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Nana's House

4/29/2013

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   My maternal grandmother lived just down the road from my house--far enough 
 that it felt like an adventure when I pedaled my way under the cool canopy of
 trees to her home, but short enough so that I could fully enjoy all the treats and
 treasures she had for me when I arrived.

  Yes, Nana's house was a goldmine for the childish heart. Bare feet on the couch 
was never taboo, cookie jars crammed with snacks or cookies populated her pantry 
shelves, and there was always a pitcher of lemonade sitting in the fridge, right beside 
a container of mashed bananas mixed with peanut butter.

  Sunday nights spent at my grandmother's house were wonderful, especially during the
 summer. Arriving at her house after church services, there was the walk to vegetable garden. 
I'd skip ahead, clad in the short set she'd made me, enjoying the feel of the cool grass beneath 
my feet, the sound of the birds as they sang the sun to sleep, and the sweet fragrance of the 
cedar trees in the back yard.Nana never tired of telling me the names of plants and their uses, 
even though I asked enough times to make even June Cleaver take up drinking. 

  A huge tub of every kind of book a kid could want, in addition to boxes of crayons and 
paper sat in readiness in her spare bedroom. Scribbled on napkins were treated as priceless works of 
art, and were suspended by magnets on her refrigerator's door for all to see. 

  During the summers and on school vacations, I ate lunch with my grandmother and read books 
aloud (Nana swore they were all nail biters) while she prepared lunch. Food of choice was fried chicken 
and a can of Spaghetti-o's--my two favorite meals. I didn't know until years later that Nana sometimes
 couldn't afford a whole yard bird on her tiny budget, and sometimes went without things she needed, 
just so I could have my fried chicken.

  Lessons were learned in that tiny kitchen--about life, believing in myself, and having passion about 
everything I did. My grandmother was a firm believer in the latter, especially when cooking. 

  "When you cook with passion, you rarely go wrong," she'd say. "It makes a difference--people can
 taste the love in every dish you prepare."

  The little house, just a few minutes from my childhood home now sits dark and still. The garden, 
once filled with bounty and care is overgrown. The walls, once ringing with childish laughter and a 
grandmother's words of wisdom are now silent, no more than a faint memory, but a memory I keep 
in my heart, and whose wisdom I pass on to my own children.




                      ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Before you go...
Please vote for my "Amelia Frump" over at 
http://pertinentpromotions.weebly.com/childrens-books.html


I'm waxing sentimental again, but this is the first cover I've ever designed, and I'm a tad proud of it. :o)


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    Picture

    A little info about me...

     Award-winning  author (and sometimes illustrator) Debbie Roppolo grew up in the Blackland Prairie region of Texas, where miles of grassland and her horse stimulated very imaginative adventures and served as writing fodder for later years. She had to do something with those memories; having tea parties with chickens was too good to keep to herself.

         She has written for several of the Chicken Soup books in addition to various magazines and newspapers. Her children’s book titles include: Amelia Frump and her Peanut Butter-Loving, Overactive Imagination; Amelia Frump…is Cooking Up a Peanut Butter Storm (award-winning activity/cookbook);  and He’s My Brother.

          Shortly after beginning her own family, Roppolo discovered the reason why her mother turned prematurely gray, and that a cell phone, toilets and toddler make a poor combination. Rather than sitting in a corner, whimpering, and eating her weight in chocolate, Roppolo wrote her first parenting humor book, The Toilet is Overflowing and the Dog is Wearing My Underwear, that was based on her family’s antics. 

          After her younger son was diagnosed with autism, Roppolo and her husband co-founded Central Texas Autism Network, a network for persons who may have a relative or friend diagnosed with Autism, or professional that may deal with Autistic persons. She serves as an advocate for people with autism through her writing, by speaking to groups, and spreading awareness as various health-related functions.

         Cooking is her second passion, and Roppolo holds the honor of being an eight-time award-winning baker.

         Married for over twenty-four years, she resides in the Texas Hill Country with her husband and two children.

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