by Karen
Every year as we gather for Easter dinner we take the opportunity to reminisce about how my grandparents shipped my mother off to “the Nunnery” for being bad when she was 15.
Betty was a bit of a firecracker you see.
She jumped out of her bedroom window in the middle of the night, smoked cigarettes and generally carried on in a manner unbecoming to a teenage girl in the 1950’s.
Betty wasn’t thrilled about being shipped to the nunnery, if she was going to be shipped somewhere she had a preference for the Ontario Ladies College in Whitby which, instead of nuns, offered horseback riding.
But the nunnery pleased her parents to no end.
Finally their ill behaved daughter was going to get the guidance she needed, and they were going to get the alone time they required to plan a well executed swingers party.
It was during this time that my mother learned discipline, obedience and the ability to choke down whatever food was put in front of her. That was the rule, made by God, non negotiable, even for liver.
Despite the harsh conditions, my mother looks back on her time in the nun-run school with fondness; the etiquette she learned, the friends she made and the imposing stone building getting smaller and smaller behind them as they ran away to buy their first pair of high heeled shoes.
Everything went along fine and dandy for everyone until the day Betty declared she loved the nunnery and she might just like to become one. A nun.
If this were a movie, the next scene would involve a family sedan comically skidding to a halt at the nunnery and a teenage girl and her suitcase being thrown into the back of the car. Car speeds away with clouds of dust behind it.
Betty didn’t become a nun. Her parents saved her just in time to ensure she would continue to be an uncontrollable firecracker.
Not that there's anything wrong with being a nun, but that personal path is more suited to a girl whose first instinct isn't to sneak out of the nunnery to buy her first pair of high heels.
But the experience did affect her. In fact the whole thing was so traumatic for her she banned me from wearing black until I was in grade 10. It reminded her of the nunnery uniforms.
This was also non negotiable, with Betty being slightly less forgiving than God.
Because I wasn’t allowed to wear black, black is now my favourite colour. I need it in clothing and decorating and shoes and purses. And it all stemmed from being banned from black for the first 15 years of my life.
I’m pretty sure my grandparents had no idea that sending my mother to a nunnery in 1950 would have any effect on their unborn granddaughter’s lifelong colour choices. But that’s exactly what happened.
In a twist of fate, Betty's own personal colour choices would lead you to believe her parents sent her away to a circus as opposed to an old building filled with nuns.
Unless it is bright, bold, and busy Betty banishes it.
It sort of puts my eyebrows in a squinch to think that something I’m doing at this very moment could randomly impact people generations from now.
When you think about, it’s freaky.
Wishing you … a Good Freaky Friday and a Happy Easter.
Julie
My daughter just picked out her prom dress...and it's black! lol
Karen
Atta girl. ~ karen!
Judi
Great story! I wasn't allowed to wear pants to school...didn't make it easy playing during recess. Haven't heard about the chickens lately, hope they're doing well and gave you lots of eggs for Easter.
Karen
Hi Judi! No eggs yet, but my chickens are almost 10 years old so they aren't laying like .. well like spring chickens. :) ~ karen!
Kat - the other 1
Ahh. So they'd be like senior citizen eggs? Do they still lay at all at that age? Or have they retired? Hope they're still going strong (even if they're a little older)! Hmm, do you give them boiled eggs for Easter treats?
Happy Easter / Resurrection Day to all! :)
And God bless us, every one!
Louise
Love the photo of the crocus and . . . are those grape hyacinths?
Karen
They are! ~ karen
Jody
This reminds me of one of my favourite movies--The Trouble with Angels, with Hailey Mills, Rosalind Russell, and Gypsy Rose Lee.
Mehitabel
Undoubtedly what you're doing now will affect someone in the future. But you're also affecting people right now: You made me smile!! Thanks, I needed this today!
Marilyn Meagher
Lol. Betty was shopping yesterday with a bright blue sweater on … she looked awesome.
Elaine
OMG You make me laugh. Thanks for a great story! Happy Easter to you, Betty and Philip!!
Mama Toto
I love this story and your writing style Karen. I was a Betty in the 50's but no nunnery for me. In the UK they were solely for Catholics! Also, I had red hair so pink, red and orange were no-no's in those days. My school uniform was navy blue and I couldn't wear black till I was 17 because it was too "old"! So, brown it was with the odd 'bottle green' thrown in. Fortunately my colour options lightened up in the summer.
Deb from Maryland
Thank you for the family story. It is balm for my soul. Keep 'em coming. :)
Karen
Thanks Deb. If I thought there was enough interest I'd switch to that type of writing full time. (no diy posts etc., just creative writing) It's what I liked to do most. ~ karen
Mary W
Still laugh when I remember her famous words " you can edit this, right?" I wish I could remember what post it was but maybe the brick wall redo?
Karen
It was, lol. Here it is https://www.theartofdoingstuff.com/the-kitchen-renovation-betty-vs-the-brick-wall/ ~ karen!
Karen Gozzi
I look forward to your emails. I love your writing style, your stories, and your tips on getting "stuff" done. Glad I stumbled upon The Art of Doing Stuff. Keep teaching us and entertaining us and reassuring us that it just ain't that hard. Happy Easter.
Karen
It ain't that hard. Any of it. :) ~ karen!
Jane
Speaking of colour choices, my mother insisted on red for me when I was growing up, saying that I was too pale, whereas I wanted blue, preferably dark blue. To this day, I don't wear any shade of red or pink.
Karen
When I was in high school Betty made me a pair of RED bondage pants with white zippers. I LOVED them. ~ karen!
Sharon
Great story - I well remember my mother's version of the story (Betty's aunt) Just noting the gene pool that created this story is still alive and well
Karen
Yep, and still reliably multiplying. ~ karen!
Kat - the other 1
Gorgeous crocus (& whatnot) bulbs!
What's that greenish stuff they're in?
Karen
They're small green stones. :) ~ karen!
Kat - the other 1
Just stones? Anything under that? (Dirt? Something moist? Just water?)
Grammy
Another reason to love Betty -- she earned her fancy-girl stripes through hard work and perserverance. Happy Easter to you and all of those who exist because Betty has inhabited this planet.
Randy P
And never forget the Anesthetic Rabbit.
You know...... The Ether Bunny.
Karen
LOLOL. I've heard it before and it'll always make me laugh. ~ karen!