A Haven for Vee

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Edwinda, Et Al

The social worker pats Nan's hand as my grandmother describes how loathesome she finds her oxygen tubing.

"It goes wherever I don't want it to go and trips me or gets stuck. It's the devil incarnate."

The social worker's eyes widen and she grins a little.

"Yes, but it also provides you with the oxygen you need. Is there a different way to think about it?"

Thus we have Edwinda the Oxygen Hose that truly is a friend sustaining life even if she is quite mischievous. I've just stumbled over her for the umpteenth time this morning.

Edwinda is a take-off on a name I have found intriguing for most of my life. Any Edwinas out there? When I was a child about three, my mother and I lived with my grandmother for the time that my father was stationed overseas. She also had a lodger named Edwina. Edwina was the home economics teacher at the high school right across the street. Everyone called her "Ed."

This was the source of much confusion for me as in my three-year-old mind I believed that Edwina's name was Ed Whiner. The tears I shed over that. What mother in her right mind would name her poor little girl "Ed"? It took me years to get it figured out. Even when my mother would find me in tears and try to explain, the situation just became more concrete.

"Vee, her name is Edwina."

Right, I know that. Her name is Ed Whiner. *Sob*

This confusion with names continued throughout childhood. My grandfather had a dear friend named Emerson Budd. He called him "Budd." Therefore, I called him "Mr. Emerson." I never understood the mirth surrounding that. Both men would chuckle and sometimes Mr. Emerson, errr Mr. Budd, would slap his knee. Obviously, they enjoyed the joke as they never bothered to correct me.

In college, I had several close friends. We were terribly protective of each other and always made certain to know where one was going and with whom. One of the gals began dating a young man I didn't know. I asked for his last name and received this response: "No, Vee."

"Why won't you tell me his name?"

"No, Vee."

"What's the matter with you? Why won't you tell me his name?"

"NO, VEE."

"Well for crying out loud. All I want to know is his name."

Okay, don't you think "Novee" is a weird last name? What are the odds? Obviously, my friends had great fun with that one, too.

So, have any of you ever had similar trouble with names?

+++++++++++++++



In other news, I am able to borrow my daughter's laptop once a week. That's her picure above setting it up for me. Since I didn't get her permission to post a picture, I hope that the pop art will be okay. I have found the laptop quite the challenge. Today I have warned everyone that I have a computer and will be unavailable for anything beyond the rudimentary chores. In other words, "Don't bug me." Hope that I can skate to visit many of you today! I've missed you like crazy.

39 comments:

  1. Can't say I've ever had a name problem like that. It IS funny though!
    The novee sounded like an Abbott and Costello routine. :-)

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  2. My husband and I both enjoyed this one after we came home from church. I read this outloud as we both had a good laugh. A merry heart doeth good like a medice. And I sure have missed some of your wonderful potions of mirth.

    Take care good friend. Glad you get to pop in here once and awhile. Last night I was trying to see how I could leave you a message to let you know how much you are missed around blogland !!!!

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  3. I immediately thought of Edwina, the eldest sister in "National Velvet" (can you tell I'm a horse lover?)

    As for names: When I was a teenager our neighbor had a big German Shepherd named "Heidi." One day while I was home, the garbage truck came. I coudl hear Heidi sounding like she was going to eat that garbage man up. I could tell, too, he was frozen in fear.

    I went out on the porch and yelled at the top of my lungs, "Heidi!! Heidi!!" Trying to get the dog to shut up.

    The garbage man looked at me quizzically and said, "Well, Howdy to you, too..." I was so embarrassed I just shut the door! C

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  4. What a thoughtful daughter you have, Vee. I really enjoyed the "Ed" story. Funny the things children get into their little heads. It's good to hear from you! ~Kathy

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  5. I can certainly relate to this post Vee. My dad traveled a lot when he was young. When people asked his name he would tell them it was Marvin after one of the hotels he stayed at. The name stuck and my cousins would always call my dad Uncle Marv. Even my mother called him Marv. One day I was filling out school form and when my dad checked them he said my name isn't marv. I didn't learn my own father's real name was Arthur until I was eight years old.

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  6. The Farmer's father was named Ed and had the Farmer been a girl instead of a boy, his name would have been Edwina. My father-in-law felt that I should have name my daughter Edwina, but I took a pass.

    I do not like working on laptops. Very, very uncomfortable ergnomically. Or something like that.

    Suzanne

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  7. I can't think of any name mix-ups like that for me. But I really enjoyed this post of yours. It made me laugh. I bet you and your college friends still laugh so hard about that when you get together or talk.

