S01.E14: Potato Salad, a Broomstick, and Dad's Whiskey

[formerlyfreedom]

When Mary takes a job as church secretary, she finds herself becoming Pastor Jeff's marriage counselor. Also, Sheldon and Missy spend their first afternoon home alone.

[Spartan Girl]

I want more episodes of Sheldon and Missy doing stuff. That is all.

[Frost]

Sheldon and Missy were gold!  This was the first episode I really bought them as twins.  There was a connection there regardless of how different their personalities are.  I wonder what happened to that tall glass of whiskey?  Did they pour it back into the bottle?  I loved that Sheldon was ultimately willing to trust Missy to do splinter surgery.

Poor Mary.  She was so thrilled about all the different components of her new job, and then found out 90% of it is listening to the pastor whining about his marital problems!

[chocolatine]

Sheldon may have the higher IQ, but Missy definitely has better life skills, from dousing a spying Meemaw with the fire extinguisher to removing a splinter with toy tweezers sanitized in a tall glass of whisky.

I didn't grow up in the US - was it pretty common in the 80s/early 90s to leave nine-year-olds at home by themselves in the afternoon? I'm the same age as Sheldon and Missy, and I was left alone from when I was six, and by age nine I was babysitting my little cousin. It seems like these days parents are hyper-cautious and don't leave children alone until they're teenagers.

[SparklesBitch]

Missy and Sheldon were the most entertaining part of the episode for me. I’d gladly watch more of just them. 

Meemaw not wanting to watch the kids cracked me up. Her snapping her fingers in the air as she’s talking about all of her afternoon plans was the best. Meemaw is a busy woman, Mary! Loved her saying how responsible Sheldon is and so on, then moving onto “and Missy is.....his sister.” Lol! 

And poor Mary, so excited about her job and ending up the pastor’s marriage counselor. I got a kick out of her praying for strength not to spread the juicy gossip around. Also, I loved how excited she was about getting to be in charge of the church signs....”What’s the best vitamin for a Christian? B1!” So freaking cute. 

I was so happy that good old George was so supportive of her! Yay for George. I was expecting him to have some resistance to the idea of her job because “the man provides” and gender roles and blah blah blah, but I was pleasantly surprised that wasn’t the case. 

Other thoughts:

- Missy swaying to the music at the church despite the pastor discouraging her was pretty cute 

- I cracked up at Georgie’s comment that leaving the twins home alone after school was “a brave choice”

- I feel like maybe I’m reading too much into this, but what was going on with Mary’s look at George when the whole “I wouldn’t worry” joke (about the pastor borrowing Mary to talk to her) between him and the pastor was going on? She looked kinda mad for a second. 

- Sheldon knowing what the pastor’s wife was saying and him of course assuming that the pastor’s Spanish was terrible rather than that he just lied about what she said. So Sheldon! 

[jewel21]

I really loved Missy and Sheldon hanging out alone. And I definitely felt that twin vibe from them. I also loved how proud both of them were after Missy removed the splinter, lol.

Fun episode, I'm glad this show is back.

[AnnaRose]

Can somebody please tell me what happened in the end tag?  (Stupid weather interruptions.)  I love this show so much, and I especially loved all the Sheldon and Missy scenes.  They are adorable and hilarious.

[hoodooznoodooz]

1 hour ago, SparklesBitch said:

Missy and Sheldon were the most entertaining part of the episode for me. I’d gladly watch more of just them. 

Meemaw not wanting to watch the kids cracked me up. Her snapping her fingers in the air as she’s talking about all of her afternoon plans was the best. Meemaw is a busy woman, Mary! Loved her saying how responsible Sheldon is and so on, then moving onto “and Missy is.....his sister.” Lol! 

And poor Mary, so excited about her job and ending up the pastor’s marriage counselor. I got a kick out of her praying for strength not to spread the juicy gossip around. Also, I loved how excited she was about getting to be in charge of the church signs....”What’s the best vitamin for a Christian? B1!” So freaking cute. 

I was so happy that good old George was so supportive of her! Yay for George. I was expecting him to have some resistance to the idea of her job because “the man provides” and gender roles and blah blah blah, but I was pleasantly surprised that wasn’t the case. 

