Auld Lang Syne

So as children, we were a bit unusual. We liked to play Antnerds. Never heard of it? Duh, the best game ever!

All you need is a shirt and an audience (even solo is pretty spectacular).
You simply pull your knees up under said shirt and try to run around and acrobatically perform stunts in enforced squatting position. Hilarity ensues 'til your mother gets mad for stretching out your shirt, usually this happens after she is done laughing because you can't help it. It just looks funny.

Why is it called Antnerds, you might ask? Because that is a delightful name for it. Tsendel and I excelled at it. For some reason it was often played after watching this alien show where they could reach out of the host bodies mouth and infest the next body, it might have developed as we brought our legs up into fetal position. I don't know if my mom knew that we were watching, but it produced many a nightmare for me. Anyway, during the closing credits song, which we all thought was cool, we would Antnerd it around Gramma's living room and off the couch, up the stairs, try to jump while in squat position, whatever. Great times.

In another version of the unusual children theme, we liked to call each other by pet names that were very endearing, like the aforementioned Tsendel. That's not his real name. Who would really name their child Tsendel? (Sorry if there is any out there!) I just Googled it, whew! Only one possible Russian.

My brothers name, Tsendel, we enjoyed because of the fun "TS" sound. How satisfying to hiss out. It was like a caress of wind and spit at the same time.

Another sister was dubbed "Twytatronco-ann". She could be shortened to Tatron, which is still as I address her today, often.

Our sister Shoelabouffy was harder to come by. She also didn't buy in to the whole pet name for a while and quite resented it, which was fun, because then we could torment her with a whole array of names. *picture snotty little mischievous faces* Soon she was called "Sandal", "Thong", "Tights", "Sneaker", etc. You get the picture. She soon came around and embraced her Shoelabouffiness. (Sorry for all that, dear. You just made it all to easy.)

The youngest sister is Pykidesine.(All long i sounds) I always thought this appropriate, for of us all, she excels at math, which is disgusting, and I frequently heard her using potty words like sine, cosine and tangent. I feel a need to wash my mouth out with soap. I'll bet I could reach the sink in proper Antnerd position...

Oh yes! I almost forgot me! I was Auld Lang Syne. One of us must have heard it somewhere and thought it sounded appropriate. It kind of rolls of the tongue when you say it fast.

I might just add that we have simplified it in old age. Other than the occasional "Tatron", which for some reason, I still cling to, we just lovingly call one another "Idiot". It is a catchall, gender neutral term. People cringe, I know, but in all seriousness, it has become an endearment and a shared joke and a belonging. The in-law husbands still think it is mean-but it's not. We sibs get it. I just adopted four children, one reason being that I thought it would be tragic for my lone daughter to grow up without what I have just described. Even the best of friends can hardly reach the best sibling stage. So thanks you whak-a-doos for all the auld lang syne.

Should old friendship be forgot'
And never remembered ?
Should old friendship be forgotten,
And days of long ago.

And surely you will have your tankard !
And surely I will have mine !
And we will take a cup of kindness yet,
For days of long ago'

We two have run about the hills
And pulled the daisies fine :
But we have wandered many a weary foot
Since days of long ago.

We two have waded in the stream
From dawn till dinner-time :
But seas between us broad have roared
Since days of long ago.

And there's a hand my trusty friend !
And give me a hand of thine !
And we will take a large draught
For days of long ago.
http://www.electricscotland.com/burns/langsyne.html

There you have it. Weirdness abounds in the vaults of my childhood memories. You shall have to ask about pance, phagocytic cells, fooseball etc. but I will have to save that for another day.