It Feels Like Christmas 1976

The other day, I recieved a wonderful surprise.

I got an email from Margo,my brother Val's former wife. She told me she has been reading my blog for about a year,and she read my post "Happy 144th Birthday". I mentioned her and Val in this post as they are the ones who bought me my beloved,well used,yellow Little House set.I finally had to throw it away a few years ago because all the tape I have used throughout the years to hold them together just didn't cut it anymore (for those of you who haven't read that post).

She told me that she found the yellow set on Ebay,ordered it,and wanted my mailing address so they could ship it to me directly.She hoped it was in the same good condition they claimed.

My precious yellow set...with those lovely Garth Williams illustrations! I believe it was the first printing from Harper and Row,in 1971. I recieved them for Christmas 1976. I had been thinking about this set lately because I read in Nancy Cleaveland's blog section"As A Laura Ingalls Wilder Researcher Thinks" that the pencil sketches by Garth Williams had recently gone up for auction. You can read about it in the blog section of her website http://www.pioneergirl.com/ under the post "Sold!"

Yesterday,we heard someone on the porch...or should I say,the dogs heard the screenporch door open and started barking like crazy. When we went to investigate,there was our mail,and a box. I knew it was the books,and I was excited as I opened it up. And there,still in plastic wrap,were the books that I have treasured since I was that little nine year old girl:

A perfect set, just like I opened on Christmas Day,35 years ago! I felt like that little girl again as I hugged the box to me tightly.Rick looked at me,standing there,clinging to childhood memories,with a big smile on my face,giddy with excitement,barely able to speak except for "My yellow set!!!!" and he said,"That's one thing I love about you. You appreciate and get happiness by things like this."

I almost didn't want to unwrap the plastic,but how could I enjoy those beautiful drawings if I didn't? Combined with Laura's words,they created a vision of  what life was like for the Ingalls ( and Wilders!). In my mind,everyone looked exactly like how Garth Willimas portrayed them. I placed them on the computer desk and finally unwrapped them this morning. They now have a place of honor in my bookcase. I look forward to enjoying these wonderful drawings combined with wonderful words once again. Everytime I look at one of the covers,I am nine years old again. What a great feeling that is!

Thank you,Margo!!!!!! You are a goddess!!!