Friday, April 2, 2010

I Used To Be A Good Girl......but now I'm BETTER!


Well, Happy Bunnies to you all! I actually forgot Easter was this weekend....something to do with being surrounded by 'Robot' parts, I'm sure.....anywawas, when I did 'cotton' on to the idea, it made me remember my long-ish history of going to Sunday School and the whole 'Easter/Religion' things I was once wrapped up in. So I thought I'd 'hop' to it and post a new blog/blab.
From the age of 5 to @ 13 I dutifully went to Sunday School at a strange little place entitled "Bethany Tabernacle". That does conjure up wild visions of holy roller type stuff but it really was just a plain old church deal. I mainly went 'cause all my friends did - back in the late 50's to early 60's it was just part of your life to 'go to church' - so very Norman Rockwell......I happened to like coloring pictures and cookies, myself.
The interesting 'goodie' about this whole church thing is that my Art career actually started in church. After going there for a few years, the folks started noticing that I was artistic so the Pastor asked me to 'illustrate' special sermons on special days...like Mother's Day and Easter etc. I would go up to a chalk board at the front of the church when he was speaking and draw....can you guess how good that was for a very shy little girl to be acknowledged in such a way? They were pretty much 'basic' little drawings but If I recall, the raw talent was certainly evident. I think I was about 11 maybe 12 when I did this.
All this makes me recall other bits of memories in that church. The BEST one is a certain Christmas Concert...the usual Holy Night theme....that I participated in. I was given the role of the 'head' angel ( I can hear the laughing ) I was thrilled. I would get to stand on a high riser at the back of the manger tableau and pronounce greatly - right up my alley. But I thought the costume - white dress and tinsel wings - need a certain 'touch' to really, well, bring the role to greater heights, so to speak. What I did was to sneak into my mom's room to rifle through her drawers for the super duper gold sparkly nylons I knew she had in there. Come the performance evening I was set. My time to 'shine'! When the cue for me to hit the stage, out I went and climbed the riser (in behind so that I just appeared at the top...can you see this in your mind?) And to make sure I was really shining I pinned up my hem to show off those stockings........
There I was, suddenly revealed bursting forth from behind the curtains sparkly stockings and all, in front of all the parents and folks and MY MOTHER who actually screamed when she saw me.
The results of all the above have,thankfully, been lost in the sands of time.
Ah, the 'other page' life choice was evident even back then.
The photo is me and my brother Iain at 6 and 4 dressed for Easter and on our way to church. What a dress! What a HAT! There is even lace on the socks......fantastic! My brother seems to be imitating Napoleon with his hands but that bow tie just melts my heart!

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