Home Away From Home

I am with my family for the holidays. My parents no longer live in the house of my childhood but a rush of sense-memory hit me when I got here.

So, being who I am, I have to analyze it.

Blackberry Pie - Every Summer for the two weeks of the blackberry season, my family picked - like MANIACS. All weekend events were cancelled, all we did was collect a massive amount of blackberries.

You would think that the forced labor would make me go into convulsions at the scent.

Nope - they smell like home. My parents, every week, would make two blackberry pies. It was something they did together. (The pies were pretty good too)

Blackberries mean family.

Sunbreaks - Living in California has made me giggle at the sound of 'Sunbreaks' as a weather forecast.

Movies - lots of Movies - The genre of choice for my family is 'Tacky Science Fiction' (usually found at Blockbuster behind 'Sappy, Overdone Romantic Comedy'). This year is no exception. (this is the family that spent Christmas day a couple years ago watching all the extended editions of the Aliens movies).

Banter - In my family you have to dish it out as well as take it. God help the first Boyfriend I bring home. (By the way my Dad wins on the most staples ever fastening scalp skin together and thus has earned the title 'Zipperhead')

Sleeping in Front of the TV - Sad, isn't it? But that level of comfort is nice.

Anyway, I'm here now (which is, strangely enough, ALWAYS a true statement). I hope that y'all are somewhere like this too.