Treasures

My family is in Re-Location Limbo Land.

My daughter and I, my sister and her daughter and my son & daughter-in-law... we are all in limbo waiting for this house thing to work out. My son keeps sending me texts that say "When are you getting out of my house?" because they will be moving in my current house once my sister and I move into our new house.
So far, we are getting a lot of flirting and no commitment from House per my earlier post!

We are trying to get prepared by de-cluttering and putting aside things for a big Yard Sale. Saturday morning I went over to my sisters to help her sort through her stuff cuz icky jobs are always more tolerable with someone to share the misery.
We came across the usual array of things you can't imagine why you saved, boxes on boxes of pre-school papers, unidentified cords and miscellaneous phone chargers, sad reminders of families pre-divorce (by the way, today is the 12th anniversary of my husband coming out of the closet and leaving me-- so, Unhappy Dump Day to me!). Yearbooks with pics with 1980's era hair styles (gotta love those 6" tall bangs) And mementos. Blankies sewn with love for babies, afghans crotch ed with hope for newlyweds, baby dresses.... and the discovery of the day:

Snowy.


Finding Snowy brought a tear to my sister's eye.
I had Monica tell the Snowy tale from her own lips:
"I loved her and prayed she would come to life but I was realistic and knew she would have an awful life without any arms or legs. I called mom to find out about Snowy and she says that I got her from her and dad when I was about 6 months old. There were actually 2 Snowys because I rubbed the fur off the original. Mom said she was originally bought in Long Beach and after much searching she found the 2nd one at Helen's toy store. She said that I could tell that it wasn't the original and didn't like the new one."

My commentary:
My sister and I were not always the close best friends we are today. She is 3 years my junior and she was the bane of my existence as kids. For one, she was cute. She was ALWAYS cuter than I. Even now. I hate that. Second-- she wouldn't stay in her own bed. When I was 16 I put my foot down and she cried for a month. Third-- She breathed on me. If you have siblings you understand.

My sisters obsession with Snowy drove me nuts. I constantly told her that Snowy was stiff just to hurt her feelings (if I haven't apologized for that yet, I do so now Monica). I told her Snowy wasn't real. That was before The Velveteen Rabbit became one of my favorites. Today I know: Snowy is Real.

A word about Helen's Toy Store: Nirvana

Raise your hand if you grew up in Lancaster? Yeah, I see you guys out there and I know you remember Helen's Toy Store. It was on 10th Street West between Avenue I & Lancaster Blvd. The only toy store in the Antelope Valley. Yeah, you heard me. I grew up in an area about 70 miles north of Los Angeles called the Antelope Valley and no, there aren't any antelope here. Toys purchased at Helen's toy store were wrapped in the most exquisite of paper: White with big red dots all over it. It was substantial paper-- not cheapo thin stuff. You knew if you had a birthday party and there was a gift wrapped in that paper that someone went all out for you. They didn't pick up something at Fedmart or Gemco... no, you had a Helen's Toy Store toy.
Even now, I can remember how exciting seeing that paper was! Today Helen's toy store houses the dance studio where my daughter and niece have dance class.

Back to Snowy--- I am astounded she still exists in recognizable condition. She was just a body covered in rabbit fur. (she kinda looks like road kill these days)
But to Monica, she is Beautiful and Real.
Live on Snowy.......
Live on.......