tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-719141244732470210.post6476259484881546504..comments2023-08-07T03:46:24.163-04:00Comments on Confessions of A Hermit Crab: Losing A Childhood HouseJessica Brilliant Keenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05292649334006427891noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-719141244732470210.post-17166128980046878862009-08-26T09:45:08.849-04:002009-08-26T09:45:08.849-04:00MKS-you are absolutely in my prayers.
If anyone ...MKS-you are absolutely in my prayers. <br /><br />If anyone else has suggestions for MKS, please leave your comment here. Thanks.Jessica Keenerhttp://confessionsofahermitcrab.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-719141244732470210.post-71590290487321833752009-08-22T03:37:32.623-04:002009-08-22T03:37:32.623-04:00Thanks for your concern. I am an only child so no...Thanks for your concern. I am an only child so no family members to speak of. I have one son but I have been supporting his family, for the most part, so no help there. I am in the process of trying to work out something with the bank. Just so much red tape, but if it works out it will surely be worth it! Believe me, I am leaving no stone unturned. <br />My Dad had cut down a tree that my MomUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04870751287789982552noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-719141244732470210.post-88857928730846198912009-08-20T08:07:04.575-04:002009-08-20T08:07:04.575-04:00Oh,Mks--I'm so sorry to hear this. Can you ta...Oh,Mks--I'm so sorry to hear this. Can you talk to the bank? See if you can get other family members or friends to help? Research all possibilities. I don't want you to loose this.Jessica Keenerhttp://confessionsofahermitcrab.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-719141244732470210.post-48937004167144090372009-08-20T04:32:22.278-04:002009-08-20T04:32:22.278-04:00I am in the middle of a similiar situation. I am ...I am in the middle of a similiar situation. I am about to have my family home of 54 years foreclosed on. My parents built a home combining their 2 childhood homes and i went on to live in my original family home with my family. Now I seem to have to choose between the 2 homes. The latter one that they built has more family history, the victorian that my Dad grew up in (one of my grandmother&#Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04870751287789982552noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-719141244732470210.post-58366753651787089522009-07-31T12:27:18.313-04:002009-07-31T12:27:18.313-04:00Hi, Maryanne.
Thank you for visiting and reading. ...Hi, Maryanne.<br />Thank you for visiting and reading. I think the size and appearance of a house can be deceiving. I'm going to write about that in a future post. It intrigues me to hear about someone living in a childhood home into their adulthood and beyond. Not a common experience anymore.<br /><br />Nice to meet you, too!<br /><br />JessicaJessica Keenerhttp://confessionsofahermitcrab.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-719141244732470210.post-12525355369222076912009-07-31T12:21:27.735-04:002009-07-31T12:21:27.735-04:00this a very brave, honest and evocative piece of w...this a very brave, honest and evocative piece of writing. I agree with Sue (LitPark) that there's a book there, but only if you want it to be, of course.<br /><br />my sister lives in my childhood home-- a far more modest one than yours although I knew kids who lived in those-- and it's the house in my dreams, for better or worse.<br /><br />glad to have 'met' you!Maryanne Stahlhttp://www.maryannestahl.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-719141244732470210.post-8701774774980500902009-07-26T21:13:13.697-04:002009-07-26T21:13:13.697-04:00Billie,
This is such a moving story. Absolutely b...Billie,<br />This is such a moving story. Absolutely beautiful. What I love is that the home was in his mind, his heart--his soul--and he had found it!Thank you so much for sharing this. What a journey.<br /><br />JessicaJessica Keenerhttp://confessionsofahermitcrab.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-719141244732470210.post-14968820571209034152009-07-26T20:44:52.829-04:002009-07-26T20:44:52.829-04:00I thought about this one all afternoon and realize...I thought about this one all afternoon and realized just now as I came back to it that the most striking "true home" story has to do with my father, who spent the last year of his life in his bed in the house he and my mom have lived in for the past 10 or so years. He had Hospice coming in every day to assist, and it was a relief of his biggest fear - he didn't want to end up in a billiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18187141867284800597noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-719141244732470210.post-21138594677509539052009-07-26T07:50:15.858-04:002009-07-26T07:50:15.858-04:00Kristina,
Your home is exceptional to have all tha...Kristina,<br />Your home is exceptional to have all that you have. Happy and secure? What more can a child or parent ask for?<br /><br />The zen part--that's another challenge--feeling good about where you are this very moment.<br /><br />Thanks for stopping by!<br /><br />Jessicajessica Keenerhttp://confessionsofahermitcrab.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-719141244732470210.post-36787326153352591992009-07-25T20:39:04.019-04:002009-07-25T20:39:04.019-04:00Poignant, and book-worthy for sure.
