Guest post by Kelly Ferguson
For years my dream was a proper house with proper furniture. When I turned thirty, I shook my fist at the heavens and proclaimed, “As God is my witness, this is my last used futon!” Over time, I eventually put together a real house. A dining room set. Framed prints for the walls. And finally, the sofa that meant I was a real grown up.
Then my dream changed. In 2006, I moved 2600 miles west to Montana to begin a MFA in creative writing.
I was going to be a grad student, not a banker. I trimmed down to what could fit in a U-Haul trailer and sold or gave away the rest. I’ve moved four times in six years, and when I finish my PhD I’ll be moving again. My furniture is now all freebies or from Big Lots. I’ve considered changing my name to Kelly Particleboard Ferguson. The lugnut is my friend.
So, how does this all this tie back into Laura?
It was move number two when I fully understood the role of the china shepherdess. I’ve learned that when you move often, sometimes just this one thing can be all you need as symbol of being home. Like the Ingalls family, my list of little things has quietly grown from one or two objects to a short paragraph. My Whatnot runneth over. But I can, if necessary, pack everything up for a move without renting a truck.
That is, if we don’t count all my books.
The idea for this post came when I arrived home from Laurapalooza after having been gone over a month, and gazed upon the first object that meant I was home— Maneki Neko cat.
Maneki Neko means "Beckoning Cat." The waving cat is a traditional symbol of good fortune in Japan, and is often seen in the windows of businesses there, welcoming customers inside.
Maneki Nekos are common as a “we buy gold” signs in Chinatowns. We are not talking Fabergé eggs here. But the cat is special to me. I’ve had her since I was fifteen years old and my family lived in Japan for a year. I think, actually, my parents bought the cat for themselves, but right away we all knew she was mine. Since then she’s been bringing good luck and waving hello for twenty-seven (yikes!) years. I had Maneki Neko in my room at my parents’ house, moved her to the dorms, my first college apartment, my first post-college apartment…and most recently, my latest little white house in Athens, Ohio.
The Ingalls family knew they were home when Ma unwrapped the china shepherdess. I know I’m home when I see my waving cat. What about you? If you had to pick one item that said, “home,” what would it be?
Comments14
Oh wow, that is a hard one, but a great question. I will have to think on it a little bit. Great post!
I have hung onto many things (too many) but I think the one that really says home to me is a framed picture of three horses that I’ve had since I was six.
For me, it would be my coffee table. The table was the first piece of furniture my parents bought when they were married in 1944. (at a thrift store). It can be seen in my childhood pictures, and my own children used it as a stage to put on shows. It is solid and durable and has been a fixture in all of my homes for many years.
Ironically, I was thinking about this since I came home. Not so much in terms of what is my china shepherdess but what would my kids consider to be the one object in the house that defines our home — what is their china shepherdess. I think they would say my frogs. But if I had to pick my own item, it would be my cookie jar. It was given to me as a baby by my great-grandfather (I think) and that cookie jar is part of my earliest memories in my parents’ house and it came with me when I married and moved out. It was very much used as a cookie jar until we moved into this house and I put it in the china cupboard and after what I saw what this same cookie jar sold for at antique stores.
He he, loved this post. But it made me realise I don’t have a shepherdess equivalent. Unless – are you allowed to count a kettle? Mine has been with me since I was a student, and is in a shocking state, but I’m too grateful for its long and loyal service to replace it. And nothing says home to me like a nice cup of tea.
Eddie, kettles definitely count! I loved what Sue had to say about what her kids would think of as an object that represents home. That’s part of the Little House magic, that Laura remembered as an adult how much these little things matter so much. They make you feel safe. I was just antiquing with my mom and she remembered these glass horse bookends that she loved as a kid. My grandmother got rid of them, not knowing how much mom liked them. It’s interesting because of course it’s “things not people” that matter. But things are important because it’s the people the remind us of.
What a good post! I have been thinking about this and since I haven’t moved very much in the last 12 years, when I decorated my home, I don’t have a ton of things.
