I remember when I was a lad Times were hard and things were bad But there's a silver linin' behind every cloud Just poor people that's all we were Tryin' to make a livin' out of black land earth But we'd get together in a family circle singin' loud
Daddy sang bass, Mama sang tenor Me and little brother would join right in there Singin' seems to help a troubled soul One of these days and it won't be long I'll rejoin them in a song I'm gonna join the family circle at the throne
No, the circle won't be broken By and by, Lord, by and by Daddy'll sing bass, Mama'll sing tenor Me and little brother will join right in there In the sky, Lord, in the sky
Now I remember after work Mama would call in all of us You could hear us singin' for a country mile Now little brother has done gone on But I'll rejoin him in a song We'll be together again up yonder in a little while
Daddy sang bass, Mama sang tenor Me and little brother would join right in there Singin' seems to help a troubled soul One of these days and it won't be long I'll rejoin them in a song I'm gonna join the family circle at the throne
No, the circle won't be broken By and by, Lord, by and by Daddy'll sing bass, Mama'll sing tenor Me and little brother will join right in there In the sky, Lord, in the sky In the sky, Lord, in the sky
包饺子
以前，能吃顿饺子，就好比过上了小年，那个年代，物质贫乏，一日三餐，粗茶淡饭，淡饭粗茶，但凡谁家包饺子，邻居们都羡慕得不行。
每一次听母亲说下周末包饺子，我要兴奋上一个礼拜，通常，我负责剁菜馅，因年龄太小，大人其实不大想让我去干，可架不住笔者的软磨硬泡，只好睁一只眼，闭一只眼。
天刚蒙蒙亮，我便从被窝里爬了起来，匆匆忙忙洗漱，扒了几口早饭，下楼，由凉台上挑出一棵个头最大的白菜，抱进厨房，剥掉菜帮子，洗干净，放在木菜墩子上吭哧吭哧地剁了起来，赶上冬天，手很快冻僵了，时不时得停下歇上片刻，一棵白菜需耗费很长时间。菜剁好了，接下来，我会把和馅儿用的葱姜切细，紧接着，母亲来剁肉馅儿，那时，肉是一个金贵玩意儿，难得吃上一回，所以，孩子们均自觉地退避三舍，让母亲来碰这金疙瘩。
肉、馅儿准备好了，母亲支起铁锅，开始和馅儿，先放肉馅儿，尔后撒上葱姜，味精，盐，花椒粉，胡椒粉，酱油，料酒，糖，花生油，用筷子顺着一个方向，搅拌五、六分钟，然后，放上白菜馅儿，刚才拌肉馅儿用的那些调料重新再撒上一遍（不需要再放盐了），就此，大功告成！母亲把装有饺子馅儿的铁锅端回家，早已把面和好了的父亲将一个木凳倒过来，放在地上，顺手将铁锅架在凳子的四条腿上，平时，父亲十指不沾阳春水，只有包饺子时，才会凑过来露上一手。
当面板铺在桌上时，家里人全到齐了，母亲、姐姐负责擀皮儿，父亲包饺子，我和弟弟则不停地跑前跑后，将包好的饺子摆到盖帘上，大家有说有笑，不知不觉，饺子全包好了。
最后一道工序：煮饺子，是二姐绝活儿，印象中，她从没煮破过一个饺子，饺子煮好之际，二姐用笊篱把锅里饺子轻轻捞起，盛到一个个青花瓷盘里，这时，我已经等不及了，三步两步将一盘盘饺子传回家，搁在餐桌上。
忙活了大半天，最幸福的时刻终于到来-------吃饺子，与往常一样，吃之前，父亲打开收录机，播放痴迷的京剧，什么锁麟囊啦，三打杜家庄啦，定军山啦，贵妃醉酒啦，一边吃，一边哼哼唧唧，摇头晃脑的，家里其他人都不喜欢京剧，也听不懂，只是盯着冒出热气的青花瓷盘，闷不作声地享受佳肴，这一刻，满屋子飘荡着熏醋，酱油，香油和大蒜的香味儿。
我和弟弟都会吃到再也吃不下时才算罢休！饭后，抚摸圆滚滚的肚子，老半天直不起腰来。
今天的孩子们或许很难理解当年吃饺子的境况，如今，物质极大丰富，人们有很多选择，很少有人会为了一顿饭而兴师动众的，他们宁愿喝一杯咖啡，就一口甜点，或叫一份儿外卖。
自移居海外后，我时常会包饺子，尽管馅料比以往的要好上不知多少倍，可是，再也不复当年之感觉，包来包去，只不过是在做一顿平平常常的饭菜而已。
我无比怀念昔日包饺子的盛况，那种盛况已一去不复返，很多年了，我们全家再没能有机会聚在一起包饺子，父母都驾鹤西去，兄弟姐妹天各一方，但我相信，天上的父母一定会在过年过节时，为全家人包一顿猪肉白菜馅儿饺子，他们依然会像以往那样，提前悄悄地告诉我，下个周末，我们全家一块儿包饺子，而我，依然会赶一大早，剁好白菜，全家人依然会在韵味绵长的京剧声中，默默地品尝这个世界上如此奇妙的美食。
Daddy Sang Bass
I remember when I was a lad
Times were hard and things were bad
But there's a silver linin' behind every cloud
Just poor people that's all we were
Tryin' to make a livin' out of black land earth
But we'd get together in a family circle singin' loud
Daddy sang bass, Mama sang tenor
Me and little brother would join right in there
Singin' seems to help a troubled soul
One of these days and it won't be long
I'll rejoin them in a song
I'm gonna join the family circle at the throne
No, the circle won't be broken
By and by, Lord, by and by
Daddy'll sing bass, Mama'll sing tenor
Me and little brother will join right in there
In the sky, Lord, in the sky
Now I remember after work
Mama would call in all of us
You could hear us singin' for a country mile
Now little brother has done gone on
But I'll rejoin him in a song
We'll be together again up yonder in a little while
Daddy sang bass, Mama sang tenor
Me and little brother would join right in there
Singin' seems to help a troubled soul
One of these days and it won't be long
I'll rejoin them in a song
I'm gonna join the family circle at the throne
No, the circle won't be broken
By and by, Lord, by and by
Daddy'll sing bass, Mama'll sing tenor
Me and little brother will join right in there
In the sky, Lord, in the sky
In the sky, Lord, in the sky
我记得小时候
日子过得艰难，事情很糟糕
但每片乌云背后都有一线希望
我们只是穷人
试图在黑土地上谋生
但我们会聚在一起，在一个家庭圈子里大声唱歌
爸爸唱低音，妈妈唱男高音
我和弟弟会加入其中
唱歌似乎能帮助一个烦恼的灵魂
总有一天，不会太久
我会和他们一起唱歌
我要加入家庭圈子
不，圈子不会被打破
不久之后，上帝，不久之后
爸爸会唱低音，妈妈会唱男高音
我和弟弟会加入其中
在天空中，上帝，在天空中
现在我记得下班后
妈妈会叫我们所有人
你能听到我们在乡间一英里外唱歌
现在弟弟已经走了
但是我会和他一起唱歌
我们一会儿又会在那边相聚
爸爸唱低音，妈妈唱男高音
我和弟弟会一起唱歌
唱歌似乎能帮助一个烦恼的灵魂
总有一天，不会太久
我会和他们一起唱歌
我要加入王座上的家庭圈子
不，圈子不会被打破
不久之后，上帝，不久之后
爸爸会唱低音，妈妈会唱男高音
我和弟弟会一起唱歌
在天空中，上帝，在天空中
在天空中，上帝，在天空中