Losing a fami...Poignant, and book-worthy for sure.<br /><br />Losing a family home...not until I became a parent myself did I truly understand what kept my parents up late at night during times of financial stress. A home is far more than a roof and walls. My own home is not exceptional, except that my children are happy and secure here: they love their rooms, their yard. That makes it precious.<br /><br />I Kristinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03005060328496062807noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-719141244732470210.post-56075123985568669612009-07-25T08:34:21.402-04:002009-07-25T08:34:21.402-04:00Hi, Jon.
Thanks for stopping by and for your kind ...Hi, Jon.<br />Thanks for stopping by and for your kind words. Indeed, I also believe that this subject touches us all, and in different ways. Love your story about your father and his box. I think you said it right: it's about a fantasy, which is true for most of us--what we project onto our homes past, present and future, including the ones we would like to live in but likely never will.<Jessica Keenerhttp://confessionsofahermitcrab.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-719141244732470210.post-53552911615058488392009-07-25T08:06:37.455-04:002009-07-25T08:06:37.455-04:00This blog is about such great, important, sensitiv...This blog is about such great, important, sensitive stuff, Jessica. It touches us all, and it touches us all in different ways.<br /><br />Me, I'm reminded (of course) of the house I grew up in—a little square box that my parents bought the year before I was born. This was fifty-five years ago now. My father, who was the soul of reason during my childhood, has now reached the point where his Jon Clinchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01804921666589980051noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-719141244732470210.post-64937088198932741322009-07-25T08:05:23.991-04:002009-07-25T08:05:23.991-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.Jon Clinchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01804921666589980051noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-719141244732470210.post-18009664070105685292009-07-24T09:09:48.952-04:002009-07-24T09:09:48.952-04:00Lisa,
My heart goes out to you. I'm sorry abo...Lisa,<br />My heart goes out to you. I'm sorry about the divorce and that horrible feeling that life has pulled itself from under you. And I don't mind if you go on too long. That's what this blog is about: telling our stories. Interesting about your dad's worries. Seems he sensed that his marriage didn't have the stability he'd hoped for. Thanks so much for stopping byJessica Keenerhttp://confessionsofahermitcrab.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-719141244732470210.post-47317116344401932002009-07-24T09:03:32.773-04:002009-07-24T09:03:32.773-04:00I lost my childhood house as well. I grew up on 5...I lost my childhood house as well. I grew up on 52 acres of pristine wooded land with a stream running through it. My father built our contemporary home, and we ate breakfast on our sun deck many summer mornings. Our outdoor audience was hundreds of gem-colored Morning Glories across the meadow in the back yard. <br /><br />Our house was unusual for the 60's - stone foundation and redwood Lisanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-719141244732470210.post-85202379677838722712009-07-22T21:06:47.202-04:002009-07-22T21:06:47.202-04:00Mary--
I would love to help you by writing a book!...Mary--<br />I would love to help you by writing a book! Thank you so much for your words. The unspoken still haunts---absolutely.<br /><br />JessicaJessica Keenerhttp://confessionsofahermitcrab.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-719141244732470210.post-16895178124687733742009-07-22T21:04:49.294-04:002009-07-22T21:04:49.294-04:00Tish,
