Diaries I Read:
I had a pretty awesome childhood. I really can�t complain about anything of much substance. That�s why I�ve had a running joke with my parents for several years about how deprived I was, and I�ve developed a list of things they didn�t give me. One is a dollhouse. I always wanted one of those really elaborate, really detailed dollhouses with the patterned China in the dining room and the embroidered pillows on the little couches. For some reason, I never had one. Another thing I never had was ringlets. I always wanted those bouncy ringlet curls, but my mom didn�t roll my hair so I could have them. (Actually, I think she may have tried and my hair just didn�t take to it.) And last, but not least, my parents would never let me have a trampoline.
Growing up as a gymnast, having my own trampoline at home was my ultimate dream. I had a little practice balance beam, and my dad built me a bar in the backyard, but I never got my trampoline. Some of the other girls on my gymnastics team had trampolines, and I was always very envious.
Actually, it�s not really fair to say my parents wouldn�t LET me have a trampoline. The truth is that a trampoline simply wouldn�t fit in our backyard. In Southern California, houses just don�t come with acres of sprawling land (unless you�re a movie star). And we had a pool in our backyard, so space was even more limited. The grassy area we did have was also on a slope, so a trampoline really wouldn�t have worked. Still, I gave my parents enough crap about it over the years until it turned into a running joke.
But then I grew up and got married and moved into a nice, new house with a (relatively) large backyard, and I began to daydream about bouncing on my own trampoline in my own yard. I mentioned it to B, and he quickly dismissed the idea. �We�re not getting a trampoline,� he said several months ago.
I don�t think he realized that I was serious. I don�t think he really knew the years and years I�ve suffered being trampolineless. So I kept at it.
�I think we should get a trampoline for our yard,� I�d say.
�We don�t have enough room,� he�d say.
�It�s too much of a liability,� he�d say.
�It�s too expensive,� he�d say.
�It would kill our grass,� he�d say.
So I put it on my Christmas list. All I want for Christmas is a trampoline.
�We�re not getting a trampoline,� he said. Again. And again and again.
So I started really being a brat about it. We�d go into sporting goods stores and I�d point out the trampolines. We�d go into Costco and I�d point out trampolines. I�d ask him how he was going to fit my trampoline under the Christmas tree. I�d talk to Dixie about how much fun we were going to have when I got my new trampoline.
And every time, he�d say, �You�re not getting a trampoline. You�d better just give it up now.�
So I pretty much accepted that I wasn�t getting a trampoline for Christmas. But I also started getting a little annoyed with his insistence that I couldn�t have one. I told him that maybe HE wasn�t going to buy me a trampoline for Christmas, but that did NOT mean I wasn�t going to get one. I told him he didn�t get to make those rules.
So anyway, Christmas came and I was resigned to the fact that I wasn�t getting a trampoline. He gave me some nighties and some CDs and some candles and a new camera (cuz I drove over my old one). I was satisfied with my very nice gifts.
Then we left for Houston on Christmas Eve and spent Christmas with his family (that�s a whole story in itself that maybe I�ll get to later). We got home LATE Saturday night and went to bed.
On Sunday morning, B told me to look out the window and check out the frost (!) on the grass. So I peeked through the blinds into the backyard and saw �
A TRAMPOLINE!!!
My very own trampoline in my very own backyard!
Am I a lucky girl or what?!
Working at home - Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2004
Toronto - Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2004
On the way to Toronto... - Tuesday, Nov. 09, 2004
A Good Day - Monday, Nov. 08, 2004
Another letter - Thursday, Nov. 04, 2004