GrOoVy!

My cousin Kathy sent this to me the other day…a real treasure! Atlanta’s own Howley sisters in 1979 or early 1980!  Ellen (l) in her lovely velour sweater, Ann (m) and me ® in our preppy button down shirts and Chino pants.   I was a high school senior, Ann a junior, and Ellen was in 7th grade. Let’s not forget John Travolta on the poster…he was king back then…now a Botoxed, hair plugged oddity of the world.  But then again, aren’t we all world oddities?!   I won’t let my kid hang posters on the wall today…they have to be collector’s items and nicely framed!

I haven’t seen a picture of my teen bedroom that I shared with Ann since I left it all those years ago and have studied it closely.  It has released a tidal wave of memories.  I don’t see the Spring Hill College pennant I bought during my late January 1980 visit to the campus when my host took me to Gulf Shores with her friends to hang at the beach!  I hung it over my bed after I chose to attend Spring Hill after my campus visit to St. Mary’s in South Bend on March 28…there was 8” of snow on the ground and was still snowing and I couldn’t get past that, so made up my mind that very day!  It was the right choice for me!  Loved every minute!

I see my tiny bulletin board with my high school spirit ribbons and Notre Dame stickers and pins, knick knacks on the shelf including my piano jewelry box, swimming trophies and  other dust collections.  I remember being very proud of the preppy plaid bed spread (comforters and quilts were not popular back then,) color coordinated blue rug on the floor and finding the plastic Parson’s tables in the perfect shade of yellow to match the bed.  I remember my Dad took me to Pier One on Peachtree Road across the street from Phipps Plaza to pick them up.  I felt such happiness at how the room looked and especially after my parents bought my sister and I small matching dressers at the House of Denmark furniture store on Piedmont Ave.

It’s the beginning of my future…just waiting for high school to be over so I could start out on my own life.  My oldest is enjoying this time in his life right now…so many possibilities, experiences, friends and memories to make!  But family is always where it’s at!

Thanks for the memories, Kathy!