Ponderings of a Small Town Girl in the City: Childhood Playhouse

I was full of good intentions yesterday (Monday). I was going to do stuff! Over the weekend I even listed actions on my Google Calendar - lest I forget what good stuff I'd planned to do. I was afraid I'd slip into my usual non-action packed routine of Amazon Prime/Jigsaw Puzzle/Laundry, walk and other routine chores. Of course yesterday was frigid and windy so the walk was OUT.

8 a.m. I had set up a work-related chore. I'm helping a friend with an environmental audit. When the time came, I decided it was only Monday - that could wait - and pushed that to today. Ah, retirement, it's grand!
9 a.m. Time to organize the closet in our room. It's a smaller walk-in one. We rotate hanging clothes between seasons in there. It's also good for luggage and (thanks Covid) backup toilet paper and paper towels from Costco stacked - taking up floor space. So shelves needed clearing for books and my Wii. Some of the books went to our Townhome Little Library box and some will go to my STL kids when we get to visit.

Then there are the photos. I've tackled our photos before, taking digital pics of the photos, storing them on thumb drives. It's nice to get rid of multiple copies of yellowing photos. There are still a few small bins though.

Married 9/7/1950

Then I came across a large leather photo portfolio box with a lid that flips open like a book. Where did it come from? I must have gotten it when Dad passed away - and shuffled it here when we moved. Closet organizing was pretty much game over at that point! I was hooked on looking at these photos - a treasure trove of old photos that my mother saved in this special place.

Some of my favorite pics in the stack were from when her father, Herbert Leslie Morehead (Pops to us), delivered our playhouse he designed and built for our backyard. Pops was a general contractor in his hometown of Cedar Rapids. He had designed and built our home at 202 Crombie. My family lived there for around thirty years. The house has a flat roof. A bit of Frank Lloyd Wright influence? It also has built in cupboards and drawers. When I can't sleep I walk around the house in my head, remembering each room. Mom was a fabulous interior decorator - very creative.

202 Crombie - designed and built by HL Morehead Construction, watercolor by Marilyn Van Antwerp

The playhouse also had a flat roof, real opening windows, and a front porch.

Neighbor kids on porch

House/playhouse 202 Crombie

The photos depict a neighborhood of kids (and my parents/grandparents) gathering for the tiny house warming! Note the Hoola hoopsyu9. Back then our neighbors were the Germains, who lived next door prior to the Reinertsons. Right next to our yard was a narrow strip of trees known by all the kids as "the woods". I don't know who owned that property but we all treated it as ours, building forts and climbing trees. My folks put a sandbox at the edge of the woods (no lids so cats loved it!) The Woods put lots of kids near and in our yard daily. And we spilled into other neighborhoods easily too. It was the way of that era.

The Bullock girls and friends spent many enjoyable hours in the playhouse. As far as I know, there were no Fisher Price (maker of awesome kids' toys) kitchens back then. But there were cardboard kitchen sets and we had them! The neighborhood scallywags, the Mallon boys, burned our kitchen one year - likely when we were at the end of our pretend kitchen using era. At least they took the stuff into the Woods to do the deed and didn't fry the Playhouse! I'm sure our dog Jud barked at them, and they (and rabbits/squirrels) were his nemeses.

In my memory, we would forget about the playhouse for a while and then decide we needed it for some big thing we were doing. Then it would require a cleanup and set up - sweeping and knocking down spiderwebs. Betsy reminded me what a wasp magnet the little house was - perfect for nests! We likely spent way more time setting it up then we did playing whatever we had in mind. One year Laurie Reinertson and I decided we would open up a library in the Playhouse. Yes - the earliest Tiny Library - such an innovator! We even used envelopes cut in half to glue into book covers with a sheet inside for Checkout. Doug Younger, a neighbor down the hill actually checked a book out. Cindy remembers playing doctor there. Jeff Grayson was involved. It sounds like that was a bit more risque than Library!

As with anything, I don't remember the last time I played in the Playhouse. One day I left my childish things behind. Haha - fooled you! I never really did become that homemaker, so playing house didn't take. I do like taking photos though!

Dad/Mom - graduates!

Mom in Cedar Rapids with Grandma Morehead

I was so happy to find some other great photos in the box too. Mom and Dad in their graduation gowns - they were married the fall of their Senior year when they graduated from the University of Iowa. I love seeing the styles - Mom always had us dressed up for all occasions. So stylish back then with hats.

Grandma Morehead Susan Cindy

Other family pics - one of me with my sisters when my parents when they brought Betsy home. I look delighted even though I wanted a baby brother! See captions for more.

Needless to say, I got sidetracked taking digital photos of these photographs. The closet can wait. Thanks for the memories Mom!

Baby Betso home from hospital. I gave her chickenpox 6 months later - she got really sick! Nice bangs Mom.

Susan, Mom, Cindy - see darling dresses. I watch The Amazing Mrs. Maisel on Amazon Prime set in this time period. Love seeing the clothing. Wouldn't want to wear it now.