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Flashback Friday


Christmas morning.  Not exactly sure where the Wombie is, or any of the parents.  Perhaps this is a late night - early morning package ambush before anyone else wakes up.    Nah, somebody had to take the picture, and as I stated a few days ago, I was permanently banned from using it and the Wombie was smart enough not to follow my lead.  

A few things about this picture.  


  • First, what the hell am I wearing?  Those PJ's look like my Dad could have worn them.  What size did Marj get anyway?  Apparently it was purchased with longevity in mind. 
  • Phil looks to be in a state of enthused confusion.  I'm not sure he knows yet what is on the package.  He is certainly thrilled, but also has that expression of not really knowing why. 
  • I'm sure I have mentioned it before.  That set of furniture was the greatest ever made.  It was real wood, fastened together with real screws and maybe dowels.  It was indestructible.  I mean it was heavy and firm and you couldn't make it jiggle or loose anywhere.  Preeeemo stuff.  Like Cousin Eddie said while asking Clark if he could have the chair the cat was electrocuted under, "It's a real quality item."  Wherever that stuff is today, I'm sure it is still as solid as it was 50 years ago. 


  • See that decorative piece on the wall.  It looks like a piece of driftwood with pine branches on it?  I wish I could remember if that was a Christmas decoration she put up there for the holidays or if it was a permanent fixture.  Why would you have a branch with balls on it hanging on your wall, otherwise?
  • That is a neat but oh-so 50's-60's tripod lamp on the corner table.  
  • Finally.  I have a vague idea of what that thing is on the table, with the ball on the lid.   I'm just guessing but it might be a holder for cards.  Marj and Herb were playing Bridge with the neighbors and it seems to me there were cards and score pads in this thing.  Not sure, but maybe the Wombie or Phil can give a definitive answer. 
  • Already opened on the left looks to be a tractor and wagon.  I'm not sure if they are Tonka brand but if they were then that was one tough set of toys.  Tonka was all metal and designed to take as much punishment as a kid could give.  I still have a Tonka toy around here somewhere.  Of course, the all metal toys gave way to plastic at some point, and something was lost forever.



In what looks to be the same Christmas morning, we get a little more idea of what is going on.  Grandfather Dick Westlake is over in the chair in front of the picture window, and the camera is in the hands of Marj.  No where to be seen is the Wombie who is either still asleep, grounded, or looking outside wondering what happened to the rest of his presents.  

Details from this Picture: 


  • My folks didn't believe that a kid, or at least their kids, could be responsible with BB guns, so you won't see any in our Christmases.  That is about the only thing I can remember that was denied to us.  But they weren't above getting us Burp Guns.  They made cool noises so i guess we were OK with them, temporarily.
  • You have already seen Marj's creative Christmas cards.  This is a great shot of her ability to transform her 6-paned picture window into a bit of art as well.  She transformed each pane into something nice relating to the holidays.  In a stained glass motif she included candles, a snowman and one, a snowman, in another a a Merry Christmas.  What was in the others is probably lost to history, but this was clearly a woman who knew how to celebrate Christmas well and went above and beyond.  
  • Phil is to the right of the picture readying his next package for opening.  

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