Monday, January 03, 2005

Betty Feezor's Gift to Me

Kids, back in my day television had two channels only.
That's right! Only two TV stations per TV. No cable, no direct TV, just two channels. Cable came when I was in high school and was rather ratty.
I remember when we got our first TV. Papa put it on top of the dresser in his bedroom in our first house. My Lls doesn't even remember that house because she came to it and left it as a baby. Mama made beautiful curtains with circus characters for her nursery. Lls doesn't remember the curtains either. We ate lots of jelly donuts back then and she didn't get any.
Back to TV. We watched either WSOC or WBT (I'm not remembering the call letters of the station, too many years). NBC or CBS. That was it. Nothing else. But did we care? Heck no! We were thrilled with two black and white channels because one of these stations had The Betty Feezor Show.
As a pre-school child, I would eat my lunch then go to the den to watch the Betty Feezor Show with my Mama. Mama would take a quick snooze after the show started. I had to be quiet while she watched Betty so I fell asleep, too. On Saturdays, my dad and I would fall asleep listening to the Met Opera program.
Betty discussed how to sew different beautiful things, cooked lovely foods and generally told housewives how to do house stuff. An early Martha Stewart without diamond earrings. I remember Betty looked like a normal Mom although my Mama thought Betty was very attractive. Betty was our hometown's celebrity.
This began the habit of afternoon naps which continues to this day. That's right. I'm a napper.
I napped in high school, college and seminary. I napped with my babies with great delight. I thought other Moms were doing great tasks while their babies napped but I just napped along with the little child. Our LS stopped napping at 2 years of age and doesn't nap now unless he is very sick. Our LD will fall asleep instantly if I can get her reclining and quiet for five minutes. She refuses to take naps with me. Only last week I offered her $5 to take a nap with me and she refused. Even my old man cat refuses to nap with me much. The LH does not nap. My friends get provoked that I nap. Does this lack of companionship keep me from taking a 45 min. -longer nappage each and every day? No way.
Naps allow me to turn off my business and rest. Naps give me the energy I need for late afternoon car pooling, advising and general hustle to get my family to their activities and then fed supper. I need naps. I like naps and I assume I will nap into my dotage.
I have no idea of anyone else on the planet remembers dear Betty Feezor but this entry is my tribute to her lasting gift of teaching me to let it all go into a sweet and deep nap.

8 comments:

Theresa Coleman said...

Thanks for your comments on my page. I really enjoy reading what you have to say. I, too, love to nap. Mine are in the sun, on the sofa, with my really old kitty cat. I like how I drift between conscious thought and unconscious thought. I need that time for my brain to sort itself out.

Keep up the writing. I relate to it. I sometimes resemble it.....

St. Casserole said...

Thanks, Reverend Mommy!

Theresa Coleman said...

Almost time for my power nap this afternoon, but I am on a mission.

Paper Napkin has declared today offical De-Lurking Day! A special day celebrating lurkers, and exhorting you to muster the strength and bravery to click on that comment button and end the deafening silence.

Unknown said...

I remember Betty Feezer! Now I know why I like naps so much.

Thinking Mama said...

Thank you so much for your fabulous entry on Betty Feezer. And napping. I grew up about an hour north of Charlotte and remember watching Betty Feezer on WBT-TV, Channel 3. I absolutely loved her show.

Thanks,
Trish

hmarty said...

Wow, I found some Betty Feezor videos on YouTube last night! What a travel back in time. I grew up in NC and watched her regularly with my grandmother. To hear her voice and see her face, I was flooded with memories. Amazing. hmarty

Unknown said...

Check out the website of BT Memories concerning Betty Feezor. It is a wonderful site.

hmarty said...

Triv, thanks so much. I simply adored Betty Feezor! I found another site on Blogspot and I hope it was where you were directing me.

Thanks again, hmarty :)