What you said about the house as a character...Tish,<br />What you said about the house as a character got under my skin.<br /><br />Of course--you and your novel Townhouse. You would know!!!<br /><br />Thanks.<br /><br />JessicaJessica Keenerhttp://confessionsofahermitcrab.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-719141244732470210.post-25927103247522601342009-07-22T19:40:05.113-04:002009-07-22T19:40:05.113-04:00Once again, I am deeply moved in my soul by your w...Once again, I am deeply moved in my soul by your writing. This most definitely needs to become a book.<br />How physically different our childhood homes were. Yet we had much in common. The unspoken still haunts me today; the shame and sadness still permeates my being. Help me by writing your book.Maryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15225261939855433197noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-719141244732470210.post-41540526019680744862009-07-22T17:49:46.072-04:002009-07-22T17:49:46.072-04:00I'm thrilled to finally see a picture of 14 Sc...I'm thrilled to finally see a picture of 14 Scarsdale Road. Just as I imagined it--private, proud, and strong enough to keep the secrets from leaking out. Jessica, you know how I feel about this story - it will make a powerful book with the Tudor itself being one of the greatest characters. <br /><br />Love this post.Tish Cohenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04838160604612888101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-719141244732470210.post-10717669192940545342009-07-22T15:55:40.128-04:002009-07-22T15:55:40.128-04:00Dylan,
Thanks so much. Yeh. It's something t...Dylan,<br /><br />Thanks so much. Yeh. It's something the way that garden bloomed "madly". I didn't realize the connection between the confetti and mail until I wrote it. Funny how that is.<br /><br />Jessicajessica keenerhttp://confessionsofahermitcrab.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-719141244732470210.post-81355422073973315582009-07-22T15:52:58.487-04:002009-07-22T15:52:58.487-04:00Patry,
I know what you mean by superficially. I fe...Patry,<br />I know what you mean by superficially. I fear that having maids and living in an upscale neighborhood can disguise what's going on inside those pretty walls. Glad you see that.<br /><br />Thanks so much.<br /><br />JessicaJessica Keenerhttp://confessionsofahermitcrab.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-719141244732470210.post-55144465358256051372009-07-22T15:35:29.890-04:002009-07-22T15:35:29.890-04:00Jessica, I love the resonance (and dissonance) bet...Jessica, I love the resonance (and dissonance) between those brilliant petals outside, and the confetti of mail on the kitchen floor...and the way the family's distress is reflected in the housekeepers who refuse to stay long. The family business sinking, literally and metaphorically, and all the while those flowers blooming away like mad...it's such rich memoir material.dylan landisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-719141244732470210.post-81563198124953328122009-07-22T15:26:42.266-04:002009-07-22T15:26:42.266-04:00Superficially, my childhood home couldn't have...Superficially, my childhood home couldn't have been more different, but the yearning, the volatile emotions, the dreams that went on inside the house--they were the same. <br /><br />This stunning piece brought so much up for me. I'm dying to read more.Patry Francishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10961915797919017179noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-719141244732470210.post-5406611355269078792009-07-22T12:20:05.317-04:002009-07-22T12:20:05.317-04:00Caroline,
Believe me, the idea has been simmering ...Caroline,<br />Believe me, the idea has been simmering in me for a while now. Thank you so much for stopping by!<br /><br />JessicaJessica Keenerhttp://confessionsofahermitcrab.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-719141244732470210.post-42093229245114764612009-07-22T12:18:06.656-04:002009-07-22T12:18:06.656-04:00Laura,
Yep. My family is full of passion. Nice wa...Laura,<br /><br />Yep. My family is full of passion. Nice way of putting it!<br /><br />Again, what you grew up with is so different than my experience. You won't believe this but I used to feel bad for kids who moved a lot. I thought: it must be hard to make new friends, and no fun to start at a new school. I didn't have to do that until later.<br /><br />JessicaJessica Keenerhttp://confessionsofahermitcrab.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.com