Sunday, October 28, 2007

Fun Monday

Hello! Welcome to Fun Monday. Our host this week is Candid Karina. Our assignment is to share our security blankets, the items that we can't leave home without.
I actually have a real security blanket, well a security pillow anyway, so I am going to share that first.
This is Stushy Pillow, affectionately called Stoosh. Stushy Pillow evolved over the years. When I first found this pillow, back in 1988, I called it Squishy Pillow. After 19 years, high school broken hearts, college drama, marriage, and two children, it has become Stoosh.
When I was 12 my parents got divorced and my Daddy basically did a disappearing act into the haze of alcoholism. Although he later recovered, at the time I felt like everything was lost. My Mom, my sister and I ended up living in a rundown trailer in the middle of her brother's junk yard. It was as wonderful as it sounds.
After 12 years of stability we were lost, we were broken. I remember all three of us huddling in the same bed at night, almost too scared to even venture into a room without each other. It was the scariest time of my life.
After a year of this my Mom met Edwin. The man she would eventually marry. The man who would be my Father during the most tumultuous years of my life, the teenage years. Edwin didn't always make me happy, he was as blunt and honest as I guess I am now. What he did do was make me feel safe.
I found Stoosh the first night we spent the night at Edwin's house. That night was the best night of sleep that I had had in a year. At the time, I was too young to think that Edwin had anything to do with that feeling. It had to be the magic pillow that he'd pulled out of the top of the closet. A pillow that at that time must have already been 15 years old. I asked him if I could keep that pillow. He said yes, and I have had Stoosh ever since.
I have only slept without Stoosh a total of 8 nights in the 19 years since. I left it at home once when I returned to college, and my Mom airmailed it to me. Another time I left it at my sister's house where it waited very patiently for 5 nights. I didn't sleep well on those nights. I tossed and I turned. I know it is crazy, but that is the truth.
Stoosh goes everywhere that I spend the night. Stoosh was in the hospital with me for the births of both of my children ( much to my Mother's horror. She considers Stoosh a germ infested embarrassment.) Stoosh goes with me on every vacation on every car ride that lasts more than three hours ( Hey, you never know when you'll have to sleep in the car.)
Stoosh is the most comfortable pillow in the world. It has gone through three reconstructive surgeries and been the cause of many fights. Everyone wants to sleep on the Stoosh. Every single member of my family yearns to make the Stoosh their own. It isn't happening. Nobody gets the Stoosh.
Randy says that when I die, he will cut the Stoosh into four pieces. One will be buried with me. The other three pieces will be passed out to him and the kids. I think that will be a fitting end for such a wonderful pillow.
As far as things I can't leave home without, there aren't that many. There is My Book. My Book is my checkbook/address book/ random note book/ list book. It serves many purposes, but it goes everywhere that I go.
Other than that, I would say that the only other thing that I can't leave home without is my bag. Where I am going determines which bag it is.
This is my non-work bag. Randy got me this for my birthday last year. I hate diaper bags, so diaper bag alternatives, such as this make my day. This bag is a purse/diaper bag combo that I could not live without. Randy has his own diaper bag for when I am not around ( a basic backpack), he declares my bag too girlified.

The other bag is the work bag. I got it at a conference last year. I have used this bag so much that the strap is starting to come loose. It is the perfect soft leather briefcase. Basically on Friday evening I move My Book and the check book from the work bag to the diaper bag/purse. On Sunday evening I move them back. That is the story of my life

32 comments:

Junebug said...

Hi, Serina,
That pillow is great. My son has a kitty cat pillow I made him when he was two and he is twenty-one now. He still has it stuffed inside another pillow case on his bed, it is very wore out. My youngest daughter has a blanky that she sleeps with, it is a baby thermal blanket of hers. She had a small doll that they named Smooshy that she got when she was one. My oldest daughter takes her pillow everywhere with her but it is nothing special.

Beckie said...

I had a Stoosh in my life at one time. I did love that pillow. I think it started to stink or something so I moved on. I remember the pillow ticking had red roses on it.

Have a great Monday.

Molly said...

As I get ready to go to bed, I wish that I had a Stoosh to help me sleep. I love the story of your pillow. Although you have only shown four things, your Fun Monday may be the most unique. Your "diaper bag" is so pretty.

Anonymous said...

You better burn that pillow! Or have it hermetically sealed!

I miss having the work bag sometimes, but then remember that I'd have to go to work to have one. Then the longing passes very quickly.

willowtree said...

My wife has a security pillow too. It's actually her baby pillow, which means she's had it for 56 years now.

Hootin Anni said...

Ahhhhhhhhh, that pillow. You and Stushy....you'd be best buds.


Mine's posted...
Have a great MOANday.

laurie said...

wow. that pillow! what a fabulous post.

the purses and such are just a bonus. Edwin sounds like he came along just at the right time.

Jodi said...

Love the stoosh story!! I have a stuffed animal, a dog... that I have had since I was two, so sadly... it's older than you!! ;-)

Happy Monday!!

Bilbo said...