Other thoughts:

- Missy swaying to the music at the church despite the pastor discouraging her was pretty cute 

- I cracked up at Georgie’s comment that leaving the twins home alone after school was “a brave choice”

- I feel like maybe I’m reading too much into this, but what was going on with Mary’s look at George when the whole “I wouldn’t worry” joke (about the pastor borrowing Mary to talk to her) between him and the pastor was going on? She looked kinda mad for a second. 

- Sheldon knowing what the pastor’s wife was saying and him of course assuming that the pastor’s Spanish was terrible rather than that he just lied about what she said. So Sheldon! 

I think Mary shot George an angry look because George was so confident that he had nothing to worry about. Maybe she felt he takes her for granted sometimes. 

I love the way Missy looks when they are saying grace.

[Mystery]

1 hour ago, jewel21 said:

I really loved Missy and Sheldon hanging out alone. And I definitely felt that twin vibe from them. I also loved how proud both of them were after Missy removed the splinter, lol.

I guess there were two heroes that day! I love those kids. I also thought that Missy had some of Georgie's facial expressions, which is what I'd expect. The show did such a good job casting the kids. 

[Gulftastic]

Zoe Perry sounded so like her mother in this episode. 

They've really got lucky with casting of the twins. When I think of the annoyingly precocious little brats US tv used to cast, we've come a long way, baby.

[DarkRaichu]

8 hours ago, SparklesBitch said:

I was so happy that good old George was so supportive of her! Yay for George. I was expecting him to have some resistance to the idea of her job because “the man provides” and gender roles and blah blah blah, but I was pleasantly surprised that wasn’t the case. 

Spot on.  This is why George is one of my favorite characters in this series.  Despite the "jock turned coach" archetype, he is actually a caring husband and father 

[Chit Chat]

7 hours ago, hoodooznoodooz said:

I feel like maybe I’m reading too much into this, but what was going on with Mary’s look at George when the whole “I wouldn’t worry” joke (about the pastor borrowing Mary to talk to her) between him and the pastor was going on? She looked kinda mad for a second. 

It was an insult to the pastor.  George had no reason to worry about Mary being left alone in his presence because George felt confident that Mary wouldn't have those kind of feelings towards her pastor, i.e. in George's mind he was probably thinking "there's no way in hell she'd want to have sex with you" and Mary knew that.  That was my take on it.

40 minutes ago, DarkRaichu said:

I was so happy that good old George was so supportive of her! Yay for George.

The look on his face when he realized how disappointed Mary was when she was ready to give up the job was so sweet.  He doesn't want Mary to be disappointed or hurt.  That's how a good spouse should react!

10 hours ago, Frost said:

Sheldon and Missy were gold!  This was the first episode I really bought them as twins.  There was a connection there regardless of how different their personalities are.

That's the nicest we've seen Sheldon be to Missy.  Not that he's mean to her, but like string beans, "nobody wonders about them, they're just there!"  I liked how they both felt the same fear when opening the door to an empty house.  They were in this together!  

[Gulftastic]

1 hour ago, ChitChat said:

 

That's the nicest we've seen Sheldon be to Missy.  Not that he's mean to her, but like string beans, "nobody wonders about them, they're just there!"  I liked how they both felt the same fear when opening the door to an empty house.  They were in this together!  

Terrified by the ringing phone together, too.

[AnnieHeights]

This show keeps getting better and better. George was really funny tonight, especially when he told the kids their Grandmother was not the person they thought she was when Sheldon asked why she was not going to be watching them while their mother was at work as well as telling Mary her B1 joke was funny once she explained it.  Missy and Sheldon were great together this episode!  I thought Missy swaying to the music then continuing to do so after the preacher stopped her was awesome.           

[Traveller519]

I appreciated putting Missy in the spotlight this episode (basically from the beginning too, with her dancing at the lunch). Until now, she's pretty much just been a joke dispenser from the sidelines. So it was great to see her handle the more central role, and flesh out more of her character and relationship with Sheldon beyond "they're twins and share a room" 

The biggest shock/surprise for me, though was during the opening credits seeing the "directed by" being Howie Deutch. I had to do a quick check and make sure Howie was actually Howard and not a nephew or something. Maybe Lea trying her hand at directing, and his daughters having full-fledged careers of their own, motivated him to try his hand at a new form of directing. 

