Once upon a time I almost chopped off my brother's big toe with the ax. Seriously! We were very young. I'm thinking maybe four and five years old. Had I been older and stronger, his toe may have been chopped off. Only bits and pieces of this story do I remember...like a wood pile, the ax, the back yard...and telling Jackie to put his foot on the block, that it felt good. I struggled to pick up the heavy ax, but somehow lifted it and let it drop, on his toe! I remember the screaming, and crying and excitement of mama or daddy, or both, running out. This story was told many many times through the years! His toe healed, by the way!
Shelby, the oldest and the ring leader was full of ideas. Once she tied a wire from tree to tree in that same back yard where the toe chopping took place. I suppose she was dividing off the back yard for playing, you know, my space, your space! After putting up the wire she went running to the house, ran into the wire, fell, and broke her arm. I do remember her blaming me, telling Daddy that I was the one who put up the wire, causing her to fall. The story didn't stick though! :)
Then there was Jackie, again! He and two other boys tied a rope on a tree limb. All three climbed the rope and were hanging on...Jackie being the last to climb and was hanging on the bottom. The rope broke! All three fell, Jackie hitting the ground first and the other two boys landing on top of him. Jackie's arm was broken in two places. This required surgery and a pin placed in his elbow. Jackie's arm was never normal again. He could never completely straighten his arm.
With a little thought I could write more of these stories. These were probably the most talked about.
Thank you for stopping by!
Love,
Henny Penny
I'm sure we are all better adults for learning 'risk assessment' and 'consequences' as children.Today it seems that children are so wrapped in cotton wool, that they don't learn these valuable lessons.
ReplyDeleteJane x
That's the truth! Do children even know how to play outside any more? It was such fun!
DeleteYikes! That axe story gave me the heebie geebies. It reminds me of the time I dropped a hammer on my brother's head. I was just pretending to hammer, but like you, was too little and weak. I underestimated how heavy the hammer was and to my shock and horror dropped it on his head. Boy, did I get a spanking!
ReplyDeleteIsn't it funny the things we played with. Hammers, boards, any kind of tools. Oh, and wheelbarrows! Pushing each other and dumping each other out! :)
DeleteThese are family stories and told over and over again. The older we get the less serious they become until finally they are funny.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for the comment! I love the way you write and enjoy your blog very much.
DeleteThis is some great childhood memories. My dad use to tell me about how you almost chopped his toe off, but he never told me how he broke his arm, Daddy just told me it had been broken in several places that was why it was so crooked. I have never heard of the story about aunt Shelby either and the wire across the yard. I am glad she did not get hurt worse than she did. I love stories about you and my dads childhood. Thank you so much for sharing.
ReplyDeleteLove you, Vicki
I hope I told the stories right. I love remembering these old stories. Sometimes I wake up during the night and lay awake trying to remember things that happened back then.
DeleteMorning Henny! Love your stories, they make me laugh! It is 57 here this morning, a fur piece from last week, huh? You asked me last post did I remember it being this cold, and I do remember in about winter 1983 it being about -20 here in the mountains. But, that was 30 years ago and I was younger and tougher (I think). I can remember everything freezing and my little Mercury would not start so I borrowed the neighbor's car to go to work and all the hoses froze and blew off. I am hoping we will have a regular winter from here on out. Much love being sent your way as I study the tomato section of the seed catalogs. XO Terry
ReplyDeleteHey Terry! It is 60 here this morning. -20 ! And here I am wanting to move to the mountains! Poppy and I are now talking about Florida! We would never do that. I love NC too much. Terry I kept forgetting to look at the Camelias (sp) for seeds. Now I don't see anything that looks like seeds. Do the seeds form right after the bloom. I promise to keep a watch and send you some! :) Love, Henny
DeleteChildren do have an imagination.
ReplyDeleteI love to hear the stories of brothers and sisters! My kids have some great ones to tell. Now it seems that kids can't be allowed out of adults' sights to create any memories like that. I think it's sad.
ReplyDeleteGoodness! You kids were dangerous to yourselves and others! An you probably had a wonderful childhood!
ReplyDelete