32 years Down in Two Hours

Dear Henry,

We spent another weekend with Grandma P and Crappaw a few weeks ago. We had a good time working. That's what we do together so you may have well get used to it. Someday you'll be my little workin' buddy.

You played with Papa and Grandma P while Crappaw and I put in a new front door and tore off the wallpaper in the hallway. This paper has been in the house since Grandma P and Crappaw built the house in 1976. Mama was only 2. That means I ran my little hands down the wall and if detectives were to come in and dust the wall my prints would span maybe a 3.5 foot swap the length of the hallway. Grandma P and Crappaw are a little nostalgic about things and it wasn't easy for them to remove it... or I should say to get started. It turns out most of the hardship over getting started was the fear over how hard it was going to be to get it off.
Well, I'll tell you, that paper was ready to come off because it released in big 'ole wall paper scabs. Peep, you had the honor of takin' off the very last piece. You enjoyed wiggling around in the paper and ripping it. I'm certain the sound of tearing crinkling paper is pleasing to you.


You will never remember this paper, but it had been the signature, you might say, of Crappaw and Grandma P's house for it's entire life. Other rooms changed, but the hall stayed the same. Grandma P put it up when she was Mama's age. It was very stylish for the time and proved to be durable against the flailing body parts of kids, cousins, friends, and grand kids. Oh, I may say that I was sad to see it go...that couldn't be further from the truth! I am happy about it because it means Grandma P and Crappaw can start fresh to go with the beautiful new tile back splash in the kitchen. This post has less to do with you and more to do with me.

I suppose it is just another of a hundred, maybe thousands of markers in your life, the family's life, of aging and change. Mama's just honored that she gets to be the one by your side to see it all happen.

Love, Mama

PS Grandma P finally figured out that she had hung the entire hallway upside down. I figured this out years ago but it still cracks me up. To her credit it was really difficult to find the seams.