Year 9 from 12/28/1989 to 12/28/1990
Puff and Puff Paint
When we moved to Indian Springs, we increased our mortgage and decreased our salary by one-fourth. Not a shrewd idea, but we did anyway. Dale worked longer hours and additional jobs to make ends meet, so I could stay home while our kids were little. He saved us hundreds of dollars on the electric bill by insulating our crawl space. When our neighbors’ water pipes ruptured because of the long freeze, we were warm, we survived. He garnered extra money as a musician, even using his accordion skills on occasion, though most of his work was on Sunday mornings at First Presbyterian Church. I found a job share partner, which meant I taught first through third periods and Pam Hopkins taught fourth through sixth. This way, I maintained my skills in science while Meghan attended kindergarten and Allie napped or attended Mommy and Me classes with Nana Eva.
The bus picked up Meghan at our house (kindergarteners have this service), and she left wearing sweet, floral pinafores with combed hair, clean face and returned in disheveled dresses, tattered leggings with messy hair, sticky face. Meghan played hard, a rough and tumble girl, who wore dresses with pants beneath, as was the style of the kinder world. Allie wore tutus every day; lined up her Wee People on the fireplace insert, cradled her “Puff”—a fluffy pillow/blankie, and lived in a wonderful, imaginary world. Thumbelina shared a home in the backyard. Skittles people—orange, yellow, green, and red families—played with the Wee people and survived until ants or Meghan ate them.
I loved my life. I enjoyed challenging classes with semi-adult persons who responded in multi-syllabic sentences (yes, I am referring to high school students), followed by a run on the Marina State Beach, then to Allie’s world of make-believe. It was a magical time for me because I loved my family, teaching, and running. To save money and to fix our house, I peeled wallpaper daily (layers and layers), painted when the kids played, planted a garden, set a walkway, yanked juniper and mint from every corner of our yard. The invasive species grabbed hold of our property, cropping up after each rain. I filled pillowcases with snowy-white Marina sand after each jog and poured it between the bricks of our walkway. Moved gravel from front to back (eventually back to front) and began our rose garden. Planted grapes around the pool fence—big mistake but made beautiful pictures in the fall. Made jams, jellies, sumptuous vegetable soups from the neighborhood farm at the bottom of our hill. I dehydrated anything that looked edible. I sewed all manner of dresses and play clothes for the kids. To top it off, this was the year of Puff Paint. I puff painted everyone sweatshirts for Christmas. I was at my creative best.
Love is Complicated 