BUT this might be a bit weird: I have the same alarm clock that I got for Christmas 1983 (yes, 1983, 4th grade). This alarm clock has been next to my bed for my first date, my many dorm rooms, every apartment, my wedding day and was the first thing I looked at when I thought I was in labor. It doesn’t have a radio, the red digital numbers with the little button that tells me the alarm is set is a comfort. I have looked at that clock thousands of times. My hubby laughs at this clock because it is so dated and I am in danger of becoming my mother in law, who has an alarm clock with the flip over numbers, but it signals “my room”. Lots to think about on this lazy summer day.
That’s tough. We don’t move much. My parents moved out of the house I grew up in (they bought it when I was 1, in 1962) 2 years ago, when they finally moved into a retirement complex.
Husband and I have lived in the same house for about 25 years now, having moved in about 3 years after we got married. So I’ve never had to face downsizing or packing stuff. (And as a result, I’m something of a packrat with way too much stuff.)
When our home was damaged in tornados last spring, we fortunately didn’t lose too much stuff inside the house. (Just the roof.) But the stuff I was most concerned about losing/getting damaged were some counted cross-stitch pictures I made, and a beautiful cut-paper picture that a friend gave us when my daughter was born.
Can only think of the crucifix on my bedroom wall that I’ve had since my childhood, but that’s so…..serious. More recently, some framed artwork will always make any house my home! (Wanted to answer something, cuz I love you, Kelly Ferguson–just finished your fantastic book!)
And Sandra, thanks! You know I was nervous to write for Laura fans, but it’s been so great.
I had yet another chance to revisit these thoughts this weekend because I’m getting a housemate (the times call for economizing!) and I had to clean out a closet. So I played the “would I pack this in my covered wagon?” game. I threw out 7 tubes of 78% used lotion.
This post certainly “rang a bell” for me:)….I don’t have just one special item…I cart around a lifetime of history and don’t apologize! Several years ago, we moved into a retirement community – single family homes – and we noticed that most were starting “anew” – new furniture, new decorating style (think tuscan:)…and then there was us: My mother’s kitchen utensils and a cookie jar that her bridge group gave to her when we were moving to Oregon from CA in 1954, my Mother-in-law’s pig cutting board and corning ware, My parents’ wedding presents: ice bucket with silver tongs, an etching that determined the colors in our great room, a marble bust of a young woman…silver and dishes. I am displaying my Holly Hobbie plates from the 70’s, old side tables from family, my Mother’s “new” chairs from the 60’s, my hope chest gift for college graduation in 1967, printer’s drawers that have been in our family for years…old books that we inherited….a wooden school desk from my Catholic grammar school…you get the idea. We have been here for awhile now, and hear from so many how warm and cozy our house is and how fun to come in and look around! It gives me such a great feeling to look around us and feel enveloped by our family history while enjoying our great life in the moment!
I loved your book! I am a total LIW fan (have all the books and companion books) and think that they really shaped the way I think. I re-read favorite childhood books each summer (Betsy/Tacy series are high on the list as well…and can’t forget Wind in the WIllows) and The Little House Books have been read so many times. Not sure that I would don a bonnet and a dress to proclaim my love (not nearly as outgoing and brave as you:) but treasure the memories of so many happy hours of reading. Thanks!
Mine is a set of beautiful S&P shakers my dad brought back from Korea. They always meant a lot to me growing up (not really sure why), but when he divorced my mom, he took them with him. Until recently, my step-mother had them in a curio cabinet with a bunch of other Oriental knick-knacks. I thought she would never give them up, but for some reason, she just decided to give them to me. They sit in my living room and I always think “home” when I look at them.
I actually had to decide this when my father died and my mother had to move. She’d packed most of her things but left a few clean dishes in the dishwasher. There was no time to think – I had to grab. Of all the nice glasses & things in there what did I choose? This dumb, little blue plastic pitcher. My mother used to use one of those little cans of frozen grape juice to make juice for us on weekday mornings. I remember how pretty the purple juice looked in that little blue tupperware pitcher. It won’t mean anything to my son, of course. But I guess it is kind of like a china shepherdess for me.
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