A preface might be in order. As Editor of the "Tele-Twin News" the newsletter for the San Bernardino Mothers of Twins Club I put together a monthly publication (surely you remember that!?) And given the opportunity to write something...anything...that people would read and (hopefully) enjoy - I had to do an editorial column! It started out as "Notes from my kitchen table..." and as the newsletter business expanded to the garage, it became (obviously) "Notes from my garage..."
January 1985
At the risk of sounding like Andy Rooney, I'll tell you that I can hear a mouse in the wall, scritchin' away. I know that he's going to find a way in and will probably attack my oatmeal and potatoes. I don't mind letting them live in my walls, but I draw the line at feeding them.And as long as we're drawing lines, does anyone have a really GOOD comeback for the inevitable "Are they twins?" "Are they both yours?" and "My goodness, you must be busy! Do you work?" I'm tempted to have the girls tatooed, "Yes, of course we're twins!"
It's January. A brand new year and a brand new Tele-Twin News. What would you like to see in upcoming issues of the newsletter? Book reviews? recipes? helpful hints? Please let me know! It IS your newsletter...I just put it all together!
Stay sane!
February 1985
Well, I can't plead ignorance. I knew exactly what I was getting into by accepting this job. But it isn't too late to acknowledge the efforts of previous Tele-Twin News Editors, Sherrie B. and Loretta E.! I know how much time a job like this can take...and when the four year old and the three (almost) year old sit at the table with paper and pens and say that they are working on their newsletter too, you realize just how much your family can become involved! This becomes a full time obsession. Everything you see, everything you read, becomes an idea for some future issue. Sherrie, Loretta, thank you! As for all the rest of you...
Stay sane!
March 1985
In January it was donating blood, in February it was coping with fever. This month, poisonings and choking. I'm not a morbid person, it's just that I firmly believe in the old adage, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!"
I'd especially like to call your attention to the final line in the choking article. "These measures should take less than TWO MINUTES." The routine may sound complicated, it's not, and in a panic situation your best insurance is in knowing the drill absolutely by memory! If you haven't already done so, sign up for a CPR class. There is a feeling of security in knowing exactly what to do in that kind of emergency...and after all, it could be YOUR child!
Stay sane!
April 1985
I just finished typing all those "Facts and Wonders" and I think I'll call it a day! Maybe today has been hectic - all the girls are on an Easter-induced sugar high! But when I go in to check on them tonight, I am going to be very, VERY grateful that I'm not the 31 year-old North Carolina woman with twenty little faces to kiss good night!
Stay sane!
(Editing note: In the 1950's a North Carolina mother, by the age of 31, had given birth to 20 children, only one of whom was a singleton. The others were a set of quints, quads, two sets of triplets, and two sets of twins.)
May 1985
What with all the loose ends being tied up…thank you's to everyone, election news, Installation Dinners, summertime planning and all this year end business, it almost seems like this should be a final issue. But NO! Life in the newsletter business goes on as always. I'd like to take a minute and say a personal "Thank you!" to Sherrie B for making all this possible. Every month (so far!) her little typewriter spends a week at my house. It doesn't whimper quite as much as it used to…I keep a hot water bottle and ticking clock in its box now. Maybe it's just getting used to the hysteria that accompanies deadlines. I don't know. Regardless, I really appreciate your patience Sherrie!
Till next month, stay sane!
June 1985
When I was a little girl, I learned a song that was guaranteed to make my Mom cry and turn my Dad into mush. The lyrics were sappy at best, but now that I am a parent myself, I am looking forward to teaching the song to my own girls - and I'll probably shed a few tears…and watch Wayne turn to mush! If you know it, sing along….
Songwriters write about Mother,
Songs that are touching and sad.
Seems they forget about Daddy,
So I'll sing this song to my Dad.
There's no pal in the world like my Daddy.
Wonderful Daddy of mine.
I will always be good to my Daddy.
Wonderful Daddy of mine.
I was thinking today, if my Daddy went away.
How I'd miss him, how I'd long for him,
I know that I'd say….
There's no pal in the world like my Daddy.
Wonderful Daddy of mine!
