A Little Yellow House

22 Woodview Lane


A long weekend makes me remember a time when we would take advantage and visit a little yellow house at 22 Woodview Lane. I had been visiting this same house my whole life. The hubby more than happily visited this house with me once he knew the amount of love that lived there. It’s a tiny little house at the top of the hill. But I am telling you right now, if you could have been there just one time, you would have felt the love. Cherie and Ray met when they were in their teens. Stayed in love until their late 80’s and died within two years of each other. They made their little yellow house feel like a mansion. I think of this house and them, my Grandparents, every single day.

It’s not what the house looked like but the things we did in the house that hold so much meaning:

Hugs and Kisses whether you like it or not and learning how to take a compliment that is handed out every hour. It was years of self-worth therapy in a single day.

Hangman, Homemade Shut the Box with real money, Charades- dirty style, Coloring contests –AS ADULTS and kids, Balderdash (with Cherie giving Ray away EVERY time) Jarts in the backyard and cards of all sorts.

TV watching Marathons, One Life to Live and All My Children, funny videos, black and white movies, the first 3D movie with glasses from the White Hen on the corner, and The Bears. I still remember the old cable box with the push buttons.

Bootsie, Kelly, Missy, Charlie, and Rosie – the beloved kitties and doggies that lived there at one time too. Every one of them had their own special bed on the table in the picture window. In between pets the big white lamp stood on the table and during their stay, the lamp went away.

Listening to the radio in the kitchen while making breakfast careful never to run the toaster, coffee maker and microwave at one time or else you would have to head to the fuse box. Which we proceeded to do every single time.

Ribs, Chicken, Saltines and Butter, Pizza, Turkey Bacon in the microwave, all served on TV Trays.

The sing song sound of: “ Raymeeeeeee – get the……….”

Sitting on the back deck playing Ghost, telling stories, reliving memories, and laughing. Non stop Laughing. ALL THE TIME.

Pajama/glasses days, eating junk food, and burning calories by laughing.

Watching thunderstorms heading up the hill.

Going to Jewel, The White Hen, Marshall Fields and Port Edwards.

Drinking way too much and too strong and laughing. NON STOP LAUGHING all the time.

Family parties, playing pool, pulling pranks.

Never feeling ugly, fat, lazy or stupid.

Always feeling beautiful, funny, smart and hard-working.

22 Woodview Lane was like another realm. You stepped through the door and magic happened.

When you left, you looked back to the picture window and you would see Ray and Cherie standing there with their arms around each other waving and blowing kisses and you would cry, never wanting it to end.

I am so glad I got have a little yellow house in my life, but sometimes I ache for it to come back.