The old “afflace: ) toy/book, candy/snack, sports bra, sunglasses, 10 pairs (I can only remember them by Christmas, not by the year). Five computer sets (I remember the blue one came with a CD). Bikes with toaster tires and an umbrella as well as a deck of cards to play BINGO. The list goes on and on. There were so much for them to have that no one thought of the fun things they could have. Jan went to repair shops and found the keys to our new car, a wonderful thing (if we kept it) to one child. The first time I went camping in a tent and I found a walking stick I had brought there. I stood in it for a brief minute, then it was gone.
The other big thing is that my family got together and went for all our school supplies and brought them up to here. We even added groups of trash bags, came up with silly names (Ride on the school bus, sleeping bags) Talk about instant fun. I got a house in the woods by myself (Tent) and – not many years later – found a friend in the same camp who still lives there, teaching/educating. We both talked with the others about building houses, hunting for water (I had a teenager who found some out in the woods). For my husband and me, the main thing was the fun of each and everyone of our visit. Not much plumbing, but great camping.
I think one of the most remarkable things we saw was all the garbage on the side of the road, piled high and forgotten and taking up space. No signs of children or families, just little bitty belongings. The geese were going from farm to farm and back again and there were so many of them on the road we stopped to feed them, that we got a spit iron to grill them. We had the best days of our lives. Very few people we met were in their 70s and a few were at least 80. By the end of the visit, we now know there was a little sadness in old people, different parts of the country and I don’t remember any kind of crime or violence. .
I have been thinking a lot about this trip and how it has impacted me and I have a lot more insight and have come to understand the value and knowledge of when my family walked together, team by team, and looked over the shoulder of the person looking back at them. Even as I drive through different parts of D.C. area and see places like the Shock Therapist and S theater and Pottery tubes of all kinds, knowing that I was part of something very special. Mostly I just want to tell everyone about that amazing holiday and our family experience. If, for whatever reason, you have never been to Rockville, MD (my hometown) you must take your family and visit. You go home with stories of a wonderful time. I got about 10,000 different things for my kids and had great fun reading or listening to stories at the library (my kids loved them and never got tired of them). Every year on our birthdays – they call me Happy Birthday and it is astounding to me.
I hope I tell you how special your family is to you and that it is worth all the effort too for that one among us in your family who may have problems. The most important things are happy memories. I strongly suggest you share them. Time your family and friends with me via email and I will send back with a bunch of stories (I plan to send them out in waves in their e mail addresses, so I have to send them out in batches). Tell them about how they were part of the special day that I will talk to them even more. They will appreciate your company and so will I.