So if it's possible to dedicate a newsletter, I'd like to dedicate this issue to the two men I love most - my husband Wayne, and my Dad…and to all the husbands and fathers who made it possible for us to be the Mothers of Twins! Happy Father's Day!Till next month, stay sane!
July 1985
This has been one of the most difficult issues yet! Mostly because I was in the awkward position of having to interview myself! They say that it's okay to talk to yourself, as long as you don't start answering yourself. Well, not only did I answer my own questions, but I quoted myself several times, and then, typed the whole thing up!
I would like to use this column to say THANK YOU!! I've hung the plaque in my kitchen and whenever things start getting hectic, I look at it. What a morale booster! Thank you all so much!
As usual, till next month, stay sane!
(Editing note: self interview was on being chosen 1985 Member of the Year)
August 1985
Since my girls aren't into the rhythm of the school year yet, I'm probably not as appreciative of September as those of you with school age kids. My schedule isn't going to change until the weather does…then we'll be packing up the swimming pool and digging the long pants out of the boxes in the garage. I can wait! My Mom's favorite saying is "Don't be wishing time away, it goes by fast enough on its own!" And now that I'm a Mom, I'm seeing just how true that is!
So, take it one day at a time, and as always, stay sane!
September 1985
This is the one spot where I feel that I can actually editorialize a little. And so I shall! It was very disappointing to be one of only two people to show up for the Board Meeting. In order for this to be a successful organization, we must have an active membership and a responsible Board. I wish there were some way of physically reaching out and pulling you in. But that isn't possible, so I try to touch you with my words. There is so much we could accomplish. But it has to be a group effort. If you're on the sidelines, waiting to be invited to play, SAY SOMETHING! Call Kelly or Marci and volunteer for ANYthing! Individually, there isn't much we can do…but working together we can become the strong, nurturing support group that the Mothers of Twins Club is supposed to be! Amen for now!
Until next month, stay sane!
October 1985
Did you notice? We've expanded the format to EIGHT, count them, EIGHT pages! There was just so much 'stuff' that I wanted to share with you all. The newsletter sort of grew right before my eyes! And if I might be permitted a little motherly pride, that scary monster reclining below your addresses was drawn by Michelle Stone, my four year old. I've been finding scary little monsters like that one all over the house - on walls, doors, and on the table in the big girls' room. What price creativity?! I hope everyone is planning on attending the Halloween party and meeting on the 24th of this month. It should be a 'howling' success!
And until then, stay sane!
November 1985
Oh what a week! It has been a week full of close calls and near misses. On Saturday I was busy in the kitchen, the dishwasher was chugging away, but quieted long enough for me to hear a "KERCHINK' from the twins' room. Since it sounded like breaking glass I headed back there FAST. And found Ruth sitting in Martha's crib happily playing with some very wicked looking shards of glass. The picture was that classic "Guardian Angel" picture…and I KNOW that's why I heard that glass! To round off my week, Wednesday while I was changing Ruthy after naptime, Shelley came back and said that Martha had burned her hand on the stove. Now, my stove hasn't had knobs since Shelley was born, and I knew that nothing was cooking…but Martha had pushed a chair into the kitchen and somehow managed to get one of the gas burners going…she scorched the tips of her fingers on one hand. So much for 'childproof' anything! All I know is that the twins' Guardian Angels must be working overtime (Thank God!) and that I can't take much more this week!
Until next time, stay sane!
December 1985
For some reason, there seems to be an abundance of information on stress and motherhood right now. Our November meeting was all about exercise and stress management. There are magazine articles, the inevitable "All this week on the 6 o'clock news…" and even a workshop in Ventura on the effects of stress. All of the experts seem to agree on at least one thing. You need an outlet, something that you do for yourself. And this newsletter is MY outlet (and all this time you thought I was doing this for all of you!) There is a great deal of satisfaction in this job. I see the progress I've made, the fine tuning that goes into each successive newsletter. I recall the fun I've had finding just the right article or cartoon. My goal has been to create a newsletter that is as interesting for you to read, as it is for me to assemble. Thank you all for allowing me the freedom to express myself. Thank you all for your ongoing support. Thank you all for a truly wonderful year.
Till next year, stay sane!
