Ahhh, Memories...

I have a very strange memory. I can remember details about things from things that happened to me when I was very small. I still have memories of when my mother was still married to my sperm-donor and their divorce was final in 1980. (I was born in 1976, you do the math.) But some of the most vivid memories I have are when I hear certain songs and when there are certain scents in the air. When one of these two things happen, memories come flooding back. I don't know why I was thinking about this this morning, but I felt the need to get them into print.

The smell of fall, you know when the temperature finally gets down to about 72 degrees and the air feels crisp, that always makes me think of my friend from Cleburne, TX. We met when I was in the 8th grade and remained friends up until I was about 21, then we lost touch. He always came to Houston for Thanksgiving and then was here for Christmas and usually most of the summer. He was the guy that took me to my senior prom and didn't even have a problem with the Mickey Mouse vest and tie that I asked him to wear. Sadly, around 21 we lost touch and I haven't talked to him since.

"Swinging on Parade" - You've probably never heard of this song, this is the song my high school drill team did the opening "strut" to. Since I am so involved with the drill team alumni association, I attend a couple of home games every year, then leave right after half time. This always takes me back to when I was in high school, there was nothing better than getting on the field and hearing the crowd cheering, the smell of fresh cut grass, and the band playing that song.

"Do You Love Me" - I love this song, mostly because this is the song that my mother and I have a whole dance made up to. I told you all I am a big dork...well, so is my mother. When the band that we used to go and listen to would start to sing the song, the entire band would look over at us. They usually waited until about the third set to play it to ensure we had enough liquor in us to actually get up there and start dancing.

"Lady in Red" - This is the song I danced with Consierge guy for the first time at the hotel Christmas party. Three months later, he broke my heart.

"The Dance" - The first time I danced with my cowboy in 1994 at Wilson Road Dance Hall and at the end of the song, we shared our first kiss.

"Why" - The dance that was choreographed to this song was the most beautiful dance I've ever performed. To this day, whenever I hear it, it always brings tears to my eyes.

"Wonderful Tonight" - This was the first song that Spicoli and I danced to.

The smell of chlorine - When I was growing up, we had a swimming pool. Whenever I get around a pool and can smell the chlorine I remember all the weekly vollyball games in the pool with my mom, my sister, my grandparents, my neighbors and myself. Every weekend we would all get in the pool and play 4-5 games of vollyball. It also makes me think of my group of friends that I hung out with. My friends were at my house every weekend during the summer and we would be in the pool at all hours of the day or night.

"Crazy" - This reminds me of my Nanny, when she would cook she would either whistle or sing this song, it was her favorite. She loved Patsy Cline, so much so that we played all Patsy Cline music at her funeral.

The smell of Swisher cigars - Every time I smell a Swisher cigar I think of my boss Mike and all of our conversations at Pappacito's over drinks and our meetings on the breeze way of our old company.

Until next time...

Single Girl