My Playhouse I always wanted a tree house or a tree fort. I never had one, but I did get this crazy looking playhouse when I was about 5 or 6. This is how it looked after it arrived in our backyard, one blissful day. My friend, Diane and I had discovered "the shed" in a nearby alley and I begged my parents to talk to the owners. We bought it for $15 dollars and somehow got it on the tailgate of the station wagon. This is how it looked before new paint and windows. I adored it, and so did the rest of the neighborhood kids. Exotic Forts When staying in Thailand a week ago, I spotted these children enjoying a rustic platform fort, like the ones my friends and I attempted to create when we lived in Florida. The funny platform was sitting beside a large covered sitting area with pillows and low tables, where tourists sipped cocktails and studied the surrounding beauty of Railay Beach. Out on a Limb This is the image that caught my attention. Oh how I would have adored a cozy fort, balanced on a limb above the water, when I was young. I watched a young couple climb out and snuggle on the pillows, until a barefooted waiter, holding 2 drinks scurried out on the bouncing limb to make a delivery. My Anxious 6 Year Old Self As I sat under the large palapa with my family, sharing drinks and playing Yahtzee, I couldn't take my eyes off the playful sitting area. I wanted my turn. When the couple finally left, I jumped up and dashed over before the spot was taken. By the time I walked out on the unsteady limb, the tide had gone out and the bed of rocks below did not look comforting. Made it! My family didn't seem to share my giddy enthusiasm, but at least they humored me and took photos. Lonely Out Here! The low tide made the setting less ideal, but the distant view was stunning. Suddenly it seemed silly to be out there alone. Forts and tree houses and playhouses are meant to be shared. Sharing with Heidi I'm glad my daughter was game to join me for a while. My adventure felt complete. Then I headed back and gave my spot over to Heidi's fiance, Jamie.
What an unexpected Fort Adventure!
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Our Tree in 1963 Our Christmas tree in 1963 was the most special of all my childhood tree memories. We were in New York for just a year, so our boxes of glass balls and glittery ornaments were back in Iowa. After we bought the tree, the family spent days with paper, glue and glitter, crafting every decoration. And More... We strung popcorn and made chains of red and green paper. There were decorations and drawings on the walls and above the window. (The photo shows a construction paper sleigh with reindeer, flying above the curtains.) So even though we were living in a cramped apartment that year, with a tight budget, Christmas felt magical. I will always give Mom credit for gathering us with craft supplies and Christmas music. We never felt like anything was missing from our Christmas. A Tiny Bit of Crafting Since we'll be having another "away from home Christmas" this year, I decided to do a quick ornament project. Our family leaves for Thailand tomorrow, so I'm not complaining. But it feels strange to be in our home on December 21st, with no tree. Out of town family wedding & graduation festivities won out, over decorating. I had already thrown some LED lights on the mantel in a desperate attempt. Then I found the supply of craft paper... There you have it! The chocolate Santa adds a nice touch. Now I need to pack. Maybe those paper decorations can go along!
Hot Chocolate and Piano We leave for Thailand in 2 days, so I've been busy. But I gave myself a break today and made some hot chocolate. (It is 80 degrees in Houston, after all!) Then I sat down to the piano and played carols. I loved it when my mom played Christmas carols on the piano. We 4 kids would gather around with what we called, "rhythm band instruments". They were kept in a little straw suitcase, beside the piano. We'd crash cymbals and tap wooden sticks and ring bells while we sang all the traditional favorites.
My secret favorite was "Friendly Beasts". I loved it because I associated the carol with my family... singing with my siblings, while Mom played the piano. I never sang it at school or church. Sadly I couldn't find it in any of my books. But I hummed it later. I'm afraid I couldn't remember many of the words. A Mod Celebration I snuck in my 37th 6-Year-Old-Celebration, while enjoying Heidi and Jamie's coed bridal shower. I love a theme and Heidi's maid of honor, Christiana pulled off a good one. It was a Mod Sixties Party, with everything from a Vespa in the yard, to fondue pots on the porch! Love it! Dressing Mod Heidi's vintage dress reminded me of a "paper dress" I owned in 1968. Don and I had a good time shopping at Goodwill. My bold dress and hideous green sandals came to about $14. 6 in 1963-64 This photo of me with my big Sis, shows a little attitude, but not much of a mod style. I was 6 when we lived in NYC and "mod" fashion was just beginning. We were living in Staten Island and our family did make it to Greenwich Village, now and then. It seems like I remember more of a beatnik scene than a mod style. I do recall seeing some mini skirts, but mostly on TV. I also remember a lot of turtle necks on TV, especially when my parents woke me to see the Beatles on Ed Sullivan. My personal fashion memories from when I was 6 are jumbled. My coolest outfit was probably a turtle neck with stretch pants. Mod... A Little Later My own mod outfits didn't appear for a couple more years, when I got my first go-go boots and fishnet stocking. A-line dresses with block print... my own little Beatles cap! Oh how I loved them! All I can dig up, is a photo of me in about 1968, wearing my favorite mod "paper dress". Too bad the black and white doesn't show the fun colors. I added a photo of one of my parents' parties. Yep, the adults were playing Twister. Nothing like playing Twister in a dress... note the paisley shirt.
