Home Sweet Home
A new chapter in my life is about to begin. My mom has sold the house Sarah and I grew up in in Tulsa and she's moving to Farmer's Branch (Dallas) to be near us. I'm so thankful and excited to have her come to live closer to us, but it's definitely a time of transition for all of us.
Mom's been on 30th Street for nearly 40 years. She and dad moved here in November of 1970 and she's been here ever since. This house is full of memories for me, and is immediately what I think of when I talk about "going home." As we've been packing up the house, this weekend espeically, Sarah and I would share random memories. Here are just a few:
Sitting in the rolling chairs in the kitchen. We'd usually stay up late and watch the news in the kitchen. One time, mom threw a cup of water on Sarah because she kept interrupting her. I remember sitting in those chairs, watching Saturday Night Live, and painting my nails for church the next day.
Startling Sarah (or any other victim) coming around the blind corner at the end of the hallway.
Walking across the street to Nana's house.
Running through the house to play "The trashcan game." Dad would pay $0.05 per trashcan we'd bring to him. Not a lot, but a good supplement to weekly allowance when you're eight.
Gardening.
Building fires in the fireplace in the den & going into the backyard to pull more wood off the pile. One year during Christmas break, we started a fire our first night home, and then kept the same fire going the whole break just by burying the embers and then reviving it in the morning.
Playing with all the pets that we had growing up. Not all at one time, of course, but there were the dogs: Corky and Missie; the cats: Snowflake, Tiger, and Delta; the gerbils: Bubbles and Buttons (who I'd like to thank for their help in my 4th grade science fair project); and a rabbit--but I can't remember her name.
Sharing a bathroom with Sarah all while we were growing up. I went through a phase when I would love to listen to Les Miserables on my WalkMan while taking a bath and sing at the top of my lungs. Probably not real safe, but really fun, and just annoying enough!
Listening for the player piano as the sign that we could get up on Christmas morning--and searching for the carrots in the yard that Santa's reindeer had enjoyed while on our roof.
Hearing the click-clack of the garage door latch
Keeping our watermelon in the brown fridge in the garage--I guess because it was so big, but we always kept it out there.
Walking around the block--either the "big block" or the "little block."
Enjoying birthday parties and slumber parties in the Den. I really loved "Trapped" and "Dance 'til Dawn" for overnight favorites. "Swiss Family Robinson" was always our go-to movie for sick days.
Trying to climb the floor-to-ceiling bookcases in my bedroom when I was a kid--that was back when the room was pink, before the green/ivy phase.
Working on my dozens of Camp Fire projects either on the computer or arts & crafts on the floor in the den.
Dad smoking in the pink bathroom--only room in the house he was allowed to smoke in.
Bringing friends home from ACU for the weekend and enjoying pot roast around the table in the dining room. And somehow there would be tortellini when we walked in the door on Friday night.
Swinging on the tire swing in the back yard
Playing "Stock Market" over Christmas. AND, playing cards with mom in the den--especially when we had her sit in the chair with the brass lamp behind her, which would sometimes reveal her hand.
Secretly tapping into the second phone line without telling dad when I was in middle school. I got in trouble for that later, but it was totally worth it.
Riding the bus to school across town (being part of the Emerson Generation, remembering the Carver Outdoor Classroom, and loving the T-Connection at Booker T)
Zingo
Garnett "Road" Church of Christ
Peppers Grill in Utica Square
Woodward Park
664-4444 for great pizza
Putt Putt
Sheridan Lanes
The Admiral Twin
The Golden Driller
Eating ice cream out of a mini baseball helmet at Driller's Stadium
Walking with the red wagon to the Lion's Christmas tree lot to buy our tree each year--Always a charlie brown tree!
Being so close to my family--Nana, Grandma K, and the Arledges--gotta love that!
Well, that's enough of my assorted memories for now. I know that even if 7718 isn't my "home" anymore, I'll always have wonderful memories here. Here's to a new set of memories for mom in Dallas.
And, if any of you who read my blog have been to my house, I invite you to share any memories you have of our house on 30th Street in Tulsa.
Mom's been on 30th Street for nearly 40 years. She and dad moved here in November of 1970 and she's been here ever since. This house is full of memories for me, and is immediately what I think of when I talk about "going home." As we've been packing up the house, this weekend espeically, Sarah and I would share random memories. Here are just a few:
Sitting in the rolling chairs in the kitchen. We'd usually stay up late and watch the news in the kitchen. One time, mom threw a cup of water on Sarah because she kept interrupting her. I remember sitting in those chairs, watching Saturday Night Live, and painting my nails for church the next day.
