Plus Ca Change

This rocking chair, in my mum’s house, had different upholstery when I was a kid.

…
What day is it, boys and girls?

It’s Laundry Day!

And what do we do on Laundry Day?

We make lists!

Today I thought I’d try to find 10 things about me that are different from before I exited my teens. And maybe 10 things that haven’t changed — that way, no matter what I come up with, it can go on one list or the other. The second list is allowed to contain practices from which I at some point deviated — for example, I tried having long hair for a few years — but which never “took”.

Check out these lists for inspiration, and then try it yourself!

Ten Ways I’ve Changed Since Childhood

1. When I was in first grade, I was afraid of being drafted into the Viet Nam war. I had to keep reminding myself that I was neither American, nor a boy. I now have no trouble remembering that I’m Canadian.
2. I used to spread mayonnaise on white bread and eat it. Just like that. No, seriously.
3. I used to despise disco, with its simplistic synthesizer tunes and vapid one-line lyrics (anyone remember “Fly, Robin, Fly”?). Now I enjoy its silly, happy light-heartedness.
4. Blue used to be my favourite colour. Now green is. Or maybe purple. Or a good deep pink. And oatmeal is nice and so’s oxblood, and then there’s gamboge, viridian, cobalt, or how about brindle, blue merle, liver, chestnut?
5. I don’t fall and skin my knees nearly so much.
6. I wasn’t able to play any instrument requiring the independent action of more than two fingers. Now I can play the recorder!
7. In my teens, I enjoyed sweet, creamy poisons like Pink Ladies and Grasshoppers. Now I’m happiest with a pint of ale.
8. In my teens, I had a prejudice against business people. Now I count several of that species among my closest friends.
9. I used to love the Autumn. Now I like every season.
10. I used to dislike parsnips and rutabaga. Now I like them just fine.

Ten Ways I Haven’t Changed Since Childhood

1. I still pick up worms off rainy sidewalks and move them to safety.
2. I still say hello to sparrows, chipmunks, cowslips, toadstools…
3. I still have short hair.
4. I still love to write stories.
5. I still love marshes and woods and other creaturely habitats.
6. When I was little, I preferred singing in church to sitting in Sunday School. Still do.
7. When I was about 5, Mummy gave me a peeled clove of garlic just to sniff. I ran all over the house with it! I still love the aroma.
8. I wasn’t able to even turn the ropes for double-dutch skipping. Still can’t.
9. I always preferred stuffed animals to baby dolls. I still prefer animals to human babies.
10. I still prefer salty and savoury foods to sweet.

I know, this entry has been a thrill a minute. But at least you now know more about me than my “about” page will ever tell you.