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. 

Grandma Morehead (Nellie) when we remodeled our family room. I loved putting my feet on that fireplace. Later it caused a fire for the next owners. 

David Bullock Korean Vet - gone when Susan was a baby, Mom was on her own

   

HL Morehead (Pops) with Susan and Cindy

The traveler is back (my 1,100th BLOG!)

Light the fireworks - it's my 1,100th Blog! Hard to believe, when I started writing this blog a few years ago, that I'd be where I am today. I'm a happy blogger - no longer the same kind of commuter that I was when I began writing this blog. But glad to still have a forum for my thoughts, memories and words. Thanks readers!

I don't sleep well when my baby is gone. Which seems dumb since he kinda snores - even worse than Odie! I even drag my feet at going to bed when he's not around - staying up later than usual.

This past week I worked on Genealogy stuff on my computer - the Morehead clan (Mom's fam). They originated in Bedford County, Pennsylvania and ended up in eastern Iowa - around Tipton. I know it seems dumb, but I get jacked up when I find a grave or Internet information and can fill in a birth or death date. Right now it's all on a free site - which is dumb. I need to get it all someplace I control. I plan to sign up for a genealogy class West Des Moines is hosting this fall - then I'll get some good tips!

Kevin and Al - hunting mates - both do what Paul used to for the Natural Resources Conservation Services

Paul arrived home from his hunting trip early this morning - causing me to get only a few hours sleep. Odie was pretty excited to see her papa! Of course after he showered (it had been 7+ days - the man was stinky!) he climbed into to bed and we talked for a half hour or so. Then we got up around 7 and hit the Farmer's Market. He's craving carbs and a breakfast burrito hit the spot! We did a bunch of other shopping too. So great to have my partner in crime back home!


That's Al up there

Of course we had to tell each other all the news and stories we stored up throughout the time we were apart. Me - work and other stuff. Him - hunting. You must know this involves all the nuances of hunting. No - you don't understand if you've never been married to a hunter. Jeanne Piel gets it! She and I used to laugh about how Rick and Paul would relate their hunting stories to us: "The (insert animal or bird) turned (insert direction) it went (insert the description of the landscape the creature went through or over). It's head turned (insert). The (antlers/beard/length of fish) was X.

My honey

The only thing nearly as scintillating as that is hearing a play-by-play of your spouse's golf game. I got to hear more today - even the second hand story of Al's big miss. I smile and nod. Hey it's important to him. I'm sure some of the things I tell him are not all that exciting. You've seen the Owl commercial? I love that one - it goes something like this: (I think it's about all men). Her "I'll be home late I'm having a drink with Charlene from work" Him - "Who?" Her: "You know - Charlene" Him "Who?"

Despite the fact that he doesn't often really listen to what I have to say, I'm so very happy to have Pablo back to say "Who?". We went to church tonight at 4:30. Father Jim Kiernan (retired) filled in. He's a chaplain. His phone started ringing as he preached - he finally answered it - we could hear it through is microphone. He said, "they probably want me at the hospital but I'm stuck with you!" He's a funny guy who is old enough he tells it like it is!

During his sermon, he talked right to the kids as well as the oldsters like us. He asked them if they said "hi" to the unpopular kids. Fr. Jim used to teach at St. Alberts High School - He was used to teaching teens and was called upon to talk to younger kids a few times. He hated it. He said third graders all raise their hands like they know everything - then, when called upon, they just say anything that comes into their heads.

Father told the St. Francis girls they were beautiful but  - "you boys are ugly", he said. He said it's his usual line when he works with school kids. He said at one school a boy stood up and said, "but Father, you're one of us!" That got a laugh. Father Kiernan always gives a running description of what each part of the Mass means. I like that. He's a "tell it like it is guy".

After church we went to Granite City for drinks and dinner. We sat outside, and spied Ray and Bev Courtney leaving the restaurant with son Tyler and his fam. Creston connections are truly everywhere in DSM.

