Day 14: Nana's House

There are moments, bits and pieces of my life that I have come to love and treasure. Many of my earliest childhood memories revolve around my Nana’s house. In today’s writing challenge post I will share a few of them with you.

I grew up in a small neighborhood. I loved to ride my bike all over with a few of the neighbor kids that I hung out with at the time. I recall riding to my Nana’s house which was few blocks over and getting Icee pops out of her freezer on the back patio. Yummo! A perfect icy treat on those hot Florida summer days. 

My cousin Sara and I had a sleepover one night at Nana’s. We made Jello Jigglers (cherry flavored) and we were allowed to eat them in the living while watching the Little Mermaid on VHS! This was a big deal because Nana had light colored carpet and couches. We felt so special and privileged.

Christmas Eve was always and exciting time because all my aunts, uncles and cousins would come from far and wide for our family get together at Nana’s. After Christmas Eve service, all the cousins would gather around a meticulously decorated Christmas tree to a scene of presents at least five feet deep! Our greedy little eyes would scan for one with our name on it and try to sit as close as we could. This gift exchange would take hours, but as a child it felt like minutes. It was pure childhood ecstasy. There was a lot of love in that room. Not to mention, sleepy parents who still had to wrap more presents when they got home for Christmas morning!

 Coffee cake and General Hospital—another Nana signature to her afternoons! I remember these clearly when I occasionally went home sick from school or had to spend the day there because my parents were working. It was kind of like her afternoon religion. Even at a young age, I knew not to interrupt or she might smack me upside the head with her many rings. Heck, I even started to watch GH for a while too! Gotta love them soap operas.

Milk and buttered bread was a staple at almost every dinner. Grandpa’s Magical Toys was one of my favorite Nana’s house movies. I knew every word as did most of my cousins who were made to watch it over and over. I know they secretly loved it too!

At the time these moments didn’t feel all that special, but looking back on them now I see that they were. The adventures we had on the trampoline or playing hide and seek outside. It was a simple, but significant part of my life and it’s not anything I would ever want to forget.

Of course, dear reader, there are more stories of Nana’s house to tell, but I will save some of those for another day!