Why I Go to Wisconsin with a Half-Empty Suitcase

...because of the thrifts. And also because of the need to bring back cheese. But this post is about clothes not cheese.

It's no secret by now that going to thrift stores is one of my most favorite activities. It's a fact that has been well documented on this blog. I just love the hunt. And the uniqueness of what you can find. And the deals. And the timelessness of it. With the way that "fashion" swings through the decades these days, it's just so cool to me that you can find great vintage stuff that is totally back in style. It's also that I just really love clothes. I think I always have. I like putting fun outfits together, thinking of looks I want to add to my wardrobe and then hunting them down. But I also hate a ton of things about what has come to be known as fast fashion. I'm not going to go into a huge rant here. This is just supposed to be a fun "look what I found!" post. Go ahead and google "what is fast fashion" if you're not sure what I mean. To put in plainly: thrifting is simply my favorite way to get new clothes, for a myriad of reasons.

Okay. Back to the good stuff.

We were able to hit quite a good handful of thrifts on our most recent trip to Wisconsin. It's really a must. What makes the Wisconsin thrifts so great? Honestly I don't really know. And they're certainly not the best for everything. Mostly, I think they're the best for vintage / retro clothes. Think fancy grandma. Is that a fashion term? If so, I think I'd like to co-opt it as my personal style statement. Or how about this: what your mom wore in the 70s and 80s. Well, at least what my mom wore? I have the photographic proof. She was a total babe.

OMG I cannot stay on topic today! How about I just put the pictures in now.

I am totally in love with this entire outfit. I found both the shirt and pants at a little church-run thrift store in my hubs's hometown. They had the shirt on one of those half-bust hanger things. You know. The kind they use for the stuff they think is really good, and then they hang it up on the wall. Yeah. One of those. Clearly the retiree volunteers really knew what they had with this one because, lemme tell ya, it is fantastic. 100% silk (minus the sequins obvs) with a beautiful shape. And I'm sure it was still under $5. THANK YOU WISCONSIN! The pants are pretty killer too. Super high waisted, as you can tell, with a nice little semi-cropped leg. I think they're Route66 brand from K-Mart, which I kind of love.

Now here's what I'm talkin' bout with the 70's mom jeans! These are so fabulous. I've been wearing them almost constantly since we got home. This high waisted, wide leg, slightly flared style is so totally back. I had been hunting for a pair here in Seattle for several months with no luck. Well, no luck that went over a size 4. Which I am definitely not in vintage jean sizes (side note: Do you love or hate vanity sizing? I'm undecided. Mostly I just wish it was consistent). Normally I wouldn't want to be broadcasting my bum on the internet, but those back pockets are just too good! 

Also, please excuse my need to place my hand on the window frame for some reason. I have no idea where that came from. It must be something they teach in model school. If there's a window frame use it. 

Mom jean look number two! Although now we've drifted decidedly out of the 70s and landed in....what? Late 80s? Totally morphed into the 90s? It's possible my ideas of the decades are not entirely accurate. Either way, I'm super smitten with these. Goodbye skinny jeans. These have become my other constant wear jeans (sorry to anyone who sees me on a weekly basis for just showing you a bunch of pictures of what you have been experiencing in real life). 

Next up we have this crazy little two piece number. Two piece outfits are my new favorite thing to hunt for, ever since I found this fantastic pant and short-sleeve button up combo in a teeny black and white polka dot print that looks like a jumpsuit when you tuck the top in. Who can resist a jumpsuit? People with long torsos (points to self). I always have this constant-wedgie problem with pretty much every jumpsuit I've tried on. So a two piece number that looks like a jumpsuit is super fantastic for freaks like me! Anyway, I found this skirt and shirt combo and was (and still am) a little hesitant about it. The skirt is kind of long and I kind of wish the top was a button up. But ultimately I couldn't resist the huge floral print and the fact that it has pockets. I've worn both as separates, and I actually really like them that way. My other thought is that I could possibly turn the skirt into pants. Like, really billowy palazzo style. The only problem is that they'd be ankle length, which is sort of trend right now? But also a little weird and maybe not super flattering. I could also just shorten the skirt a bit, but I can't do both. I think I'd prefer it as pants, but it may be a bit beyond my sewing level and I don't want to ruin it altogether. AH! Decisions!