That sucks

The canister vac is similar to the one Deardorffs and Bullocks had

I wish I had my Grandma Morehead's old Eureka canister vacuum cleaner. It was part of our inheritance when she moved into Heritage House the retirement home in Atlantic. My friend Chris Deardorff had the job of vacuuming at her house, and that fam had a vaccuum just like it. I got to see the unit in action quite a bit because she had to finish chores before we could do fun stuff. But me...vacuuming at our house...not so much! We always had a cleaning lady. I vacuumed on special occasions, but not routinely. Hmmm those were the days!

Those old vacuums had lots of suction. At Deardorffs, when Chris was supposed to be doing chores, we had fun sucking our cheeks into the metal tube. It was actually hard to pull the vacuum tube off of our firm young skin. It would make a red round mark. I could be dreaming, but I think I remember Chris saying her brother Scott gave himself a hickey with Eureka once. How funny is that!

My current Panasonic, despite good reviews in Consumer Reports, doesn't do the job (on dirt not skin) that well. And I refuse to spend the big bucks to get an expensive unit. So I struggle along, doing a half-assed job. I should shop for a new one. The tape on the frayed electrical cord is probably another good reason why!

Back when we were young parents, door-to-door salesmen would try to sell us high dollar vacuums - Rainbow or Kirby for $600! That would be like $1,200 today. One guy even came in and spilled dirt on our lovely green pile carpet to demonstrate how great it was at sucking. (is that a great phrase or what?) Payments on a vacuum? We were already making furnace, car and house payments thank you very much! I'm amazed to find out how many people I have worked with through the year actually have those expensive vacuum units. That sales guy scored with them!

If you have a newer vacuum model that you would recommend (or a cleaning person), feel free to drop me a line!

Coming to my senses

The Bullocks with Gpa and Gma Morehead on the occasion of their 50th anniversary. I think my socks were adorable - with mary janes (the shoe not the smoke).

After writing about my sense of smell (lack of), I decided I'd cover the rest of my senses. Today - touch. Fitting as I'm scheduled for a massage. Can't wait for Chris's fine strong hands working deep into my flesh. Moan.

I love to be tickled. We were a tickling family. Dad would tickle us and make noises like he was a cold wind until goosebumps popped out. Mom loved us to rub her feet and legs - now that I'm middle aged, I know why.

My sisters and I played "Going on a Treasure Hunt" - a tickling game. I know - sounds kinky as I say it now. I think it was Cindo that showed us how to do it.
The tickling was on our backs, okay - so it wasn't kinky.
Going on a Treasure Hunt - lightly pound fist in a clockwise motion
X Marks the Spot - draw X with finger
With a Dot and a Dot - poke with finger twice
and a Dash and a Dash - draw two lines
and a Big Question Mark - draw question mark
Pinches and Squeezes, pinches and squeezes - use this opportunity to torture them
Knife Stab - bury fist into their back (not too hard)
Bullet Holes - simulate bullet holes with finger ends.
now comes the good part:
Upsies and Downsies - tickle with all fingers tickling up the back and down
Downsies and Upsies - reverse
*Note - here is where I would tell younger sis Betso that she did it incorrectly and would need to do it over.
Egg crack, the yoke runs down - here's where you can make their scalp crawl - clap above their head and drag fingers lightly down their hair like an egg yoke.
Cool summer breeze - blow on their back, and say it don't spray it making it into a summer shower.

I still love to have my back (and pretty much all my dry skin) scratched. And I love to be tickled. I won't go into details on this, as I do say in my blog description that this is a clean, low sex blog.

My skin is really showing signs of aging. Fair skin and sun don't work, but we didn't know about sun screen back in the day. So I've had a few age spots appear (they used to be called freckles, but now they've joined together to become age spots). But my skin still holds me together and I appreciate the stuff. It can be tickled!

*Bets and I shared a room - twin beds against opposite walls - when we couldn't sleep, sometimes we'd get in bed together and tickle each others backs.