Small Talk: The Prayer Closet

[Satchels of gold]

I thought we as Americans agreed to pack up all our Jerry Lewis love and ship it to France.

[Tabbygirl521]

Oh geez, Frank Sinatra. My mom grew up loving him. About ten years ago, he was in his Deathbed Tour and was set to appear at the Puyallup Fair (western Washington). So mom, sister and I decided to go but we were (rightly, as it turned out) too cheap to spring for tickets. We stood outside the grandstand and listened as Frank JUNIOR more or less propped him up and sorta sang for him. Oh, it was not good.

Used to watch the telethon with my old high-school/college boyfriend (exciting weekends for us!) and all I really remember is Billy Barty, and that they would sing the call-in phone number to the tune of "When the saints come marchin' in." Call B R Four! Five Seven Eight Nine!" Or whatever. I recall this as being near the end of the 'thon when they all sounded drunk.

[XinaMarie]

Wondering if the Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald is a cry worthy song? I apparently am missing a sensitivity chip.

[Tabbygirl521]

Wondering if the Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald is a cry worthy song? I apparently am missing a sensitivity chip.

I feel like it should be sad, but it just reminds me of the scenes in "Airplane" where Robert Hays bores passenger after passenger to suicide. In fairness to Gordon Lightfoot, I get that he was depicting the relentlessness of the raging sea but ARGH.

In related news, I used to tear up over "If you could read my mind."

[lookeyloo]

Oh geez, Frank Sinatra. My mom grew up loving him. About ten years ago, he was in his Deathbed Tour and was set to appear at the Puyallup Fair (western Washington). So mom, sister and I decided to go but we were (rightly, as it turned out) too cheap to spring for tickets. We stood outside the grandstand and listened as Frank JUNIOR more or less propped him up and sorta sang for him. Oh, it was not good.

Used to watch the telethon with my old high-school/college boyfriend (exciting weekends for us!) and all I really remember is Billy Barty, and that they would sing the call-in phone number to the tune of "When the saints come marchin' in." Call B R Four! Five Seven Eight Nine!" Or whatever. I recall this as being near the end of the 'thon when they all sounded drunk.

[Catlyn]

Updated Pantheon of Tragic Oldies Songs we have:

-Honey

-Teen Angel

-Tell Laura I Love Her

-Last Kiss

-Leader of the Pack

-Running Bear

-Dead Man's Curve

-Shannon

-Billy Don't Be A Hero

-One Tin Soldier

-Black Denim Trousers and Motorcycle Boots

-The Surfboard Came Back By Itself (technically a parody, but c'mon, it's about a surfer being eaten by a shark ...)

If you are going to have the Surfboard came back, then Timothy should be added to the list. That one is a real eye opener when you realize what it's about.

[Readalot]

I think the saddest song of my generation is "Major Tom" by David Bowie. Poor wife. Poor Tom!

[lookeyloo]

Tabbygirl - grands live in Puyallup. I've been to the fair. Since I am considered "very old" I can remember the telethon when it was Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. And I saw them both in person at the Paramount Theater in NYC. Honestly, we thought they were he funniest fellows around. We watched the telethons and they were great. Then as time went on and they split up things went down hill for us. Then the very unflattering biography of Jerry came out. Not a nice man. So we just watched the opening of the telethon just to see what he looked like. Also saw Frank Simatra in person when I was a tot. Don't remember but the story goes I fell asleep in the front row. Back then I guess tickets were affordable.

[Lemur]

If you are going to have the Surfboard came back, then Timothy should be added to the list. That one is a real eye opener when you realize what it's about.

 

I read the lyrics, so yeah, of course I have to go download it tonight.  

[zenme]

"The Last Song" by Elton John will always have me crying in the car--driving usually, and reaching my destination looking a hot mess.

[Catlyn]

I like scary supernatural movies but bailed on The Babadook because there was a cute dog and an implication that it was going to meet an unhappy fate.

Good call on The Babadook. I hate  when movies like that show a cute friendly dog, because you know their gonners.

[bigskygirl]

I had my appointment with the physician assistant this morning. She ordered a 25-Hydroxy Vitamin D Total, C-Reactive Protein, and Rheumatoid Factor blood tests. She wants to rule out an inflammation and any signs of rheumatoid arthritis, lupus or other possible autoimmune disorders. I also will be seeing an allergy specialist since my allergies have gotten worse since I had the Radiation Ablation treatment. I am still having ear pain and jaw pain which may be caused by the tissue or muscle damage in the area where my non-functioning thyroid is at. And yes, she does not care too much about the one doctor in Great Falls either. She thinks the new specialist is more personable and is very smart.

