Last night I saw a television commercial for a Valentine’s Day furniture sale and the canopy bed in the spot reminded me of a moment from my childhood. Ya’ll know that I’m an only child, right? My dad and mom were my best friends growing up. I was Daddy’s little girl (then and now) and we went to great lengths to make my mother nutty. *lol* We were truly partners in crime. Somebody ate mommy’s last few PF Goldfish crackers? I blamed Daddy TDJ, he blamed me. Mama TDJ growled at us both. Ah, the good times.
On the eve of my 10th birthday, I returned home from my godmother’s house to find my bedroom transformed into a room fit for a princess! The photos below pretty much capture it. Replace the purple in picture #1 with pink and you’ll see my dream room. Picture #2 is a little bigger, but picture #1 is a little more authentically 1986. The only thing missing is a small white table with 3 white chairs and white bookshelf.
Ya’ll, when I saw my room, I went crazy! Hugging and kissing my parents, jumping on the bed, sitting at the table and pulling my Cabbage Patch Kids off the shelves to sit with me, etc. I was overjoyed!!
Fast forward about one month. Not much has changed. I’m still in love with my room. It’s a Saturday morning, so my mom has been at the hairdresser since the crack of dawn and won’t be home until midnight (if she’s lucky!). Dad and I are doing our normal Saturday stuff. He make pancakes while I color at the kitchen table. That’s when the idea was presented.
Me: Daddy?
DaddyTDJ: Yes pumpkin?
Me: Clouds look really soft. Like a whole bunch of cotton balls put together.
DaddyTDJ: Well, you can’t touch clouds, but I guess if you could, they’d probably be really soft.
Me: You know what else looks soft Daddy?
DaddyTDJ: What’s that pumpkin?
Me: The top of my canopy. I had a dream that I slept up there once.
**DaddyTDJ stops flipping pancakes to look at me. Now that I’m older, I know that look. But back then, nope, had no clue. To this day, my father claims that while yes, he has a look, he did NOT give it to me or instigate this idea at all**
DaddyTDJ: Um, well babygirl, it might be but the top isn’t for sleeping. It’s just for decoration.
Me: To just look pretty?
DaddyTDJ: Exactly.
Me: Oh. **dejected**
DaddyTDJ: Aww, don’t be upset pumpkin. Your bed is made for a princess and it’s soft as can be. Keep dreaming about the clouds and sleeping under that canopy.
Me: Ok Daddy.
Fast forward a few hours. Daddy and I have eaten breakfast, cleaned up the kitchen, taken the dog for a walk and he’s listened to me practice piano. He went outside to wash and wax our Datsun, and I headed to my room to play. So, while sitting at my little table and having tea with all my Cabbage Patch Kid friends, I knew that I just had to get on top of that canopy. My plan was forming and there was no turning back.
I quickly changed from my play clothes into a pair of pajamas. I grabbed my favorite Barbie doll and one pillow from the bed. I didn’t grab a sheet or blanket. Seems strange now, but at the time, I must have thought that pajamas, Barbie and the pillow were sufficient for a nap. Anyways, I slid one of my little wooden chairs over to the 2 drawer nightstand. With one foot on the nightstand and one in the chair, I tossed Barbie and the pillow on top of the canopy. The nightstand rocked a little, so I reevaluated the wisdom of standing completely on it. Although I was only 10, I was a very solid girl. Not fat yet, but definitely not the wispy type, ya dig? I glanced over at the five drawer tall dresser and concluded that it would be stronger than the nightstand. Ya know, taller and stronger are the same, aren’t they?????
I dragged my chair to the other side of the room. In the pic above, I actually had a tall book-case between the bed and that tall dresser. So, I was able to do some type of monkey climb, pull/tug, shimmy manuever between the bookshelf and dresser to get myself into a position that would allow me to launch myself on top of the canopy. Stop laughing!! Anyways, with a smiling face and an excited mind, I catapulted myself on top of my canopy bed. Yes, the flimsy canopy that was made of, oh I don’t know, organza and tulle, perhaps? Supported on four sides, by, hmm, let’s say giant plastic straws? Yep, sent my body flying and just knew that in seconds, I would be relaxing comfortably upon the softest place on earth. **smh**
Well, even an idiot can kinda guess where the story goes next. I went sailing right through the center of that oh so soft fabric canopy. Now, I’m sure I would have gotten the lesson loud and clear at that point, but the story doesn’t end there. Oh no. Too easy! Remember, my bed is brand new and oh so very springy. Since I had so much momentum from my jump, I bounced off the bed, sailed across the room and flew head first into this:
Yep, old school radiator! Ouch!!! And my final resting place? In the corner, atop a pile of rubble that I later figured out was my very unlucky little white table along with one equally unlucky chair, my favorite Cabbage Patch girl Lisa and her Cabbage Patch Pony Herman.
