Thursday, December 11, 2014

Archie's Chair

When I was growing up my mom and dad never missed a tv show called All in the Family. It really tickled my dad's funny bone, and my dad had a great laugh. Anyway, the patriarch, Archie Bunker, was somewhat of a bigot and quite set in his ways. It was a running joke that Archie always sat in the same chair and tolerated no one else sitting in "his" chair. Of course, every week someone would almost sit in Archie's chair by mistake and my dad would hoot with laughter along with the rest of the audience.


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My mom had a favorite living room chair where she always sat, an old upholstered rocker that had been recovered many times to match the current couch. Once my little sister jumped joyfully in her lap and the whole chair went over backwards. No one else really wanted to sit in it because it didn't feel comfortable to anyone but Mom, and truthfully, we were a little afraid of its propensity to tip over backwards. Of course, the old rocker became known on our family as "Archie's chair."

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Yesterday I was complaining to a friend that my back hurt from all the knitting I was doing. She suggested that I rest my elbows on the arms of a chair while I was working. I said I can't do that because my chair doesn't have arms. She laughed and pointed out that I have three other chairs available that DO have arms, why didn't I move? Because I always sit here, I said.

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You can see where this is going. I've become Archie Bunker. I've become my mother.

I think one of the things I will put on my New Years Resolution List is to check out the view from the other chairs in my house now and then.

 

 

 

 

14 comments:

  1. Good post. We often get set in our ways and attached to our rituals but it is good to mix it up some times :-)

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  2. Certainly made me think and yes you've guessed I too sit in the same chair.

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  3. Cythia I am jealous because I can't knit. The video is great I like it.

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  4. I have my favorite chair too a real comfortable computer chair! :) That was a heck of a show we enjoyed it also and my inlaws never missed it:)

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  5. 'A change is as good as a rest' as the saying goes.

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  6. Cynthia, I loved this - isn't it funny how we are? I would never sit on my husband's chair or he mine. I bet just doing it differently would grow brain cells. I'll try if you will!

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  7. Oh yes, I remember that program too. Nicely put Cynthia.

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  8. Great memory, loved that show. My hubby and I have our designated chair.

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  9. Good memories of the a chair.
    I hate it when people sit in my chair, but I grin and tolerate it.
    Hope your back is soon better and what are you knitting?

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  10. That brings back nice memories, I liked" All in the family" so much and especially Archie Bunker with his "special" comments on the world.Thanks for sharing.

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  11. So glad someone told you to support your arms while you knit. The move to a different chair is up to you, now. I understand about favorite chairs, but I like knitting even more that some of my chair choices.

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  12. We loved that show too! We seriously do become our Mother! I see it more every day. I always sit on the end of the couch and Poppy has the chair. Once in a while I will sit down in his chair for a second to pick up the remote or reach for a magazine. If he happens to walk in and catch me, he looks at me in shock like, are you planning to sit there?

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  13. Loved that insight into something I think a lot of us do!

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  14. I remember that show too; I think it was similar to a show from the UK , 'Till Death do us Part' which had a very bigoted character called Alf Garnett. Here in Australia we got both shows :-). As I get older I find myself exhibiting behaviours similar to my mum's...hmmm maybe an idea for a blog post there! Lol

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