Jim McKeever said:
Ah, a little good-natured teasing in a relationship can keep things light … Your dad must have had an impish streak!
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dianasschwenk said:
Still does Jim, still does! ❤
Diana xo
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Chatter Master said:
Dianna, this was a fun trip back. What a picture you paint, I could see it too, in the patio door. Brilliantly done!
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dianasschwenk said:
Thank you so much Colleen. ❤
Diana xo
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vanbytheriver said:
Sweet memories, Diana, we had a home from 1900, big kitchen that we lived in, socialized in, hung out !! It was the heart and soul of the home. We had that long-corded wall phone, that we dragged around the corner for “privacy”. Love this post. Thanks. ☺
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dianasschwenk said:
Thanks Van. I remember folks getting miffed because the cord was in their way! ❤
Diana xo
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Healing Grief said:
Your stories are great Diana and they are always entertaining. You should write a book!
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dianasschwenk said:
hmmm, I have thought of that from time to time Karen – thank you! ❤
Diana xo
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Val Boyko said:
Memory Lane is wonderful to visit now and again. Thanks for sharing Diana 💌
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dianasschwenk said:
My pleasure Val. ❤
Diana xo
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russtowne said:
I love the last line and the visual it evoked!
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dianasschwenk said:
I love that you always love the last line Russ! ❤
Diana xo
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Alan A. Malizia: Contagious Optimism! Co-Author said:
Thanks for the stroll down memory lane.
-Alan
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dianasschwenk said:
My pleasure Alan! ❤
Diana xo
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Wyrd Smythe said:
Great story! Had me thinking back to my own childhood kitchen.
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dianasschwenk said:
Glad to have taken you back there Smitty! ❤
Diana xo
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Ian Munro @ leadingessentially.com said:
Great post Diana! You’re an amazing story teller and I love when you let her out to play!
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dianasschwenk said:
Thanks so much Ian, it’s fun to let her out too! ❤
Diana xo
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Louise Gallagher said:
A beautifully poignant remembering, beautifully told.
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dianasschwenk said:
Aww thanks so much Louise. ❤
Diana xo
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Don Royster said:
I remember party lines back in the good ol’ days of yesteryear.
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dianasschwenk said:
Yes, our friends in the country had that Don! ❤
Diana xo
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cyclingrandma said:
Nice recollection. My parents still have a phone on the wall in their kitchen.
It’s now push-button though.
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dianasschwenk said:
Wow Lisa, I remember with the rotary dial, if your finger slipped out, you had to start all over! ❤
Diana xo
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