[Anakerie]

I really felt for poor Sheldon in this one. My mother always used needles on splinters (never tweezers) and I would hide splinters from her as long as I could to avoid the sheer terror of having her remove one. *huddles into ball at memory*

[MaryMitch]

14 hours ago, chocolatine said:

I didn't grow up in the US - was it pretty common in the 80s/early 90s to leave nine-year-olds at home by themselves in the afternoon? I'm the same age as Sheldon and Missy, and I was left alone from when I was six, and by age nine I was babysitting my little cousin. It seems like these days parents are hyper-cautious and don't leave children alone until they're teenagers.

I would say in a small town it was uncommon. (I wouldn't know about a big city.) First, people would assume they were too young, and second, typically you would be able to find someone who could watch them, like a friend (or a Meemaw).  In real life, I would think Mary would try to figure out something... maybe bringing them to the church (lots of small town churches have after school programs) or adjusting her work hours.

But then, it wouldn't have been funny! I'm fine with it anyway; I think these 2 will do fine.

[ProudMary]

Kudos to Missy for thinking of getting the tweezers from Operation.  She's actually a very bright little girl, whose natural intelligence and common sense pales when compared to her brother's brilliance but should by no means be considered dim witted.  Georgie, OTOH... ?  And grabbing the fire extinguisher as a weapon against an intruder was a great idea too.  Plus she got to try it out--which she obviously was determined to do--without setting the house on fire!

I loved that Missy continued to let the music move her even though that pastor signalled that she should stop.  That truly annoyed me.  They were not in the actual church at a service at the time.  They were in a church hall having a post-service, pot luck luncheon.  Admittedly, clergy members not allowing children to be themselves (within the realm of good behavior, of course) is something that ticks me off big time.  

I was pleasantly surprised that George called the house to see how Missy and Sheldon were doing on their first afternoon home alone.  I expected Mary to call and check on them; having George do the same was a very nice touch.

I know the whiskey made for a good chuckle, but honestly, didn't the Coopers have a bottle of rubbing alcohol in the house?  I kind of bumped on that as Sheldon would have made some comment to the effect of, "I meant isopropyl alcohol, not an alcoholic beverage!"

[Gothish520]

14 hours ago, chocolatine said:

Sheldon may have the higher IQ, but Missy definitely has better life skills, from dousing a spying Meemaw with the fire extinguisher to removing a splinter with toy tweezers sanitized in a tall glass of whisky.

I didn't grow up in the US - was it pretty common in the 80s/early 90s to leave nine-year-olds at home by themselves in the afternoon? I'm the same age as Sheldon and Missy, and I was left alone from when I was six, and by age nine I was babysitting my little cousin. It seems like these days parents are hyper-cautious and don't leave children alone until they're teenagers.

Nine seems awfully young to me, even for back in the late 80s. I started babysitting at around age 11 or maybe 12. The first time I was left alone with my siblings, I was fine until around 10 pm - then I started getting scared and wishing my parents would get home. And they were only three houses down at the neighbors, lol! My sisters and brother were all asleep, no issues. After that first night, I was fine though.

As for today, most parents I know won't leave their children home alone until they are well into their teens. 

[LoneHaranguer]

10 hours ago, Gulftastic said:

Zoe Perry sounded so like her mother in this episode.

There was a point in this episode where I was struck by how much Missy sounded like a younger version of the character we saw in TBBT.

5 minutes ago, ProudMary said:

I know the whiskey made for a good chuckle, but honestly, didn't the Coopers have a bottle of rubbing alcohol in the house?  I kind of bumped on that as Sheldon would have made some comment to the effect of, "I meant isopropyl alcohol, not an alcoholic beverage!"

Rubbing alcohol is usually put out of reach of children for safety reasons, and tends to stay there even after they're old enough for it not to be a concern anymore.

