What time is it?

If someone asks you "what time is it?" there are a lot of ways you could respond to that question.  You could, of course, respond with the appropriate time.  You could simply respond with some southern saying about when a dog hunts, or when a frog croaks.  You could enthusiastically respond "GAME TIME!"  There are so many traditional ways you could respond to this very simple question.  Not in my house, not when I was growing up.

If you ever make the "mistake" of asking my parents "what time is it?" they will answer your question, but not until they sing the entire Howdy Doody theme song.

11 year old me: Dad, what time is it?
Dad (with Mom joining in from somewhere in the house): It's Howdy Doody time, it's Howdy Doody time, Bob Smith and Howdy Do, sing Howdy Do to you.  So give a rousing cheer, cause Howdy Doody's here.  Its time to start the show, so kids lets go!"  It is 2:43.

This happened every. single. time.  It still happens to this day.  I would make it a point to not ask my parents what is the time, just so that I don't have to listen to this song.  I would rather take a picture of the sun's position in the sky, find an old encyclopedia and chart the sun compared to the picture,  run outside and check our sun dial (yes we had one), than ask them that doomed question.

So this morning we are sitting around the counter celebrating Baylor Grace's birthday.  One of my girls asks me that all important question.."Dad, what time is it?"  Then it hit me, that moment when you realized you have turned into your parents.

I know how annoying it was to hear that damned song. I know how much it drives me crazy to this day.  So what did I do when I was prompted by my child about the time? I sang the entire damned theme song.

It was actually a pretty cool moment. I went into the explanation of what/who Howdy Doody was, how my parents used to do this to me all the time, etc.
Me: This was a show your grandparents used to watch in the 50's when they were kids.
Caroline: Like in the 1500's?
Me: No, Caroline, they aren't that old.

As I was leaving the house this morning, I gave all 5 girls a kiss and wished them well for the day.  Taking my last steps out of the house I heard one of them singing the Howdy Doody theme song, a song they had just heard for the first time.

Baylor Grace asked me in the car ride home about the time, with this really anticipatory look on her face, hoping I would sing the song.  A song that her and Reagan sang along with.  When I got home, Caroline was signing the darned song too.  I hear them upstairs in the shower, singing this song.  It haunts me.

I suppose it could have been worse.  Its kind of funny that when they sing it it doesn't bother me like it did when Mom and Dad would sing it. You win (again) Mom and Dad, you win again.