"Life is lived forward, but understood backward. It is not until we are down the road and we stand on the mountain looking back through the valley that we can appreciate the terrain God has allowed us to scale.” Jill Savage

Monday, May 09, 2011

Monday - Saving CeeCee Honeycutt

My friend Linda, Ala Carte and I go out to lunch and then thrifting once in awhile- we also do book exchanges. AND she has single handedly replenished my dishes. One day - while sitting in the family room hubby and I heard a terrible sound from the kitchen - a crashing sound of broken dishes - my cabinet shelf just had given out and all my every day dishes fell and broke! Yep - I had a great excuse for paper plates, but old (just kidding) Linda wouldn't hear of it and started bringing me some sets of dishes and they are beautiful - just one problem - now I have to do dishes!

I get off track so easily, anyway she loaned me a book called 'Saving CeeCee Honeycutt', by Beth Hoffman.

I read it and it was pretty good. It's about a 12 year old girls plight. She had taken care of her mentally ill mother and finally ended up at her aunt's in Savannah. She basically loses one mother, but finds many others as she grows into a woman.

Okay - there was one page that stuck out at me. It wasn't about the plot of the book at all. It was something fun - uplifting - which I am all about.

So enjoy this with me and tell me what you think. Page 221- 222.

♥♥♥

"Miz Goodpepper leaned forward and looked deep into my eyes. 'My grandmother said,"Don't grow up too fast, darling. Age is inevitable, but if you nurture a childlike heart, you'll never ever grow old.'"

I hugged the book to my chest and whispered, "Thank you."

"Now, how about some refreshments?" she said, grabbing her zills off the floor and rising to her feet.

I took after her and followed her to the kitchen. After setting out a plate of ginger cookies, she poured me a glass of orange soda, then pulled a bottle of wine from the cupboard, removing the cork with a pop.

"My grandmother was so creative. I'll never forget the day she and I painted the top of her dining table white. We used plain old house paint and just slopped it all over the beautiful mahogany. When my grandfather saw what we'd done he pitched a fit. But Grandmother just laughed.

"Then, every time they entertained dinner guests, she'd place a pencil next to the silverware. Guests were asked to write something or sign their names on the tabletop. When it was full of all sorts of clever sayings and signatures, my grandmother varnished it."

I wasn't sure what to say. Though it sure sounded interesting, it also seemed a little crazy.

Miz Goodpepper poured wine into a goblet and took a drink, "But after a few years the pencil marks faded and the varnish cracked, so my grandfather had the table striped and and refinished."

"Too bad your grandmother didn't give those people Magic Markers instead of pencils."

"Well, had there been markers back in those days, that old table would be worth a fortune, Will Rogers signed the table, so did Ethel Merman. Oh, Cecelia, you would have loved my grandmother," Miz Good pepper said, dunking a cookie into her glass of wine. "She was so alive and full of original ideas, especially for the era. While other women were busy being proper, she was busy cultivating her spirit."

Miz Good pepper bit into the wine-soaked cookie and let out a small groan of pleasure. "I can't tell you how many times my grandmother and I danced barefoot in the rain. She was so much fun."

I smiled up at Miz Goodpepper. "Are you a lot like her?"

"I hope so," she said, slipping g her fingers through loops on her zills and admiring them. "Grandmother would have adored these."

While I finished the last of my cookies, I thought about Momma, how she twirled through the house in her red shoes, singing at the top of her lungs, and how delighted she was to wave and blow kisses to her imaginary admirers. And I thought about Eugene Field's doll collection, and how Miz Goodpepper's grandmother had danced in the rain,

I licked crumbs from my fingers and looked at Miz Goodpepper thoughtfully. "What's the difference between eccentric and crazy?"

She lifted her hands above her head, tapped her zills together and danced out the door. From over her should she laughed and called out, "Nobody knows!"

♥♥♥

I thought that was so much fun - to imagine - for someone to do that way back when.

Have you ever had a moment like that? When your spirit took over your good sense?

Like Kathy Bates in Fried Green Tomatoes - The Towanda moment?

I did a few years back. I went to Alaska without my family. It was something I thought I'd never do - but I did. One of the best times in my life. Not because my family didn't go, but because I went and followed a dream. While it can't be repeated, I will always have the memories.

Love,
Chatty

25 comments:

Linda @ A La Carte said...

Ha, you love all those dishes! LOL....Glad you liked this book. I have quite a few crazy or is it eccentric moments myself and I love it. Life is meant for living. hugs, Linda

Remington said...

I love that! Thank you for sharing....now I think I will read that book....

Anonymous said...

I sure enjoyed that little insert from the book,I probable need to read.
Sooo your getting lots of pretty dishes,well can't wait to see a tablescape.
Sure wish I would have known you back during the Alaska trip,you would have to put of with me,I would love that.
~Jo
LazyonLoblolly

Susan said...

Awww, Sandie. I think I'd love to meet Miz Goodpepper. And I know I'd LOVE her grandmother. So uplifting. Think I'm a little eccentric myself. ha haha

So nice of Linda to be buying you dishes. That's just like her.

Hope your Mother's Day was great. And today, too! Susan

Cass @ That Old House said...

My grandmother used to walk barefoot every morning in the dew-wet grass, 3 seasons a year in New York. Crazy moments run in our family!