[ProudMary]

1 hour ago, LoneHaranguer said:

There was a point in this episode where I was struck by how much Missy sounded like a younger version of the character we saw in TBBT.

Rubbing alcohol is usually put out of reach of children for safety reasons, and tends to stay there even after they're old enough for it not to be a concern anymore.

But let's leave the whiskey out where anyone can grab it?  Nah, I think we'll have to agree to disagree on this one.  I'm betting the rubbing alcohol's under the bathroom sink.  The writers just want to make sure we all remember that George likes his booze.

[TV Diva Queen]

30 minutes ago, ProudMary said:

But let's leave the whiskey out where anyone can grab it?  Nah, I think we'll have to agree to disagree on this one.  I'm betting the rubbing alcohol's under the bathroom sink.  The writers just want to make sure we all remember that George likes his booze.

Ironically - yes for my house too.  booze was always in an off limits cabinet in the dining room as was my parents fully stocked bar in the basement.  Rubbing alcohol was always on the top top shelf of the linen closest (which is where I keep mine now).  We simply knew not to touch the booze.  

[Yeah No]

Where I'm from back in the late 80s no one would leave kids that age unattended.  Although when I was a kid in the 60s my mother took a job when I was 9 and did not let my own grandma get out of agreeing to keep her eye on me, which like Sheldon's meemaw, she tried to do.  And she lived in the same apartment building with us so she was just as close.  I don't get it - the kids could have had orders to check in at meemaw's at certain times or call mom on the phone themselves.  Meemaw lives right next door, for chrissakes!  As a latch-key kid myself I know there were many other options, but like someone said above, we wouldn't have had this episode if that were the case!

I did split my sides when meemaw told their mother that her generation was raising a generation of pansies, though!  

Another nitpick - meemaw's fridge - I don't remember double door bottom freezer fridges in those days.  I think I would have remembered them, but I really don't know.  Although it was in an old fashioned style.  This show is usually pretty correct to the period - maybe a little too correct at times.  I get it that they were not supposed to have money but nothing in their homes looks newer than early 80s if that.

[Katy M]

4 hours ago, MaryMitch said:

I would say in a small town it was uncommon. (I wouldn't know about a big city.) First, people would assume they were too young, and second, typically you would be able to find someone who could watch them, like a friend (or a Meemaw).  In real life, I would think Mary would try to figure out something... maybe bringing them to the church (lots of small town churches have after school programs) or adjusting her work hours.

I lived in a small town.  My mom didn't have a job, but when she had errands and whatnot, I think I was left at home from about 8 on.  That would be early 80s as opposed to late 80s.  

I loved the "I  hope I don't get drunk" line when Sheldon stuck his finger in the whiskey, although I find that out of character as know-it-all Sheldon would know that's not how you get drunk.

I think Missy is my all-time favorite kid character from any show.  She's just so adorable without being bratty or good two-shoes.  She's the perfect medium.  

[Browncoat]

3 minutes ago, Katy M said:

I loved the "I  hope I don't get drunk" line when Sheldon stuck his finger in the whiskey, although I find that out of character as know-it-all Sheldon would know that's not how you get drunk.

Well, he did have an open wound, so the alcohol would go directly into his bloodstream.  LOL

I stayed at home alone after school in my very small town from about the age of 6.  But that started in the early 70s.  I are old.

[madpsych78]

I'm two years older than Sheldon and Missy, so 11 in 1989. I stayed home alone starting in 1986, when I was 8, at least during the day after school. But my mother was a single parent.

[Skyfall]

I always look forward to episode 14 of a freshman broadcast show. It’s always the first episode made after a show has started airing and it shows how the writers and producers took the feedback. Here we see an expanded world with secondary characters getting fleshed out more and also the twins bonding more.

Edited March 3, 2018 by Skyfall

[Chit Chat]

3 hours ago, Katy M said:

I loved the "I  hope I don't get drunk" line when Sheldon stuck his finger in the whiskey, although I find that out of character as know-it-all Sheldon would know that's not how you get drunk.

I try to remember that Sheldon is still a young kid, and doesn't know as much as he thinks he does!  That scene was funny though: "I'm feeling lightheaded!"

