I grew up (and still live in) a small community outside of Chicago. I live on a busy street - when I was growing up, there were no kids my age living in the houses around me (although my kindergarten teacher lives next door to me!). A few short blocks away, though, on the street where some of my best friends in the universe live, is a neighborhood somewhere out of 1950s fiction. Kids the same age, growing up together, going to school together, parents getting along and being neighborly. They have neighborhood holiday parties and gift exchanges, and a yearly block party on the street.
Since I am friends with many people who live (and lived) on this block, I became an adopted member of what we affectionately refer to as "the Neighborhood." There is a lady I have come to think of as the Neighborhood Mom - I will call her Diane (cos that's her name). Year after year, Diane welcomed all of us into her home - the holiday party was at her house, and in the summer, the barbecues, jello-shots and pinatas of the block party were set up in front of her house (next door to my best friend's house). Diane was a warm, welcoming, wonderful hostess - a confidante, friend, and cool lady. She once went with us to an Edwin McCain show - just us girls.
Those are some of my memories of this great lady, who we lost too soon this past week to a very aggressive form of cancer. You will be missed.
No comments:
Post a Comment