Jewelry! I got some good bobbly bobbles, which is my favorite kind of jewelry. Statement pieces, amiright?!? The one on the left is made out of actual stone beads, rather than my usual plastic. That probably means it's higher quality or sumthing. Its also got this really pretty little brass closure thing. Totally classy. The red one on the right is a style that I've been keeping my eye out for recently. It's the same shade of red, but a different length as one that I already have. That one belonged to my grandma. It's a little bit longer than this one, so I wanted to find one in the same shade that I could wear with it. Because of course one bright red plastic bobble necklace is not enough. My favorite is the one in the middle, though. BECAUSE IT'S ACTUALLY A MIRROR! It's like a functional sun medallion. Which I am all about. Sure, it's a tiny mirror. But it's perfect for touching up one's lipstick, which apparently I wear a lot of these days. I blame Andi. 

And last but not least we have Kevin! With his bestest thrift find of the trip: this fantastic coat. (Why do I suddenly sound like I'm MCing at a beauty pageant?) He found it at the Dime and Dollar in Wausau, which is definitely one of our favorite places. It's fantastic that it actually fits him, slim dude that he is. That fake fur cape thing zips up into a hood, too. So rad. Also: DIDN'T I MARRY THE STUDLIEST MAN EVER! I think so.

All the Wisconsin Things

We recently took a week-long trip home to visit some of our family in the central Wisconsin area, and realized it was basically a mashup of super Wisconsiny things. Which makes sense. It is Wisconsin after all. Mostly for my own amusement, I present to you a selection of some of the week's activities in pictures. Staring off with a snowy road on the way to Kevin's Mom's house in the country.

On our way from the airport, we stopped at an old favorite restaurant from our college days: The Thorpedo! We took a red eye flight, so this was very early in the morning. And on a weekday no less. So it was basically us and a bunch of retiree regulars, which was a pretty great way to start the trip. Like, yep, we are definitely not in the city anymore. 

Later that day, we had to stop for some other favorite hometown food: Taco Johns. Gotta love those potato ole's! I actually didn't know this until we moved away, but Taco Johns is not a thing that is everywhere. Sure, it's just fast food. But c'mon. POTATO OLES!!

Now this next thing is not strictly Wisconsin. I'm sure people smoke pipes pretty much everywhere. But it is an activity that Kevin and his dad both enjoy doing together. Especially while sitting in recliners under handmade blankets. What were we watching on TV that night you ask? Some kind of hunting show? Maybe some sort of show on how to distill your own whiskey? Nope. It was The Bachelor.

No trip to Wisconsin would be complete without a trip to the thrifts! We made several stops in a couple different cities, including the good 'ole Dime & Dollar. There were many pairs of mom jeans purchased by me (more on that later), an astonishingly large collection of clip-on ties at a church-run thrift, and this amazing vintage Eddie Bauer three piece snowsuit that I almost couldn't pass up. Unfortunately, the flare leg pants were a bit too teeny for my posterior.

Back at Kevin's Mom's house we did lots of lounging about (me especially, because GUESS WHAT: I got strep throat on basically the first day of our trip). The doggies were wonderful cuddle buddies. Although, I must say that I missed old mister Kit Kat, last surviving brother of a pair of perennial house cats that populated Kevin's childhood. He passed away last year at the ripe old age of.....I'm not exactly sure. Kevin says maybe 21? That's hella old. 

Another can't miss stop is, of course, The Cheese Factory. This one is in Kevin's hometown. They've got basically every kind of cheese and then some. Also ice cream. Which a surprising amount of people were enjoying despite the fact that it was about 20 degrees outside. For our part, we loaded up on cheese curds, cheese strings, extra sharp cheddar, and about six other varieties to take back to Seattle for ourselves and friends. If you look behind the rows of cheese in this picture you can see the big glass windows that look into the actual cheese factory part. It's pretty rad. 

