Tiff-a-saurus Rex

In high school, Tiffany had a group of friends that were pretty clever.  Tiff was always a pretty clever, but low-key kind of person, too.  So, it was quite funny to hear the nick names they would give her, considering how calm she was.  One time I remember hearing a boy in her group, I don't remember his name, but he was greeting her like this:  "It's the Tiffster! It's the Tiff-a-nator!  It's the Tiff-a-saurus Rex!"  So fitting, don't you think?

Beautiful Blonde!

When we lived on Decatur, we had a repair man in the front yard fixing the wiring that went to the street light. I was out there with Sundee and Jannie and the worker asked Jannie where she got that red hair. The next day, another repair man was at the house fixing the washer. And the two little girls were watching him. As he was working along, this man also asked Jannie where she got her red hair. This was just too much for little Sundee and she said, "My hair is this color." At this point I knew I needed to let her know something. I told her she was our "Beautiful Blonde!" And to this day, she is still our "Beautiful Blonde!"

And just who was babysitting???

One day I came home from shopping or something and I found my little girl (Tiffy) hiding under the counter... kind of in the corner... CUTTING off her long red locks !!! This was my sweet little peacemaker. The gentle child about which I always declared "Everyone needs a Tiffany right in the middle." I was shocked! And where did she get those scissors? (And who was watching her???)
When I found her there was only one beautiful curl left. Needless to say, I was appalled! So in order to make a lasting impression, I pretended to cry. Then I fixed the hair cut and gave her Shirley Temple curls. And of course she was still an absolutely beautiful child. So I don't think she was permantly scarred for cutting her own hair and making her mother "cry."

Where did you get those scissors Tiffany?

Singing Contests

On the same vein as singing arguments, singing contests were another forte of Tiffany's. I think it all started with cleaning the kitchen and someone was singing. Let's say it was me singing. Then someone would burst into the middle of my song with another song all together. Let's say it was Tiffany who did the bursting. Perhaps she didn't like the tune I had picked out. In defense I came through with yet a different song! And so it ensued! Back and forth with no particular rhyme or reason to the song choices. Then somehow rules developed. You had to come up with a song before the other person finished their tune or else you lost. You also couldn't repeat any song. Occasionally one or the other of us would get stuck singing "This is the song that never ends..." and with that the other party would exit the room, leaving the one singing to enjoy their infinite musical reverie.

The Tiffy Dance

Have you ever seen Tiffy dance? She's amazing! Such grace! Such poise! She can bring the whole room to attention in one motion! To reproduce such fine movement one must stand with feet together. Now alternate your knees coming forward to the rhythm of desired music, keeping your toes touching the ground. Next extend your fingers to their fullest extent. Now in swift deliberate motions, extend your right hand straight down in front of your right leg while your left knee is cocked. Repeat on the left side while right knee is cocked. Repeat alternating motions over and over. With routine and vigilant practice, you too can become quite the diva of dance!

Summer in Madrigals

When Summer was in high school, I always loved going to see her perform with her singing group, Madrigals. They would dance and sing and entertain to the heart's content. One time they were singing "Country Corn" where they tell the most absurd, cheesy, and corniest jokes there ever were between choruses. Well it came to Summer's turn to tell a real winner of a joke, and it went something like this: "You know that Sundee Murdock?! Well she wanted to take one of them Egyptian milk baths like Chleopatra. So She called up the Milk Man and he asked her if she wanted it pasturized and she said 'No, just up to my chin!' " And then loud, fake laughter ensued enticing the entire audience to laugh as well. To a little 12 yr old, who thought her older sisters walked on water, this was a big deal. Not only did she noticed me, but she brought everyone else's attention to the fact the I was alive!