Flashback Friday

In 1978 my parents bought their first home. They put in the yard druing the hot Sacramento summer.

My mom was thrilled with the updated kitchen compared to her last one.

I was 2 years old and remember lots of little details about living in the house on Dinsmore Way. I remember a boy named Mikey that lived across the street who had a pool table in the garage that we used to climb up and play on. More than once I remember dumping a whole bag of peanut M&Ms onto the table and rolling them into the pockets. I remember Kimmy Cooper who lived two doors down. I remember my stuffed Kangaroo that got grease on its tail from her daddy's truck. While I don't remember his name, I will never forget what her brother told me to go home and tell my mom. I got my mouth washed out with soap.

What I remember most about this house though is my bedroom. It was magical. My dad painted a mural on my wall 11 feet long and four feet tall. complete with a castle suitable for any princess, a waterfall, the wicked forest and a trail leading to a dark castle on the far right. My dad would tell me stories about Princess Jenalynn (My mom says at one point my dad wanted to name me Jenalynn instead of Jenifer Lynn) and would occationally add in characters to his stories like Bambi and Thumper. While I was sleeping he would paint the new characters into my mural.

These are the only two pictures we have of it, still in it's unfinished state. We moved from this house when I was just 4 years old, but every few years we would stop by the old house to see if the mural was still there. For about 20 years it was. The owners of the home would tell stories of teenaged sons who occupied the room only being allowed to cover it with posters but their parents wouldn't let them paint over it. They said you could tell how much detail and love went into the painting.

If my life had a soundtrack The Carpenters Crystal Lullaby would play as the background for this time period. My dad would play his guitar and sing that song to me....he can't get through it now without getting a little choked up. I can hear the words as I look at these pictures...

Crystal Lullaby

by The Carpenters

Listen to the song he sings Can't you see his music brings her Crystal sleep  As her heavy eyelids fall He's taking her to where the dolls rule the world  And in that land of make believe Is where he'll leave her sleeping Softly warm In a crystal lullaby  He's weaving her a paper castle Where dancing clowns with tassels made of fur Welcome her into their world That lives inside the dreams  Of every little girl  She's guarded by a brave tin soldier Sitting on her shoulder Taken there In a crystal lullaby  Sometimes when I listen to The velvet song that fills a summer afternoon Something deep within me sighs And wishes for the peaceful skies of long ago  That wrapped my cares In silver air And carried them away Leaving me And a crystal lullaby