Memories from a Creative Writing Class

While cleaning, I came across a tattered pink pocket folder filled with assignments written by my teenage self.  The assigments are from a high school Creative Writing class with Mrs. Phyllis Gillin (a tough but fair instructor).
The assignment is a story, "Jenny's Whistle".  The story of a young four year old spending the day with her grandfather in her grandmother's garden.  The grandfather whittles the young child a willow whistle.  I recall my teenage self asking my grandfather to take me through the steps for making a willow whistle.
My story reminds me of the taste of the whistle.   " The wood felt smooth in her hand....   Grandpa tapped the willow whistle surface with the handle of his pocket knife... Grandpa  slipped the bark handing the round inch long bark to the child/ teenager.   ...the underlieing wood was a blondish green.  Grandpa cut a V-shaped chip.   Then took the bark ring back from the child/ teenager and slipped it back on over the wood whistle.   She put the smooth whistle in her mouth, it had a spicy, green taste that matched its spicy green scent."
In the margin Mrs. Gillins has written the note "great".  My adult self is pleased with this notation as I am sure my teenage self was.
At the end,  Mrs.  Gillins writes "This is the best writing you've done. Your grandparents are a rich source for your essay, too."  I don't recall if I used my grandparent as a source for my essay, but they were a strong influence on my childhood.  They were my and my bother' s and sister's caregivers while we were growing up.
In the story the child " kisses his clean shaven face, that smelled of his signature aftershave."   My teenage self describes "Grandpa was sitting on the front steps dressed in his gray work clothes.  His funny, old gray hat covers his shiny white hair, and his worn wooden cane lays close by his right hand.  In all her four years of life, Jenny had never seen him walk without it."
Later "Grandpa slowly gets off the steps and offers his hand to Jenny.  She puts her hand into his large gnarled one, which completely covers her small one.  She slows her pace to his."
My present self through these written descriptions is reminded of his love, making a me a little sad, but joyful that I was loved by him.

April Fools Day

My Grandfather was born on April 1st, April Fools Day.  He didn't let this get him down, he decided to own the day and enjoyed playing April Fools jokes on people.  I am not sure what type of jokes he played on others, but the ones he played on me were usually pretty tame.  He would call to tell us that his dog had kittens or that he had witnesses an accident - Washington Boulevard ran into Canyon Road (they do intersect).

This morning, in his tradition, I sent a text to my niece who lives in Hawaii that I was at the airport wondering when she was going to pick me up?  The following text said April Fools.  Yes, I know a pretty tame April Fools day prank.

I hope that you had a laugh or two on April 1st.

Donuts

Commercials show donuts as the perfect food to destroy your diet, but do you remember how fun they were when you were a child.  You could eat them by taking a huge bite all the way to the hole, or loop them over your index finger and eat them in a circle.  My grandfather always recommended eating the hole first.

Grandpa loved to buy and share donut holes with us - glazed, cake with white powdered sugar or rolled in chocolate sprinkles.  Watch out!  Don't inhale the powder sugar.

My father on the occasions that he took me to school would stop at Lee's donuts to buy his favorite chocolate cake donuts with chocolate frosting.  He would buy me one with sprinkles.

And do you remember when Albertson's first moved to  town.  They had a donut machine that would make warm donuts while you watched.  Warm cake donuts with cinnamon and sugar.

I think on my way to work, I will stop to get a donut.  My favorite is a sugar donut.  Then I think that I will take a huge bite all the way to the hole.

Just so you know ~  I had my usual bowl of whole grain oatmeal for breakfast.  Oh, I wish I had thought to add sprinkles.