Color Me Nostalgic

Greetings! Lady Jane here, but you can call me Lady. I'm probably the most sentimental of the group so pardon me while I wax nostalgic as I settle into my proverbial rocking chair on my wraparound porch.

Yesterday while I was driving to work, the song "Our House" by Madness streamed over those invisible waves into my memories. I'm the youngest sibling of seven, two of which were 80s high school graduates. I heard a lot of Depeche Mode, Duran Duran, OMD, Prince, and countless other artists in my five years of age. So whenever I hear those groups on the radio now I'm immediately pulled back to my parents' basement watching my sister Stacy perform cheer routines for family home videos. "Our House" eventually became my family's theme song. (I've even thought about splicing all of my home videos and pictures together to create an opening montage as if we had our own sitcom, maybe call it Nine is Nifty). 

If you've heard it but never understood the lyrics (can't really blame you, they're English and they sing really fast sometimes) here they are:

Father wears his Sunday best 

Mother's tired she needs a rest 

The kids are playing up downstairs 

Sister's sighing in her sleep 

Brother's got a date to keep 

He can't hang around 

Our house, in the middle of our street 

Our house, in the middle of our ... 

Our house it has a crowd 

There's always something happening 

And it's usually quite loud 

Our mum she's so house-proud 

Nothing ever slows her down 

And a mess is not allowed 

Our house, in the middle of our street 

Our house, in the middle of our ... 

Our house, in the middle of our street 

Our house, in the middle of our ... 

Something tells you that you've got to get away from it 

Father gets up late for work 

Mother has to iron his shirt 

Then she sends the kids to school 

Sees them off with a small kiss 

She's the one they're going to miss 

here they are:In lots of ways 

Our house, in the middle of our street 
Our house, in the middle of our ... 

I remember way back then when everything was true and when 
We would have such a very good time such a fine time 
Such a happy time 
And I remember how we'd play simply waste the day away 
Then we'd say nothing would come between us two dreamers 

Our house, was our castle and our keep 
Our house, in the middle of our street 

Our house, that was where we used to sleep 
Our house, in the middle of our street 

Our house, in the middle of our street

 I especially tear up on the line "Our house that was where we used to sleep". Not many people can boast that they lived in the same house for 19 years! I was an incredibly lucky little gal to avoid the "new kid at school" syndrome; everywhere I went somebody knew me because of my family. 

I grew up with cousins that were like a second set of sisters and a fruit-producing orchard of oranges, tangerines, plums, apricots and apples, 3.25 acres to roam with trees to climb and holes to dig. I walked to school uphill...both ways...in the snow...just kidding). I made friends with my teachers and other adults and yes even a few cats. 

I think with the holidays approaching and family is coming together I can't help but be sentimental. Oh who am I kidding? I can be nostalgic and day of the week.

Stay out of trouble whippersnappers,

Lady