Childhood Memories of Anna Banana
I can remember clear as a blue sky the day I went to my new home in Duluth, Minnesota with my parents. At the time I was 4 years old and had 3 older siblings. For some reason they took only me that day. Must have been fate - you'll know why soon!
We were met at the door by a very pretty real estate lady all dressed up in a blue suit and hat (50's style). She took one look at me and said ' My don't you look pretty all dressed up in your pretty blue coat and hat. Would you like to be my helper"? Well what little four year old wouldn't love that job! She took us from room to room and prompted me how to explain each room. This is the music room where you can learn to play piano. This is the sun room where I bet your Mom would let you play house with your dolls. On and on she helped me throughout the big house - BE - the real estate lady. I can tell you I still smile every time I think of that day! It really was the beginning of my long love of real estate and helping people make their home dreams come true.
This home was amazing, full of different kinds of rooms, porches and sunrooms all over the place. It even 
had one of those huge banisters you could slide down and 'secret' tiny rooms/closets for playrooms and hide-a-ways. As I grew up I wondered if it was only my imagination how cool and big the home really was so I went back in my late 20's and sure enough - it was still amazing.
I remember so many good times in that house! My Mom used to make me poached eggs every morning and let me watch Captain Kangaroo (kid heaven for sure). I played dolls for hours with my cousin in the bright sun room off the large dining room. My Mom let us make 'houses' with blankets and even served us tiny sandwiches and tea.
With about 30+ kids in this neigborhood we'd play hide-N-seek for hours in the summer time. My Mom would make all the kids malted milk shakes (when I think of that now - that's a lot of kids)! In the winter time our entire front yard was made up of snow forts - kind of like an Eskimo village. My oldest brother Pat was always in 'charge' and he wanted to build forts everywhere. We even had a 2 story fort in the woods behind the home. In the summer time he'd gather up all the 'troops' and play army. Of course he was always the GENERAL (still is)!
At the time my Dad was in the hardware business. At his warehouse the entire 8th floor was full of every toy you could imagine. Sometimes he'd take us down there and let us run around and play with whatever we wanted. Other times he'd come home with ski's or hoola hoops or other fun stuff for everyone! He 
was a very cool Dad! Oh yes - one other time he brought home tiny little flash lights for everyone. While they were out to dinner my older brother, the GENERAL, decided we'd play hide-N-seek in the dark. That was a blast! But boy was he ever in trouble when Mom and Dad got back home and nobody was in bed!
One day about 3 weeks before Christmas my other older brother Michael,(who BTW was always the 'she's my sister' taking care of me for years brother) talked me into going back into the woods about 2 miles. He had seen the 'perfect' Christmas tree several months previously and he wanted me to help him bring it home and surprise Mom. I was 5 and he was only 9. He chopped the big tree down (about 12 feet as it turns out) and we dragged it back to the house. It took forever and I remember him saying to me, "that's ok , we'll just take a break". When we got back I wanted to show Mom right away. 
"NO", Mike says - let's hide it behind the garage and surprise Mom. So that's what we did and we covered it up real good. About a week or so later the Boy Scouts came knocking at the door wanting to sell my Mom a tree. She was just about going to buy one - when I said 'But Mom we already have a tree"! WHAT.... MY MOM SAYS!!!!! For years that was the story they told every year around Christmas. My Mom said she tried to act stern but she just couldn't help but be amazed that two little kids could have done that all by themselves.
Wow by now my head is spinning with lots more fun memories.
But I don't want to bore everyone...Just a few more - ok?
This one has to do with our 'scary' new neighbor' that lived next door and didn't like kids. He was kind of like the scrooge on the block. My Dad had gotten us a big swimming pool (cardboard outside with a blue liner inside). For a couple of years they always placed it on a big patio between us and our neighbors - The Nardi's - an Italian Family with lots of kids like ours. All the kids played in the pool - kind of like a neighborhood pool. Mr Scrooge moved into the house in the fall. He didn't ask anyone about who's pool it was he just decided one day to cut it up! I remember my Mom talking to him that day and asking him what he was doing. Since it was on mostly his side I guess he thought he could do what he wanted with it. Needless to say this was the start of the neighborhood boys playing a lot of tricks on that man. I remember some of them - and I couldn't believe boys would do such stupid things! No I'm not telling those stories now! Boys will be boys....some things never change!
Grandpa Johnson used to come and stay with us for a week or so at a time. He always took the bus (or maybe it was cab) up to see us. Every time - and I mean every time- he came to visit - we would watch him walk up the long driveway with a big paper bag in his hand, full of NUT GOODIES! Grandpa was so much fun. He would play monster and run around the house 'trying' to catch us. Of course he never did but we were full of giggles!
One more (well maybe)! It was my 6th Birthday (Christmas Eve). My Mom had invited a few people over for dinner. My older sister Mary was trying in be her helper that night. After dinner she wanted to surprise me all by herself. So she went into the kitchen through the big swinging door. A few minutes later she came back through the swinging door smiling ear to ear. She had my birthday cake on a tray and it was a 
pink doll if I remember correctly. Well - she was sooooo excited and all at once, as she was showing off the cake to me, it slide off the tray and all over my party dress! She was so upset that she ruined my birthday cake. But after all the commotion my Dad saved the day. I don't know where he went but he came back with tiny little ice cream cakes - and the party continued until it was time to go to bed so Santa could come!
Ok this is the last story! This very same night my baby brother Joe kept crying and crying. My parents were down stairs with the aunts and uncles (probably setting up for Santa's arrival). I decided to bring Joe into my room and rock him to sleep. I put him on my feet and rocked and rocked him until he fell asleep. Later that night my Mom said she found us both fast asleep and it was such a sweet site for Christmas Eve.
We lived in this house until I was about ten and it was full of happy memories. There are so many more memories popping into my head - but - alas - it's time to end. I was a very lucky child to have grown up in such a happy and creative home. I feel very blessed - every day - and I am who I am as a result of those growing up years.
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