The Twins

My youngest brother and sister are twins.  She is 5 minutes older and for years lorded that fact over our brother.  Now, not so much.  They are in their mid-forties now and she doesn't want to be older anymore.  So many stories here to tell.  I only lived at home for their first 12 years, so some of the memories are from after I was married.

One memory that stands out is chicken pox.  I got it over Christmas break in 2nd grade.  Just younger brother got it two weeks later and the twins got it two weeks after that at age 6 months or so.  I was able to go back to school on time which was probably a great relief to my mother who dealt with chicken pox for 6 weeks!  I remember the itching, the baking soda baths, calamine lotion, and the fact that the twins got it so young.

Both brothers seemed to disappear after supper when it was their turn to do dishes.  If I remember correctly, one girl and one boy did the dishes every other night.  My sister and I both ended up doing the majority of the chore as both brothers needed the bathroom at the exact moment they were to help us with the dishes.  Boys....

Another memory is of twin brother and eye surgery.  My husband and I were in California, he on recruiting duty for the Army when Mother called to say he was to have eye surgery.  One of his eyes wandered because the muscle needed reattaching.  It may have been both eyes, that part I can't remember but I remember praying that he would come through it all right and that it would correct the problem.  One of his grade school pictures shows just how bad it had gotten.  It was indeed a success.  Amazing what a simple surgery can do!

Dr. Pepper wars!  When I would come home to visit and when we got out of the Army and lived with the folks for 6 weeks or so, I learned of the Dr. Pepper hoopla.  It seems that Dr. Pepper was purchased for the twins on a weekly basis.  They each were allowed so many but apparently brother took sister's when his ration ran out.  For all I know, she did the same to him.  It got to the fighting stage so someone, not sure who started it, would mark their initials on all the DP cans they were allowed for the week.  So all cans had either his or her initials.  Problem was, brother would still take sister's initialed cans.  This caused yelling and hollering at each other and denial, denial, denial on the part of the accused.  I suppose some of this may be exaggerated as I don't remember all the details.  Just know that occasionally at a family get together the Dr. Pepper wars are mentioned.

More tomorrow on Saturday morning Nerf ball and Christmas eve!

Brothers

So, on to my brothers.  One is two years younger and the other is nearly eight years younger.  My sister and youngest brother are twins.  That will be another day, another story. 

I fought with my two years younger brother all the time but never, that I can recall, with my youngest brother.  I could not tell you why we fought or what it was about.  I always felt so responsible for him when we were at school or even at church.  Older sister has to take care of younger brother.  Because obviously he could not take care of himself.  That was my thinking.  My mother never said to watch him or check on him or anything like that.  So it was my own brain telling me I was responsible for him.  No doubt that there were times I was responsible for him, like the day I picked him up from junior high in my car.  There were a couple of other kids from the neighborhood hitching a ride with me that day.  One was our preacher's daughter, same age as my brother.  And, of course, with brother and friends in the car, I get pulled over for speeding and get my first ticket.  I was so upset.  I am sure I picked he and his friends up many times but that is the only time I remember.  He is now an accomplished piano tuner with his own business.  He can do anything with a piano.  Repair, tune, refinish, fix anything on it kind of guy.  This job suits him very well.  He is a perfectionist.  He is also the builder of his own computers.  I don't think he has ever bought a computer from a company.  He has put all his personal computers together himself.

Youngest brother was how do I describe it?  He was like my baby doll.  I think I carried him around all over the house.  I don't remember ever fighting with him.  The only things that make sense for this are that he was not a sister and he was not just two years younger than me.  I think that is why we never fought.  He didn't come to my room and pester me like the other two.  Anyway, he is married now and father of two sons.  His eldest is in the Navy serving our country.  His youngest recently graduated high school.  His wife works for the school district.  They live a little farther away than the rest of us but we get to see them a few times each year.  He works for a financial company and is a manager.

In a day or two, I will talk about our folks and probably the twins and chicken pox.  Good, clean fun for the whole family!