Thursday, March 05, 2009

I may have splinters in the windmills of my mind, but I know a seven when I see one.

Mama has a photo album filled with faded pictures of my childhood. It's an old, magnetic album purchased long before archive-quality glue and acid free paper. The pictures have been in the album so long that I wouldn't dare try to rescue them from the yellow pages for fear that they would just fall apart.

Most of those pictures capture me on the swing set or posed on the bicycle, dressed in Bug Off jeans and bright knee socks with sandals. One picture in particular is of me pretending to be one of my all-time favorite comediennes as one of her all-time best characters.

Carol Burnett as Mrs. Wiggins.

I loved Carol Burnett. I spent many afternoons after school copying her characters- Mrs. Wiggins, Stella and Eunice.

One of my favorite scenes from the show is the skit of Eunice, Mama and Ed playing Sorry, as Eunice says "a nice little parlor game." So when Hubs recently came home with a game of Sorry for our family (ours is the updated SpongeBob version!) I couldn't help but think of Eunice and her little yellow men.

Hubs didn't remember the Sorry skit for the show, so when we started to play and I'd say, "Sorrrryyyy!" and "Sliiiiiiide," he looked at me like someone had blown out my pilot light. Eventually I found the skit on YouTube and Hubs and daughter watched.

Before no time, my daughter searched for a bell in our house for us to ring during the game. Hubs started to say, "Sliiiiide" just like Ed, and I just had to laugh out loud.

I told my friend Nancy about it all over coffee this morning and promised to send her a clip of the old skit. She said that she'd really like for me to set up a video camera and record my family playing the game.

I told her that would not be as entertaining as Carol Burnett. Just odd.

And being the loving, loyal friend she is, she agreed with me.

To my sweet family, I love playing nice little parlor games with you, making memories at the coffee table. As for me influencing you into doing new weird antics and strange expressions, Sorrrryyy!

Go here to watch the first half of the Sorry Episode; look for Part 2 in the side banner.

9 comments:

Jean said...

That is my all time favorite of Carol Burnett too..of course there's the Gone With The Wind one also. I love her and loved that show.
I wonder if they've put it out on DVD?

Nancy said...

Jean's comment is exactly what I was going to say. The board game episode is hilarious. And Carol B. with the GWTW curtain rod on her shoulders saying "Oh, Wretch," well, they just don't make funny like that much any more. Thanks for the laugh and the memories!

Nancy Murphree Davis said...

Oh, my goodness! I was bursting out laughing. That was a riot!

KK said...

We all have our family quirks...we shout Salad Shooter, Helps You Every Day at random inappropriate times. No judgin' here!

2nd Cup of Coffee said...

Well. This is only one of my all-time favorite Carol Burnett sketches, and I was/am a HUGE fan. One of my favorite Ed moments is when, in a fit of exasperation, he says something like, "Why don't you just go ahead and tattoo it on my forehead: 'F-A-Y-L-U-R.'" I say this to George quite frequently. Thanks for the memories. Sliiiiiiide.

TRS said...

I love Carol Burnett! The Gone with the Wind dress is the BEST! Gotta love Bob Mackie.

In fact, some people have told me I remind them of Carol Burnett -- I think because I'm fairly animated and contort my face without regard for my appearance - funny rules out vanity!!!

Why, she's my other mother!

Roxanne said...

"looked at me like someone had blown out my pilot light"

HILARIOUS.

And we LOVE Carol Burnett 'round here too.

Just Terrific said...

Oh, my gosh! I LOVE Carol Burnett!! Her show was on when I was in grade school and high school. My best friend, Joni, and I were constantly doing lines and voices from her show. I'd love for you to see Joni do "Miss HWiggins"!! She has it down to a tee!!! It's hilarious! Thanks for the laugh....even though, Mama and Eunice hit a little close to home (my grandma and her sisters :). Funny stuff.

Anonymous said...

We play that game alot here. i'll have to go watch that YouTube clip - i don't remember that episode!