Next we have another not-really-Wisconsin-only thing. Kevin's younger brother Scott taught us how how to play Boss Monster. Super fun! We spent many hours sitting around the big kitchen island, both playing this game and just chatting. Drinking coffee and sitting around the kitchen island is one of our main activities. 

Here's Kevin enjoying a Spotted Cow! It's a beer brewed by New Glarus Brewing in New Glarus, WI. They only sell and distribute in Wisconsin (not even Minnesota!), so it's a given that we're going to buy one or two (or fifty) when we come back. 

Here's another delicious thing: a hot steaming bowl of rabbit stew. Kevin and Scott did a fair amount of rabbit hunting in the field behind the house, and (eventually) came in with two rabbits. Did you know that the gestation period for a rabbit is only 31 days, and that typically they're mature at about six months old? Whoa. Seems like a pretty sustainable meat source. Not to mention tasty. The boys cooked up this delicious stew for lunch, and Kevin's mom finished if off with dumplings. Mmm hmmm. 

And finally we have a terrible picture of a delicious meal. Friday night fish fry. I had already polished off my potato salad, coleslaw, and Spotted Cow by the time I remembered to take a (blurry) photo. It was so fun to go out for fish fry! Of course we have a ton of fish and chips in Seattle, but there's just something about a Friday night fish fry.

FO: Selbu Modern for Mom

Pattern: Selbu Modern
Yarn: Warm Valley Orchard's Worsted
Needles: US 3 (for ribbing) US 5 (for the rest)

This very special yarn was purchased on a trip Mom, Kevin, and I took last May to the San Juan Islands. We spend most of our time during that trip on Orcas Island, and my one request was that we stop in to Warm Valley Orchard to take a peek at their yarn. It's a very small shop that sells much more than just yarn, but the yarn they have there is super cool. Most of it is from their own sheep! You can even see said sheep grazing in the misty field as you drive in. I have a soft spot for woolly, undyed natural sheep's wool. This stuff also has lots of natural lanolin still in it, so it's a pleasure to knit with and produces a fairly water-resistant fabric.

The pattern is one I've made before for myself and the hat has become one of my favorites. Mom had also admired it, so we decided to pick out some yarn at Warm Valley so I could make her one of her own for Christmas (which I did finish in time thankyouverymuch). The only problem was that the wools we both liked where worsted weight, which is much heavier than the fingering weight called for by the pattern. Not to worry, I simply cast on less stitches and did fewer pattern repeats of the colorwork section. There was some math involved, but it was fairly painless. The resulting hat is definitely more stiff than slouchy and much more dense. For Mom this isn't a problem because it means it's super warm and suitable for even the coldest Wisconsin winter days. Except when it's -30, because no one should go outside in -30.

Raveled: here.

52 Tuesday's: Favorite CHRISTMAS Thrifts #24

What: Gold Trim Tom and Jerry Bowl
Where: Shoreline Goodwill
Level of Love: 5 out of 6 

I love this Tom and Jerry bowl. For those of you not familiar, a Tom and Jerry is a warm holiday drink that's kind of like eggnog but with alcohol. I don't think I've ever actually had one. Maybe once. But if I did I can't remember if I liked it. Regardless, it's not the drink itself that makes me love this bowl. To tell you the truth, I can't quite put my finger on why I feel so drawn to Tom and Jerry sets. I think it reminds me of Christmastime in the midwest. Not because we had them in my house growing up, but because it was one of those grocery store holiday signposts that mark the road to Christmas. The Tom and Jerry mix came out in our local grocery store right along with the fruitcake and the eggnog. Now, since we've moved to the west coast, I've become increasingly nostalgic about everything Wisconsin-esque. While it's always fun to make our own traditions, there's just something extra special about carrying on old one's, too. I guess that's why they call them traditions. Maybe this year we'll blend the old with the new and start of tradition of actually drinking Tom and Jerry's. The recipe in this article looks promising indeed. 

