I have always loved water activities. Once I learned to swim, anything to do with the water had my attention. At Girl Scout Camp, we learned to canoe. We were taught skills to navigate solo or with a second person. My third year of camp, we took a thirty-mile canoe trip down the Wolfe River. We slept on the river bank in two-person Alpine tents and cooked our meals over open campfires. We gained so much knowledge and had a great time. Continue reading
I’m trying to think of my favorite outdoor activity and I’m struggling. I’m not one that chooses to do the outdoor things. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll do things outside if someone asks me to, but it’s not something that I’ll automatically choose if left to my own devices. Continue reading
Through the years I have discovered that my absolute favorite outdoor activity is camping. I especially love tent camping unless, of course, it is raining. This can make it a little uncomfortable unless you are savvy about how to set your tent up to avoid leaking. Continue reading
As the firstborn daughter in the mid-’60s, I came home to a nursery decorated in soft pink. Mom tells the story of going with Dad, Judy, and Judy’s boyfriend, Spence, on a Saturday to buy a round, fuzzy, pink rug in Madison. Mom had exactly $13 in her purse for the purchase. Unfortunately, they were stopped for speeding. The ticket was $13. Judy and Spence bought their downhill skis, but mom decided to wait and save the money…again.
It was purchased after I was born.
I tend to be a creature of habit. If something was done one way for me as a child, I feel the need to inflict that same thing on my kids. The Christmas cookie decorating ritual would be one example. Another example would be first bedrooms. Continue reading
When I was a little girl, I had my own room. I don’t remember much about it except that my sister Sandy used to visit me and play. My roll-a-way had a handle that we pretended was the steering wheel on our pirate ship. Because we frequently got together to play in my room, our parents decided that we must want to share a room. Continue reading
When we were planning on returning to Wisconsin, we found out that a doctor was selling his practice and his home. I called him that night and after ½ hour of discussion, I made him an offer at his full asking price. I knew this house very well because when I was growing up, my best girlfriend’s family designed and built it. It was built with the Frank Lloyd Wright vibe. There were large windows, vaulted ceilings, and unique features like a second-floor living room, a large backyard with gardens, and an inground swimming pool. Continue reading
From an early age, I have loved houses. I feel every house has a possibility. I do get sort of frustrated with the HDTV shows where they take a house, tear out fireplaces, knock down walls, and completely change the floor plans. I, myself, like to look at a house, work with for the most part what it has, update it, and make decorating changes to make it functional and beautiful. Not everyone has the money to practically tear up the whole house and begin from scratch. It is a lovely idea, but not probable or practical. Continue reading
When asked what my dream house would be, there is 1 thing that comes to mind… It would be to have a family commune. I envision it similar to how we used to go camping. Each family unit has their own private area, but there is also a common area where we would gather for meals and general activity. Continue reading
“My house is me and I am
it. My house is where I like
to be and it looks like all my
dreams.” –Mr. Plumbean
I taught First Grade…forever. One of the favorite ways to kick off the school year was with a week of color experiences. On “orange day” I would always read “The Big Orange Splot” by Daniel Pinkwater. In it, Mr. Plumbean has a house and yard that don’t blend in on his “neat street”. Day by day, neighbors come to his house and leave to create their own dream house. Following the reading, we would talk about all the things we would include in the house of OUR dreams. 6-year-olds included lots of slides, pools, TVs, and game rooms.
This activity always made me a bit nervous. Continue reading
