Everybody's in the Picture

Toronto, Ontario, Canada, July 1969. Dad's quite tan, and Jonė holds Fuzzina.

Christmas Bows

Suburban Chicago, December 1968. My favorite stuffed animals are dressed for Christmas. Left to right: Apollo 8, Jimmy, Fuzzina, and Laurie. I still have these four treasures.

Eucalyptus Reunion

San Diego, California, October 1990. I visit a real "Fuzzina" while Mr. Irene attends meetings.

Fuzzina traveled, too.

Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, July 1967. Dad's checking out the view again, and I've brought Fuzzina along for the sight-seeing trip.

What to do when it rains.

When we traveled to the Rocky Mountains, our family hiked almost every day. Our hiking plans pivoted on the weather forecast. Sometimes, a hike started out with lovely weather, but we'd get caught in rain or snow once we were in higher elevations. On other occasions, the weather started out badly, and we would find alternative ways to amuse ourselves.

During our Rocky Mountain National Park vacation, we did not stay at a place with a swank lodge nearby. So when the weather was bad, we took refuge in our simple cabin instead of in a lush lobby.


Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, July 1967. This is the central lodge of the ranch at which we stayed. This was a cozy, family-run place with a small common area for the guests.

*     *     *     *     *

Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, July 1967. Here's Mom, sitting next to the gold Buick LeSabre, outside of our cabin.

*     *     *     *     *

Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, July 1967. Mom and I are inside the cabin. It looks like we are writing letters. Ha ha. My Mom hates letter writing. I don't remember the name of the Teddy Bear on the window seat. But he is wearing Madras shorts.

*     *     *     *     *

Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, July 1967. We're in the cabin again. I must be bored because I am blowing up the Elsie-the-Cow balloon that I got at the Green Lake Fourth of July Parade.

The Teddy Bear with the Madras shorts has lost his place of honor to a new member of the family, "Fuzzina." Fuzzina was the birthday gift my Parents bought for me in Colorado that summer. She is a Koala bear, and she was my favorite stuffed animal. Fuzzina had little rubber claws that periodically became detached. My paternal Grandmother used a furrier's needle to sew the claws back onto the paws. (Fuzzina still lives with me.)