I'm smiling because I'm your sister....

I'm laughing because there is nothing you can do about it.

-author unknown

This is my beautiful sister, Peggi.  This is her birthday month. 

Lately, I've been thinking about our relationship.  Sisters.  It's the best. 

 She and I shared everything growing up. 

So close......so different......so much the same.  It sounds confusing, and it was, if you have a sister you know what I'm talking about.

It's hardly fair she looks 10 years younger when the reality is 20 months. 

But I won't hold that against her........for too long.  

I expect to be over it sometime in the next  decade......

The person that birthed us, and raised us, and continues to Mother us, played a big part in our attitude towards each other.  I think Peggi and I have the relationship Mom didn't have with her own sister, because of the years between them....and perhaps the difference in their approach to life.

(mom was much happier than she appears in the pic)

 

Not only did Peggi and I share a bedroom the entire time we lived under the same roof.  We shared the same bed.  Imagine telling children today that they will be sharing a bed with a sibling.......until they move out!

I think every child should have a room-mate....always.  What a great learning tool. 

Get along with this person who happens to compete with you, by living, breathing, taking up space and vying for the attention of your parents, not to mention going for the last cookie.  The beauty was, Peggi was also an ally from "the brothers". 

The brothers had bunk beds and

"stack them deep and sell them cheap" attitude with (4) in their room for a time.

I don't want to hear the stories of their room sharing....it's probably dangerous.

 

I have many fond memories of our childhood together. 

I wasn't always kind to Peggi, but I don't recall her reciprocating in such behavior. 

I think I exploited by "seniority" at times......

I'm sure she's a better person for it. (hahahaha)

 

During our Jr. High and High School years, I remember laying awake, at night, in bed and whispering about our day.  We would take turns rubbing each other's back....

there were times I wanted her to rub my back first.....and sadly, I would feign sleep....and cheat her out of her back rub....I was shameless. 

 

Sometimes we would tell stories and start giggling 

other times we would get mad at each other and turning over...back to back, huffing and puffing our indignity.  You can't go too far when you share a bed....you're stuck working out your problems, going out to sleep on the couch never even entered our minds.  We just had to "deal with it." 

 

We shared a stereo record player.  I remember that Peggi and the neighbor girl Kelly and I would listen to songs and dream. Our choreography for  "Midnight Train to Georgia" by Gladys Knight and the Pips was epic!  I insisted in being Gladys and Peggi and Kelly were awesome as The Pips.  To this day, when I hear that song, I smile...and hum.....and sometimes bring my thumb to my mouth as a microphone. 

 We, also  did a pretty mean "Stop in the Name of Love"

by Diana Ross and the Supremes.......Ah, good times!

 

There was always a difference of opinion on what a "clean" room was.  Peggi is a bit neurotic on "neatness".....me.....not so much,

I could never understand the need to have "a place for everything and everything in it's place".  I'm was more of a "spirit" of the law...not the "letter" of the law. 

Peggi would get mad and draw a line down the middle of the  room

Her half was neat and clean....I wasn't allowed on her half.

But, as you all know, a half clean room is still just a half clean room. 

So, if she couldn't stand the mess, she would clean my side! (score)

Years later, I had a room-mate that made me look organized.

I have to admit, it made me a bit crazy, I never knew what was going to

be in my path as I tried to navigate our dorm room.

Some people would call that "karma"

I realized then.....everything is relative. 

 

Now, I wish I had that "neat gene".  Whenever I go to Peggi's, I come home and want to clean out a drawer or closet.....it doesn't last long, because

it's just a lot of work......and I'm.......lazy!

 

We shared clothes too.  double the wardrobe.  That's what sisters did.   This whole sharing a room and clothes was not limited to us.  Most of our friend shared rooms and beds with sisters.....the Kendalls, the Adams' the Worthingtons, the Bundy's,

the Jordan's just to name a few.  Everybody did it.  Having your own room was a dream, a toy room was unheard of. 

Wow, did we suffer......heck no, I wouldn't change a thing.  It was great, sharing a room with your bestie!  Even though you didn't realize she was your bestie. 

 

Later we had children at the same time.  Our oldest are 9 days apart, our second children are 8 months apart and our youngest are 6 weeks apart. 

This was a recipe for close cousins..... awesome.

I could go on, but suffice it to say:

"Happy Birthday" (in a couple of weeks)

My leetle seester, I love you, and am so happy and proud to be your beeg seester.