fifty

growing up i lived in a neighborhood that feels like a small town, eastmoreland, which i nick named “easy moreland”. (actually i still live on the outskirts of eastmoreland.) i went kindergarten through college with a couple of folks. same class each year. in eastmoreland people stay in the same house for decades, kids walk to school,people have accounts at the tiny store that serves the neighborhood, everyone knows everyone else.

i met lisa when she came to school in 7th grade. she was wearing purple hip huggers, a woven belt in shades of lavender and pink and blue cat eye glasses. we were in gym class and we just became friends when i invited myself home to her house after school.

her family lived in a very cool house with plaid carpet and a messy dining room table that always had the remains of a leisurely morning on it. the news paper and a coffee cup or two. she was one of 4 girls and the sole brunette with 3 red headed sisters.

we found that we had lots in common. we both loved to read, were very good students and developed an interest in boys at about the same time. and as the oldest of the 4, she was bossy like me. i soon spend most of my free time at her house.

we called her mom “lady em” because she stayed in her robe late in the morning and read the paper. her dad was larger than life and was always getting them to do something- helping with house projects , loading up the van with kids for cross country ski trips or trips to the beach. teaching them to clam, making eggs benedict or blue berry pancakes on the weekends . when he got mad he was a yeller ( and still is) .

i had the pleasure of attending a party in honor of lady em and bob’s 50th wedding anniversary. there were lots of people from the neighborhood that i have known since i was a kid. other folks who joined the extended family and community of the nelson clan along the way. it was a great evening with lots of laughs, good food and toasts to bob and em. its quite an accomplishment fifty years.