This particular Tom and Jerry set is extra special because it's made by our favorite brand Homer Laughlin (see here, here, and here). I also think the cream color with gold trim is pretty classy while at the same time taking a break from the typical Christmas color scheme that dominates the rest of our decorating. I gave it a five out of six because it's missing one of it's mugs. There's five. And there should be six. Thus...five out of six. 

52 Tuesday's: Favorite CHRISTMAS Thrifts #23

What: Wee Ceramic Christmas Tree
Where: Bethesda Thrift Store, Milwaukee
Level of Love: 8 out of 10

For the rest of December I'm going to share my favorite Christmas-related thrifts. I love Christmas, and have collected quite a few holiday things over the years, so it's going to be hard to pick!

This first item is a recent find and is making its Christmas holiday decor debut this year. I picked it up in Milwaukee while spending a wonderful day of thrift and vintage shopping with my Aunt Dee. She knows all the best places. The only reason I gave it an 8 is because the size is just a wee bit...well...wee. I wish it were just a little bit bigger. Or, I'd love to have it be one of a set. I'll be keeping my eye out for other similar trees at the thrifts this season and would love to create a little forest of them! Or

52 Tuesday's: Favorite Thrifts #22

What: Harlequin Teacups 

Where: Columbus Antique Mall

Level of Love: 10 out of 10 (except I wish I had the suitcase space/luggage space/disposable income to actually have bought 10 of them) 

I was recently back in Wisconsin for a friend visit (peppered by a lovely day spent with wonderful Southern-Wisconsin family) and my good friend Lindsey took me to one of her favorite local-ish antique malls. She knows me too well! And she also enjoys antiques and thrifty things and is thus an excellent shopping mate. 

Here are a few things about the Columbus Antique Mall. One: it claims to be Wisconsin's largest antique mall (although it's website has an asterisk next to this? there is no footnote to go along with this asterisk. the asterisk may actually be a typo). Two: it includes a Christopher Columbus Museum that is self-described as a world class exhibit (no asterisk there...they say it came from an actual World's Fair exhibit. Who knew). Three: it may very well be the best antique store I've ever been to. I am not exaggerating here and do not mean to diminish all of the other wonderful antique places I've been to and loved. However, the Columbus Antique Mall is just super fantastic. 

Case in point: These two wonderful, perfect Harlequin teacups!!! Purchased for a mere $2.50 each. Can you believe it?!? I hardly could. I've seen them hovering mostly in the $10 range at other shops, if I see them at all. Their delicate little handles and relatively short production time makes them a bit more rare than most of the other things I like to collect. Plus, then were sold exclusively through Woolworth's instead of being at a variety of retailers. 

If these little beauties seem a little familiar, it may be because they're an awful lot like these from this post: 

They look alike because they were conceived by the same designer who made Fiestaware - Fredrick Rhead - and were manufactured by Homer Laughlin in the same colors (with a few exceptions I think). Before I knew any better / got curious and did some quality internet research, whenever I saw Harlequin at stores I assumed it was Fiestaware knock-off stuff because the shapes are similar but not the same, the colors are the same, and they don't have a back stamp. Now, I love seeing Harlequin and get especially giddy over these perfect little retro-futuristic (no I didn't just make that up) teacups with their unique shape and delicate handles. Someday, I hope to score a teapot to add to my collection...maybe next time Columbus Antique Mall. Maybe next time. 

October in Instagrams

Where did October go??? I know it's a total cliche, but this month seriously flew by. The weather has changed here in Seattle, but we've also still had quite a few sunny days. Honestly, I can't even remember this month's highlights, so I'll have to jump right into pictures and let them speak for themselves (with captions clockwise from top left as I jog my memory):

1) Toast with cheese spread and fig jam from the Mediterranean food store. 2) A happy bike-makeover afternoon in our living room followed by 3) A happy light filled and friend filled kitchen moment. 4) Best. Book. And fresh manicure.

