3 identical houses

This post is only for my children and/or my own reminiscing.

My grandmother moved houses three times since I can remember.  And yet, the houses looked identical.  Rugs were in the same rooms.  Furniture arranged the same way.  Pictures were even hung in the same spots in the houses.  It might be because she built all three houses, and they were almost identical clones to each other--excepting the fact that the last two were missing the second guest room.

All this means that I can vividly remember particular items in her house.  She had an interesting, lovely, world-traveled style--that was a bear for her housekeeper to dust, but fascinating for the rest of us!

Here are some memories:

She adored gardening and flower arranging...

Kiesewetter crest

front hall

study (the rug was changed from the last time I was there in October--that is the huge exception!)

the piesafe used to hold our games growing up

the living room (with wedding pictures on the grand piano and needlepoint pillows strewn)

part of her many box collection always resided on this table

into the dining room in all its propriety

the kitchen had its own touch of Grandma in it too

these are the tins I mentioned earlier that housed the tortilla chips that went with the lunch pepsi

 the perpetual calendar

...and I somehow always expect a big yellow lab to be lying across the floor in the kitchen, but God took home Honey before Grandma.

moving the other direction in the house is the hall to the bedroom wing

first stop is the guest bath--always with a Crabtree & Evelyn lavender room spray

(and my favorite--May and December picture)

then there is the guest room which was always graciously appointed for any random guest

 her beautiful linens

 and even the silver dresser set on the dresser (been the same since I was a young girl)

further down the hall

and on into Grandma's area

first her bath (Coco Chanel No 5)

her closets which she always complained had too many shirts but many were 30-40 years old!

her sitting area with loads of family photos

and a picture of "the ranch" her home in Palestine for years and years while I was growing up.  So many happy days spent there.

her desk--which was difficult to see when I was looking at these photos.  Her handwriting and notes are so distinctive and right there on top.  She wrote notes for everything!  And anticipated thank you notes in return.  

her great love!

this chaise held "Blue Cloud" made by her sister for many, many years until she gave it to me several years ago.

So many sweet memories.  Most of these were documented by my cousin Abby.  And funny, how she too knew the exact items I would want pictures of without asking.  These are all the iconic items we all remember from many years spent at Grandma's house!