[BlossomCulp]

22 hours ago, chocolatine said:

I didn't grow up in the US - was it pretty common in the 80s/early 90s to leave nine-year-olds at home by themselves in the afternoon? I'm the same age as Sheldon and Missy, and I was left alone from when I was six, and by age nine I was babysitting my little cousin. It seems like these days parents are hyper-cautious and don't leave children alone until they're teenagers.

If you left a 6 yr old alone you'd be risking facing charges if someone reported you (at least where I am anyway) not sure about 9 but I am sure that it wasn't common when I was growing up and then when my kids were  that age (early '90s) to leave them alone for hours at a time.  What struck me more about this aspect of the show wasn't the leaving them alone but that both George and Mary work until 6!!  No one seemed surprised at that.  It sure surprised me - I mean this is a small town so we're not talking working til 5 and then facing a long commute here!

Edited March 3, 2018 by BlossomCulp

[TeapotDiva]

I loved how the twins described their behavior (sneaking into their parents' bedroom) as "naughty."  Such a sweetly innocent word!

And, way off topic:  Did anyone else see a strong resemblance between Pastor Jeff and Donald Trump Jr.?  Just me?

[AnnaRose]

1 hour ago, BlossomCulp said:

If you left a 6 yr old alone you'd be risking facing charges if someone reported you (at least where I am anyway) not sure about 9 but I am sure that it wasn't common when I was growing up and then when my kids were  that age (early '90s) to leave them alone for hours at a time.  What struck me more about this aspect of the show wasn't the leaving them alone but that both George and Mary work until 6!!  No one seemed surprised at that.  It sure surprised me - I mean this is a small town so we're not talking working til 5 and then facing a long commute here!

I turned ten in 1975 and I was already babysitting everyone from newborns to kids older than me, so genius Sheldon being trusted to be home alone for a few hours at age nine didn't even raise an eyebrow.  Of course, leaving Missy alone for a few hours was a "brave choice", haha... but on the other hand, she is pretty smart and resourceful for her age.

[chitowngirl]

Wouldn’t the alcohol sting when Sheldon put his finger in it? Or was it too numb from the ice? 

Rule #1 should have been to call Mom when they got home from school. 

[bybrandy]

My mom left me home alone after school from the time I was about 8, I think.   I went to school with after school programs before that.  But in 3rd grade I could be alone from the time I got home until she got home.  And I can't honestly remember needing to call her to check in.  It wasn't against the rules or anything to call my mom, especially if I needed something but I think I always felt like my mom was at work and I wasn't supposed to bother her if it wasn't important.   I started watching my nephews a little bit when I was 11.   

I don't remember us having rubbing alcohol for anything but before my parents split when I was 7 all the drinking alcohol was in a cabinet off the living room.  I wasn't allowed to play in there but there wasn't a lock.  It was just understood and at that age I wasn't even a little bit interested in the alcohol.   My mom didn't drink much but quite frankly she probably had alcohol there, too.  Again, I wasn't even a little tempted to care.  My youngest older brother is 10 years my senior so she might have had drinking alcohol hidden from him, but I don't remember that being the case.  

Loved Missy using the Operation tweezers.   

[Mystery]

In  the late 60s, my mother went back to work when my youngest siblings went to first grade, so there were six of us kids (two sets of twins) from ages 5-9 home from about 3pm-6pm. There were neighbors we could have called on if we needed to, though. The scariest thing is that we'd watch Dark Shadows and then refuse to answer the phone because that was how Quentin communicated with the kids on the show. My mother would come home and say "I called; were you watching Dark Shadows again?" That's why I was happy to see that the twins were armed with the fire extinguisher and, was it a rake? I *loved* them screaming the same way when the phone rang. Loved them working together. They all seem to relate to each other really well. 

[CherryAmes]

I was babysitting during the day when I was about 10 or 11 but I don't think my Mom would have left me in charge of all my siblings every day after school when I was 9.  Maybe if there were  just two of us of the same age though.

