Heartbroken

One of my favorite places in the world as a child was my grandparents house. To me it seemed to be the most perfect place in the whole world. I remember running and playing all over the barnyard and the little forest just behind the house. Late Spring was a special time when we got to feed bummer lambs and all my grandmothers Irises would bloom. Then in the summer the milkweed plants would be filled with caterpillars and we would be getting our float ready for the twenty fourth of July parade.

My grandma was always baking something cakes, pies, cookies, etc. Her apple cookie jar always filled when the grand kids came. Tea parties and homemade Popsicles were some of my other favorite treats. I loved shucking corn with my grandpa out of the front lawn and sitting and listening to all my relatives tell stories around the bonfire. My grandparents house was a magical place one Easter my grandma put muddy footprints through her house to make us think the Easter bunny had really been inside hiding our eggs. The yard was always beautiful with lots of flowers and huge trees. I remember all to well picking up endless pine cones so the lawn could be mowed.

This summer I visited my grandparents for a few days. I knew the house and yard have been going steadily down hill but I was not prepared for what awaited me at my favorite place in the world.

I was heartbroken. The green lawn where I once gathered pine cones and had water fights is now a dusty and dead parking lot/ junk yard. The big trees have died and lay in a big heap of cut wood. Numerous broken snowmobiles and lawn mowers adorn whats left of the lawn. Junky cars are plentiful and so are their owners who lounge around my grandparents house all day doing nothing and paying for nothing. I love my uncle, cousins and their children because they are my family but I literally want to shake them and say" HOW DARE YOU...How dare you turn this magical place into pile of filth!"

I love my grandparents and I tired to make the most of our visit. We sat on the lawn under a tree and visited. The girls danced while Ben played the Piano and sang which my grandpa loved. My grandparents smiled as they visited with us and I knew for a few moments they were happy. I can only imagine that they are heartbroken too as they watch what they spent their lives building crumble around them. There is plenty of blame to go around but I am tired of the drama I just miss the home in my memories. I miss that magical place where I grew up.