In the dog crate

When I was a little girl I was terrified of the dark.  Absolutely terr-i-fied.  I would not venture to dangle a limb from the edge of the bed for fear that some monster would latch onto it and drag me into whatever hell it had in store for me.  Even on the hottest nights I would be tucked in tight with the covers up to my nose and eyes squeezed tightly shut.  And it was imperative to lie as still as possible so to not attract the attention of a bogeyman. 

I did not have a night light and there were no lights left on anywhere in the house during the night.  Our home was in a very rural area . . . no streetlights.   Consequently, the house was illuminated only by the moon . . . assuming the moon was bright enough to cast any light.

So, if I need to get up in the middle of the night to go piddle it was an agonizing ordeal.  I would be anxious and near panic.  If I could must the courage to slip out of bed I would tear ass across the room I shared with my sister and into the hallway and quickly turn on the hall light.  I dared not turn on a bedroom light.  If I woke up my sister she would kick my little butt!  She was even more scary than the monsters!  So, I would be off and running . . .   if I could manage to hit that light switch, then I was as good as sitting on the potty.  But often my terror was so great that I couldn’t muster the courage to get out of my cocoon. . . let alone to get my feet to touch the floor that was covered on horrible creatures, past the closet where even greater horrors lay in wait and in to the hallway where lord knows what was waiting to rip a little girl limb from limb.   I would lay there in agony and hold my water as long as I could . . . which would ideally be until morning.  Most times I could make it, sometimes I couldn’t. 

On those occasions when I had an accident I would be punished.  Little girls who wet the bed are not GOOD little girls.  The penalty for wetting the bed was not a spanking. Even though, lord knows, I got plenty of those.  No.  The consequence I was made to suffer was a night spent in the bathtub (no water, of course).  My mother would give me a blanket and a pillow then leave me there all night to contemplate the wisdom of peeing in my bed. 

As it turns out, sleeping in the tub did not necessarily have the impact it was meant to have.  My mom says she would hear me in the bathroom singing, counting the flowers on the wallpaper and having myself a merry ol’ time.  Maybe, to a little kid, sleeping in the bathtub was the equivalent of a little adventure.  I don’t know . . . I DO know that I spent more than a few nights in that bathroom. 

Mother Charged For Keeping Son In Dog Crate (March 08, 2011)

OLD SAYBROOK, CT -- Police say a Connecticut woman is facing charges for making her son sleep in a locked dog crate because he was acting out and soiling his bed.

Kathlyn Anthony of Old Saybrook was released on $100,000 bond following an initial court appearance Monday on a charge of risk of injury to a minor.

The 54-year-old woman was arrested Sunday after an investigation. Police say the boy's sister told school officials that she was tired because she kept getting up at night to let her brother out of his "sleep locker."

Police say the crate was 36 inches by 22 inches, and 30 inches high.

Anthony told police she had been seeking outside help for the boy's behavior. She refused to comment outside court.

Just sayin' . . . 

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Pear Praline Pie

This pie is good served warm or at room temperature. We like it with scoops of vanilla ice cream or thick whipped cream on top.

1/4 Cup All-Purpose Flour

1/2 Teaspoon Grated Lemon Peel

1/2 Teaspoon Ground Ginger

4 Medium Pears, Peeled And Sliced

Pastry For Double-Crust Pie (9 Inches)

1 Cup Packed Brown Sugar

1/2 Cup Chopped Pecans, Toasted

1/4 Cup Butter, Melted

In a large bowl, combine the flour, lemon peel and ginger. Add pears; toss gently to coat.  

Line a 9-in. pie plate with bottom pastry; trim even with edge of plate. Add pear mixture.

Combine the brown sugar, pecans and butter; sprinkle over pears.

Roll out remaining pastry to fit top of pie; cut a decorative design in the center if desired. Place over filling; trim, seal and flute edges. (If using whole pastry on top without a decorative design, cut slits in pastry.)

 Bake at 400° for 35-45 minutes or until filling is bubbly and pears are tender (cover edges with foil during the last 15 minutes to prevent overbrowning if necessary). Cool completely on a wire rack. Store in the refrigerator. Yield: 6-8 servings.