When I first moved in with Agnes (back when dinosaurs roamed the earth), she had her "elephant" - a silly pillow in the shape of an elephant that she took everywhere and couldn't sleep without. She would tuck the trunk under one arm, nestle her face into the elephant's cheek, and fall into blissful sleep. The elephant finally fell to pieces long ago, and was replaced with a plain, square pillow that serves the same function, but without the odd class. Me, I just use Agnes as my security blanket...except for those times when she rolls over and pokes an elbow into my eye, she's quite comfortable.

Amanda said...

Stoosh sounds wonderful. I had a pillow once too (Snow White). Unfortunately, she didn't survive the 3rd or 4th re-constructive surgery. I know my mother was pleased. I think I was around 13.

Now I just have my pink panther. He got promoted after Snow White. I only realised when I was about 20 that he's not actually a panther at all and just a pink dog.

MamaGeek @ Works For Us said...

I have a Stoosh named Pep. *blush*

Best. thing. ever.

Kaytabug said...

I just love the pillow story!!
That red bag is Fab!!

the rotten correspondent said...

What a great story Stoosh is. We all need something like that in our lives.

I've been poking through your blog and love your Thursday 13 with the bad Southern accents. Too funny, but I think you pretty much nailed it!

Happy Fun Monday!

Pamela said...

a powerful post serina. I alternated between tears and smiles and the need to give you a hug, while congratulating you on making it through.

That is a vintage pillow. I recommend a 5 minute dryer fluff weekly.

Bev said...

Great to here about Stoosh. Often things remind us of people, which is what security blankets are all about. It's like the necklace lockets which people have about their necks with pictures of their children. Of course, it helps that it's soft and cuddly!

Sandy said...

Oh my gosh, I want the Stoosh! What a terrific story and what a marvelous keepsake. Thank you so much for sharing this.

Anonymous said...

I have the pillow, too. My Granny gave me it and the most wonderful blanket ever when we moved to that awful apartment ever in Laurel. The blanket finally gave it up and died last year but the pillow lives on (also many many reconstructive surgeries)

I think you should print this out and give it to Edwin. I think it would be much appreciated to know how much he meant to you cause it might not have been obvious enough at the time - what with those teenage years and all. I think this would make him happy.

Karina said...

What a great story Stoosh is! I have a stuffed panda that my uncle gave me one year for Christmas, because I had seen on a tv show that pandas were supposed to take away your nightmares, and I was having lots of nightmares at the time, and I slept with that thing for decades...I think I've only stopped sleeping with it in the last few years, but I still have it.

JUST A MOM said...

You have NO CLUE how happy I am to read this post,, your "stooch" is my daughters blankies,,,"moumy" and "Nitenite" oh man my daughters well ok there are just 2 that hold tight to these things one is 26 and the other is 18. They have told their boyfriend that it is those blankets before them hands down! I wonder just how long these things will stay but now I see yep forever.. Oh eyah the 26 year old also has a teddy named "apples" ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh brother.. thanks for letting me know my girls are "NORMAL" have a great week. oh yeah love the quilt too..

Bren said...

I had a "Stoosh" when I was in college. I have no clue what happened to that thing.

Anonymous said...

Love he stoosh story. I had a few stuffed animals that served as my "stooshes" when my dad left us high and drive. I can totally relate. ((HUGS))

Alix said...

Wonderful post, I love the story of stoosh.

Your bags are great too

happy Fun Monday

Unknown said...

I love you S, but I must know: does Stoosh get cleaned regularly?

Serina Hope said...

Thanks guys for all the comments. Yes, Stoosh is cleaned reguarly. I take very good care of it. It is my most valued posession.
Actually, it gets cleaned everytime I go to my Mom's house. Like I said, she is a Stoosh hater. :)

ChrisB said...

I think your 'stoosh' story is lovely. There was a time when I had a favourite pillow that I couldn't sleep without and that was from my childhood. It went on holiday with me. Eventually I had to let it go as I couldn't get it clean. Come to think of it that's when I started suffering insomnia!

Jean-Luc Picard said...

Serina, we all have 'essentials' we feel more secure with. If we have to leave them behind while on vacation we can be disoriented.

Tiggerlane said...

That is the BEST Fun Monday story I have read yet!! And I was too chicken to show off my real security blanket, Squooshy Bear - but he appeared in a much earlier post.

I love the idea of dividing the Stoosh.

Princess Jewelee said...

awww, that was the best story i have read all day...thank you for sharing it

alisonwonderland said...

thanks for sharing the touching "stoosh" story!

Basically on Friday evening I move My Book and the check book from the work bag to the diaper bag/purse. On Sunday evening I move them back. That is the story of my life.

those sentences made me laugh!

Anonymous said...

Are you saying you take your pillow with you wherever you go? :-)

Nice that you feel it so special for so long.

Unknown said...

I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for making me feel extremely old! You meany! I was reading, "I found this pillow in 1988. . .19 years later. . ." and my mind was screaming is she nuts? It hasn't been 19 years yet. Then I went OMG I am OLD!

Thanx a lot. :)

Anonymous said...

I absolutely love that non-diaper bag. I'm in the market for a new bag still!