SIDE SHOW MOM

MY SISTER AND I GREW-UP IN A WAY THAT WAS A TYPICAL FASHION... OF COURSE, LOOKING BACK, NOW I CAN SEE THAT OUR UP BRINGING WAS ALITTLE ABNORMAL.
BUT WHAT OTHERS LOOK AT AS A "SAD", "NEGATIVE" OR "DEPRESSING" CHILDHOOD, WE CAN'T HELP BUT LAUGH OUR ASSES OFF?! - IS THIS WEIRD?
WE WENT THROUGH ALOT TOGETHER AND CAME OUT OK. I VISIT MY MOM (WHO IS THE SUBJECT OF MOST OF OUR STORIES) ON A WEEKLY BASIS WITH MY SON. AFTERWARD, I'LL TALK TO MY SISTER ABOUT WHAT MOM HAS BEEN UP TO. THIS USUALLY ENDS UP BEING A 3 HOUR CONVERSATION PERTAINING TO THE PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE WITH OUR MOM.
SOMETIMES WE LAUGH SO HARD... BUT WE NEVER FEEL SORRY FOR OURSELVES.
THERE ARE TIMES WHEN ONE OF US WILL BE TALKING TO SOMEONE OF NO RELATION AND THE SUBJECT MIGHT STUMBLE INTO "MOM". AND THAT'S WHEN WE START TO REALIZE THAT THE LIFE WE HAD MAY HAVE NOT BEEN "NORMAL".
LOOKS OF DISBELIEF, PITY, SHOCK AND AWE CROSS THE FACES OF THE RECIPIENTS OF OUR TALES.
I PERSONALLY HAVE COME TO ENJOY THE HORROR THAT UNFOLDS BEFORE AN UNSUSPECTING CROWD AS I DIVULGE THE PARENTING SKILLS OF MY DEAR MUM. IT KIND OF LETS PEOPLE KNOW WHERE I'M COMING FROM AND EXPLAINS WHY I HAVE NO SOCIAL SKILLS AS THE WOMAN I NOW AM.
BUT I'D LIKE FOR PEOPLE TO START LOOKING AT THIS AS A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE. A HILARIOUS ANECDOTE IF YOU WILL. ESPECIALLY BECAUSE MY BIG SIS & I ARE DEBATING A CATALOG OF OUR STORIES, BUT I'M STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO PUT THE SPIN ON THEM AND TO MAKE PEOPLE SEE THE FUNNY SIDE THAT MY SISTER & I SHARE DAILY.