Such Is Life In the Far, Far West

Taken in K-Falls

Circa. 1960

Circa. 2000

Coletta and I are 14 1/2 years apart. She was in high school when I was born, but instead of being embarrassed by my birth, she was excited to the point of annoyance to everyone else. Mom often lamented that most of my baby pictures have the back of her head blocking my face. She was reluctant to let anyone else hold me and whispered to Mom and Dad that Mamoo, my sweet grandmother, might drop me. Mamoo chuckled, Mom and Dad did not. We grew up almost separately, but our kinship stayed in tact because our small family came together so regularly. Although I often rebelled against her tight hold, and we are sometimes more different than alike, we stay connected. I cannot image life without such unconditional love.

Circa. 1961

K-Kids generation 2. Circa. August 2009

These siblings have too many stories to tell in one sitting. They involve sitting in a bucket, climbing onto the roof, a smoking apple tree, paper delivery, lawn mowing and bottle collecting enterprises, making a huge chocolate chip cookie for Dad, a broken windshield, Killer Slap Jack, sneaking in the playroom door at night, trips to Mt. Angel, birthdays at the beach, discovering beautiful pebbles in Grandpa's driveway, rolling backwards at the dump, and cutting off a very long hair braid.