Rox-a-boxen-ites

I spent the weekend at the cabin. It was magical. To be with just the parents, and of course my dog. But mostly to be consumed in my memories.

We sang in the car down and back, told our favorite things about each other (something I love about my family; talking, praising), walked, rocked (this is the official term used for looking for rocks for our Christmas creches), horsed, watched Man From Snowy River (a cabin mandatory movie), and slept. More memories to lock away...

Last night I snuck onto the balcony to steal some of the night sky. The moon was absent and the sky was brilliant with stars. I couldn't get enough. It was freezing outside, but I promised I would stay until I snatched just one shooting star to wish on. As I watched and waited, I was flooded with cabin memories from my childhood, I was overwhelmed. Of course right then I saw my shooting star and was so excited I couldn't think of what to wish for. But it came.

Today I strolled through Rox-a-boxen. I delighted in seeing most of our roads still intact, as it took us hours to construct them, being the first settlers and all. Town hall is gone, along with our tree, it is dying. It held the town hall bell that called for meetings, and gave us shade for many heated meetings. But new trees have sprouted around our old trees roots.

Elections were exciting at Rox-a-boxen. We had a four way tie once. We all boldly voted for ourselves, and elected, after hours of conflicting interests, to take turns serving dutifully, due to the fact that there were many qualified candidates.

I remember when David had to put me in jail for speeding. Darn horse. Or the time the whole town was evacuated, due to the unexpected natural disaster of a baby rattlesnake in Jane's house. It was thrilling. Nanny had to come back with us to inspect the damage done and while she was there she was inoculated for AIDS at Grace's office, whose yucca garden, by the way, is thriving. Nanny tasted Catherine's ice cream and was even put into jail for speeding. Darn horse.

I still remember the terror I felt when in the middle of the night Heidi fell off our bed and onto a metal heater. While she slept peacefully through it, I awoke and began to cry that a ghost had taken her away. We didn't find her snuggled up to the heater until the next morning.

I miss being young. It is hard to imagine I can't go back to the times of Rox-a-boxen, that I can't return as a villager, or mayor. But maybe I will still get to visit as a patron to the next generation of Rox-a-boxen-ites. Perhaps their town hall tree will offer shade to a heated election meeting.