My grandfather built a 3-story dollhouse out of balsa wood for me when I was about eight years old. It was one of the most cherished gifts I received as a child, and it was my favorite thing to play with for most of those years. I don't remember if it was a … Continue reading The Dollhouse that Boppa Built
Family
If I Knew Then What I Know Now…
"If I knew then what I know now..." One of my Facebook friends posted that the other day. Before I commented, I took the time to read what other people had to say. Someone said that they'd make all the same decisions again, because you can't learn from your mistakes if you don't make them. … Continue reading If I Knew Then What I Know Now…
Mommy Brain, Extended Version
Urbandictionary.com defines "mommy brain" as "the phenomenon known to mothers where their brains become a useless pile of goo after being around their children too long." An article on WebMD in October of 2010 posits that motherhood may actually trigger brain growth. The article quotes Pilyoung Kim, PhD, a developmental psychologist and post-doctoral researcher at … Continue reading Mommy Brain, Extended Version
The Cars that Drive Us
My family always had interesting cars. Cars with good stories to them. Most of them fell into the "gently used" or "new to us" category. Except for my mom's 1965 red Ford Falcon, she bought that one new. It wasn't really bright red, it was kind of a dull tomato soup color. She said that … Continue reading The Cars that Drive Us
The House on Fairfax Avenue
There's a white house with black trim that sits at the end of Fairfax Avenue, a dead end street within walking distance of my old middle school. There's a small one-bedroom apartment attached to it, and the garage sits under that, visible only from the side of the house. This is my Aunt Lu and … Continue reading The House on Fairfax Avenue
Sew What?
There's a brown free-standing cabinet by the window in the room over the garage. At first it looks like an ordinary, yet old, dresser. But if you open the cabinet doors- it's a sewing machine in disguise. On the inside of one door are pegs to hold about 100 spools of thread, … Continue reading Sew What?
Play That Song
"Alexa," my oldest calls out, "Play 'September' by Earth, Wind, and Fire." (Alexa is not another child, but merely another tech gadget of ours, a wireless, voice-activated internet speaker, with whom I am on good terms.) I'd like to take credit for introducing this song to my kids, but it more likely came from some … Continue reading Play That Song
Gram’s House
There's a small mint green Cape with white trim that sits facing the house I grew up in. Large brick flower boxes flank the front door. When I was younger, they almost always had petunias in them. From the ground up, these flower boxes are about 2 feet tall and 4 feet wide. A … Continue reading Gram’s House
The House on New Hanover Avenue
(A Tribute to my Aunt Janet and Uncle Max) There's an old dark brown Victorian house with white trim that sits at the bottom of a hill, through a wooded path, from my childhood home. This is how I remember it. The sidewalk that leads from the driveway to the back porch is the perfect … Continue reading The House on New Hanover Avenue