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  8. When I was about 6 we had a visitor of my uncle's named Mr. Butts. I remember my sister and I laughing when our uncle just called him Butts.
    Skating on the laptop is right. I have been trying out my daughter's trying to decide if I want to get one. It would take a while to get used to it.
    QMM

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  9. So, so, so great to hear from you, and I am so sorry about your computer woes. Unfortunately, I can totally empathize. UGH! The Edwina/Edwinder/Ed Whiner story was so funny... I have a cousin named Edwina (her father was my grandfather's brother, Edwin). I always felt a little sorry about that and was glad my parents didn't name me Davida (my dad's name being David.) Teehee. But, who knows... if they had, I might have ended up being "Vee" like you! Now that wouldn't have been bad at all.

    Love ya,
    Christi

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  10. Hi Vee
    Good to see you here! It took me a little while to learn how to use my lap top, but like all things it gets easier the more you use it.

    I never met an Edwina, but I worked with a lot of foreign nurses over the years who had very uncommon names and I always felt embarrassed asking them to repeat what their names were as I had a hard time remembering them. I was so happy when we were finally required to wear name badges. :-)

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  11. So great to hear from You!!!!

    Thanks for stopping by on your one day on the 'puter!

    Very cute post!

    Becky K.

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  12. Hi Vee! I'm baaack! LOL! Love this post! Especially the "Novee" issue! So funny!
    My Mom had oxygen tubing following her around for many years. We all got used to it! Although we never thought of naming it! Very clever!
    Jan

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  13. Every day I look down my blogroll...and say 'No Vee'. So what a surprise when I noticed Vee had a post today. Yay!!! So good to have you back...even just for a wee bit.

    I've never met and Edwina...nor a Novee...but I do have a granddaughter named Emerson. I'm smiling.

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  14. Hi Vee

    Glad to have you back!! And yes, I know an Edwina - she's a client of ours. She's probably early 50's- the name suits her.

    How's your Mum? Getting better every day I hope.

    Enjoy!
    Leann

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  15. What an adorable post! You must have been such an innocent, cute kid!

    I am glad to hear you are getting your computer issues worked out. You will love the ease of the new laptop!!

    Cheers,
    Linda

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  16. I was so happy to see a comment from Vee today. I just had to race over and see if you are up and running yet. Not quite, but thanks to your daughter we will get to hear from you once again. Loved this post. While trying to think back to whether I had ever had funny name problems I couldn't really remember any. However I can tell you about my dad's favorite aunt, Linda Green. She married a farmer named Alan Bean and thus became Linda Green Bean. I always thought that was a cute name for a farmer's wife.

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  17. Yippee! Vee is back!!! I missed you so much! Once you get the hang of the laptop you will never want to go back to a stationary computer.

    I love this post and the laughter it gave me. Have fun surfing!

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  18. It took me quite a while, to get kinda' content with husband's lap top. Dropped use of it, when my back got better.

    Yup, my back is not good again.

    Nope, I have not resorted to his laptop. Just a bit on my own computer, in the *dreaded* chair, and that's all the Net I need right now.

    But I have all the rest of my time, to read, read, read. Dang it, you don't. Dang it, you need your own computer. Dang it, wish I knew why in blazes you can't have one.

    -harrrumph-

    Why am I commenting? You're probably not talking to me anyway, after my last letter............

    *Me*

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  19. Glad you are back. That was a cute chuckle-out-loud post. My mom is dragging around an oxygen tube and fussing at it when it gets tangled with the furniture. Yes, how is your mother?

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  20. Well. . .I have obviously had my name mispelled most of my life. . and had one teacher call me louella for an entire year. . .I was too afraid to correct her.

    I was happy to have you check in today. . .
    Very cute post.

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  21. I had a friend named "Justina". When my sister asked me what her name was I said "Justina". My sister kept calling her "Tina" I said "her name is Justina". My sister said "that's what I am saying Just Tina".

    We laughed and laughed over that!

    Blessings

    Linda

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  22. hey vee, glad you are back! love the warholesque art. haha. your name stories are very funny - i love name stories.

    hope all is well at your house - sounds like a lot of courage and patience required these days. hang in there and take a deep breath!

    we miss you and i think of you and your family often.

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  23. I loved this story it was really wonderful. Take care my friend...m..

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  24. Oh dear goodness, what a belly laugh! I so needed it! My life has changed on a dime, come and see, too long for here... so I really needed my Vee fix. You are such an antidote for me!!

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  25. Hi Vee! Great to hear from you - I'm thankful for your daughter's laptop!!

