inspired by st. patrick's day and a big Irish family

• That there was always a fresh supply of chocolate chip cookies in that blue tin
• That there was always a pot of black tea ready for drinking.
• The way that, no matter what time you woke up, there was always someone in a bathrobe a the dining room table reading the newspaper and drinking tea.
• The old spaghetti and meatball dinners with a full table.
• Watching papa pour a spoonfull of sugar in the tea, then one in his mouth, several times.
• The way the dining room table expanded to fit an infinite number of family members.
• Cleaning the lint out of the dryer.
• Measuring my height every year in the wall on the cellar. And seeing two generations of heights measured up there.
• Nana's flowers in the backyard during the summertime
• Taking the swings out and ventuing into the way back yard.
• The key hidden under the planter.
• The uncles' graffiti in the garrage.
• The patchwork quilt with my aunts and uncles old clothes in it.
• The old black and white family albums
• The dollhouse.
• The way Regan's talk when more than 3 of them are in the same place at the same time.
• The way no one ever went to bed.
• The basket pulley we used to make with the cousins.
• The stash of toys up the wooden staircase. Ants!
• Mint chocolate chip ice cream. Angel food cake.
• Nana's dresses
• The 9 baby pictures on the wall in Nana and Papa's room.
• Exciting trips to Rite Aid
• Lemonade Stands
• Trolley Trips to Media
• Papa yelling "Mary" from his chair in the living room.
• Watching cartoons with Papa in the TV room.
• Aunt and uncle wedding photos in the TV Room and Grandchildren photos in Papa's office.
• Cowboys and indians on the front porch. Fort Apache!
• The pianos. Jimmy and Nana singing together.