Erma Bombeck I'm not!

When I was a young married woman I came upon an author of American Humor; Erma Bombeck.  She wrote columns in newspapers and then many books that presented life in an american household in a very light and humorous way.  Some of her book titles are:  The Grass is always greener over the septic tank,

Family...the ties that Bind....and Gag

and my personal favorite; If life is a bowl of Cherries , What am I doing in the pits. 

   She wrote her books in such a way that we could all relate to her stories and she helped us to see the humorous side of family life.



Some quotes from Erma Bombeck help us to see how wonderful she was at helping us to "lighten up".

She gave us the go ahead to be human, to feel the way we feel and know it was alright to feel that way.  How many times have you gotten down on yourself for giving in to the temptation to eat "just one little piece of that cake" you said you weren't going to eat.....to that Erma would say; "seize the moment.  Remember all those women on the "Titanic" who waved off the dessert cart."

I'm convinced that my family puts the toilet tissue roll on backwards (what, says my children and husband, there is a right and wrong way to put the toilet roll on?) just to see if I will come by and turn it around....FOR THE MILLIONTH TIME!!!!  To this Erma said; "Education is so important when it comes to domesticity. I don't know why no one ever thought to paste a label on the toilet tissue spindle giving 1-2-3 directions for replacing the tissue on it. Then everyone in the house would know what Mama knows."

Not only did Erma write about the family we were now living with but she would often write about the generation before; our parents or in - laws or the generation to follow; our grandchildren who she said about; "a grandmother and a grandchild share a common enemy;......your child.....their parent. "  Another person she wrote about was her own mother.  I can relate to the quote where she said;  "My mother phones daily to ask, "Did you just try to reach me?" When I reply, "No", she adds, "So, if you're not too busy, call me while I'm still alive," and hangs up. "  I'm convinced that my own mother forgets that the phone works both ways.  I can't count the times I have called her after a number of weeks and had her say; "well I wondering if you were ever going to call again."  

Much to the sadness of her readers Erma Bombeck passed away in 1996.  I too was saddened by her passing.  Life has been too serious since then.  There have been many times since then that I thought....."maybe.....just maybe....I could take a stab at being the next "Erma Bombeck".  I realize that I could never hope to be as successful in my writing as her but "hey", if I don't try I'll never know.....