[IOU Payne]

My most tear-inducing song is "Big Leagues" by Tom Cochrane.  I am admittedly the kind of person who needs a box of Kleenex on Super Bowl Sunday because I will cry at the inspirational pre-game stories, the national anthem and the Budwiser ads.  But this song?  Gets me, every. freaking. time.

[Almost 3000]

Speaking of Jerry Lewis. First, Tabbygirl, a tip of my hat to you for surviving my idea of total hell on earth. A cheap motel room and a Jerry Lewis telethon. Short of dread disease or actual personal tragedy? It's hard for me to imagine anything more horrible. You must be tough, and I salute you for surviving.

 

Now. I may draw a lot of hate here. But I wonder, am I the only one who never, ever, found Jerry Lewis the least bit funny or entertaining? I was a kid in the 50's, and I have vague memories of when Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin were a team. They made some movies, I think, and then Lewis went solo and made movies and appeared on TV as a comedian. I never thought he was funny, even when I was a kid, watching him doing slapstick on TV. Nor was I ever impressed by his charity begathons on TV. I still remember the joy of my first Labor Day with cable TV, when I realized I had many good alternative shows to watch!

 

I know, he's had a very successful career, and lots of people must just love him. But me? Nope. 

 

As they say, different strokes for different folks.

 

Edited 'cause I goofed in naming the person who posted about the telethon. My bad.

Yep, right there with you re the no Jerry Lewis love and his contemporary Jim Carey too.

[ChocolateAddict]

My mum used to cry over "Tears in Heaven" by Eric Clapton. I wasn't that emotional til I found out that it was inspired by his son's death and now I get a bit teary-eyed.  It's a beautiful song. Also the video for 'The War is Over (If You Want It)' by John Lennon with all the war footage, particularly of the children who are injured or killed in gets me every time. 

Also, it's not a sad song as such but Paul Kelly's song 'How to make gravy" is fantastic.  It's an Australian song about a man who is in gaol for Christmas and won't be able to be with his family.  He talks about how it won't be the same since he won't be there to make the gravy and about giving his kids a kiss since he can't.  "War is Over' and 'How to make gravy' remind me of the other side of Christmas.  

And I cry in movies. I'm ashamed to say that I cried at the end of Fast and Furious Seven with the Paul Walker montage but I also cried at the end of Harry Potter and had a couple of tears in Toy Story 3.  I grew up with Toy Story, we listened to the audiobook CD so much that it got worn out so at the end it was sad.  

I refuse to watch My Sister's Keeper or Sophie's Choice because I know that I would be a puddle of tears.  

[Liz Tudor]

So, in the Pantheon of Tragic Oldies Songs we have:

 

-Honey

-Teen Angel

-Tell Laura I Love Her

-Last Kiss

-Leader of the Pack

-Running Bear 

-Dead Man's Curve

Definitely Jim Croce's "Time In A Bottle." This next one isn't an oldie, more of an 80s niche, but Suzanne Vega's "Queen and the Soldier." And again, not one for this particular list, but I can't stand to hear "I'll Be Home For Christmas." My mom unknowingly passed her dislike of the song to me; she lost her mom when she was 15, so she explained why she didn't like it, and how the line "if only in my dreams" is the only way she remembers an intact family at the holidays. Fast forward many years, and I marry into the military, we spend several Christmases apart, some during dicey wartime, and I can't stand the song on a whole new level. And holiday programs (both live and TV) love to capitalize on that sentiment and show montages of people overseas/in war zones while they play the song. No thanks.

[Happyfatchick]

If you are going to have the Surfboard came back, then Timothy should be added to the list. That one is a real eye opener when you realize what it's about.

TIMOTHY!!! I was sitting here reading through the sad songs list, and wracking my brain over that horse's name! Daniel...Samuel... And I stumbled over this post. Thank God. Otherwise, I'd have woke everyone in the house when it came to me during my routine 4:00 am pee trip in the morning.

It seems like I also spent an inordinate amount of time being misty eyed over Bread songs. Didn't they have a thing about sad songs?

