Prodigal Window

Just after we were married, Kathy and I bought a house in south Minneapolis. All three of our children were born while we lived there. We spent a lot of time fixing up that house. It was a very well-built Tudor-style stucco house, of which there are hundreds in that part of town. It had a heavy wooden arched front door that I refinished. The door had a small plain window. My dad made a lovely stained-glass window to replace the plain one. I watched him carefully install that window.

About six years later, we sold the house. We debated taking the window out but I was afraid I might damage the window or the door, so we left it there. That was 35 years ago. This year, for my 75th birthday, our daughter Karin gave me that window!

She had recalled me lamenting (probably more than once) about leaving the window behind. So she found out who owns the house and talked them into swapping the old stained-glass window for a new one. They were very nice about it, allowing someone Karin chose to carefully remove the window and design a replacement that they could call their own.

The gift was completely unexpected and I still smile each time I recall that evening. Such a kind and thoughtful gesture!

I took the window to a local frame shop and they made a very nice cherry wood frame. The framed window now hangs in the large front window of our house and when we move, this time it’s coming with us!