Today instead of the usual Monday potluck, I am pulling one of my favorite stories out of the archives.
For a reason.
A really good reason.
Please read to the end to find out why…
Holly was once a teenager.
Although Holly is naturally
perky, the teenage years turned Holly’s perkiness into
springy teenage angst.
Springy teenage angst can be identified by continuous eye-rolling and hyper-debating.
Holly’s bobbing head in
off-beat time to her walkman was seen wandering around her room and on the well beaten track to the bathroom she shared.
It may have been because Holly lived directly across from her parents bed room…
It may have been because the family needed a break from all the eye-rolling…
It may have been because someone needed to go to the bathroom…
SOMETHING caused Holly’s dad came up with a brilliant idea!
Genius Holly’s dad…
Let’s build Holly a room in the basement!
Holly’s dad built walls.
Holly’s dad built a bathroom.
Holly’s dad put carpet on the floor.
This new room was very helpful in containing Holly’s teenage angst.
This new room was very helpful in containing Holly’s mess.
Holly did not live alone
in her mess.
Holly’s dog didn’t seem to mind the long hours in the bathroom, the constant eye-rolling or the mess.
At the time Holly thought the room was nice.
Now that Holly is no longer suffering from teenage angst she can fully admit that the room was teenage nirvana.
Well, almost teenage nirvana. There was one time when Holly found a small garden snake under her bathroom rug.
And then Holly suffered from
legitimate angst.
The End.
This is not the end of the story!
There is more…
After a series of crazy coincidences, I found that
this very room that my dad built for me was later the home of fellow blogger, Jennifer from Thursday Drive. Â She writes about it
HERE.
Jennifer {who I love dearly and think is one of the most amazing writers I have ever read} is in the middle of a mess. Â Over a year ago she and her children moved across the country to start a new life after a divorce. Â The kids went to visit their dad a few weeks ago and
didn’t return. Â Jennifer is in need of some help to enforce the custody agreement and see her children again.
If there is any way that you can help, please
check out her story on Go Fund Me. Â Thank you so much.
Now GO before I start rolling my eyes.
My 14 year old is living your life. Just not in a basement–in the original master bedroom in our remodeled house. It has not cured her angst.
Ok, either it is the NyQuill, the fact that it is almost midnight and I am having soup and wathing Jon & Kate Plus 8, or that I am sick but I didn't get that or know where it came from but in a strange way I totally got it!
So, are you really angst free all the time now? Me, not so much.
First time here….you visited me so I’m returning the favor. Okay, now that I got that out of the way. I must say you are one heck of a storyteller. I just love the drawings. And may I add that you have the whole 80’s bit down, you had me reminiscing about my own teenage life. Sigh. Thanks for a walk down memory lane. Can’t wait for the rest of the story. I may just have to come back!
Ooh, ooh,what happens next? Tell us more!! Love the drawings!
I'm going to make my 18 year old daughter read this post. Although she's now at college, it will open her eyes as to why we put her in the basement. Sans snakes but plus a few fat spiders.
Looking forward to parts II & III!
you lucked out!
Oh, if I could SQUEAL I would! I loved this entry, Teenage Holly. And I will be sure to tune into Jennifer H and Mad Madge, too.
Fantastic post!!! And pictures, too. You had QUITE the dad, who didn’t look like Dr. Phil.
I’m loving the beginning of this story – because I’ve never seen Jennifer OR Madge use markers – and the anticipation is just killing me 🙂 Excellent premise – whether it’s illustrated with words or pictures.
I had a similar teenage angst room (TAR)…only it was shared with my twin sister *sigh*, was upstairs from the kitchen *oh, the noise*, and our very conservative parents did NOT allow the AC on unless it was over 120 degrees in the house. So we got all the kitchen and house heat that rose. *oh gross sweaty us* And it was really hard to sneak out a second floor window. *eye roll*