The Doll House

Irene was quite angry with me when she finally discovered her playhouse, the play dough cooking domain that she claims as hers when she visits in summer, was now in winter a shed full of garden furniture and stuff. She grabbed the wheel barrow as if to remove it, saying we had to get this stuff out of here right now! I talked her down, with some difficulty, and moved on to show her Grandpa's green house. Irene has not been here in winter before. But we had a new indoor attraction. That helped. Tom's mother Bernice was a skilled fiber artist. She and Bud retired to Whidbey Island and she became very active in a weaving guild. One Christmas we gave her a doll house kit. She and Bud put it together and she began furnishing it. We all gave her gifts of little furniture, but Bernice put her skills to use and wove or sewed carpets, coverlets and upholstery fabric. She even crocheted a Christmas tree and wreaths for the windows. She had a friend make some stained glass windows, too. Every time we visited we would first check out what was new in the doll house. When she passed away, Jill inherited her grandmothers creation. After Jill left home, we wrapped it up and stored it in a closet. This Christmas we brought it out for the next generation to enjoy. And that's how we started their first day of Christmas with us.