I didn’t like having syrup for breakfast on school mornings when I was a little kid since I was lazy about washing up afterwards. In class, my papers stuck to me all morning till I went out at recess. Then I usually romped around and came back in with dirt sticking to the syrupy patches. I never saw much point in washing up before meals anyway. I knew something as tiny as a germ couldn’t possibly hurt me.
Now, there were occasions I had no problem with washing, but really felt soap was overrated. I had my standards and expected to wash after contact with earthworms, snails, slimy animal carcasses, blood, axle grease, or chicken poop between my bare toes, sometimes even using soap voluntarily. I was on the fence about frogs. I wasn’t altogether sure they didn’t cause warts. Sue Lunsford played with frogs all the time and had lots of warts, so I erred on the side of caution, washing with soap after quality time with frogs. After I smelled a dog once who’d tangled with a skunk. I put that on my list, too. I figured if you could see dirt or it would rub off on people or furniture, it was good to wash. I also believed in washing loose sand off. I hated walking barefoot on gritty sand on smooth floors. I was also happy to take a bath if I’d been playing in sand. I hated the way it made the sheets feel. We threw sand and dirt at each other a lot, so I’d done the research.
Unfortunately for me, Mother didn’t share my philosophy about washing, insisting I wash my hands and arms up to my elbows with soap and water before every meal. Naturally, I fell short as often as possible, often just running my dirty hands and arms under the running water and drying on the towel by the sink. The dirty, streaked up towel ratted me out quite a few times.
Washing after meals would have been insane.
Ha ha ha. You were my kind of kid! Just as beauty is skin deep, so is dirt. I hate seeing a squeaky clean child. 😀 How can a kid have fun if they stay clean?
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I certainly had lots of fun.
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Exactly as it should be. Kids are meant to have tons of fun. ❤ ❤
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I wish I could hear your mother say her bit. You all must have driven the lady up and down the wall and around the bend ha,ha 😉
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Not me!
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Sounds like you really did a lot of field research ! Quality time with frogs, lol !! Reminds me of my dad- he had quality time with a couple on his front veranda when he was having his whisky toddy before going to bed. A couple of green tree frogs took to sharing this time with him – whisky included !!
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Frogs have good taste.
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They do 🙂
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Haha! I know – it seemed like such a waste of play time!
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“quality time with frogs”….only you. ☺
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It’s funny what standards of cleanliness children have. This was hilarious. I imagine you found out differently when you trained to become a nurse. 😀 — Suzanne
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Yeah, that kinda ruined it all.
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Great childhood recollections. I’d second your preference for using soap after touching earthworms, snails or chicken poop. Frogs I’d consider on a case by case basis depending on the species.
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You are right to be cautious.
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Thank you so much. Congrats on the nomination and new job!
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