She thinks her shit's ice cream!
Grandpa Schreiner's first impression of Grandma Schreiner told to her friend when she asked him, "Do you know Doris?"
Chad and I visited the old A-frame house recently. The trees have grown massively high around creating a large dirt yard in front of an expanded, slightly run down, hippie-looking house. The old cross pane windows are gone as well as the fireplace (who in their right mind?)...its a sliding glass door to a small deck. The eagle over the garage door gave the place away. The forest lined little road is packed with new lake houses but the clearing still ends with their old house and the grey one across the way....What do you remember from that old house that you loved?
Chad and I visited the old A-frame house recently. The trees have grown massively high around creating a large dirt yard in front of an expanded, slightly run down, hippie-looking house. The old cross pane windows are gone as well as the fireplace (who in their right mind?)...its a sliding glass door to a small deck. The eagle over the garage door gave the place away. The forest lined little road is packed with new lake houses but the clearing still ends with their old house and the grey one across the way....What do you remember from that old house that you loved?
posted by holly at
7:29 PM
27 Comments:
Well, definitely the Christmas visits when the Balon entourage would fill that tiny house to the rafters with chatter, giggles and general hubbub. Then, also, when Dad's Schreiner clan would coop themselves up in there and argue, laugh, drink and smoke. The year I nearly broke my toe slipping on the carpet coming down the steps and then had to finish choreographing the musical "Little Mary Sunshine" for Clark Community College. No worries: the limping didn't translate to the dancers onstage. They did me proud.
Somewhere I have a photo of "Grampa" Schreiner in the side yard, rowing a rowboat that is perched up on two sawhorses.
Oddly enough, I don't believe I actually ever went to the lake there, other than one time to walk on the ice.
Also, I can't believe you used the quote as the headline! The National Enquirer wants YOU!
Though our German contingent I'm sure didn't blink an eye at the headline, yes, Hols, you still can make my eyes blink rather rapidly! (Who shared this with you, my dear?)
I loved the snugness of that little house, it's coziness. It was a picture postcard come to life in the winter with the snow mounding up to the diamond-shaped windows, the fire crackling inside and Wonderful Smells emanating from the kitchen. (Grandma and Grandpa would always buy groceries with treats for the kids in mind and MEAT for us!) Everyone would be scattered around the livingroom, kids playing, adults chatting. Peace reigned in that little house in the clearing.
-Zach dropping his GI JOe into the potato salad from the balcony
-the rust carpet
-there was a pic of Granpa painting the eaves with a palette in hand wasn't there?
-the riding mower
-exploring the forbidden upper floor- I think I remember olive bedcovers
-a warm feeling whenever you finally walked through the door, also translated to their apartment
ma-my source shall remain nameless.
How about the smells of the cream and chocolate brown bath and grandpa's shaving equipment?
The oval framed senior pics of uncle rick and mom in the bedroom?
beautiful deep toned easter eggs
spotting those eggs from the top of the stairs??
bath cubes
peppermint swimming floaties
i remember brown.
yeah that's it.
Comfort!!!
-Falling in the toilet
-Rum balls
-Frosty wolves on Fireplace
-Moses painting
-Backyard "bridge" between house and garage
-Grampas' perfectly aligned tools
-Big band music on the radio
-Neighbors crazy basket swing
-Foam life-rings we bit pieces off of
-smell of limey gin & tonics and fresh cig's
-balancing on the planters
-Bright sunny easters
-Snowy charming Christmas' w/ Highlights magazines and Grammas knit scarf projects in the closet
-the BEST potato salad
-Wood. Is that why we all love it? Carpentry appreciation
-Grampa goofing off in crazy hats
-warm herby smells.
-Happiness
How could I forget the Brainsuckers!?! Anyone else remember the twisty-balloon headgear? I'm going to claim responsibility for that moment. Since then I've seen the idea repeated numerous times.
And, really, "Mummers," do you have to ask?
Papa-san always had a way with words. Especially when he was mangling them.
You guys brought it all back in nines!!! (And yes, Nat, mucho brown - it was the wood thing - lots of shades of brown) And you're right Faith about the palette. As I recall, he was also wearing some kind of beret/tam thing too. Grandpa had a bit of the wacko in him. Don't forget he and his cousin put on another cousin's (he was a Big Boy) swimsuit - both at the same time. That was a memory maker for your average reunion - brought the house down, the two of them waltzing across the beach in that enormous pair of swim trunks.
Thanks for all the details, kiddos!
p.s. how do I get my pic next to my comment?
Sadly, I don't remember the house at all.
At least there are photos to supplant the absence of memory.
Beth- what exactly do you remeber about the rum balls
Holly -the smell of the bath?????
Holly you better watch it or mom is going to come and wash out your mouth with soap, and we all know that don't taste so hot!
I remember having some massive snowball fights out in the front yard. I remember going to the beach which seemed like it was in the backyard, but I don't know really where it was at. I remember jumping off the porch and putting my hands against the garage and having a million splinters.
Yes, I remember dropping the GI Joe and many other things off the balcony.
zach
My mom always gave the house a shot of Claire Burke's Potpourri Home Spray before we came over. I still can't figure out what is in it, but I would recognize it anywhere. It's one of those indelible smells.
"Indelible Smells"
Nice band name.
I recall the zebrawood fireplace mantle and the sound and smell of the many fires. Unbelievable that the fireplace is gone ... perhaps they lost control of a fire and took the cheap way out for repairs.
And, as with all the other domiciles, the look and motion of my parents from the time they appeared in the morning, until the time they actually "woke up."
And shag carpet (?), wee kitchen and the feeling of the woods all around the house.
Somebody needs to print out these comments - memories such as these continue to bless your heart long after they've ceased to exist in time.
Somebody needs to print out these comments - memories such as these continue to bless your heart long after they've ceased to exist in time.
good idea mums...
as far as the bath...Faith, it was like mom and beth said, herbally. grandma made her own potpourri, she sprayed that spray, but in the bath it was lavender and all kind of yummy smells.
that's hilarious bro about the splinters...it looks esp splintery now that the garage has aged.
how about (oh she'd kill me) grandma's dentures wrapped in a papertowel--untouchable--on the counter!!
Yeah. she was a little self-conscious in most situations about getting caught without her choppers in. However, there were times, in the mornings, when she would mug like a comedienne, with the choppers still on the counter. That's one of my top ten things I enjoy remembering about her most.
Oddly enough, it's Dad's upper plate that I still possess.
I kept his "Gilligan" hat, his well-worn belt and his metal work-sheet notebook. It is a little strange the things that have meaning to a child after their parents are gone...
Yeah, I have a variety of tools and toolish accoutrement. And the painting Mom did of him.
i think i remember the painting...where he looks alot like nat?
Uncle Rick it looks like you're doing Ikea brand name ripoffs. I think I saw a chair named, "Ladsnorf".
Hols -that's so funny!
Not intended, Hols. Lately I've enjoyed the occasional "flurry of fingers" over the keyboard, to see what pops out.
i think they must do that too!!
asklefh pasodfui ad.ilfhad kifhksdfjnhdjkhfadkjfhasodfikdf,dnf xldi flsadkfjlsadk flskafjs
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home