The Story Board

Sarah's 25th Birthday & cat Socrates

     When Sarah was four years old and had mastered her phonics, I put a small chalkboard on an easel by the dinnertable, and started putting sentences from McGuffey Reader on the board for Sarah to practice at mealtime. After a while letters from family, postcards, and photos were attached to the edges of the board with clips, and other messages would be written on the board in chalk – like “Happy Birthday” or “Have a Great Day!” or a familiar saying that we could discuss – like “Hitch your wagon to a star!”

       So the chalkboard on the easel was actually for all of us – we would look at it upon sitting down to eat – to see what had been added since the last time or what we might have missed before. Often there was a calendar attached to keep up with our schedules. Over time, school papers and report cards were posted. And when Amanda was four – more McGuffey Reader sentences went back up on the board.

Christmas 2010 

      Every December I covered the chalkboard with a red flannel sheet, and the pictures that arrived in Christmas cards were taped to the flannel; personal notes and the newsletters (the ones that many people don't like to receive at Christmastime that I not only love and look forward to but also write myself,) were also attached. And when the last note was received and prominently posted – usually a few days past December 25th, a picture was taken of the entire collection – a memento of that year's Christmas.

      With only Mike and me at the house now, and the fact that we hardly ever eat at the table, the sunroom would look better without the chalkboard and easel. So I put them away.

      For a few months.

      But who am I kidding?

Out of retirement for retirement August 2015

      Our recent decision for me to retire has prompted some creative planning – we will have more meals at home, at the table. And our schedules are crazy – perhaps a calendar nearby with times and dates filled in on where we are supposed to be – yeah, our phones can do all that – but to gaze at the easel while we are eating and talking – that would be helpful too.

       So the board is back up. It has postcards and letters attached with clips along the edges. Photos and the calendar block most of the chalkboard.

       But Virginia and Horatio do come by to visit – so some fresh chalk is going to be purchased and the McGuffey Reader is going to be dusted off and sentences will once again find their way to the board on the easel by the table.

224 20150812 The StoryBoard