    The name confusion story is so funny. It made me think of Abbott and Costello's "Who's on First?" routine, too. I like to hear of people's childhood misconceptions. Used to be a radio talk show host who had folks call in with theirs every Friday. Hilarious stuff.


    I loved what the social worker said about the oxygen hose. Makes me think of the quote from one of Mary Engelbreit's calendar pictures, "If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change the way you think about it."

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  26. Catching up with blog buddies this evening. Been way too busy since we arrived back in MT. All is good though here in big sky country.

    Sounds like all is well in your part of the world too!

    Enjoy the rest of your summer---

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  27. That's so funny! My daughter told me she has a girl in one of her classes whose name is spelled Lemonjello but you say Lahmanjahlo! Why would you do that to your kid!

    Manuela

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  28. Now that's funny! I enjoyed the story.
    Take care and have a great day Vee,
    Elizabeth

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  29. Missed you too. Can't say I have a name story, not like yours anyhow.

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  30. Oh Vee,
    So nice to read this post. You crack me up. My husband's name is Edwin, and sometimes when my daughter, who doesn't fall far from the tree would be doing something similar, I would call her Edwina. Ed Whiner...so funny.

    When I first met my husband he lived next door. He introduced himself, but I didn't catch the name. I looked on his mailbox and saw the letter E, but I couldn't make the connection. I knew him three weeks, saw him every day and still didn't know his name. Finally I got my girlfriend to ask him. "Ned" he said. And laughed because he knew all along that I didn't know his name. Then I married him.

    Karen

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  31. Hi Vee, loved the name confusion stories, and all the responses too, this week my laptop quit, so I can empathize with you about the lack of a computer now. Have a good weekend.Hugs, Margie.

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  32. This is a perfect post for an early morning! Made me smile right off :-)
    I once had a friend who lived on a street called "Nevermind" - someone would ask her address and she'd say 1142 Nevermind - they'd look up and say "never mind what?"
    "the street, Nevermind"
    "never mind WHAT??"
    and it would go on...

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  33. I loved your stories too! I can add one or two "twisters" for you. I used to have an Uncle Walter, who lived in Waldo, Wisconsin. I couldn't remember if it was Walter from Waldo, or Uncle Waldo from Walter! Hmmm...... Another blooper I remember making was insisting in a Geography class, that Washington D.C. was the capital of Washington! Makes sense to me! Oh well - always good for a chuckle at oneself!

    Have a great weekend - hugs from Michigan - Diane

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  34. too funny,

    You would think my name Mandy is short and simple enough to understand but you would not beleive the number of people who asked me if I was sure my name is not Amanda? Hmmm 50+ years, maybe I am confused and need to check with my mother?

    Have a great weekend.

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  35. Vee, so well written. I loved your story of your confusion with names. I also love how you named your the oxygen tube Edwina.

    I have a couple of name stories. My nephew confused diarrhea with Dina Rena. For so long he couldn't figure that one out.

    We live Eastern WA state. Often people here refer to Seattle. ex. "We're going to Seattle next week." Ahother nephew kept saying, "Who's Attle?" and "Why are we going to see her?" So cute!

    Have a wonderful day. Come for a visit. We are having a giveaway.

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  36. Hi Vee...I have gotten so used to my laptop that I have almost forgotten how to use our PC when I have to.

    Cute story...although I am sorry that oxygen tube can be a bother at times...the good far outweighs the bad for sure. :)

    Hope all is well with you...
    Hugs,
    Robin

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  37. Found your story quite amusing! My now grown daughters gave me much laughter (and lots of stories to tell, much to their chagrin) during the years of their childhoods when they did similar things as you describe. Wasn't it Art Linkletter (who you might not remember) who said: "Kids say the darndest things?"
    Brenda

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  38. Hi Vee,
    Checking to see how things are going, and it looks as though I am not the only one that has been having computer problems. I have thought of you so much lately and so enjoyed this post.
    Also enjoyed your collages in previous posts, I haven't quite got the knack yet,but am working on it,
    Your grandmother is a person that I would like to know, she sounds like my mother, You know where she is coming from at all times. my kind of person, one of the reasons I treasure my mother so much, as I know you treasure both your mother and grandmother.
    I hope you get the computer problem fixed soon.
    One thing I remember you saying earlier in one of your post that I found to be so true this summer and that is....the longer you stay away from blogging the easier it becomes, as I was so busy and not posting, nor doing much visiting. I found it very hard to get back into posting, but always enjoy visiting.
    Blessings,
    Sue

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