I wonder what was in the punch bowl? 1962 at Macy's in NYC This is my only childhood memory of Santa. I was a big believer at age 6 and visiting Santa on a wintry Christmas Eve, at a city department store was magical. By the time we left the building, it was dark and snow was falling. We had time to kill before picking up Dad from work, so Mom and the 4 kids wandered. We walked on the newly white sidewalks, till we paused at a fire station and peered in. A couple of bored firemen saw us and invited us in. We tried on hats and explored the truck. It felt like a storybook Christmas Eve. 2017 at First Colony Mall in Sugar Land, TX Early Thursday morning, I had a spontaneous visit with Santa. It was rainy and cold and the mall was quiet. I ran my errands in a huff... I hate malls. But when I saw Santa he made me smile. He looked as bored as the firemen 54 years ago. "Hi Santa! I'd love to visit with you, but you're too expensive!" He laughed and told me to climb around the rope. He scooted over and we sat and chatted. "So how's it going today?" He asked in the most sincere way." I told him about my favorite Christmas in New York. Santa sighed... he was from New York himself..."Christmas was better back then." He added. A few shoppers paused to laugh while we chatted a while. I was itching to take a selfie with Santa, but I told him I saw the no cell pics sign and I was a rule follower. The helper returned and looked shocked to see me sitting there chatting. "Better go!" I laughed to Santa as I saw a family approaching. We waved to each other and wished each other Merry Christmas. I went away feeling pretty amused... especially since I'm pretty sure Santa was younger than me. Santa on a Mule in Austin I was already on a Santa high, when I spotted a Mule-riding-Santa in Austin the next day. I squealed at the sight. Later, Don told our kids, "I had to stop the car, or the 6-year-old would have a fit." Don let me out and drove around the block, while I rushed over to pat Santa's mule. Samuel Grey Horse (Santa) told me his mule, Muler loved people and did a lot of charity work. A friendly passerby offered to snap a photo and didn't charge me for a $39-dollar photo package. I handed Santa a 5 to pay for some mule treats.
2 Santa encounters in 2 days is hard to beat! I love being 6! What a celebration! Best of the Collection I spent a little time today, enjoying what's left of the old Meyer Family children's record collection. Burl Ives and Harry Belafonte... Puff the Magic Dragon and Teddy Bears On Parade! Record Player At age 6, I wasn't allowed to put the big albums on the Hi-Fi console in the living room. But in the family room, surrounded by comfy furniture and knotty pine walls, the kids' record player was open to all. 15 years ago, we bought this vintage style "Crosely" so our kids could have the fun of putting the needle on the spinning 45. Albums Today, I played some of my old favorites and marveled at how the needle could find any music on those poor, abused disks. Memories returned as I listened. Then I put on some albums purchased recently at the Goodwill. Sadly Gregory Peck's "Lullaby at Christmas" and the sluggish "Calypso Christmas" made me yawn like a bored 6 year old.
Kids appreciate the familiar. I went back to "Puff the Magic Dragon". My Idol... When I Was 6 I remember being 6 and studying photos of the Kennedy family in Life and Look magazines. I idolized young Caroline. I wanted to live in her world, with her pony and sailboats. I fantasized that I was Caroline and that my 2-year-old brother was John John. I often hoped that strangers were fooled, when they spotted my brother and me in the park or on the ferry. I even had a Caroline Kennedy doll. Happy Birthday Caroline Today is Caroline's birthday, which means we are both now 60 years old. I doubt she would care to join me with my celebration, which focusses on the fun of being 6. Days later, our family of 6 drove late at night from Staten Island to D.C. where we slept in a parking lot. We crawled out early, in the frigid temps to join the crowds awaiting the procession. I strained to spot Caroline. My memories of what I saw in D.C., soon became tangled with the images I saw on TV and in magazines. However, my memory of the lingering sadness in our home remains vivid. I recall sitting in the apartment, slowly turning the pages of this very Life magazine, shown above. I absorbed every photo and studied Caroline's sad face. I couldn't imagine what had happened to her father. Best-Loved Poems Today I found a positive way to celebrate the young girl I once adored. I didn't reach for my old doll. I picked up a book of poems that I gave my mom, about 10 years ago. The poems were selected by Caroline, because her mother had loved them. I felt just a little bit like I was enjoying the poems with my own mom. Years ago, Mom tagged her favorites. Finding her markers and reading the ones that had touched her, made my celebration all the sweeter.
