Day 12 – 31 LETTERS Literacy Project – “Evenings”

Day 12 of our 31 Letters Literacy Project is about something we all know about, we all think about, we all have stories about.  EVENING.

We bumped in the poem EVENING on Day 12 of 365 Days of Literacy for Kids.  The poem was written by Sappho, an Ancient Greek poet who was born around 630 BC and died around 570 BC. Sappho tells us how she sees EVENING settle… and you’ll see that her vision is much the same as we see EVENING settle all these centuries later:

EVENING by Sappho

Children astray to their mothers, and goats to the herd,
Sheep to the shepherd, through twilight the wings of the bird,
All things that morning has scattered with fingers of gold,
All things thou bringest, O Evening! at last to the fold.

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Write a letter today about EVENING memories from your childhood.  Did you have a special bedtime routine?  Did you “fight” going to bed?  Did you sleep in the same room with siblings, or did you have your own room?  What was your EVENING like?

This is my letter to my grandchildren:

Dear________________,

Hi, my little darlings!  Remember that there will be 31 letters with this 31 Letters Project!  31 letters, one for each day in March.  The idea of this project is to let you read all about my memories from my childhood… another era!  We do a lot of talking and texting and emailing and messaging these days, but people don’t write letters so much anymore.  There are lots of people writing 31 Letters to their kids and grandkids to revive the art of correspondence!  And remember, too, that you can write to me!  I’d love to read YOUR letters!

Today’s letter is about the EVENINGS from my childhood.  If I count them… well, I’ve lived 58 years, 5 months and 6 days… so that’s more than 200,000 evenings!  Wow!  How many evenings have you had in your life?

It’s very easy for me to remember the most special EVENINGS of all.  You see, my Dad was in the Navy and he was “out to sea” for sometimes months at a time.  “Out to sea” meant that he was on a ship that often went as far away as Japan.  My Mom, my 2 brothers and I stayed at our home in California, near the Naval Base, when my Dad was away.  I missed him so much.  I remember going to the Naval base and waving good-bye to him, knowing that I wouldn’t see him for a long time, often 6 months or so.  I remember, too, going to the Naval base to meet him when his ship came back… those were the most perfect moments of my childhood.

But what I most remember about my Dad being home were the EVENINGS.  My Dad loved to tuck us in at night.

My family lived in a very small, pink stucco house.  We had a kitchen, living room, 2 bedrooms and a bathroom.  My 2 brothers and I slept in the same room.  We had bunk beds for my older brother and me… he slept in the top bunk and I slept in the bottom bunk.  My younger brother slept in a smaller bed.  When we were all in our jammies and in bed, my Dad would come into the bedroom.  He would tuck in Dennis, my little brother.  My Dad called Dennis Pup or Puppy.  I will always remember my Dad calling him Pup.  Then my Dad would reach to the top bunk and say good-night to Billy.  My Dad was William or Bill or Ski, and my brother was Billy.

Then my Dad would sit on the edge of my bed and tuck me in.  I loved my sheets and blanket all the way up to my chin.  I still sleep with my sheets and blanket way, way up like this.  Just ask Grandpa/Pop-up!  Then my Dad would say, “Good night, my darling daughter!”  My nickname from my Dad was Sis or Sissy, but at bedtime he always called me Darling Daughter!

I would answer, “Good night, my darling Daddy!”

I loved our little EVENING bedtime time.  Right to this very minute, I can hear my Dad say, “Good night, my darling daughter!”  It means the world to me to have this memory.  Even when I was a teenager, and then a grown-up woman, my Dad would say to me, “Good night, my darling daughter!”  It made me feel like the most special girl in the whole entire world.

I felt safe and loved as I drifted off to sleep.

I know you never met my Dad, but I’ll bet he tucks you in at night, too.  I know he is an angel who watches over everyone I love… each EVENING!

Love forever and ever,

Grandma Couto

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Grab paper and pen and put your thoughts and memories to paper today!  Give your special kids the gifts of memories, letters and LITERACY!


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Mail Tidbit of the Day: Oath sworn by Pony Express Riders-

While I am the employ of A. Majors, I agree not use profane language, not to get drunk, not to gamble, not to treat animals cruelly and not to do anything else that is incompatible with the conduct of a gentleman. And I agree, if I violate any of the above conditions, to accept my discharge without any pay for my services.




About Audrey

Audrey McClelland has been a digital influencer since 2005. She’s a mom of 5 and shares tips on her three favorite things: parenting, fashion and beauty. She’s also a Contemporary Romance Author.

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