The Yellow House

 

If you say those words in my family, everyone knows which house you are talking about.  Although there were more than a few of us who lived in yellow homes at one time or another, there is only one Yellow House.

This house belonged to my grandparents, Gee & Papa.  It was my first house as my young mother still lived there with her parents at the time of my birth. 

Everyone in the family has fond memories of The Yellow House.  I can remember watching cartoons there, specifically The Smurfs.  My grandparents used to sleep with me on the fold out couch until I fell asleep, myself.  I have gorgeous, vivid memories of my grandmother doing dishes in the kitchen, late into the night with just one lone light on in the house.

The Yellow House was very large.  There were lots of bedrooms and plenty of places to stay when family came home.  There were Sunday dinners gathered around a large table, just inside the front door.  There was my grandparent's mauve bedroom with it's sheer curtains, looking out at the road.  The smell of my grandmother's jewelry box in that room is something I will never forget. The bedroom had pocket doors and a telephone that looked like something a princess would use.  I was allowed to call my parents on it, just to use it when I spent the night.  I didn't need to call my parents.  I didn't miss them at all.  They used to have to pay me to leave.  For real.  They paid me in pennies for my piggy bank.

I fell in love with the smell of Lily of the Valley at that house.  Just off my grandparent's bedroom porch they blossomed.  A lush carpet of them.  The smell lingered around that area of the yard and became part of my childhood.  Part of what connects me to this earth.

Most of the people in my family feel the same way and have their own beautiful memories of it.

I keep a picture of the Yellow House in my living room.

It was my birthday this past week.  And on my birthday I received a package from my grandmother, who happens to be my only remaining grandparent.  I'm sure you can now understand how happy I was to unwrap this:

It is a painting of The Yellow House that my aunt made, sometime in the 1980's.  My Gee put a special inscription on the back and it brought tears to my eyes and a smile to my heart.

I also got another awesome piece of art for my birthday.  I'm going to tack it on here, at the end of this sentimental journey so that you won't think I've completely gone soft.

A one-of-a-kind Kermit portrait!  My friend LuLu and her boyfriend Rob made it for me...out of Lego bricks!  Zoiks!

So, In Summary:
If you think this was bad, just get me talking about my Little Red Suitcase!
Yeah, I have totally talented friends!