The Playhouse

Once upon a time there was a mommy who dreamed of having a "playhouse" for her children to play in. Playhouses are very expensive & there just wasn't enough money in the budget for a playhouse or the fun miniature furniture to put inside. One day, the mommy came upon a yard sale & found some affordable second-hand toy "kitchen" appliances that would be perfect for a playhouse. So the mommy cleared a corner of the garage out, next to the washer & dryer, & created the perfect little playhouse for her little girl. The mommy & her little girl were very happy...



A few years went by & they moved to a newer home. They brought their little kitchen with them, but this house didn't have a garage for the little girl & her siblings to play in. So the daddy had a great idea...he would build a playhouse for the children to play in. With the help of the granddaddy (who worked for an electrical company), they brought home some old discarded cable spools to use to build a playhouse.



The spools themselves were tons of fun to climb on & the daddy let the children hammer on them & take them apart. Brother learned how to work with tools as he would work alongside his dad & granddaddy.



They helped him build a "club house," too. He was proud of his sign, "No Girls Aloud!" (I'm not sure if they would be "allowed" if they were quiet or not.)



It was a busy construction zone in the backyard for well over a year because the daddy was building a garage at the same time. They would build a little, then save up for more materials, then build some more, & the process continued.




They worked evenings & Saturdays in the cold of winter & the humid heat of the summer days in the south.



The girls would frequently check on the progress & would often play in the unfinished playhouse when they could. They wanted people to know that the playhouse was for girls only, so the daddy hung their sign above the door..."No Boys!"



When the roof went on, they all got so excited because it was starting to look like a real house. They built a loft above the porch & it was totally finished inside with sheet rock that mommy wallpapered in a tiny flower print & linoleum flooring. It even had electricity with a working light & ceiling fan.



Building this playhouse was a generational labor of love. When it was completed, the children enjoyed some great times playing house & pretending.



Unfortunately, there are no pictures of the outside of the beautifully finished little playhouse in the backyard, but the memories are vivid & will remain in their hearts forever.

The daddy passed away & when the little family decided to move, the grandaddy moved the little playhouse to his home in the country so the children would always see it when they came to visit & remember that it was built for them with love. As they grew older they didn't play in it anymore, but they did visit & remember with tenderness.




Years later, the grandaddy & grandmommy passed away, too. The children were sad to see this chapter of their lives end - they loved their grandparents very much. What would become of their little playhouse? Would the new owners appreciate it the same as they had?

Well, their uncle had a great idea...



He moved the little playhouse to his home in the country, overlooking his pond, so that when the children came to visit, they would see it & remember that it was built for them with love.



Now their cousins' children enjoy playing in it & pretending. It still has the same wallpaper, the same curtains, the same little brown chairs, & the same little second-hand refrigerator (spray painted white)....& most importantly, the same feeling of love that was built into every inch.



Generations linked by love helps us appreciate the simple things in life - like treasured childhood memories of special times with special people...& they will live happily ever after because "families are forever."

Thanks, Uncle Tim! We love you for caring about the "important" things...like family - who we are & where we come from.