When Winnie the Pooh Walked into the Joint

“Deep in the Hundred Acre Woods-” Interesting song choice, right? While I was poking around my blog, it occurred to me that I’m still working on those 25 Songs, 25 Days. I began this challenge 6 months ago. I’m on day 22. Looking back at my Day 1 song post, I had admitted that it might take me longer than 25 days. I wasn’t kidding.

So, this song. Let me explain- this day is supposed to be a song that someone has sung to you. I have racked my brain and the only song I could think of was the one I used for day 1- a song from my childhood. After re-reading the post, I quickly realized I didn’t have anything more to say about THAT song so I needed to improvise. I’ve decided to make this day a song that I sang to someone else. If you know me at all, you’ll know that I’m quite shy so if I’m not going to speak in front of people, I’m sure not going to sing!

Well, there is one small group. If you haven’t guessed already by the first song choice, it’s my kids. When Michael and Kris were small and Andrew wasn’t quite around yet, I would shop a lot. I was a stay at home mom. I didn’t know many other stay at home moms. Other than heading over to grandma’s house, there wasn’t much to do. Very early on, I found out that if I sang this song, a fussy Kris would quiet and being an early talker/singer, he began chiming in at an early age. We spent many a shopping excursion walking through the store singing this song (softly) on a never ending loop.

I continued to sing until one of them (I’m going to guess that it was Michael at about age 7) said, “Mommy, don’t sing.” Then I was completely embarrassed and did not sing in front of them for a few years.

When Michael entered middle school, he had the distinct honor of having my own elementary music teacher. Ms. P is an incredible teacher. She ended up having all of my kids in middle school. When I realized that Michael (and the others) would have Ms. P, I had to share an experience from my childhood.

Back in the day (the mid-70’s) when Ms. P was my music teacher, we sang a song that by today’s standards might seem to be a bit risqué. Let me set the scene for you- it’s the spring concert and all the 6th grade girls moved to the front of the stage. We were decked out in our best concert dresses, which given the decade, were patterned and quite short. I remember my dress being a second hand dress but I loved it and didn’t mind. I was feeling quite sassy and full of myself, as only a naïve 12 year old can, wearing my white patent leather clogs and my first pair of grown up panty hose. Nope. No tights for me that night. I was excited because I loved choir and I really loved the song we were going to perform. I wrapped the Christmas garland around my shoulders, in my best fake boa manner, and although I was quite self conscious about being in the first row, I was ready, along with the other girls in my class. The song was “Big Spender” from the movie- Sweet Charity.

Complete the picture in your head- gawky 12 year old girls (luckily they didn’t make 12 year olds like they do these days!) , strutting their stuff, hands on hips, butts wiggling to the beat, coyly batting our “boas” at the audience.

Now, let’s fast forward to one afternoon when my children were sitting at the table, eating lunch. This is when I chose to share this story with them. The most memorable thing I learned from Ms. P. Instead of just describing it, I sang it.

Every last word.

Complete with strutting and hips and a non-existent feather boa and- well, you get the idea.

 

You could have heard a pin drop by the time I was finished. I can’t think of a way I could have shocked my children any more than I did that day.

And it was also the last time I sang to them. Lucky for me I’ve got my grandsons! 🙂