Conversation Starter - July

[SuzSee-PLP Creator]

The conversation starter's purpose is exactly that...to spawn conversation. We'd love to hear your responses to these questions, and perhaps we'll all learn a little more about each other (and likely things we never would have considered asking.) It'll be a central place where we can come and not only answer the questions, but peruse through each other's responses. Who knows? Maybe you'll meet someone you haven't talked to before and find you have something in common. You can create your own dialogue from here.

We'll list three questions. Feel free to respond to all three or any one of the three. Whatever you are comfortable with doing. Hope this is fun for all and, above all, creates some laughter and/or sparks some thought. Don't forget to keep checking back to see what others thoughts are about the topics posted and to even reply to someone else's posting to keep the activity going. We're always open for suggestions on topics, so don't hesitate to submit your ideas. It's our first year anniversary, so I thought we'd talk about "firsts"

1) Do you remember your first pet? What was it's name and what type of animal was it. Feel free to share as much as you'd like.
2) Who taught you to drive your first car? Mom? Dad? Any fun stories to share?
3) Do you remember your first day of school or have any tales to shares about any memory you have of someone's first day at school?

[Pat]

My first memories of a pet is a stripped cat, who we got as a kitten, there was some confusion about it's sex, so it was named Miss Cilla, Mom thought it was a girl, well certain appendages developed so now the cat was named Miss Cillls Sir.

My Mom taught me to drive and then my boy friend tried also, between the two of them it's a wonder I can drive at all. My Mom had a stick shift car, one of the 1956 Chevy box cars. If I wasn't killing it trying to park I was hitting the curb because I couldn't judge the distance. I failed my first test. Then I got my boyfriend's ford with an automatic shift, needless to say it was a snap to pass the test then. But I still can't judge distances well.

I don't remember my first day at school but I do remember my daughter's ,
We were both set and excited, me for a little free time and my daughter all dress up in new cloths for an exciting adventure. As all of us parents stood around in a circle the teacher gave us a little talk about breaking the strings and
how much it hurt when we first let go of our babies, the bottom line was by the time she was through I was in tears and my daughter was scared because I was crying. This well meaning teacher unknowingly ruined that wonderful day for both of us. When the next child went off to school, I just took him to the door and let him in the class room. A much better start for both of us.

[SuzSee-PLP Creator]

What wonderful memories you have! Thank you for sharing and in such detail! You helped me remember one of my first pets. Her name was Charlie -- well, until we realized my great cat was a she and not a he. Then she became Charlotte. -- LOL!

[Marci]

1) Do you remember your first pet? What was it's name and what type of animal was it. There are 2 that could be considered my first pet depending upon how you look at things. Mandy was a german shepherd mixed dog that was gotten by my parents before I was born. Christopher was the next pet we got. He was a sweet stray cat that my dad brought home when I was about 12 I think.
2) Who taught you to drive your first car? My dad did all the teaching when it came to driving. Driving cars that were auto. or standard was easy. As soon as he put me in a standard truck I was lost. Standard trucks were too hard to drive when I started driving back in the early 90's.
3) Remembering any first days of school until my 16 yr. old daughter went to school is impossible for me lol. When she went to school she requested that she be picked up in "the banana truck." It was a yellow stepside truck from probably the late 70's or early 80's. I'd ask hubby but he isn't home right now.

[SuzSee-PLP Creator]

Love it! The banana truck! My Dad had an old Datsun (before they were Nissan) and I always called it the mustard truck because of the color. Thanks for sharing your memories.

[Mandy]

(1) My first pet was Sparky he was a dog an he was a black Cocker Spaniel mix i loved him so much he sadly died of cancer and old age..i also had a black cat named blackie i know fitting right lol well she had a long life lets see my grandma was doing laundry and had the dryer open and the dryer had some towels or something in it and she closed the dryer and then she heard thump thump thump so she opened it up and their was poor black all bloody and everything she got rushed to the vet and was fine for many more years she died at 20 years old
(3) okay so i am the shy type of person so this was not a fun day for me..kindergarten hmmm that was not fun i remember that i screamed and cried when my grandma took me to school the teacher kept telling her just leave her she will be fine but my grandma stayed till i stopped crying then she walked away and i was fine but i did not want t go to school the next day lol but did

[SuzSee-PLP Creator]

Oh my goodness! I can't imagine how your Grandma must have felt when she accidentally put Blackie in the dryer. Glad she wasn't hurt too badly.
Glad to also know that you seemed to have grown out of that shyness. LOL

[Gladys, PLP Adm.]

The first pet I can remember was a very large male tom cat, I can't remember his name but I do remember he was very heavy and I could hardly carry him. I think I was about 3 or 4 years old and I loved to dress him up in baby clothes. He let me put a dress on him, booties and a baby bonnet and then wrap him in a baby blanket and put him in my little baby buggy and push him around as long as I wanted. He was such a sweet and gentle cat as he just went along with whatever I wanted him to do.I just remembered he also let me put a diaper on him! That big old tom cat must have been a saint to let a little girl put him through such humiliating situations but he seemed to love all the attention. I think he knew I loved him. Thanks for asking about our first pets, remembering that big old tom cat made my day. Happy

[SuzSee-PLP Creator]

And now hearing the story from you has made mine. What a great way to start the day! With a smile...

[Gladys, PLP Adm.]

My first driving experience was fun, we had a driving instructor and he smelled like whiskey or some form of alchol! It is no wonder the poor man drank as we had some very scarrey experiences in that driving class. If I remember right there were 3 or 4 kids in the class. Our instructor had his own brake and he had to use it quite often as one of the girls was a speed freak and also took corners faaaassst! She ran over the curb often and also came close to putting us all in the hospital many times. It was a wonder the whole class didn't drink by the time our drivers training was done. Can you believe she passed? I can remember our instructor was very easy going but think he also was a little crocked. I went on to become a pretty good driver and even was pulled over and given a safe drivers medal so it goes to show you even a drunk can be a good driveing instructor!!! Happy

[SuzSee-PLP Creator]

Oh gosh, Happy, you are on a role today. Thank you for making me smile.
Suz

[Alan]

I remember my dog Benji thus my name here used to sometimes follow me to school so I had to go back home & then my mother had to take me up to school I also with the help of my mother used to take him into a place to be groomed sometimes we'd clean him in the laundry room sink it was big enough for him he was a small dog he was a Welsh Springer Spaneil his original name was Ben my sister & I had him until my sister got married then he was all mine I used to walk him & everything he was a good dog I even taught him some tricks too

[SuzSee-PLP Creator]

I used to love the dog from the Benji movies and have always been partial to the name. Brings back some fond memories. Thanks for sharing.