Startling Sarah (or any other victim) coming around the blind corner at the end of the hallway.
Walking across the street to Nana's house.
Running through the house to play "The trashcan game." Dad would pay $0.05 per trashcan we'd bring to him. Not a lot, but a good supplement to weekly allowance when you're eight.
Gardening.
Building fires in the fireplace in the den & going into the backyard to pull more wood off the pile. One year during Christmas break, we started a fire our first night home, and then kept the same fire going the whole break just by burying the embers and then reviving it in the morning.
Playing with all the pets that we had growing up. Not all at one time, of course, but there were the dogs: Corky and Missie; the cats: Snowflake, Tiger, and Delta; the gerbils: Bubbles and Buttons (who I'd like to thank for their help in my 4th grade science fair project); and a rabbit--but I can't remember her name.
Sharing a bathroom with Sarah all while we were growing up. I went through a phase when I would love to listen to Les Miserables on my WalkMan while taking a bath and sing at the top of my lungs. Probably not real safe, but really fun, and just annoying enough!
Listening for the player piano as the sign that we could get up on Christmas morning--and searching for the carrots in the yard that Santa's reindeer had enjoyed while on our roof.
Hearing the click-clack of the garage door latch
Keeping our watermelon in the brown fridge in the garage--I guess because it was so big, but we always kept it out there.
Walking around the block--either the "big block" or the "little block."
Enjoying birthday parties and slumber parties in the Den. I really loved "Trapped" and "Dance 'til Dawn" for overnight favorites. "Swiss Family Robinson" was always our go-to movie for sick days.
Trying to climb the floor-to-ceiling bookcases in my bedroom when I was a kid--that was back when the room was pink, before the green/ivy phase.
Working on my dozens of Camp Fire projects either on the computer or arts & crafts on the floor in the den.
Dad smoking in the pink bathroom--only room in the house he was allowed to smoke in.
Bringing friends home from ACU for the weekend and enjoying pot roast around the table in the dining room. And somehow there would be tortellini when we walked in the door on Friday night.
Swinging on the tire swing in the back yard
Playing "Stock Market" over Christmas. AND, playing cards with mom in the den--especially when we had her sit in the chair with the brass lamp behind her, which would sometimes reveal her hand.
Secretly tapping into the second phone line without telling dad when I was in middle school. I got in trouble for that later, but it was totally worth it.
Riding the bus to school across town (being part of the Emerson Generation, remembering the Carver Outdoor Classroom, and loving the T-Connection at Booker T)
Zingo
Garnett "Road" Church of Christ
Peppers Grill in Utica Square
Woodward Park
664-4444 for great pizza
Putt Putt
Sheridan Lanes
The Admiral Twin
The Golden Driller
Eating ice cream out of a mini baseball helmet at Driller's Stadium
Walking with the red wagon to the Lion's Christmas tree lot to buy our tree each year--Always a charlie brown tree!
Being so close to my family--Nana, Grandma K, and the Arledges--gotta love that!
Well, that's enough of my assorted memories for now. I know that even if 7718 isn't my "home" anymore, I'll always have wonderful memories here. Here's to a new set of memories for mom in Dallas.
And, if any of you who read my blog have been to my house, I invite you to share any memories you have of our house on 30th Street in Tulsa.
Labels: tulsa
posted by Katie at 10:36 PM
4 Comments:
Those are such sweet memories. Thanks for sharing them!
Katie! I knew this day was coming but I didn't realize she is out of the house now! I definitely remember playing games in the back room and looking at the refrigerator with various pictures or other objects.
As for your Tulsa memories, my mom just told me the other day the Carver Outdoor Classroom is a parking lot. I can't believe it; they paved paradise. And the Drillers have a new stadium downtown instead of the few blocks from our old home.
It's nice to know you'll have your mom closer, and you can form new memories!
Wow Katie! So many great memories! Camp Fire meetings, sleepovers - I can still get freaked out in elevators because of that Trapped movie! Good times for sure! ~Mollie
That almost made me cry! I will of course have to share the memory when your mom woke us up early for church one weekend in college to have an Easter Egg hunt in the house. She is a great hostess! We'll miss that house!
Post a Comment
<< Home