Before I chose 'Window People' for a title, I had to scroll back through the 380 posts - because I swear I've used that one before. In fact, almost every time I have a story to tell, I think 'I must have told this one by now'. But I guess I haven't.
Where do they keep coming from? There were so many things we got to do together - the memories keep surfacing. Imagine working on a jig saw puzzle for nearly 30 years...and the table, violently being flipped over - the horror in seeing your puzzle explode into millions of multi-shaped pieces..
...you dive to the floor, hastily attempting to put it all back together...hastily? DESPERATELY But, the pieces are somehow...different...
...And every so often, you flip a piece that looks familiar - that has a story to tell...here's one now...
Years ago, before we lived together, Kim and I would go out together - to carnivals, to see bands, to malls. But, we did not want our night to end and after everything had closed, we would just drive. Sometimes, we'd just sit in the car and talk.
One night, Kim noticed, that the windows in our car (the 'Silver Bullet', my Dad's 1977 Chevy Malibu) had fogged up. She drew a smiley face in the fog. Then another. And another. When she was done, she turned to me and said 'Window people'. And the Window People became ours. Looking back, how I enjoyed those times...
Over the years, the Window People found a home in our bathroom. Kim would shower, draw a couple of Window People on the mirror...they'd fade by the time I got in there, but, to my pleasure, they'd reappear while I was showering, greeting me as I stepped out. Kim could always find a way to make me smile.
The Window People evolved again when we had the bambini. When Cody made it to first grade, and it was time to pack lunches, Kim simply shifted the Window People to napkins, packed lovingly with a nice homemade lunch. A way to make Cody - and then Autumn, and finally Antonio, smile when they unpacked their lunch.
Her drawings inspired the bambini. In fact, Autumn saved nearly every one! After school, they would tell Kimmy about their day and always thank her for her napkin artwork. The smileys helped them through their day - giving them their own smiles.
I don't know where the time has gone - I only know that it has passed.
The Window People on the kid's napkins is one Kimmy tradition that I have kept going - and the bambini love it. Autumn has even gotten into the act. She takes great pains to 'secretly' draw me a Window People napkin and stash it in my lunch. I have to tell you, by lunch, I forget that she has 'secretly' done this and it always gives me a rush of nostalgia and a huge grin. She's so Kimmy.
Here are some of mine. And Aut's.
Two 'classic' Window People renditions
Autumn's butterfly for me
Even Tonio gets into the act, drawing me a pic of Bella!
These two were to me from Autumn
I made the shark scene for Tonio, who loves all things sharks
Both kids have gotten the Chesire Cat grin - they love the new version of Alice in Wonderland, starring Johnny Depp and both quote the movie. I love when Tonio says "You don't slay?", a line he's borrowed from Depp's Mad Hatter character!
This is my favorite from Autumn. Her drawings and hand writing remind me more and more of Kim's
There. That is a lot of our collection. How we connect at lunch time, even though we are all apart. The kids love the surprise. When they help pack their lunch, they will always leave when I am doing their drawings, so they don't see.
They love their napkin people!
