The snow didn’t amount to much during the day, we maybe had four inches by the time I returned home. More is on the way tonight, but thankfully we aren’t having the fierce winds that were expected!

We seem to live along an imaginary line which often separates us from other regions in the state, so that Binghamton can be buried in snow, and we hardly have any.  It will be interesting to see how this storm plays out.

When we arrived we found that Dad had been baking up a storm.

A lemon meringue pie was expected, but brownies and chocolate chip cookies were in the works too!

Thank goodness they were expecting more company over the weekend.   It gave us a good reason to resist the temptation to bring some home.   Everything was way too good!

It brightened my day,  but made it so difficult to walk into my work two hours later.

I’ve kept watch out the window, but even the birds are few at my feeders this winter.   The ones that do come, don’t stay long.

I am ready for this winter, and my slump, to end!

We arrived at Midsummer, which is a holiday of sorts.    After the long darkness of winter, they were enjoying twenty-four hours of daylight.   We picnicked on grilled reindeer sausage,  learned how to properly participate in sauna,  and visited in the backyard till we were exhausted.   There was never any clue from the sky that it was time to retire for the evening.

They offered us this cute little guest house for sleeping.   Going to bed at midnight,  I remember we covered the windows with dark clothes from our suitcase to be able to sleep.    Having the sun shining through the night was very disorienting!

Here the Finnish flag is being raised in the back yard to celebrate the longest day of the year.

For more Remember Whensday posts,  check Sally’s site here.

My grandmother worked as a companion to the elderly,  and it was usually for families that she had known for years.    My younger sister, Kathy and I would occasionally stay with Grandma at these homes, giving her a chance to spend time with us and giving my dad a couple days respite from single-parenting after my mother died.

Even though we had to be well-behaved and quiet,  Grandma wanted to keep our minds busy on these visits.   She taught us several versions of  solitaire,  we did word puzzles,  or watched the game shows on TV with her.     At night we would snuggle into bed beside her.

On New Year’s Eve, 1963,   my sister Kathy and I stayed with Grandma overnight in Naples.   I remember staying up late,  looking out the big windows and seeing the skiers come down the hills with lights.   It seemed a magical night at that time in my life,  and I forever thank Grandma for those special memories.

For more Remember Whensday posts, or to add your own,  check here.

I remember the flight meal, the sensation of my ears popping, and changing planes in Chicago.   In San Francisco we boarded a large helicopter for the flight across the bay to Palo Alto.   Having come from the snowy northeast,  I was amazed at how green everything in California was at that time of year.

We spent two weeks,  with trips up the coast,  to the beach, and into San Francisco.   I had my first taco at a stand on the beach,  and my first avocado served with a meal.   I remember listening to records with my cousins, especially The Monkees, who were the rage then.

Here we are Easter Sunday with the Golden Gate in the background….my aunt Jean, me, and my cousin, Brian.

Thanks to Sally for hosting this meme!

There are many old photos in her collection which have no notation on them, so we can only guess who they might be. There are also letters that my uncle Gordon wrote home during World War II.

The most touching item that we came across was his Purple Heart, neatly boxed as my grandmother most likely received it. I can’t imagine the emotion she must have felt, having just lost her oldest son to the war in France in June 1944.

I asked Tracy if I could keep the medal for awhile, to hold it and share it.   I can imagine my mother and her mother touching it and mourning the loss of brother and son.    It has been tucked away for so long.   I needed to bring it to the light of day today and remember them.

When I took my current job,  I worked for two therapists, things were pretty low-key, and breaks and lunch were on a schedule.    Fast-forward seventeen years and there are now ten therapists, fast-paced days, and frequent overtime.    My head is spinning by Friday.

I’m planning to spend this three-day weekend getting things back on track with some grocery shopping (the cupboards are bare),  menu-planning (our meals have been hit-and-miss because I’m so drained by the end of the day),  and getting things in order around the house (it’s amazing how much disorganization occurs in a five-day workweek in a house with two adults, a dog, and two cats).

Hopefully some birds will stop by tomorrow.   I miss daylight most workdays and my birdwatching has been nil.