Rabbits, rabbits, rabbits

It's the 1st of Feb. Well, you knew that, of course, but it just reminds me of this little ritual we used to have when we were kids. On every first day of the month, BEFORE breakfast, we had to say 'Rabbits, rabbits, rabbits' to make sure we had the best chance of good luck in that month. I've no idea where that came from Did anyone else do these silly things?

Anyway, we stuck to it religiously, my brother and I. It was seen as VERY important to say this before you ate or drank anything at all. Now my brother was several years older than me and pretty adept at teasing his little sister mercilessly whenever he got the opportunity. Putting her in her place. But I, being No. 2, had the benefit of being able to learn from Big Brother - plus, I was a touch quicker off the mark.

So I'd come down to breakfast on the first of the month, sit at my usual place - to his left - be unusually quiet (in those days, I was the noisy one) and just wait, pouring the milk on to my Kellogg's Rice Crispies, listening to the sound of the popple and crack and watching him do the same. I'd continue to wait while he put his spoon into the milk and raised it to his mouth. And I'd watch while he put the spoon in his mouth and then, while he was in the act of swallowing his first Rice Crispies of the month, I'd gleefully declare, 'RABBITS, RABBITS, RABBITS - ha, you didn't say it!'.

Then my breakfast - and my month - could begin well.

(I told that to Bud last night and he just said 'JJ, you were so mean'.)

Nevermind mean, Little Sisters have to get a goal sometimes, I'd say.