Kind of Like 1963 When I was little, we didn't have bargain shoe racks at Marshalls or DSW. We didn't have online discount shoe shopping options. We had shoe stores and every time I went, I put my little stockinged foot on the measuring device, because my foot was always growing I don't think I've stepped on one of these things since I was a little kid. I asked Natasha at Dillard's if she could measure my foot. I tried to explain why I was "celebrating like a 6-year-old" and she laughed and went along with it, when I pulled out my little white bobby sock. Silly in the Store I haven't had so much fun shoe shopping since I bought stripped tennis shoes at age 6. This time I was shopping for shoes for my son's wedding. I brought along my friends because I don't trust my fashion judgement. We were there nearly 2 hours, not because it was an intensely important decision. We just lingered forever because we were having such a goofy-good time!Natasha cracked me up with her delightfully bossy opinions. I mean that in a good way. I need a lot of guidance. Pampered Lorrie and Shari were the best, because they know shoes and colors much better than me... and they make me laugh. I was a little bummed that my shoe shopping experience did not involve a "Cinderella-style" fitting with each shoe. I remember being a kid and putting my foot on the slanted stool, while the salesman grabbed the shoe horn to help slide the Mary Jane on my foot. Natasha was fun and attentive, but she pretty much just handed me the boxes. However, Lorrie and Shari humored me. We look like we're playing shoe store. Post Wedding The shoes I ended up buying were pretty snazzy. I don't usually do sparkle shoes, but I went all out and that was fun. The day after the wedding I had 5 Bandaids on my feet. Today, a week later I have scabs. But I'm happy to hobble. I had a blast with my shoe shopping celebration... AND I danced with my handsome son, wearing sparkly high heels!
Trick-or Treating I have no photos of myself on Halloween, when I was 6. I don't remember my costume, but I remember loving that we could trick-or-treat with no weather concerns. We were in our Staten Island apartment building, that year. The few trick-or-treat experiences I'd had before took place in Iowa, with jackets covering our costumes. Celebrating in 2017 I figured I should find some way to celebrate like a 6-year-old this Halloween. I dug out an old Halloween mask that my mother-in-law had saved. I toyed with the idea of grabbing a bag and knocking on my neighbors' door. That could have been pretty funny or it could have caused a heart attack. The old mask is pretty creepy. At dusk a steady rain was falling, so I had an excuse to nix that idea. Also, the Houston Astros were playing in the 6th game of the World Series. I had a feeling a lot of people wouldn't be answering their doors anyway. So I just had some fun with the mask at home. I put the lovely thing on and walked downstairs, trying to navigate each step with my blocked vision. I walked through the house conjuring up memories, as my face steamed up from my own breath. Oh how I once loved those Halloween masks in their see-through cellophane boxes. But how I hated the claustrophobic feel of them on Trick-or Treat night! I caught Don unaware in the other room and gave him a good laugh. I thought about answering the door wearing the mask, but the doorbell was silent. By the time it finally rang, I was done with the mask. It was only the UPS driver, anyway. He said he had enough candy already.
Yay, for Halloween memories and yay for only having to wear a mask for 1 minute! From Iowa to New York When we moved to Staten Island in 1963, I was pretty thrilled to live in an actual apartment building with elevators and incinerators! What I didn't love was having neighbors living above, below and beside our apartment. We didn't know who these people were, but we heard them and that was creepy. I may have only been 6, but for some reason I was concerned about our family making too much noise. We 4 kids shared a room and probably did make a lot of racket. But I'm not sure why a 6-year-old was worried about that! One day, I took it upon myself to write apology notes to my neighbors. I felt quite satisfied with myself, after I slipped the notes under their doors. I've often been curious about what those neighbors thought when they found my notes. I'm sure the messages were short and to the point. "I'm sorry my family is so noisy." I hope they knew the notes were sincere. National Neighbor Day I missed Neighbor Day, about a month ago, but like thank you notes... it's never too late to write a note of apology! Today I decided to let my 31st celebration be about surprising my next door neighbors with an apology note. I made a card and used a pen. In 1963, I'm pretty sure I used a fat pencil and lined paper. Today In 1963 we didn't know our neighbors. Today, we at least know John and Linda, after being neighbors for nearly 20 years. I think they'll have a good chuckle when they find this envelope under their mat... at least I hope so! Thanks for being good neighbors, John and Linda... and for letting me include you in my 31st celebration!
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