Friday, April 15, 2016

M ~ M Days

     Among the Amish communities I lived in we occasionally did a fun challenge that revolved around the initial of your first name.
     In school we would have a day in February where the challenge was to do nothing that didn't begin with your initial. Unfortunately my name begins with an M, and while other children had a math free day, there was no such luck for me. I could only read books beginning with M, and recess I spent time playing Memory or Monopoly with anyone else that shared my initial.
     I don't know what it was with this challenge, but it carried over into the ladies monthly work days when they would gather at someone's house to help out with what ever needed to be done. Though not as large scale as the challenge was at school it focused only on the menu. Occasionally everyone was encouraged to bring a dish that started with their own initial, while other times everyone was supposed to bring a dish that started with their hostess initials.
      I never asked anyone to do that with my initial. I could see the entire community show up with a mac-n-cheese casserole.
      I used to wish my name would begin with anything other than an M on those days, but now I'm wondering how many others felt the same way about the letter they had.

10 comments:

  1. Interesting. Our last name began with an M, so I always liked the fact that I was in the middle as they usually did everything alphabetically. I didn't have to be first, but I also didn't have to be last. I'm still that way. I don't like to be called upon first or last.

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  2. I like my letter. I could read Anne of the Green Gables and eat apples.
    Amalia
    xo

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  3. I should have had a name start with M. I apways bring meatballs :)

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  4. That sounds like it could turn out to be quite interesting. Hmmmm. A "B" for me. I could bring bread! Not sure about the school subjects though.
    Blessings,
    Betsy

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  5. What an interesting look into your Amish life. I like the idea of using one's initial for activities...even at school...no MATH for me with an 'S' name...Yay! I'd be the one to bring 'Sweets' to the menu or Southwest Tortilla SOUP!

    I've had a hectic...nice word for hellish...week at work, so I will be catching up with visiting on my day off...Sunday! Thanks for all your comments. I think I have replied to them all.
    Sue at CollectInTexas Gal

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  6. Yikes! I'd be stuck in penmanship all day! And if it was food... Pretzels (dipped in chocolate, of course!) or pie, or peanut butter.

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  7. How nice to discover your heroine shares my name! Thank you for the glimpse into Amish culture. Happy A to Z!

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  8. You could have called it arithmetic instead of math...

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  9. Well, there's meatloaf, mustard greens, mushrooms, Muenster cheese, marshmallows,
    mashed potatoes...

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Thank you so much for taking time to comment. I love hearing your thoughts.