A visit at Dwan’s house
From Camille:
I came to visit Dwan once in college. She greeted me how she always did: with a warm, firm, affectionate hug, then breaking apart and grabbing my arm while inquiring about my trip with contagious delight. We caught up over her round table on those colorful Eams chairs, probably with a hot tea. She loved asking about college, comparing it to when she attended. She clearly savored her memories of being a student herself, and it was fun to let her excitement add color to my sometimes stressful college lifestyle.
In the morning, she took me on a tour of her Anacortes home. She was so proud of the house her family helped make for her. She told me all about her neighbors, the changes in the neighborhood, and she spoke in that way of hers, just a moment shy of an infectious laugh.
In her office, we looked at pictures of the house being raised, and in the kitchen, I noted the photos of my grandpa lovingly tucked into the cabinets. She also shared with me her mother’s cookbook, full of my great-grandmother’s handwriting and private thoughts. And of course, we peeked at her but Calvin and Hobbes collection, which she always remembered I liked. Each time I called her afterwards, she always thoughtfully worked Calvin and Hobbes into the conversation.
Sometimes, she’d leave me a voicemail calling me a sweetheart, or accidentally introducing herself as Grandma, and I will always savor those for how they warm my heart!
