Thursday, February 09, 2006


I have often walked down this street before...and roller skated down it also, many many times. From this house I left to go to nursery school during the early years of WW2..my mom was working "in the war effort" as they used to say. So I attended nursery school for 2 years before Kindergarten. This is the house to which my baby brother never came home. At this house, my grandmother came to live with us when I was 15 months old. My grandfather died unexpectedly in his early 60's and back then there was little or nothing for widows. At age 26, and age 30, my mom and dad, married 6 years had a 15 month old and a mother in law to support. We lived here til I was nearly 8, by then I had a baby sister, 7 years younger than me. And if you are looking back across the years, you probably can find the home, the place of your childhood innocence..of games played on lawns in the twilight of early evening, of snowball fights across the side street, of sledding on the neighbors hill, of looking for 4 leaf clovers, and of scuffing your way to school through the leaves of autumn. A very sweet elderly lady said to me, years ago, "Memories are such comforting things, aren't they?" and I'd have to say "yes, they are". Not all the things we can remember comfort us, but as we do with fabric, we can pick and choose what we like best, and use those..*VBS* Posted by Picasa

9 comments:

Patti said...

When I read your first sentence I immediately started hearing the music in my mind from My Fair Lady - "I have often walked down this street before - but the pavement always stayed beneath my feet before." We view our surroundings with so many different "sets of eyes", and some "see" things so much better than others. I enjoyed walking down your childhood street this morning.

Jeanne said...

Beautiful writing, Finn! This brought tears to my eyes and memories to my heart.

Laura said...

Thank you for sharing this Finn, oh yes I remember home and all it embodied. Makes me wish I were 10 again.

Anonymous said...

We took the kids back to the house we had when we got married, and the two oldest were born there - but they had knocked it down! We felt devastated and heartbroken - it was a happy home for us.

Susan Tidwell said...

Finn, I remember way back in January when you said "I did want to tell you all this morning, that I'm not going to be "around" blogville as much as previously." I think your posts have become more frequent and more profound than ever! Loved this one, thanks for the walk down memory lane. Hope your eyes are getting better and you have plenty of time to get all your stuff done in addition to blogging!

Quilts And Pieces said...

Oh you made me think about so many memories. In fact it made me think of one of my favorite pictures of me when I was a baby.... hmmm, wonder if I can find it to share - you would love it.

Unknown said...

Finn...
My parents have lived in the same house since the summer of 1959. Eventho the house has changed over time, it is still 'home'. They are the only people left in the neighborhood from the old days. Catches in my throat to think of all the changes we four kids went thru in that house ... from infancy, teens, to the loss of a sibling.
I love your writings ... more, please.

antique quilter said...

what wonderful memories....thanks for sharing
now I know I will be thinking of my neighborhood and street I grew up on today because of your post....

Patty said...

As soon as you mentioned roller skating I thought of my strap on skates that had that wonderful key to adjust them with. I wore my key around my neck to make me look like I had an important key.
there is no place like HOME !