On May 28, 2014, Pahwoo came to life. So did my youngest granddaughter, Evie. When Evie was born, her older sister, Eliza, came to stay with Grammy and Pappy for a while, because little Evie had to spend some time in the hospital's NICU. I could tell that four-year-old Eliza was going to need some special help coping with being separated from her parents, and with all the confusion during this time.
After being at the hospital for several hours, we brought her home with us. I tucked her into bed, and laid down beside her, and we stared at the wonderful old 1957 Goodman locomotive motion lamp, for a bit. It was the same train lamp that I, as a four-year-old, used to watch at night, to fall asleep by. Then I heard myself say, "Once upon a time..."
So began the story of an odd little owl named Pahwoo, a tale that continued to unravel over many years, until it finally faded to a quiet end.
For several year, the story was only for Eliza and whenever she came to stay with Grammy and Pappy, no bedtime passed without picking up where Pahwoo had left us. Eventually, Evie became old enough to be interested in Pahwoo and her many friends: Blinky the cat, Lily the goat, Dusty the pony, Millie the mouse and so many others who came to life, as Pahwoo's adventures unfolded.
Now, those seven years have passed, and Pahwoo's many escapades have passed with them. I ignored the urging of family members to record all these stories, because I was so sure that I would never forget them. I regret that now, because Pahwoo grows fainter and fainter, in my memories.
Perhaps, though, I have gathered enough of those memories so that Pahwoo can give my grandchildren one last gift: a little book of some of her more outstanding moments with her friends.
