
My favorite gift ever was the bike my parents gave me for my 8th birthday: a Campus Green Schwinn stingray with green and silver banana seat, stingray handlebars and fabulous flowered basket. And dig those pants, will you? I had my own ideas about fashion from an early age. In the basket, my dog Charlie.
I have no idea what this gift is from earlier the same evening but, clearly, I was hoping for the green bike. Take a gander at that decor: the pine paneling (which I believe is in vogue again), the burnt orange shag carpet (which is not) and the hobnail milk glass compote on the end table (Eddie Ross anyone?). And not to be missed: the Early American furniture!!Fast forward to 7th grade, apres Christmas, where Charlie and I are admiring my new pink plaid pants. Second only to my favorite pair of pants ever: purple crushed velvet a la Prince circa 6th grade. I used to wear them to the bus stop in winter and they would freeze solid; they literally crunched when I sat down. I loved them so...

You'll notice the same Early American chair as in our previous house, now paired with brown and white toile curtains (I could swear there were war scenes) and Federal-style lamp. If you could only see the objets d' wall art flanking the fireplace: eagles made of glued-on sequins. I will have to find a photo for you.

Oh, yes. Focus upper left. Eagles with glued-on sequins created by my mother.
My dad, Mike Brady, would kill me and never speak to me again if he knew I was posting this photo of him. Luckily, he doesn't read my blog. I keep telling them and they keep saying, "Blog? What?" I say, "Never mind."
My aunt, however, reads this and will be laughing her ass off about now. xo as