1) Starting Mom and Jim's visit off with a trip east to see the salmon spawning in the Snoqualmie River. 2) Kevin scanning for (and spotting) big horn sheep in the Yakima River canyon with the most beautiful light. 3) Mom playing pilot at the Future of Flight exhibit. 4) Pretty fall colors are the best.

1) Jim enjoying a best-burger-in-Seattle (in our opinion) from Lil' Woody's for his birthday. 2) Mom and I got matching mini pumpkin pies while visiting the Space Needle. 3) BACK IN WISCONSIN! And eating obligatory deep fried cheese curds from Mullen's Cheese. 4) Grocery shopping in Wisconsin and I realize how much I miss Milwaukee brand pickles. It's nostalgia in a jar.

1) Mom and I decide to take a canoe ride to the island on our lake while I'm home and 2) I make her snap a selfie with me. 3) Going through old photo albums and I stumble across this picture of my dad as the most adorable little kid circa 1940. 4) My old thrift store stomping grounds in Wisconsin. A must stop.

52 Tuesdays: Favorite Thrifts #21 (from the airport)

What: Leather Jacket
Where: Rhinelander Goodwill
Level of Love: Undecided

First, let's address the elephant in the blog: that is a terrible picture. Here's what happened. It was taken in an airport bathroom. I'm currently traveling back to Seattle on my way back from visiting my family in Wisconsin. The reason for the visit is both sudden and sad. My Grandpa Emmanuel (Manny) Firnstahl passed away. At the time that we got the rather sudden news that he had been rushed to the hospital, my Mom and Jim happened to be visiting us in Seattle. Which left my Mom with a very tough decision. Should she head back ASAP to hopefully be able to say goodbye to her Dad and be there with the rest of the family (keep in mind we weren't sure at this point what exactly had happened or how serious it was)?Or should she stay in Seattle the remaining five days with us and head back as scheduled. The fact that this decision was so difficult is a testament to how much my Mom loves me, because she was so torn over cutting our time short. Finally, we decided that the best solution would be for both of us to head back to Wisconsin on the next possible flight. And so, that's just what we did. We spent a few days with Grandpa and other family members in the hospital, and he passed away on Friday, October 25th. I'll leave it at that on this space, but if you're interested in reading the obituary you can find it here.

Now, back to the terrible picture of this lovely jacket. I'm sitting in the airport with some time on my hands and realize it's Tuesday. Zoinks! Why don't I use my extra time to do a thrift post! I've even got this cool leather jacket - a score from this very trip nonetheless - at the ready! Into the bathroom I go, and as I'm snapping this picture I think to myself, "Is this illegal? Taking a picture in a public bathroom? Am I about to be asked to leave the airport and never come back?". Clearly I have been ingrained with very deep respect and fear of the law. So, I decided not to risk taking another, even though it's a bit bleary and quite frankly not all that flattering.

I'm undecided about the jacket itself, for reasons I can't quite put my finger on. I've been looking for a leather jacket for awhile now, and leave it to the reliable Wisconsin thrift stores to deliver one to my exact specifications: bomber style, light brown leather, my size...but...I don't know. Maybe I'm just not a leather-jacket-person after all. In the end I decided to bring her home even though I wasn't 100% sold and give her a few test runs. We shall see.

52 Tuesdays: Favorite Thrifts #14 - Travel Edition

What: Wedge Loafers
Where: Savers in Eau Claire, WI
Level of Love: 5 out of 10

First, I am currently travelling far from home for work, so this week's favorite thrift feature was selected from among my travel belongings. I think it makes a thing extra favorite when you take it travelling with you, right?

