When Sisters Are Partners

      From my earliest memory my sister Lisa was with me, we were partners, and we were inseparable. I can remember a handful of times when we actually fought. One time, I was so mad at her I tried to push her. I saw my chance when she turned her back, but being a scrawny, little wimp, my push was just a puff of wind against her back, and Lisa being a mostly gentle giant, (compared to me) turned briefly into an angry bear, she swiftly swung around and with one hand tossed me across the room. I went flailing back, landed in a laundry basket, and continued to skid down the linoleum hallway. 

       We had all kinds of business adventures as kids. In grade school we created a haunted house, which consisted of our shed in the back yard.  We charged 10- cents to the neighborhood kids to pass through. I collected the money at the entrance, and inside the main attraction was the scary headless lady. We ingeniously had Lisa's body hidden with-in a big box, a small hole at the top for her exposed head. We cleverly used a tablecloth to cover any clues to our scheme. Her head rested back, face painted white, clearly the look of death.  She sat ever so still, eyes closed, trying not to breath.  When the kids passed by, her eyes would pop open and everybody freaked out, screaming and shouting.  Except one despicable boy. He reacted by punching her in the face. She lurched out of the box in pain, surprise and vengeance.  And that ended that particular enterprise.  We had garage sales too.  One time Lisa wanted to sale a broken camera, but our mom pointed out that, “No one wants to buy a broken camera” but Lisa, defending her potential sale said, “It’s not broken mom, they can still put the film in and watch the numbers go by.”

     I cherish the memories, but I don’t look back for very long.  I find great pleasure in moving forward with vision, faith and anticipate all the great adventures we’re going to have together. I am so thankful to have a sister like Lisa and so blessed to venture out with her in our very own business with our acclaimed, master painter, mother, Deanne Lemley.  Thank you GOD for moms and sisters!

Dixie