MEMORIES

Yom Kippur is over and as always I missed the ones of my childhood years. Every year after the age of 9 or so, after losing the annual *driving isn't allowed on Yom Kippur* battle with my father,(there were many years that I stayed in Portland with my grandparents because of that) off we'd go to services in Portland. On Yom Kippur day itself, we'd all go over to the Branz's house after the morning service, then Dad and Mr. Branz would go back until Ne'ilah and the Branz boys, Jeff and I would hang out. They had the greatest house for that. There was a playroom behind the kitchen, and the kitchen had a nice breakfast nook. I was already a house freak at a very young age. We played board games and that's where I was introduced to Mille Bournes (I still have it) and when it got towards time for the men to leave, we'd drive the lethargic, starving adults wild by doing exercises and stuff like that. We must have started that after all of us were of fasting age. I remember being mean to little Howie because he could eat and we couldn't. Of course he got back at us by coming up to us and chewing in our faces.
None of that was even close to what Yom Kippur was about, but is a source of very fond memories. It's all part and parcel of the good memories I have of my childhood. Maine was such a great place to grow up. I'm just glad that I learned a long time ago that you can go back to the place of your childhood, but you can never ever go back to you childhood itself. So, yeah, I miss Maine, but even more I miss something that exists only as memories now, cherished memories, and when I really think about it, I realize that I don't want to go back there at all. In the words of the immortal Virginia Slim, "You've come a long way, baby"
I desperately want another cup of coffee, but as I had a very short nap this afternoon, I'm worried that it will keep me awake and then I'll be off Gimp Standard Time! There's Dark Matters in the morning, after all and I hate to be groggy for that after only 3 hours sleep. On the other hand, as Teadrinker will be calling any minute, I think I'll get one and settle back in here.