Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Drat

My theme for the A to Z Challenge is Laura Ingalls Wilder. Laura Ingalls Wilder was the author of the Little House books and there was a television series very loosely based on the books. I began reading the books when I was eleven years old (which even I have a hard time believing is over 40 years ago!). If you would like to read about my feelings about Laura, visit this site. I have also listed helpful sites and blogs in my sidebar if you would like to learn more.

D is for drat.

"Well," Laura began; then she stopped and spun round and round, for the strong wind blowing against her always made the wires of her hoopskirt creep slowly upward under her skirts until they bunched around her knees. Then she must whirl around and around until the wires shook loose and spiraled down to the bottom of her skirts where they should be.

As she and Carrie hurried on she began again. "I think it was silly, the way they dressed when Ma was a girl, don't you? Drat this wind!" she exclaimed as the hoops began creeping upward again.

Quietly Carrie stood by while Laura whirled. "I'm glad I'm not old enough to have to wear hoops," she said. "They'd make me dizzy."
                                -Little Town on the Prairie, Chapter 23: Schooltime Begins Again
                                  by Laura Ingalls Wilder

So, besides that this passage always paints a funny picture in my head, I always think that Ma would have reprimanded Laura for saying the word "drat".



**Join me and many other Laura fans at LauraPalooza 2012 (the second-ever Laura Ingalls Wilder Conference), which will be held July 12-14, 2012, in Mankato, Minnesota. For more information visit Beyond Little House and look for the heading "LauraPalooza 2012". The pull down menu will have all of the information that you are looking for!**

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12 comments:

  1. TracyApril 4, 2012 at 12:07 PM

    haha, yeah, Laura did say that all the time! :)

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  2. AnonymousApril 4, 2012 at 12:13 PM

    The perils of growing up...hoop skirts in the wind. How did they ever sit down in those things.

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  3. pioneergirlApril 4, 2012 at 1:46 PM

    ROTFL! That made my day!!

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  4. Mama HenApril 4, 2012 at 3:07 PM

    The irony of this passage gets me every time.
    And I think you are correct about Ma, who did not even tolerate "wooden swearing."

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  5. Karen Jones GowenApril 4, 2012 at 3:38 PM

    It's interesting to hear what they considered swearing in those days. I think about a few words my mother never liked to hear that are common now. Same with me and my kids. Each generation seems to get looser with the language.

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  6. Country Gal April 4, 2012 at 4:15 PM

    My mum never swore at least not infront of others never heard a unkind bad word from her ! Have a good day !

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  7. Claudia MoserApril 4, 2012 at 5:48 PM

    Something new today and interesting!

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  8. Julie FlandersApril 4, 2012 at 7:16 PM

    Very cute passage! It's funny to think of drat as a swear word, how times have changed.

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  9. shellyApril 4, 2012 at 7:26 PM

    Well, drat!

    Shelly
    http://secondhandshoesnovel.blogspot.com/

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  10. Hold my hand: a social worker's blogApril 4, 2012 at 9:50 PM

    LOL

    Oh, I see...the Little House connection! :-))

    Great post!

    Doris

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  11. AnonymousApril 5, 2012 at 10:08 AM

    Thanks for making me smile this morning! I loved Little House and I love Laura's comment on the hoops.

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  12. Empty NesterApril 5, 2012 at 11:16 AM

    I totally agree with you that Ma probably would have scolded Laura for saying 'drat'!

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