I purchased these wonderful wedge loafers pretty recently when we stopped at an old favorite thrift store in Eau Claire while driving from my hometown area in Northern Wisconsin to catch a flight from Minneapolis to Seattle. This is one of my all time favorite thrift stores from our college years. It just always seems to be stocked with some pretty awesome finds. I'm thinking back to numerous items of vintage clothing and my first ever thrifted piece of vintage Fiestaware (the gold creamer you can just catch a glimpse of in this previous post).

I really love these shoes. They're super comfortable, are in really good shape, and I think they go with everything. Plus, even though the wedge is pretty teeny and made out of rubber, I still kinda feel like I'm "wearing heels" when I put them on. If it were completely up to me, I'd give them a ten out of ten. However, this thing called marriage is a two way street, and this husband of mine isn't as big of a fan. Thus, they get only half of a ten. At the store, I recall him telling me I shouldn't buy them because they were too "granny". Whatever. I like granny and I think they're fabulous.

52 Tuesdays: Favorite Thrifts #10

What: Fiestaware Teacups
Where: Secondhand Rose, Rhinelander, WI (and Dearborn Goodwill in Seattle)
Level of Love: 140 out of 140 (10 point each)

I can't believe I've let nine Tuesdays pass without sharing any Fiestaware! This is absolutely my favorite thing to collect. It's the first thing I look for at any thrift store. I bee-line it for the plate aisle and start scanning the shelves for bright pops of color, turning things over to look for the stamp when I see something promising. I'll keep my eye out for it at antique stores as well, but it's generally out of my price range. Fiestaware's not super rare, so I figure I can afford (ha! pun intended) to collect it slowly by saying no to things that are less than a steal. I've loved it for such a long time, too. It's one of the rare things I saw as a teenager and always said "I want that for my house someday" and still really love.

Which is why I originally passed these up. Secondhand Rose is an antique store, so I went in expecting not to buy Fiestaware. Well, that and I was only home on a short visit to Wisconsin with not a lot of extra baggage room. So, I left without them. Pouting I'm sure. Flash forward to Washington a few weeks later, and I couldn't get the adorable teacups out of my head. I started scouring online vintage and antique sites to try to find the same. Which is when I realized these little darlings were even more of a steal that I had originally thought. At between $3 - $6 each for the cup and saucer set, and in very good condition, AND in my most favorite Fiesta colors, they were just too good to pass up. So, I sheepishly called up my wonderful Mother and asked if she'd go back, see if they were still there, and pick them up on my behalf.

Now, they sit happily taking up this shelf in our kitchen. Oh. Almost forgot. The two extra yellow teacups were found at a Goodwill in Seattle, and I paid $9 for each without a saucer. Yes, Secondhand Rose, you were good to me indeed. Now, I'm not going to think about all the other  Fiestaware I left behind there....

52 Tuesdays: Favorite Thrifts #8

What: Vintage Wrangler Shirt (for Kevin)
Where: Bethesda Thrift Store, Wisconsin Rapids
Level of Love: Off the charts

This is my first post dedicated to an item of clothing, and it's probably the best item of clothing I've ever thrifted for Kevin. He loves it. Gets worn at least once a week. Perfect fit, perfect softness, and a lovely handsome plaid color combo. I love finding awesome things for Kevin, probably even more than finding things for myself. It's so much more rare to find fantastic vintage mens clothing, so I get more satisfaction from the "find". Plus, I really enjoy giving gifts. There's nothing better than seeing something, knowing it's just perfect for someone, then seeing the look in their eyes that tells you they love it just as much as you thought they would. Out-of-the-blue gifts are the best. Like when I come home from a thrift, pull something out from behind my back for Kev, and he goes "Wow! That's so cool!" (insert beaming wifey here). 

I snapped this shirt off the rack during a trip home to Wisconsin last winter. Remember Wisconsin friends? We had a mini friend reunion hosted by Kari, which of course had to include thrifting. Who can pass up some good Wisconsin thrifts with good friends?!? Other Wisconsin musts include: one or more favorite eateries (in Rapids that means Misty's Menu for us), Spotted Cow, cheese (I know, it's stereotypical...but it's true). Preferably the cheese comes in the form of deep fried cheese curds. 