I was battered and bruised! I still have a scar in the center of my forehead as a result of this little misadventure. After making sure I wasn’t dead, my father had a good laugh at my expense. And because his sense of humor is wicked, he refused to touch the destruction in my bedroom until my mother got home. And being equally as wicked and comical, they had me re-intact everything to the best of my ability. Just evil! To this day, I blame my father. *lol* I think that if he had just shut down my ideas completely instead of telling me to keep dreaming, I never would have tried it!
I know I’m not the only one that has done something this silly! What have ya’ll done? Did you think you were invisible? Thought you could fly? Come one, spill it!
HAHAHAHAHAAHAH!!! I’m just gonna die laughing at this and pretend I’ve never done anything this foolish!!! Oh that is CLASSIC!!
Please! I know that you have some foolishnish going on! Spill it!
I’m still cracking up that your pony was named Herman. For some reason, I’m finding that hilarious.
I did a post on my blog about a stupid childhood decision which resulted in physical harm to myself. Check it out: http://www.peacelovenicole.com/2010/07/when-blanket-is-surfboard.html
Nicole, your post is FULL OF WIN!!! Thank you for sharing!! Love your blog BTW!
Yeah, clearly I had issues when it came to naming my animals and toys. *lol*
OMG! LOL! I am dying over here at your stair wave ride and your inferred brain injury!
Ha!! This is crazy. Those canopy tops are super flimsy so I could only imagine the destruction you caused. LOL at you literally bouncing across the room.
A piece of saran wrap would probably have been more sturdy. **smh** I was touched as a child, you know?
I didn’t attempt anything like that. There were 16 stairs leading to my childhood bedroom. 4 stairs, a landing, then 12 stairs. We had one telephone line and it was downstairs. There were many days when I would jump from the landing in an attempt to reach the bottom of the stairs, so that I could answer the telephone. I’ve sprung toes on each of my feet, and I’ve sprung each ankle at one point. Each time, I was able to answer the telephone before the caller hung up.
Well damn! *lol* You were determined to catch that phone, huh?
Hahahahahaha! I almost choked!!
No one’s reading this right? Okay, so the bedroom in our apartment (yes, I was a full grown woman of 27 when this happened) was really, really big. One day I thought it would be hilarious to run full speed at Smoochy and chest bump him. He was still in peak football playing condition at the time – nothing but muscle. So I took off running, did a little jump and then flung myself at my husband full speed. I slid to the floor and collapsed in tears – that ish hurt! And we still laugh about it 11 years later 🙂
DEAD @ you wall/chest sliding with Smoochy!! Lucky you didn’t bruise a rib or something. Hilarious!!
oh wow! that’s pretty funny! i had a canopy bed too and never ever thought about going to the top of it, but i can see how that could be desirable, lol! the silliest think i remember doing is thinking i could imprint the pattern on my pants onto my silly putty in the first grade. i knew you could do it with comics and thought it would work on my pants. instead the putty got stuck on my butt and i had to change my pants into maroon gym shorts from the lost and found that were super short and didn’t match my blouse. i was so embarrassed the rest of the day.
LOL @ you silly putty adventure! Aww, poor thing at having to walk around the rest of day in a mix matched outfit!
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Okay that was pretty funny. I have to say that I have never done anything this crazy because I was indeed, THE PERFECT ANGEL!
Kay
A perfect angel huh?? Ok, Miss Confident! *lol* Something tells me that you were anything but that. Spill some stories please!
BWahahahahahahahahahahahahaha This was like something straight from a cartoon!
Isn’t it? Girl, I told ya’ll I was a crazy kid sometimes. And that father of mine was my chief instigator and co-conspirator! *lol*
BAHAHAHAHAHAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
I just reminded my parents of this and they laughed so hard that I had to hang up on each of them.
Hilarious ! These childhood stories are hilarious ! LOL
Girl, I have sooooooo many! Finding the time to write them is the hardest part!
Ok, I have to learn not to read your posts at night when everyone is in the bed asleep because I am over here dying from choking and laughing so hard. HILARIOUS!!!!!
Oopsie! Sorry chica! Ok, you are on strict orders to only read during the day time. Happy that I can give you a laugh.
BWAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHA!!!! You are full of entertainment for me! Thank you! LOL!!
As for my story: Let’s just say I thought I could swing from the shower curtain rod like Mary Lou Retton and I failed at that endeavor. I ended up face down in the tub. When my mama inquired as to why I did what I did my reply was: I was just testing to see if it could hold me up!!
My people are still laughing about that to this day!!!
LMAO @ your MLR attempt! Trying for that perfect 10, huh???
Glad you didn’t break a tooth or bust your nose or something.
No honey I think you take the cake! Lol
Hush! LOL! I know you’ve got a story.
Nice … Very nice! LOL! Lesson learned.. I hope!
