Random Rumblings of a Middle Aged White Guy: Today I Painted Away Twenty Years

Random Rumblings of a Middle Aged White Guy: Today I Painted Away Twenty Years: So the Misses has been after me to paint my sons room.  I did it about eighteen years ago, but she says I need to do it again.  The fact of...

Today I Painted Away Twenty Years

So the Misses has been after me to paint my sons room.  I did it about eighteen years ago, but she says I need to do it again.  The fact of the matter is that the boy has been gone for most of the last couple of years, and the little kid sports theme had to go.  Stew was home for ten days or so, and he packed up the things he wanted in St. Louis and took them with him.  He told us what furniture he needed and the other things he needed, and we hauled them down to St. Louis for him.  It's what he left behind that got me...

There are the pennants from the Milwaukee Wave (local indoor soccer team).  In the late 90's and early 00's we were at the games a lot.  It got to the point where we were almost like season ticket holders.  We got to know the players, their wives, and watched them win championships.  There were camps and tournaments---spent lots of time with the Wave. 

There's the Packer clock, but more important the Packer stock.  Yup, Stew is a stockholder.  Reminded me of all the "Packer Sunday's", with our gear and the games on TV.  And one of my favorites quotes from Stewart after a Packer loss...."It's a good thing they win most of the time...".  He wasn't around in the 70's and 80's.

He took most of his bib numbers with him.  But he left a couple.  The one from the Samson Stomp (Zoo Fundraiser), and the 2004 Koman Race for the Cure.  I may have sighed him up for these and others, but he always was up for it when I would tell him it was for a good cause.

Then there are all the ribbons and medals from track and cross country events, from sixth grade through eight grade.  Made me think of all the kids that started running with him through fifth grade and wondered what happened to them along the way to high school and beyond. 

There is an arrow representing Stew's accomplishments during his three years of scouting.  I remember when he came home and said he wanted to be a Cub Scout.  I got to be the den mother.  We started off with Stew, Andrew, Vince, Eric and Tommy.  One by one they all moved on to other things, until Stew became a Lone Wolf.  He had to make a decision about continuing on to Boy Scouts or to keep playing soccer.  He chose soccer.  Think it was the first big decision he had to make.

He left a JV letter pinned to the wall.  I think it was from soccer when he was a freshman.  This made me think of all the sporting events in high school.  Couple of years of baseball and basketball, four years of track and soccer.  All the chasing around.  The all conference honors.....

He left his furry horned hat from his obstacle run when he was a freshman at SLU.  Seemed kind of odd to me.  From what I remember from the pictures his friends Jose and Matt and Dana were there as well.  Seeing as he lives with Jose and Matt now, looks like he found some good friends early on.  Actually reminds me of all of his friends at SLU.

Then there is the shelf that has been there forever.  There is a autographed baseball--none legible to me--but it reminds me of all the Brewer games, especially Stews first game with my Dad.  Was hoping there would have been more.  And an old Ford model car from Grampa Munger---made me thought of all the visits to Racine and later Florida.  Miss him too.  And there is Gramma Munger's "S" from Stevens Point.  I know that Stew always enjoys seeing her as well.

And there is a picture of my mom's dad with an earth moving machine.  I think she gave it to Stew when he was going through his truck stage.  And all that did was make me thing of how good she was to him and the Misses and me as far as watching the kids before they started school.  She hauled them everywhere, taught them so much, did so much with them.  Who the kids have become has a lot to do with those early years when she was watching them.

Elmo is still here.  We had Mr. Rodgers, a little Barney, Arthur, Magic School Bus, Kratt's Cratures.  But the favorite was always Sesame Street, and Elmo was always the favorite.  Elmo went everywhere with us for a while.  I miss Sesame Street sometimes....ya never knew who would show up.

Then I look out the window to this wonderful back yard.  To the corner where there was nothing but a pile of sand when we moved in, where Stew played with his trucks for hours.  Where we played catch, and swam in the family fun pool.  Where he played in the snow.  And on the jungle gym.  And all the kids who used to come over to play.  And where he and his sister sat on the deck that he helped me build  and watched the men plant the  maple.  And I look out the door and remember when he and his sister would sit at the top of the steps, waiting to see what Santa brought for Christmas.

So the pin holes are filled, the shelve is down and the walls are all painted.  The Misses says it will be a guest room.  To me it will always be Stew's room, filled with a kid's life of memories and accomplishments.  It was my pleasure to be able to share it with him.