[Skyfall]

12 hours ago, BlossomCulp said:

If you left a 6 yr old alone you'd be risking facing charges if someone reported you (at least where I am anyway) not sure about 9 but I am sure that it wasn't common when I was growing up and then when my kids were  that age (early '90s) to leave them alone for hours at a time.  What struck me more about this aspect of the show wasn't the leaving them alone but that both George and Mary work until 6!!  No one seemed surprised at that.  It sure surprised me - I mean this is a small town so we're not talking working til 5 and then facing a long commute here!

Football practice and him being the head coach makes sense. The church one is a stretch but ehhhhhhh.

[Katy M]

46 minutes ago, Skyfall said:

Football practice and him being the head coach makes sense. The church one is a stretch but ehhhhhhh.

Do high schools have coaches that aren't also teachers?  What does George teach?   

What exactly was Mary's job at the church?  I can't even remember.  She may have had to stay late, though, if she needed to talk with, or have appointmetns with other members of the church who had 9 to 5 jobs.

[atlantaloves]

Mary was basically their bookkeeper. (also sign maker)

[MaryMitch]

2 hours ago, Katy M said:

Do high schools have coaches that aren't also teachers?  What does George teach?  

Some high schools do, but we've seen George in school during the day. He might teach Phys Ed; I don't think we've ever seen him in a classroom.

[Skyfall]

38 minutes ago, MaryMitch said:

Some high schools do, but we've seen George in school during the day. He might teach Phys Ed; I don't think we've ever seen him in a classroom.

Yeah pretty sure he’s a PE teacher and coach. So 7ish AM to 3ish PM then football practice is 90 minutes at the very least so let’s say they start at 4 and it’s two hours. That’s 6 PM right there.

[CherryAmes]

On the subject of babysitting I am so glad MeeMaw said she wasn't going to babysit.  Least of all a couple of hours every day!  It was so true to life the way Mary just assumed that her mother would want to make that kind of committment, no problem.  I see this all the time right now and far too many grandmothers feel like they can't say no because "real" babysitters cost so much and as Mary says on the show, that kind of cancels out the benefit of working!  But it's really not fair to presume that your mother or MIL has nothing better to do with her time than babysit every single day!

Speaking of which, wouldn't football practice be a temporary thing or would that be something the team does throughout the school year?

[Quark]

Sheldon and Missy were absolutely hysterical.

I love this show so much.

[Sarah 103]

On 3/1/2018 at 10:29 PM, SparklesBitch said:

Missy and Sheldon were the most entertaining part of the episode for me. I’d gladly watch more of just them. 

Meemaw not wanting to watch the kids cracked me up. Her snapping her fingers in the air as she’s talking about all of her afternoon plans was the best. Meemaw is a busy woman, Mary! Loved her saying how responsible Sheldon is and so on, then moving onto “and Missy is.....his sister.” Lol! 

I love Missy and wish they would have more episodes like this one now and then with Missy and Sheldon at the center.  What I liked is that Missy is developing some street sense as well as common sense. If Sheldon and Missy combined thier powers for good, they would be unstopable. They would be amazing at some type of quiz show. He'd know all the academic stuff, and she'd know all the pop culture stuff. 

On 3/2/2018 at 1:02 PM, ProudMary said:

Kudos to Missy for thinking of getting the tweezers from Operation.  She's actually a very bright little girl, whose natural intelligence and common sense pales when compared to her brother's brilliance but should by no means be considered dim witted. 

Agreed. Missy is just amazing and I hope we get to see more of her. I'd love to see an episode split with George, Georgie and Sheldon off doing something, and then the other plotline would be Mary and Missy doing something else.  

4 hours ago, MaryMitch said:

 we've seen George in school during the day. He might teach Phys Ed; I don't think we've ever seen him in a classroom.

It would make sense that George coaches football in the fall and teaches Phys Ed/Gym year round. It would be fantastic if they did an episode where Sheldon or Georgie has their father as a gym teacher. There is all sorts of potential for comedy or life lessons or both depending on where the writers wanted to go with it. 

