Tonight for almost the 14th night in a row we read the Seven Silly Eaters as our bedtime story.  It’s a wonderful rhyming story that tells about the growing of a family through their odd eating habits.  At this point Sister can finish a good deal of the sentences and some sections she can recite altogether.  Even Brothre knows a bit.  “if his oatmeal had a lump/he would dump it on the cat/ (Mrs. Peters hated that)”  The popularity of the story brought to mind tonight of a folk song my mother used to sing to me.  It was one of my favorites and I would request it over and over again just as my children do the Seven Silly Eaters. 

KISSES SWEETER THAN WINE  CHORUS 

Oh, kisses sweeter than wine, Oh, kisses sweeter than wine, 

When I was a young man and never been kissed I got to thinking it over what I had missed. 

I got me a girl, I kissed her and then Oh Lord, I kissed her again. 

CHORUS I asked her to marry and be my sweet wife, 

And we would be so happy all of our life. I begged and I pleaded like a natural man, and then 

Oh Lord, she gave me her hand. CHORUS 

I worked mighty hard and so did my wife, Workin’ hand in hand to make a good life. 

Corn in the field and wheat in the bins, I was Oh Lord, the father of twins. 

CHORUS Our children numbered just about four, 

And they all had sweethearts knockin’ at the door. The all got married and didn’t hesitate; I was 

Oh Lord, the grandfather of eight. CHORUS 

Now we are old, and ready to go, We get to thinkin’ what happened a long time ago. 

Had a lot of kids, trouble and pain, but, Oh Lord, we’d do it again. 

CHORUS