Friday, September 27, 2019

Treasure The Memories / Happenings In the Outhouse 27-Sept-2019

For anyone who knows me (or even spends a little time with me) will usually hear this phrase more than once: "Years ago . . ."

The Netflix show Stranger Things, set in the early to mid-1980's, brings back a lot of memories unique to that era.  From Dungeons and Dragons and the iconic music of that age to Ghostbusters and the Neverending Story, I love that period of time.  In season 3, the "pool" scenes were classic from my days of practically living at the local pool with my friends.  I can smell the chlorine, even to this day.

Thinking back on those days also reminds me of the iconic memories with family.  So many Christmases were spent at my grandparents' home, with relatives gathered from near and far, playing their Intellivision video game console, opening gifts, and eating hordes of hors d'oeuvres from cookies and crackers to lefse and grandma's famous (to us, anyway) "green punch."

June 2002 changed a lot of that.  A flood cascaded throughout much of the town, and my grandparents' basement was forever changed.  The entertainment room where many Christmases were shared was destroyed and had to be filled in with cement.  After that, the basement wasn't the same.  But the family was resilient and pulled together, moving future festivities to the upstairs living room.  Even this past Thanksgiving, my son and I helped to move (for the last time, I am sad to say) from the basement (from the very room, now filled with cement, where those Christmases were shared) to the upstairs.

After my grandfather's passing on August 23rd, their old house has been sold.  I have been asked a few times if I would like to see it again, as the new owners are currently remodeling it.  For me, that answer is simple: no.  The home will provide new memories for the next generation of families to grace its floors, its hallways, its rooms, and I pray they cherish those as much (if not more, although that would be a stretch) as I have.

To quote Dr. Hannibal Lecter in the movie Silence of the Lambs, "Memory, Agent Starling, is what I have instead of a view."

Memories from years past are etched through the pages of my stories.  Sometimes even the slightest detail can be found.

During my childhood, many weekends were also spent at my grandparents' cabin on Minnesota Hill.  It has been close to 20 years since I've been there--I won't bore you with the details on why this occurred--and if I was ever asked to see the old cabin again, despite any remodeling that may have taken place, my answer would also be the same.

Nope.  Nada.  Thanks but no thanks.

I cherish the memories of years past, but I don't dwell there.  Instead, I cherish the memories of times to come.

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