Simon

Ben brought a few pieces of luggage back from the states. It was like Christmas in October.

The newly reissued (full sized) version of Simon was among the presents - a gift from my mom.

I have fond memories of sitting in my grandparents Ohio home playing this glorious game.

The sound of its rhythmic buzz reminds me of honey baked ham, and potato salad around a "vintage" set kitchen table. Everything upstairs smells a bit like noxzema - it is nice and fresh. In the guest room there is a faded map of the United States (neatly taped to the side of double stacked file cabinet) with stickers indicating the states that they had visited (all of them).

My grandmother kept a travel log of their family rv trip "out west". With 4 kids and a legendary loaf of meat they hit the road for two months. There are neatly written notes about their days on the road -  "rose at 5am to make pancakes, iron clothes, and see Mount Rushmore". I have only ironed clothes twice in my married life... we weren't camping. I am thankful that those notes exist and that my grandmother took the time (between pancake flipping and clothes ironing) to record that special family experience. I am also thankful for another generation of Simon...