It is always interesting, being back here at Dad's, in the house I grew up in. I've lived elsewhere for the last 14 years, but there are ways this is still 'home.'
And there are so many memories. Even little things: yesterday, after spending the day in the attic, I washed my hair before Shabbos, and ended up using the same towel (dragged from the back of the linen closet, as the other, newer ones were all dirty) I'd used when washing my hair during high school.
My brother Ted and I spent yesterday going through what we've always called the attic-y part of the attic, where all sorts of things have been dumped in the 36 years since we moved in here. There were also things of Gram's, that Mum had meant to deal with after retiring, but never got around to because of the cancer and the resulting treatments. We figure the attic hasn't been so clean since (maybe) December 1969. In many ways, it was hard emotionally to go through everything and decide what to do with all of it, but it is also a big relief to have it done.
I also ended up cutting Dad's hair, as I have been since Mum died; this weekend last year, she made sure I knew how to do it --- Dad last paid a barber in March 1970, when we went back to Massachusetts for my great-grandfather's funeral. Mum had been cutting his hair for a couple years at that point, and he was shocked at paying $3.50. I keep cutting it because I figure that the close to $20 it would cost now would bring on the heart attack we've been expecting Dad to have for the last decade.
I find that I am less shomer Shabbos when I'm here than usual; I chalk it up to honoring my father. He won't be around much loner, so I grin & bear it. For example we went out to supper last night, which I wouldn't do at home. But Dad had a gift certificate he and Mum had been given more than a year ago, and using it lets himn feel generous towards his kids.
I also ended up goin to the central library this afternoon, as Seth wanted to look a couple things up, and it seemed easier to go than to give him directions. I was really saddened to see signs for book sales, as they are sales for a couple branch libraries selling off books, after having been closed due to local fiscal crises.
Did have a bit of snow here, but probably not as much as one would expect from television -- most of the snow falls south of the city. See the picture I took yesterday morning at the end of the street with the bank of clouds to the south. (They looked even darker & more dramatic from the mall, with a better view.)
And there are so many memories. Even little things: yesterday, after spending the day in the attic, I washed my hair before Shabbos, and ended up using the same towel (dragged from the back of the linen closet, as the other, newer ones were all dirty) I'd used when washing my hair during high school.
My brother Ted and I spent yesterday going through what we've always called the attic-y part of the attic, where all sorts of things have been dumped in the 36 years since we moved in here. There were also things of Gram's, that Mum had meant to deal with after retiring, but never got around to because of the cancer and the resulting treatments. We figure the attic hasn't been so clean since (maybe) December 1969. In many ways, it was hard emotionally to go through everything and decide what to do with all of it, but it is also a big relief to have it done.
I also ended up cutting Dad's hair, as I have been since Mum died; this weekend last year, she made sure I knew how to do it --- Dad last paid a barber in March 1970, when we went back to Massachusetts for my great-grandfather's funeral. Mum had been cutting his hair for a couple years at that point, and he was shocked at paying $3.50. I keep cutting it because I figure that the close to $20 it would cost now would bring on the heart attack we've been expecting Dad to have for the last decade.
I find that I am less shomer Shabbos when I'm here than usual; I chalk it up to honoring my father. He won't be around much loner, so I grin & bear it. For example we went out to supper last night, which I wouldn't do at home. But Dad had a gift certificate he and Mum had been given more than a year ago, and using it lets himn feel generous towards his kids.
I also ended up goin to the central library this afternoon, as Seth wanted to look a couple things up, and it seemed easier to go than to give him directions. I was really saddened to see signs for book sales, as they are sales for a couple branch libraries selling off books, after having been closed due to local fiscal crises.
Did have a bit of snow here, but probably not as much as one would expect from television -- most of the snow falls south of the city. See the picture I took yesterday morning at the end of the street with the bank of clouds to the south. (They looked even darker & more dramatic from the mall, with a better view.)
1 comment:
Hi, BJ. Demons from Piffle here. Your rss feedburner link works great!
thanks,
jean aka demons
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