Wednesday 13 August 2008

PEEPO THE QUICK CHANGE ARTIST


When I was a little girl my Dad used to rush in from work on a Tuesday and have to rush upstairs to get changed in his army uniform to go to the drill hall for weekly parade, or whatever it was called.

Dad was a major in the TA, it was the thing my Dad loved best after his family. So on Tuesday nights my little sister and I would sit on my Dad's bed whilst he sang a song about 'Peepo, Peepo the quick change artist, everybody knows his name'. As he rushed into his uniform. It would have been my job to polish his Sam Brown (belt) and if it was good enough I'd be given a sixpenny piece.

It was always good enough!

I loved those times with my Dad, knowing that he wanted to be with us and talk to us, before he went off to do whatever important things he was going to do.
~~~~~~
The last few days my youngest with attitude and I haven't been getting on so well. He's not in a good space,so he takes it out on me by being very aggravated and irritated with me.
I didn't want this situation to escalate, so sat on his bed this morning and talked over what we needed to do to stop it getting any worse.

This evening, he decided that he would cook tea, and I could assist. He's a great cook, so I was in charge of salad, whilst he made a peppercorn sauce from scratch to go over the meat. We as ever sat together to eat.

His mate phoned to fix up his going out, but he put him off for a while, as he wanted to carry on talking to me.

To do this he insisted that I come upstairs whilst he got ready.I was banished to sit on the stairs whilst he actually changed. But all the while the conversation continued between us.

And after he went out, after telling me he loved me first, I sat on my bed and thought about how lucky I am to have had Peepo the quick change artist and the youngest with attitude in my life.
~~~~~
For many years I have carried this words below around with me, and today I used the last couple of lines for a friend in need of them, and it got me thinking that they are powerful words and it was a good time to put them up.

~There are moments in life when you miss someone so much that you just want to pick them up from your dreams and hug them for real.

~When the door of happiness closes, another opens, but oft times we look so long at the closed door, we don't see the one which has opened for us.

~Dream, what you want to dream, go where you want to go, be what you want to be, because you only have one life and one chance to all the things you want to do.

~ May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trails to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human, enough hope to make you happy.

~The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything, they just make the most of everything that comes their way.

~Love begins with a smile,grows with a kiss, and ends with a tear.

~The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past, you can't go well in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches.

~When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling.
live your life so that when you die, you're the one smiling and everyone around you is crying.
~~~~~

13 comments:

Ronjazz said...

Marvelous, honey. Just wonderful words...:)

Annie Wan said...

Ms byrd what am i like? i am so looking forward to meeting ya :)

BenefitScroungingScum said...

What a lovely memory to have of your Dad, BG x

Ronjazz said...

...and yes, dear, THANK YOU...:)

Norma Murray said...

That difficult boy will grow up one day and remember how his mum used to share things with him. In his turn he will share the magic with his children and so it will go on, all thanks to Peepo.

Walker said...

Great words and a lovely story about your father.
Those that we love and cheresh are with us forever.
Not only in our memories and dreams but in our mannerisms as well.
These are the lessons we use the most in our lives when we need them the most.

Great post

Fire Byrd said...

Thanks Ron, and pleased you got your present.

mei, see ya sat girl, can't wait!

bendy, it is a good memory and it came back to me with such force tonight after being with Alex.

lbw, welcome , lovely to meet you here. Your words are lovely and made me smile.

walker,you are right. it is wonderful to see things in myself that belonged to my parents and watch them again in my sons.

xxxxxx

Sorrow said...

I love love love how you stay so connected. Now only to the moment and your rascal son, but to the past in those lovely memories of your Pop. Unfolding like a story that moves forward and back...
With love for the wise and wonderful woman that you are!

sparrow said...

Very nice...

<3

Mel said...

Any time, step sitting or car kidnapped--is worth it.

And that quick change artist of a dad--very wisened......

nitebyrd said...

You're creating memories for your son. A wonderful legacy from your father.

I like your ending words, they are helpful to me right now. Thanks.

Irene said...

You are very lucky to have had such a dad and to now have a son who will say that he loves you even when he is cranky.

Fire Byrd said...

sorrow my friend, thank you.You are just so important to me and your words mean a lot.

pixie, you are just such a sweetheart, hugs fo you.

mel they are monsters these children of ours, but they are our monsters and I wouldn't swop them for anything!

nitebyrd, I'm so glad the words were there for you when you needed them, I guess that's why I carry them around for the bad days.

irene, I am very lucky and I don't forget it, except perhaps when he's yelling at me , but just for a moment it may slip my mind!!

xxxxx