A song story: I went to a friend's wedding in the late 70's. The groom fancied himself to be a singer, and the bride's name was Angie. (Can you feel it coming?). So yes. He sang the song "Angie" to her during the wedding. She was a very young bride, and I was there with about 50 young tender hearted girls my age. We all were weepy over what was the sweeeeetest thing ever. It didn't come to me till years later that Angie is actually a breakup song.

[StaceyNotStacie]

The Christmas song about the Christmas shoes always makes me cry, with the little boy and the dying mother. There was also a movie based on the song.

[Missy Vixen]

The Christmas song about the Christmas shoes always makes me cry, with the little boy and the dying mother. There was also a movie based on the song.

That song makes me stabby. Seriously. The kid is buying shoes for his dying mother on Christmas Eve? Didn't anyone ask what a small child was doing in a store alone? And we won't even discuss the fact he didn't have enough money, or the idea that she can't "meet Jesus" without new shoes?

 

Really?

[NewDigs]

Bolding mine

TIMOTHY!!! I was sitting here reading through the sad songs list, and wracking my brain over that horse's name! Daniel...Samuel... And I stumbled over this post. Thank God. Otherwise, I'd have woke everyone in the house when it came to me during my routine 4:00 am pee trip in the morning.

It seems like I also spent an inordinate amount of time being misty eyed over Bread songs. Didn't they have a thing about sad songs?

A song story: I went to a friend's wedding in the late 70's. The groom fancied himself to be a singer, and the bride's name was Angie. (Can you feel it coming?). So yes. He sang the song "Angie" to her during the wedding. She was a very young bride, and I was there with about 50 young tender hearted girls my age. We all were weepy over what was the sweeeeetest thing ever. It didn't come to me till years later that Angie is actually a breakup song.

Kind of like TomC singing "You've Lost that Lovin' Feeling" as a wedding song for his new bride Katie. Geesh, listen to the words, why doncha?

I don't even need to see the video to Lennon's War is Over/so this is Christmas song to tear up. Even beyond the sorrow of war, some of the emotion for me is also that John was gone too soon.

[Chicklet]

Can we now stop the horrible bad earworms you all have given me and talk about the worst Christmas present ever? My husband had an employee who had a jewelry store and begged him to let her pick out my gift. I had never met said woman. Gift given. Big ass white gold heart with sparkles which would be more appropriate on a rapper. Let's just say he will never do that again. And this was the year after we decided to go no gifts since we didn't want or need anything.

My mother thinks I'm a heartless shrew but really? He let another woman pick out a totally inappropriate gift for me? I like understated stuff which he knew. Men.

 

ETA- not that you have to stop talking about horrible and sad music but for those of us with overactive tear ducts.........

Edited November 7, 2015 by Chicklet

[Ownedbydogs]

Jumping out of lurk mode to join in on the sad song topic.  I HATE with the passion of 1000 suns Cat's in the Cradle.  That is beyond depressing.  An immediate channel changer for me.  YMMV of course.  Carry on (back into lurk mode).

Edited November 7, 2015 by Ownedbydogs

[Chicklet]

And I have "Shannon" playing in my head. Sniffle.

[Joe Jitsu913]

Can we now stop the horrible bad earworms you all have given me and talk about the worst Christmas present ever? My husband had an employee who had a jewelry store and begged him to let her pick out my gift. I had never met said woman. Gift given. Big ass white gold heart with sparkles which would be more appropriate on a rapper. Let's just say he will never do that again. And this was the year after we decided to go no gifts since we didn't want or need anything.

My mother thinks I'm a heartless shrew but really? He let another woman pick out a totally inappropriate gift for me? I like understated stuff which he knew. Men.

ETA- not that you have to stop talking about horrible and sad music but for those of us with overactive tear ducts.........

My bf's crazy cat lady grandmother gave me kid gloves for Christmas. I was 27.

She also gave bf's mother one of those big tins of partially eaten popcorn.

It's pretty much a game of who's getting the worst Christmas presents from her.

Last year, she gave me a jug of windshield washer fluid.

Bf's sister got a check for $100 from her several years ago for Christmas. Of course, it bounced.

[StaceyNotStacie]

Jumping out of lurk mode to join in on the sad song topic.  I HATE with the passion of 1000 suns Cat's in the Cradle.  That is beyond depressing.  An immediate channel changer for me.  YMMV of course.  Carry on (back into lurk mode).

