Memories of Relations

Some things never change.

This photo of Marissa and Lindsey on my father-in-law Neil's "big chair" reminds me so much of my own Grandpa Floria's "big chair." My Grandpa used to sit in a large dark La-Z-Boy -- I want to say it was leather as well but I don't honestly remember. I remember him, however, sitting in that chair watching football with my dad, smoking cigars and chuckling at the Packers.

Lindsey and Marissa had lots of fun playing on this big chair of Neil's. Then Neil decided he wanted it back, so he tipped it up from the back and dumped them out. They kept trying to scoot to stay on, scoot to stay on, and next thing you know they were both on their feet on the floor, looking up and wondering what had happened, too shy to cry or give him a hard time about dumping them out. He sat back down for a few minutes, just to prove it was still his chair, as he put it, then he let them have it back. In two seconds flat they were back on, giggling and "reading" books.



This photo reminds me of my Aunt Phyllis -- she was (and probably still is!) a fantastic piano player. She was always encouraging us to play piano whenever we went to their house. My sister, who was always a MUCH better player than I, would give concerts to all of us when we went to their home. For a time I was jealous of the attention she got; then I realized it was better to sit back and enjoy, or I would be asked to play, God forbid!

While it was mom who got us going on lessons, and it was she that we heard more often and who really encouraged us, she never had a full head of white hair like Millie and Aunt Phyllis!