My First Crush

Anthony Smith, that was his name. He was my first crush. We were in the 3rd grade but we were not in the same class. His family owned the only grocery store in town, Smith's Market. Their house was behind the store so every time we went to the store I would look for him playing outside.
He was really cute. He had light brown hair that was longer, kinda like Tanner's. Ya know, that 70's haircut. He wore white leather Nike's with a dark blue Nike sign on the side. Yes, I remember his shoes. I loved his shoes.
At the end of the school year, I moved to California so I never saw him again. When I'm in Kentucky and drive past the market, I wonder what happened to him. He was a nice boy and I hope he became a nice man.

My Name

Well, I guess I should explain my blogname of Misspelled Memories. As you know my name is Amie, that is A-M-I-E. I have been many names such as...the most common being Annie, A-N-N-I-E and Arnie, A-R-N-I-E. The beginning of each school year (unless I already knew the teacher), I would wait for roll to be called so that I could correct them. And when there was a substitute, it was always Arnie Centers. All subs called me Arnie.
Writing my name I can completely understand it being misspelled because the most common spelling is A-M-Y. But even my closest friends would still misspell my name. I guess if you have a commonly spelled name, you don't realize the importance of wanting your name spelled correctly. Reason being is that my name is NOT Amy, Ami, Aimee, Amee or Aime, it is Amie. And I like it that way.
It doesn't help that my middle name, maiden name, and married name also need to be spelled out. My middle name is Leigh, but most would spell it Lee. My maiden name is *******, people always seemed confused by this name, and I see why my married name would need some help.
When I was baptized at the age of 19, the missionaries put together my flier and this was my name on the front: Amy Lee Sinners (all 3 spelled incorrectly). Yes. I guess it was a good thing I was getting baptized being a "sinner" and all. They did their best. And it is a funny story to a wonderful memory.
I like my name being this way and would not change it even if I sometimes go by Arnie.

Tornadoes

I have a fascination for tornadoes. If there is a show on about tornadoes, you can almost guarantee that I am watching it. I even dream about them. It has got to be from my childhood.
My first experience with a tornado I do not remember because I was only a baby. It happened on April 3, 1974, I was almost 14 months old. My Mamaw (grandma) was watching me while my mother was at work. My mother tells me now that it was the second scariest day of her life. The second worst storm of the 1900's took place. There were 148, yes, one hundred and forty-eight tornadoes in twelve states. One of these tornadoes blew the steps off of my Mamaw's house as it took a path in the fields across from her house. My Mamaw is so funny. Even with the storm and tornado, she would not take me into the basement. She didn't want the spiders to get me.
Memories that I do have are not that scary, but scary enough. I remember pulling mattresses down into the basement and sleeping in the laundry room. One morning when we went outside, one of our trees had blown over and we still do not know how it did not land on the house as it was on a slope leaning towards the house. My other memories include being at school and the siren going off. We would have to line up againt the hallway walls and crouch down with our arms covering our heads (Like this would really help).
Even now when there is the "right weather" here in Sacramento, if you drive by my house I will be out front looking up at the sky. Looking for a tornado.

Swingsets

I have always loved to swing (and still do). I loved all swingsets. Some of my earliest memories are of swinging and walking around my swingset. My mom even made me a cake and asked what I wanted her to decorate it with and of course, I wanted my swingset. I loved the wind blowing in my face and flying up into the sky. My stomach would get little flurries the faster and higher I would go. Sometimes I would go so high that my swingset would tip over. I was never seriously hurt, only a few scratches so I would go right back to swinging.
I remember my cousin, Barry's, swingset. I remember swinging at school. And the ones at school were the best because they were tall and you could go really, really high and they couldn't tip over. Your friends would always help you get as high as possible with great big pushes. I remember the tire swing at my Mamaw & Papaw's house.
When I moved to California in the 4th grade, there weren't any swingsets at school. Why? And we never owned another swingset while I was a child.
If we go to the park and they have a swingset, I will always swing and fly high into the sky.