[howiveaddict]

On 3/2/2018 at 3:14 PM, Yeah No said:

Where I'm from back in the late 80s no one would leave kids that age unattended.  Although when I was a kid in the 60s my mother took a job when I was 9 and did not let my own grandma get out of agreeing to keep her eye on me, which like Sheldon's meemaw, she tried to do.  And she lived in the same apartment building with us so she was just as close.  I don't get it - the kids could have had orders to check in at meemaw's at certain times or call mom on the phone themselves.  Meemaw lives right next door, for chrissakes!  As a latch-key kid myself I know there were many other options, but like someone said above, we wouldn't have had this episode if that were the case!

I did split my sides when meemaw told their mother that her generation was raising a generation of pansies, though!  

Another nitpick - meemaw's fridge - I don't remember double door bottom freezer fridges in those days.  I think I would have remembered them, but I really don't know.  Although it was in an old fashioned style.  This show is usually pretty correct to the period - maybe a little too correct at times.  I get it that they were not supposed to have money but nothing in their homes looks newer than early 80s if that.

My mother had one in the 80s.

6 hours ago, Katy M said:

Do high schools have coaches that aren't also teachers?  What does George teach?   

What exactly was Mary's job at the church?  I can't even remember.  She may have had to stay late, though, if she needed to talk with, or have appointmetns with other members of the church who had 9 to 5 jobs.

Our coaches taught phys ed and also health and safety which included drivers ed.

[SparklesBitch]

32 minutes ago, howiveaddict said:

Our coaches taught phys ed and also health and safety which included drivers ed.

Same here. Also, the football coach at my school taught, among other things, my Pre-Law class, which (surprisingly) ended up being one of the best classes of my entire high school experience. 

[jumper sage]

On 3/2/2018 at 3:01 PM, ProudMary said:

But let's leave the whiskey out where anyone can grab it?  Nah, I think we'll have to agree to disagree on this one.  I'm betting the rubbing alcohol's under the bathroom sink.  The writers just want to make sure we all remember that George likes his booze.

Sure, most homes leave out alcohol and most kids have no interest in it.  My mom used Mecuricome - it stung like a bitch and we hated it.  Would have rather used whiskey like she used for our coughs.  Whiskey with honey and nighty night.

In the late 60s my brother and I stayed home after school alone at ages 9 and 10 and our sister went to a neighbors for she was 5 and my mom probably thought we would kill her.  Our dad was home by 4:00 and our mom at 5:30.  Dad cooked dinner and mom did homework and baths/bed.  So my brother and I would be home for an hour and my dad would walk to the neighbors and pick up our little sister.  We had to call our mom when we got in.  We would watch all the ABC soaps and they were 15 minutes long.  We continued to watch the soaps until we were well into college/apprenticeship and by then they were an hour long.

Now you have to check with your local police department and find out the rules for your city.  I remember another neighbor kid who was latchkey at first grade.  We all felt sorry for him.  He was all by himself too.

I blanked out at the end.  What happened.  Did Mary keep her job?

[BlossomCulp]

33 minutes ago, jumper sage said:

I blanked out at the end.  What happened.  Did Mary keep her job?

They don't say.  Mary sees the huge bandage on Sheldon's finger, notices the smell of whiskey and then Missie says "wait til I tell you what I did to MeeMaw" and that's how it ended.  At least on the channel I was watching anyway.

[jumper sage]

54 minutes ago, BlossomCulp said:

They don't say.  Mary sees the huge bandage on Sheldon's finger, notices the smell of whiskey and then Missie says "wait til I tell you what I did to MeeMaw" and that's how it ended.  At least on the channel I was watching anyway.

Thank you!

[Driad]

I wondered if Mary's job (1) had to be full time, i.e. there was really that much essential work, and (2) had to be done during business hours rather than some of it evenings or weekends.  Guessing "yes" to both only because it's a sitcom.  Enjoyed the episode a lot though.

[CherryAmes]

I just rewatched this last night because my husband hadn't seen it yet and I noticed that when Mary told George that MeeMaw wouldn't babysit he kind of mutters "figures" (or something like that) it really came across "of course that selfish woman wouldn't help" as opposed to "she does have a life,  Mary".  I liked that George was supportive of Mary getting a job but the attitude that both of them had that MeeMaw should have been thrilled to sit for them everyday and was being selfish not to do it just absolutely grates!