Where it all began

Everyone has a story. A story about where they came from. A story about what they've accomplished. A story about who or what inspires them. My story starts here ~ in the house that Grandpa built.

My playhouse sat adjacent from our house, next to the driveway, with a flower garden on each side and forsythia bushes growing in front. Custom-built by my grandfather, it was painted tan and trimmed in white and when the door opened, you were immediately transported into the land of make-believe.

There was a couch, a chair and a coffee table all handcrafted by my grandfather in his work shop. There was a shelf to hold all of the miniature cans and boxes of play food that Santa was kind enough to bring the year that I was good. And of course, there was a refrigerator and a stove but the absolute best part ~ and what made me the envy of every other playhouse owner ~ was the sink. My grandfather built the double sink with two recessed plastic tubs that I could fill with water. He had cut holes in the tubs and a vacuum cleaner hose ran from the hole in each tub down through the floor and drained under the house. I would carry water from the big house in a little silver bucket and wash my fine plastic china.

This is where I first learned to make biscuits and pies, albeit from Play-doh and mud. My first dinner party was hosted in this little house with such VIPs as Raggedy Ann and Ballerina Barbie at my table. This is where I gazed out of the curtain-clad window and conjured up new recipes. The make-believe that happened in this little house would eventually give way to a successful catering business, two blogs, and numerous real life dinner parties with friends and family.

On October 25th, the greatest playhouse builder ever was called home to walk the streets of gold. I'd like to think that he has dusted off his wood-working skills and has already started building the grandest playhouse ever imaginable behind those pearly gates. And while my grandfather had a huge hand in helping my story get started, it is far from over but when it finally is, I hope he'll be ready to enjoy a fresh batch of Play-doh biscuits together in the sky!