 

Every time I hear this song, I think of the Christmas episode of the Middle from a few years ago when Axl comes home from college.  He tells Brick about the lyrics to the song and they're practically in tears by the end of the episode.  

[zenme]

M

y bf's crazy cat lady grandmother gave me kid gloves for Christmas. I was 27.

She also gave bf's mother one of those big tins of partially eaten popcorn.

It's pretty much a game of who's getting the worst Christmas presents from her.

Last year, she gave me a jug of windshield washer fluid.

Bf's sister got a check for $100 from her several years ago for Christmas. Of course, it bounced.

 

Hmm.  Maybe she doesn't have any extra money.  I'd tell Grammy to buy herself something special for Christmas. "Don't worry about us! We have what we need." 

Or maybe she sucks at giving gifts! My mom is the same way, and she has has money.  I give her gifts that I know she likes, and she winds up liking them, getting compliments, etc., but her gift giving abilities are always disappointing.  Actually, they hurt my feelings.  I sometimes wonder, "Do you even know me?"  I always tell her not to get me anything. I've mastered my "Thank you! I love it!" reaction.

[Chicklet]

Windshield washer fluid would be at least useable. If you have a car. I'm always running out so it's kind of a handy gift? That's all I got.

[Tabbygirl521]

And I have "Shannon" playing in my head. Sniffle.

I just used Uptown Funk as a palate cleanser.

[Joe Jitsu913]

M

Hmm. Maybe she doesn't have any extra money. I'd tell Grammy to buy herself something special for Christmas. "Don't worry about us! We have what we need."

Or maybe she sucks at giving gifts! My mom is the same way, and she has has money. I give her gifts that I know she likes, and she winds up liking them, getting compliments, etc., but her gift giving abilities are always disappointing. Actually, they hurt my feelings. I sometimes wonder, "Do you even know me?" I always tell her not to get me anything. I've mastered my "Thank you! I love it!" reaction.

Oh trust me...she blows A LOT of money on infomercials, telephone scams, donating to this and that. She also allows her drug addict son to use her credit cards to buy booze and drugs. She let's her son sponge off of her.

[NewDigs]

Moms seem to be bigger suckers when it comes to their sons.

Maybe with daughters they are better able to install all of the buttons they need install for optimum manipulation.

Sons they kind of, just adore?

Anecdotal evidence is the only evidence I have available. Older brother, older sister. And reports from small circle of other families. And I watch and read true crime. Many moms have kept their baby boys safe even to the extent of murder or going to jail.

See the tree how big it's grown...

Wonder how a mashup of Leader of the Pack and Deadmans' Curve would sound.

Edited November 7, 2015 by NewDigs

[burlsa]

My worst present ever came from my grandparents (more specifically my grandma). It's not as much the gift as the implications behind the gift.

Let me start by saying my grandma is a narcissist at the very least (sociopath at most), and I am not liked by her. She treated me like shit my whole life. I was bullied in school, to the point of almost committing suicide bad. My grandma knew this, but harped on me about not being as good as the other students. It was by miracle that I graduated, but I chose to skip the graduation ceremony because I wanted it to be gone. My grandma freaked out because she was worried people would think I didn't graduate. So for Christmas I got this big, gaudy diploma ornament. It was meant to be personalized, but wasn't. It didn't even match my school's colors. It was just her passive way of rubbing graduation in my face.

In pure karmatic justice, my mom was playing tennis on Wii, the remote ended up hitting the ornament, shattering it. Now no more ugly diploma.

[latetotheparty]

Speaking of Jerry Lewis. First, Tabbygirl, a tip of my hat to you for surviving my idea of total hell on earth. A cheap motel room and a Jerry Lewis telethon. Short of dread disease or actual personal tragedy? It's hard for me to imagine anything more horrible. You must be tough, and I salute you for surviving.

 

Now. I may draw a lot of hate here. But I wonder, am I the only one who never, ever, found Jerry Lewis the least bit funny or entertaining? I was a kid in the 50's, and I have vague memories of when Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin were a team. They made some movies, I think, and then Lewis went solo and made movies and appeared on TV as a comedian. I never thought he was funny, even when I was a kid, watching him doing slapstick on TV. Nor was I ever impressed by his charity begathons on TV. I still remember the joy of my first Labor Day with cable TV, when I realized I had many good alternative shows to watch!

 

I know, he's had a very successful career, and lots of people must just love him. But me? Nope. 

