Reflections on "The Egg and I"

Just to make sure that everybody knows---- "The Egg and I" is an old movie based on the book by Betty MacDonald. She is one of my all time favorite authors. Betty MacDonald had such a witty writing style and a flair for sarcasm and understated drama that I fell in love her stuff many years ago. I first read her book, "Onions in the Stew" about her life on Vashon Island before it was "modern". Kind of a homesteading on an island story. I still have my very well worn copy and have probably read it at least 6 times.

Anyway, back to the "Egg" story. On our paycheck run into town last night, Charlie bought a DVD that he thought that we would all enjoy. It was the complete works of Ma and Pa Kettle...... they first made their debut in this book/movie. It was loosely based on real life with Betty's first husband on their rugged chicken farm before WWII. The people that Ma and Pa Kettle were based on were so embarrassed by the book and movies that they sued and got some kind of huge settlement. Charlie was tickled to find it and reminded me that when Seth was little, Charlie called him "Pa Kettle" because Seth was soooooo lazy! I had forgotten about that and it is a relief to me that Seth outgrew that stage.

Adam and I have had it on during our lunch break..... it is hilarious and yet---- I can see so much of human nature and it reminds me of just how green I was as a young woman. This movie strays quite a bit from the book version but there is just enough "right" that it pretty good.

 I got such a chuckle out of seeing all the Kettle kids running wild on the farm, digging big holes, hanging from trees, and generally tearing stuff up...... looked rather familiar! I got another chuckle and a trip down memory lane watching Ma Kettle shoo the chickens off of the couch....... I did something rather similar once upon a time when the back door got left open.  I remember  working in the front yard and looking up to see 2 goats standing on my couch watching me out my big picture window......

So...... I guess these days I have more in common with Ma Kettle than I like to admit!