Yep I have a story that involves me watching gymnastics on tv and trying to reenact something I saw on the shower rod in the bathroom! Not going to spell it out but you do the math! smh!
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Blessings!
Ahh, you must know Tiffany in Houston! *lmao* She just shared a similar memory above. I imagine you didn’t score a perfect 10 either, huh?
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Comedy, indeed! My story –
My grandfather had this old raggedy station wagon. I used to love riding in the back seat of it because there were holes in the floor of the car in the back. My favorite cartoon at the time was The Flintstones. *by now you should know what I did…tee hee* I was thinking, “Wow…granddaddy has a car like the Flintstones that I can stop with my feet!” My brother and I would take bets on who would stick their feet in the floor board and stop the car with our feet while granddad was driving. So, I said I’d do it! Took my shoes off and waited til we were going at a decent speed and stuck my foot through a hole. OUUUUUCCCCCHHHHH!!!! Skinned up all of the bottom of my feet and I think I took off a toenail or two. My brother laughed, I cried, and my granddad whipped the both of us!
STOP THE PRESSES!!! No you didn’t bust a Wilma Flintstone move!!
BWAHAHAHAHA! I love you girl. So sorry that you actually did hurt yourself a little, but that was hilarious.
I heart you so for this! Such a birthday twin thing to do. We Cancers are big dreamers and we know how to execute a plan don’t we? 🙂
I have done so many foolish things. Most of them envolve me and my high school boyfriend. Hmm….blog post inspiration!
Exactly! Big big dreams lady. I just knew that it was possible and that I could make it happen.
Ah ha! Looking forward to hearing a few of those coming of age in NYC stories with the high school boyfriend!
I simply CAN’T with you no mo’.
But I love you Monnie!
That is hilarious! I think you win in the story department. LOL… The only thing that comes close to that is my thinking The Littles actually lived within the vents in our house. I’d sit in front of the one in my room and say, “You can come out. I won’t hurt you.” I just couldn’t believe that they weren’t real. 😀 …. Thanks for the chuckle… uh, glad the only thing left from your fiasco is a scar. Oh, and a good story.
LOL! I remember the Littles!!! I wanted them to live in my house too.
OMG, I remember the Littles!
You had me cracking up when I read this story lol. It definitely brought me back to thinking about my childhood. Wonderful post.
Aren’t childhood memories just the best???
High- freakin’-larious! Great story.
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I love it. I can’t stop laughing myself. I think I’m going to be the type of parent that your dad was–comical with multiple practical jokes because that sounds like something I would do. I’m also lmbo at the thought of you re-enacting the whole thing for them and them cracking up about it. Too funny.
I hope that you will/can be that type of parent. I’m pretty sure that hubs and I will be that way with our son. My parents were THE BEST ever. Even when they tortured me into reenacting things like this and dancing for their friends and stuff. *lol*
My older sister had the princess room while my twin sis and I were not given equal billing because we were tomboys. I did dream of sneaking into her room and sitting on her pretty white eyelet bedspread without her finding out but somehow, she always knew and tattled the minute she figured it out.
Can’t blame you for trying, right?
My claim to fame was swinging upside from a bar on the porch when I was 3 and knocking my four front teeth out. I never did join the circus and it took until I was 8 to grow my teeth in.
Ouch @ your front teeth!!
LOL @ your sister always knowing you have been on her bed. Too funny!
Wow! I always wanted a canopy bed back in the ’80s… of course, I never got one. I had bunk beds. I’ll admit that I would have considered doing something this crazy, I can tell you stories about me breaking furniture trying to dance like Michael (or Janet) Jackson.
Oh yes, please give us some dance stories!! *lol*
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Nice post.
Those pictures actually remind me of my sister’s room when I was growing up.
I think so everyone can name at least one little girl who had a bedroom set like that in the 80’s. *lol*
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Ooo, I had the canopy bed too…that pic took me back! That thing was the business!
Wasn’t it?? I felt like such a princess in that bed set.
Girl I can not take you. But you sure know how to make me think back to the past. Imagine you are 2 years old and you want to fly. Mom told me the story. I go upstairs and remove the screen off the window and climb onto the roof. Mother is out hanging clothes on the line. She look up and almost scream but something tells her to be very quiet. She says, baby go back into the window.( very softly) Me: No, I want to fly. Mind you her brother is in town from Chicago and he is easing into the house to get to me. Mother: Can I fly with you? Just wait and moma will fly with you. I stand there waiting on her. She is still looking and I spread my arms out to fly and move closer to the ledge but her brother makes it in time to pull me back in.
The stories mom tell me about how mischevious I was at 2-3 and the fear I caused her is something else.
Whew and I thought me attempting to do the move at 2:21 was crazy. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-gu1KETjVY&feature=fvst minute
But 10 though? I thought you were like 5. Too late I started laughing right after the period and space of ” Stop laughing”
Sincerely,
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