And, to be fair, you are the one sibling who grew up breaking things. Your arm while sledding on Leverington Avenue, your recent broken foot; didn’t you break a collarbone? What else?
The statue is a beautiful depiction of you, Pat. Your cheekbones are incredible! I often admired the statue when visiting your house but had no idea about the history behind it until now. Very meaningful, happy and sad.
Her staring out the window makes me think she is yearning to be outside, in a garden surrounded by flowers. If she can't go outside bring the flowers in. How lovely she would be with a crown of wildflowers on her head!
Thanks, Ruth. Honestly, your encouragement is always a bright spot in the day. I have written around everything in this piece, most thoroughly in a memoir starting when the girl was 16. I got through a draft but it needs some walls to be taken down. Maybe that's what I'm trying to do here and a few other pieces I've put up centered on that girl. I don't know....poor AE! readers come in looking for recipes and find 12 year old girl angsts, instead. Isn't this one of the surprising joys of Substack?!
I squirmed reading this beautifully told story, remembering the awkwardness of being a 12-year-old girl myself (bra strap snapping included!). The sculpture does capture that girl and that sullenness at being forced to submit to something she doesn’t want to do. Your words capture her even better—and that crack in the sculpture and its symbolic connection to family secrets is masterful—maybe a premise for a future novel or memoir?So nicely done, Pat!
As always a beautifully written memory! Thank you
Thank you ...and I swear the booklets are coming! Got waylaid by life.
No worries!
Touching! I can only imagine how awkward the hours of posing were for a twelve year old.
Being 12 is punishment enough, right?!
And, to be fair, you are the one sibling who grew up breaking things. Your arm while sledding on Leverington Avenue, your recent broken foot; didn’t you break a collarbone? What else?
I didn't break my collarbone! My leg, though, and I also had a concussion but that wasn't my fault either! Then again it explains so much
Still have the cheekbones
You're still the bright gem to your sisters
The statue is a beautiful depiction of you, Pat. Your cheekbones are incredible! I often admired the statue when visiting your house but had no idea about the history behind it until now. Very meaningful, happy and sad.
Her staring out the window makes me think she is yearning to be outside, in a garden surrounded by flowers. If she can't go outside bring the flowers in. How lovely she would be with a crown of wildflowers on her head!
What a great idea, Fran! As always.....
What a barrage of feelings this brings up for you. You definitely brought us to that place and how you feel about it to this day.
Thanks for letting us in .
Thanks, Ellen. Needed the company
Powerful, Pat. Engrossing and touchingly sad. Well done.
Thank you, Bob!
Thanks, Ruth. Honestly, your encouragement is always a bright spot in the day. I have written around everything in this piece, most thoroughly in a memoir starting when the girl was 16. I got through a draft but it needs some walls to be taken down. Maybe that's what I'm trying to do here and a few other pieces I've put up centered on that girl. I don't know....poor AE! readers come in looking for recipes and find 12 year old girl angsts, instead. Isn't this one of the surprising joys of Substack?!
I squirmed reading this beautifully told story, remembering the awkwardness of being a 12-year-old girl myself (bra strap snapping included!). The sculpture does capture that girl and that sullenness at being forced to submit to something she doesn’t want to do. Your words capture her even better—and that crack in the sculpture and its symbolic connection to family secrets is masterful—maybe a premise for a future novel or memoir?So nicely done, Pat!
I love that sculpture, Pat. The story captures how bad we feel about our looks during those years, Very real.