Cass

MadSnapper said...

my moment was in May of 1984 when I packed everything I owned in the back of my little Nissan Pickup Truck and moved me, myself and I to Florida. the best move i ever made and everyone in Savannah, which is where your book is based, thought i was crazy as a loon, but I did it and it worked for the best and I have been happier in the past 27 years than in my whole life before.

MadSnapper said...

oops, meant to say someone writing on my table would make me crazy... to each her own... i did see in one of the shows on HGTV today, that the designer has a big work table that is a dry erase board and they draw and write on it when designing and then erase. never seen that before today

Ginny Hartzler said...

I LOVE it, Sandie, and here's my favorite part, "Nobody knows!" I also loved Fried Green Tomatoes, the movie not the real ones! As far as my spirit taking over my good senses, I sometimes wonder if I have any senses left at all!! I let my heart rule all, but sometimes other brains don't get it!

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Hi Sandie, I think (hope) there is a child in all of us ---waiting to pop out.. I have always been one to step out of my box and do things that others may not do... In 2000, I bought a new car and took a long journey by myself across country visiting family and friends along the way. It was an awesome experience.

Glad you got some new dishes --but you can still use paper plates when nobody is looking. I won't tell---I promise!!!!! Just get out the markers and decorate them!!!! ha
Hugs,
Betsy

Doris Sturm said...

What are zills? I never heard of that before...when did you go to Alaska? Did your family think you were odd for wanting to go alone? I always wanted to go to Alaska and YES, I often do things out of the box and am blessed with a colorful family history. Sounds like a very entertaining read! I loved Fried Green Tomatoes, both the book and the movie...did you ever see that movie called "Shirley Valentine"??? I loved it - it's on the same principle as going to Alaska by yourself...watch it if you have not seen it yet!

Ann said...

I think Ms Goodpepper sounds like she would be a blast to hang out with. I've never been much of a risk taker, always a dreamer and living on the safe side. My off the wall, crazy moments are more along the lines of dancing around the house acting silly

Tanna said...

Sandie, what is a zill? Love the story and I LOVED the Kathy Bates Towanda moment! I love that you made the Alaska trip on your own... blessings ~ tanna

Michaele said...

First - what a wonderful friend you have! Second - how awful to have all your dishes break! Third - I LOVED the book excerpt. i so often wish I would do more "crazy" and even social unacceptable things - just to keep life interesting and to give my kids more to remember me by. Inspiring.

Together We Save said...

Love it!! Thanks for sharing!!

Angela said...

I would just die if one of my cabinets fell and I lost all of my dishes! Glad your friend found you some pretty ones to replace your old ones with! The book sounds very colorful and funny!

Hugs,
Angela

Karen Lange said...

Thanks for sharing that! Makes me want to look for some opportunities like that. :) It makes me smile just to think about it!

Cindy Caudle said...

I love that book. I have read it a couple of times. Wish my shelf of dishes would fall. I would like some new dishes. I do crazy off the wall things all the time. My family often wonder if I am one brick shy of a load.

Unknown said...

ALL your dishes?! Lawdy! What a sweet friend ... do we get to see a table top setting of your newbies?

Free spirited, I only have one dream left on my bucket list, as I have seen to it I accomplished them all. No regrets, have had fabulous experiences in life ...

Hope you had a lovely Mother's Day ~
TTFN ~
Marydon

5 Day GIVEAWAY, pop over.

BECKY said...

LOVE your new blog look! Isn't it fun to change from time to time!
And I can't wait to get down there and go thrifting with you and Linda! It's going to happen, before summer is over, I promise!!
Also, love the sound of the book. I'll have to add that to my already huge list of books to read!

betty said...

wow, that would be terrible to have that shelf break like that! so thankful Linda was able to help you; she sounds like a very dear friend and one to hang around with and have fun, even better!!

never heard of that book, but it does sound interesting!

I'm thinking about something that I did that my spirit took over my senses and I think it was a trip son and me took to to a remote control race he was participating in about 200 miles away. Hubby couldn't go because of work so son and me drove, which was an experience for me since I had never done this by myself without hubby and son who had his driver's license was able to help drive. We had a great time, laughed a lot, made memories we laughed about for a time afterwards. I was so worried about the driving alone like that but it worked out great!

I know your trip to Alaska is something you will always think about with the bestest of memories!

betty

Linda O'Connell said...

Wow! A spirited woman who isn't afraid to listen to her heart. Sandie, now I want a tabletop like the one in the book. I will have to read that book. Alaska, alone? I lived there as a young bride. Were you on a tour or did you take off?

Debbie said...

I loved that passage. It makes me want to buy the book.

I'm the kind of person who is eccentric in my every day life but too anxious to do anything really bold in a big way. It kind of makes me crazy.

Liz Mays said...

That's the second time I've heard someone rave about that book. I love the passage you chose to share, and I'm glad you have such spirit!

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

Fun post! I loved that book too

Pat MacKenzie said...

I love that book exerpt - now I'll have to read the whole thing. I had a 'spirit' moment a couple years ago when I was visiting my daughter in BC. We went for a long walk - Mary, her husband Greg, 3 year old Layla and baby Baron in a stroller. The walk took us along the Okanaghan River on a sparkling warm day. Their big Bull Mastiff, Chester, lumbered into the water, followed by Mary and Greg, conveniently wearing shorts. On an impulse I ran into the river too - shoes, socks, slacks, blouse and all. The kids were shocked that I'd do such a thing at my age (!) and still talk about it. It was great fun and I have pictures to document it.