Macaroni

Beth, Laura and Grandma with Macaroni in the 70's

I lived and breathed horses as a youngster.  I read about horses, thought about horses, pretended I was a horse.  I had had lessons on a paint called Sam before my father left when I was seven.  My great grandmother said I had an old soul.  I was always very responsible and serious.  As the oldest of four children, left with a mother who was a bit less than responsible, I stepped up into the adult rule to raise my brothers and sisters.  I never thought that any one realized it.  In middle school I had a scary health teacher.  One day in class I could not stop coughing.  She followed me into the hallway and talked to me about how I was missing school to care for my younger siblings but no one was caring for me.  I was also painfully shy and very quiet.  I found it hard to believe that she seemed to know what was going on.  At 12 years old I became the only one in the family to work.  I had a newspaper route, every morning before school I delivered papers.  After school I delivered papers.  Then I did my home work.  

When I was 14 years old my 'Uncle' Danny'  (My mother's best friend's husband)  and my grandparents arranged for me to have a pony.  Uncle Danny's sister had horses so I think maybe it had been theirs.  My grandparents agreed to pay to board the pony.  I had always been a favorite of my grandparents.  I was blessed to have such thoughtful and kind people around me.  My mother named the pony, Macaroni.  She said the Kennedy's had had a pony named Macaroni.  Also she recited the song, " Yankee Doodle went to town riding on a pony, stuck a feather in its cap and called it Macaroni", thusly.  So the pony was called Macaroni.  My favorite food is pasta so it was approriate.  I was able to visit Macaroni over the next year or so.  There are still songs that I hear that take me back to the drive to the barn where Macaroni was stabled.  I was very blessed.