 

As they say, different strokes for different folks.

 

Edited 'cause I goofed in naming the person who posted about the telethon. My bad.

 

I have a huge embarrassment squick and Jerry Lewis pings that squick hard.

[Tabbygirl521]

There's been a terrible oversight.

"Wildfire."

[latetotheparty]

What about:  Most Boring Song Ever?

 

I nominate A Horse with No Name.

[Tabbygirl521]

What about: Most Boring Song Ever?

I nominate A Horse with No Name.

Best grammar, too. There ain't no one for to give you no shame. Or pain. Or something.

I will re-invoke The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.

Edited November 7, 2015 by Tabbygirl521

[Chicklet]

Was the Edmond Fitzgerald sad though, or just painful? His voice just numbed me from the ears up and I couldn't ever figure it out.

 

Well you know what I mean. 

Edited November 7, 2015 by Chicklet

[burlsa]

Was the Edmond Fitzgerald sad though, or just painful? His voice just numbed me from the ears up and I couldn't ever figure it out.

Well you know what I mean.

I always enjoyed the song, maybe because it has to do with Michigan-esque history. Right now my Facebook feed is filled with reminders that Tuesday marks the 40th anniversary of it's sinking.

[NewDigs]

Best grammar, too. There ain't no one for to give you no shame. Or pain. Or something.

I will re-invoke The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.

The word is pain. Like the lyrics. Painful.

Songwriter must have been tripping. Though I get a kick out of, "I met a fly with a buzz".

The Wreck didn't mist me up but used to love Lightfoot. Haven't heard him in ages.

[Tabbygirl521]

My friend used to sing along with it: "Does anyone knows where the love of God goes, when the minutes of songs turn to hours?"

I feel bad not liking it since it is about a horrible, sad event. But I find it tedious. Sad that the anniversary is looming :(

[MarysWetBar]

Bolding mine

Kind of like TomC singing "You've Lost that Lovin' Feeling" as a wedding song for his new bride Katie. Geesh, listen to the words, why doncha?

I don't even need to see the video to Lennon's War is Over/so this is Christmas song to tear up. Even beyond the sorrow of war, some of the emotion for me is also that John was gone too soon.

Can i break in here quickly to ask how a psycho with a loaded gun had john Lennon and YOKO ONO in his sights and decided to shoot JOHN!?!?

One of life's real mysteries.

[latetotheparty]

I always enjoyed the song, maybe because it has to do with Michigan-esque history. Right now my Facebook feed is filled with reminders that Tuesday marks the 40th anniversary of it's sinking.

This.  As a Michigan native and a 30+ Minnesota resident I feel ridiculously possessive about the Great Lakes and the things which happen on them.  Plus, folk music YAY.

 

Edited because I am too sleepy to subtract in my head. 

Edited November 7, 2015 by latetotheparty

[Readalot]

If you need an adorable pick me up, go see the Peanuts movie. Except for the Red Baron, which bored me as it did when I was a kid, I was full of smiles.

[SomePity1066]

Can we now stop the horrible bad earworms you all have given me and talk about the worst Christmas present ever? My husband had an employee who had a jewelry store and begged him to let her pick out my gift. I had never met said woman. Gift given. Big ass white gold heart with sparkles which would be more appropriate on a rapper. Let's just say he will never do that again. And this was the year after we decided to go no gifts since we didn't want or need anything.

My mother thinks I'm a heartless shrew but really? He let another woman pick out a totally inappropriate gift for me? I like understated stuff which he knew. Men.

 

ETA- not that you have to stop talking about horrible and sad music but for those of us with overactive tear ducts.........

Ha ! Agreed ! Not that we can't discuss the WORST SONG EVAAAHHH !!! (IMO Guitar Man by Bread. Waterworks begin now...)

 

But... the inappropriate, weird, possibly passive-aggressive presents ? Now that's a subject I can sink my teeth into. 

 

The loves of my life have been so, so great at presents - and not by a money standpoint - because they always meant something special to me. Tulips in February, a Rush t-shirt that I'd had and lost, a Star Wars/R2D2 pen to perfectly match the C3PO I already had, a really, really good chef's knife to encourage me to keep up with the cooking lessons, and on and on. 

 

But ! I've also had some seriously shitty gifts that I just can't wrap my head around...

