Pieces of Memories

      When it first came out I remember being interested in seeing the TV series “This is Us” but did not start watching it until this year for whatever reason.  Normally I don’t enjoy constant flashbacks but have been intrigued with this series about three siblings who have become adults.  We see pieces of memories as they enter the world and grow up.  We see their parents struggles as well as their own.  It’s been interesting to watch as their characters are developed based on these memories that the audience members see only glimpses of. Each episode provides a recap of what memories were provided from previous episodes. 

The first episode starts off with four different cast members reacting to birthday celebrations.  The first story shows a pregnant woman holding a cupcake while her husband (Jack, the birthday boy) waits for her on the bed.  Her water breaks and they rush to the hospital where the woman is expected to give birth to triplets.  Their names will be Kevin, Kate, and Kyle. Each child is shown as an adult also celebrating his/her birthday except for Kyle who was a stillborn. In the nursery are three babies – Kevin, Kate and an infant that had been abandoned at a firehouse but brought to the hospital and in need of parents.  Jack makes a connection and the third baby is brought home along with Kevin and Kate.

At first they call the baby Kyle but eventually change in name to Randall.  We learn why in a later episode. Although the three of them were raised in Pittsburg, Kevin and Kate have moved to Los Angeles.  Kevin has an acting gig with a show called “The Manny”.  Kate attends weight loss meetings.  Only Randall remains on the east coast near to his mom.  Jack is deceased.

I have looked at this series with admiration thinking how each of us has memories we share with those we grew up with as well as memories that set us apart from those we grew up with.  For example, I have created memories in Oregon that I can share with my sibs, but they will never be their memories.  I can share past memories with my sibs that neither Roland nor Jenna will ever have a first account of.  The memories will come in bits and pieces that connect us together though we are still sorting through bits and pieces and do not have the entire picture linked together.

I love how my niece captured this with her words in her first blog post which she has now made private.  Fortunately I still have some of her posts.  In her introduction, she said:  

“My hope is that bits and pieces will seep into this blog slowly over time until my life experiences culminate into something that looks like a finished puzzle.”  (Ellen/Whitney)

Looking forward to seeing the picture unveiled and meanwhile trying to enjoy the journey of fitting the pieces together.

Wooden Houses

         Monopoly is still not my favorite game, but it is one of the few that Roland will agree to play with us.  However the rules vary quite drastically depending on whether he or Jenna are banker.  One of the last times we played, each of us had monopolies but Roland was banker hoarding houses and we were not allowed to buy hotels until we slowly built up and then traded in.  When Jenna’s banker, hotels can be purchased without having to first build up a housing empire.  There aren’t enough houses – at least there weren’t.

          Roland found some extra houses at good will and purchased what appears to be vintage pieces.  Not original 1936 pieces but a remake done in 1947. 

We decided to incorporate the extra housing in with our game pieces that were made this century. We played a came the day after Christmas.

The hotel sizes are different and the house colors range in an assortment of greens.

          The color variation for the money is not as obvious between the 20s and 50s as they are today

          And the game pieces were not the cool shapes that they are today,  Wooden pawns and tiny dice.

          The instructions had been creased and torn.  When we taped it back together Roland asked if that wouldn’t ruin its value.  Jenna and I threw puzzled glances at him thinking the creases and tears had probably already disvalued the game.  Also the fact that there was no board included.

          Jenna found a misshaped hotel and thought it funny and purposely used the edge/corner to stand the hotel as she thought it was funny.

          The game came with a booklet to advertise other Parker Brothers games (this one in Salem, Massachusetts – though they also had locations in New York, Chicago and London.  The monopoly game sold for 3.50  A game called Camelot sold for 1.50 and 2. 00 or with a large board and ivoried pieces for 5.00.  Sorry sold for 2.00 and a game called Pollyanna (which suspiciously looks like Parcheesi) sold for 2.00 also.

           Jenna and I laughed as Roland started mortgaging properties in order to buy others – NONE of which gave him a monopoly.  We kept landing on community chest, chance, taxes, and our own properties but rarely our own.  Jenna and I had both purchased hotels for the monopolies we had – but as no one was landing on properties except for the owner, we failed to purchase more because what would be the point.

          We played for two hours and declared Roland the winner just so we could stop.  We played some other games yesterday.  Jenna and I really enjoy playing games.

So Many Pieces

            Every once in a while I will search for a particular blog post using a single key word or phrase that I think are mentioned in the post.  Yesterday I typed in the word "pieces"  just to see what would come up.  I was surprised that I had used that word in over 50 posts in reference to several topics.  That does not include the 20 plus posts where piece was used singularly.  The top  "pieces"  post references referred to candy, other foods, luggage, lessons, toys and games.

  Other posts included actual breakage or used in a metaphorical way.

            I have used the word "pieces"  in about ten or so December entries posted on different years. One post mentions a four-piece measuring cup set that we had purchased as a white elephant gift.  

Two mention the pieces found in various nativity sets. 

One refers to  the sacrifices made by some in giving up pieces of their Christmases to assist others.  

Broken gingerbread houses slums and a broken Christmas ornament.

            One time subjects include editorials, ear wax and art.  I also mention jewelry, conversations, mail, and pieces of torn paper.  

I am now working on a poem to complete my new discoveries.  I will post when I am finished.