Christmas at Home (both of them)

First up are a few shots from the last few days of my two week trip back to Wisconsin. I was scheduled to leave on a Sunday night, but the flight ended up being cancelled. Teeny airport, a bit of snow, one flight a day, and some mumbo jumbo about a tail flap meant I was staying an extra night. So, Mom and I took advantage of the extra time and decided to do Christmas early! Here's us in the Christmas sweaters we gifted each other (we have such great taste) and a few shots of the snow I got to enjoy seeing because of the delay. Previously we hadn't had much at all yet in Wisconsin, so I couldn't resist taking a few shots of it.

Then, when I finally got back (home) to Seattle, we hit Christmas head on. We got our tree, decorated, wrapped gifts, and thoroughly got into the holiday spirit. It's tradition to get a real tree. No, not just tradition. A must. Ideally I would like to cut our own, like we always did when I was a kid. Unfortunately, things are a bit different in the Seattle area and apparently you can't cut your own tree without paying an arm and a leg. At least not that I've found. So, we settled for a pre-cut one. But we got it a tree farm, so that counts for something. As is also tradition - at least for Kevin and me - is making sure we get one that's small enough to shove in the back of our car. Once we got it home, we got straight to decorating. I got out the usual vintage bulbs that I got for a pittance at a garage sale one summer (remember that Lindsey??). I still love pulling them out and putting them on the tree every year.  This year there were a few new additions as well.  Two ornaments that were my Dad's as a kid. See the pretty red bird and the elf? So special. Other new additions included some new pillowcases I made from an oversized Christmas sweater we found at a thrift store awhile back and a somewhat newly thrifted Tom and Jerry's set.  This set is extra perfect for us because it's made by Homer Laughlin. Along we being the original maker of my absolute favorite Fiestaware, they also make lots of wonderful other dinnerware, which we've taken to collecting. Especially their classic restaurant / diner dishes.

Memories

This place has a lot of them.

Feeling like the house was bursting with people when I was a kid. Playing with cousins inside and outside. Watching Jeopardy with Grandma. Watching Grandpa eat grapefruit and toast and drink coffee at the kitchen table. Eating food. Eating more food. Playing games at the kitchen table like Scrabble and spoons and cards. Doing everything at the kitchen table. Playing upstairs with the dollhouse. Stepping on a tack while going up those stairs. Chinese checkers. Doing craft projects with Grandma and being reminded not to use the fabric scissors for paper because you have to segregate your scissors like that. Going into the fruit cellar and smelling the sweet smell of fruit. In my memory it always smells like pears. Puzzles on the card table in the front room. Sleeping over in the back room and saying prayers with Grandma. Especially that German prayer I can’t remember anymore. Cutting our Christmas tree in the field of trees that’s now taller than the house. Repainting the house. Remodeling the whole bathroom. Eating sweet rolls. Eating butter horns. Eating kolaches. Eating soda cracker bars. Getting slippers for Christmas. Walking down to the crick. Canoeing down the crick one snowy day with Dad then carrying the canoe back up the hill. Walking down the driveway to get the mail. Watching the birds. Especially the humming birds. The red checked dress. Always the red checked dress.

Grandma Schoeneck passed way on Monday, November 19th. She was born on January 29th, 1925 in Chicago, Illinois. 8 children, 19 grandchildren, 9 (soon to be 10) great-grandchildren. To me, her passing feels like the end of an era. Grandpa Lester passed away nearly 10 years ago and my Dad passed almost 6 years ago. I know I will always be part of the Schoeneck family and feel so blessed to have so many loving relatives. But, still, in a certain way it feels like my last direct connection to the Schoeneck’s passed with Grandma. It’s symbolic for sure, and more in my head than anything else. But it’s also part of the reason I feel so thankful that I got to say a nice long goodbye to Grandma’s house, including taking these photos and reflecting on all the memories.