 

A re-gifted (!) vase from a family member that looked like something a Star Trek Captain would have to push at the very last minute to avoid a galaxy-wide apocalypse. Seriously. So, so bad. And it had the tape and scrap of wrapping paper from its last incarnation as a gift to that very same family member. No. Just no. I'd rather have just a heartfelt message on a card than a re-gifted gift that hadn't even been completely unwrapped before being re-wrapped for me ! 

 

Another vase - this one a tiny, tiny bud vase of some material not known to me. Maybe it was made of the element Tupperwarium ??? It was..uh - bouncy ? Purchased, via the tag that was left on, at SeaTac airport for $4.99. Two years before I was married. Bounced into the garbage. Boing, boing, boing...

 

Oh, and the nightgown/housecoat given to me, at 25/26 or so, from a younger relative, that was clearly meant for the dominion of an older, seriously, older, relative. There was a birthday card inside the box, unsigned, unsealed, which leads me to believe it was bought for an aunt/grandma that died before the gift was bestowed, and was then passed on to me. 

 

Ugh. Just ugh. 

 

I have more, but I need to put the bitter to rest now and think of happy things. 

 

How about the 59th Street Bridge Song ???

 

Slow down, you move too fast...  :)

[JenCarroll]

***

Last year, she gave me a jug of windshield washer fluid.

***

Ok, now I need some wiper fluid; I just spat all over my screen when I read that. lol. It's just so... random.

I can't recall any truly terrible gifts. I'm sure there must have been some, but they don't stand out in my memory. Think I'm getting soft in my old age. :-)

[wilsie]

Getting back to sad songs, Ray Charles version of  You Don't Know Me causes me to tear-up every time.  Such a sweet and sad song.

[Jordan Baker]

For your consideration . . . the worst verse ever written. Or maybe it's so bad, it's the best. From "Take the Money and Run" (Steve Miller Band):

 

Billy Mack is a detective down in Texas
You know he knows just exactly what the facts is
He ain't gonna let those two escape justice
He makes his livin' off of the people's taxes

 

Pure gold, I tell ya.

 

[crazycatlady58]

Worst Christmas gift ever? My grandmother had shown me a beautiful crocheted beadspread she was making my cousin for Christmas. So come Christmas I go to her house for dinner she hands me a walmart bag with 3 pair of hose in it, she said she did not know what I wanted and knew I could use them. I told her it was great I could always use hose. What else could I say,thankfully I was an adult so it did not bother me as much as it would have if I had been a child.

[momofsquid]

Worst Christmas gift ever? My grandmother had shown me a beautiful crocheted beadspread she was making my cousin for Christmas. So come Christmas I go to her house for dinner she hands me a walmart bag with 3 pair of hose in it, she said she did not know what I wanted and knew I could use them. I told her it was great I could always use hose. What else could I say,thankfully I was an adult so it did not bother me as much as it would have if I had been a child.

Are we related? In my teens my grandmother gave me a hand-crocheted doily, which as a crocheter myself I did appreciate, accompanied by a pair of panty hose and one dollar. When I was younger my sister's godmother gave me a three-pack of underwear that were several sizes too large.

 

Right now my very elderly but still sharp mother-in-law is the loose cannon when it comes to gift giving. She shops in bargain outlets and tries her best to fit her cheapo finds to someone in the family. I am over 50 and she gave me a skin-tight spandex dress. I guess that was a compliment, in a way? I passed it on to a teenaged daughter. She always gives dadofsquid shirts that are too small. I suspect his size doesn't appear in the $5 bin very often and she figures it's close enough. She was obsessed with Julia Roberts at one point and tried to give me a Pretty Woman ensemble. There was a white collared shirt -- very nice, I still wear it -- accompanied by a hideous floral man's tie and a child-size black baseball cap. She had to explain the theme to me because I was baffled.

[zenme]

Momofsquid, I am laughing so hard at the idea of those gifts! Also, wouldn't it have been funny if you'd have taken that dollar and bought a lotto ticket and won!

[Porkchop]

My mother-in-law (gone but not forgotten) would rather spend $20 on 20 useless gifts at the dollar store than splurge for something I might actuallly use. But ... she took our kids on an adventure every weekend, and when she brought them home on Sunday nights, she cleaned the kitchen, wallpapered a room or two, mowed the lawn and cleaned the fish tank. Well, not all on the same trip, but close ... she was SO much help. She was just a bundle of energy ... very Energizer Bunny-ish. I loved her dearly and miss her a lot.