Stairway Bares All

My mother, the artist Virginia Packard, didn't limit her painting talents to linen.  The kitchen of the Vineyard house sported  fish swimming around the upper walls.  The joke was that each fish was larger than the next.  Regrettably, those walls were painted over many years ago.  Her family stairway, however, remains in tact. It tells the story of my parents meeting, marrying, honeymooning on Martha's Vineyard, family births, house moves and more.  Each child had a stair.  My eldest brother, Vance, was shown tinkering with cars. Brother Randy played guitar and wandered around Europe. My stair showed me astride my horse.  Then, my brothers' marriages were registered.  Alas, both of those marriages failed.  So there, as far as Mom was concerned,  the story ended.  And so it remained for several years.  Frankly, I was more than a little irked. I, who had graduated, married and had children, was stuck for all time on my horse.   Two years ago, I decided to right history.   The marriage stair was tricky. I considered painting red Xs through the ousted brides. (Yes, I'm known for my tact.) In the end, I added the new brides' names.  And, of course, my darling husband.  The next stair belongs to the grandchildren: Amanda, Kendra, Matt and Ned.   They of course, have lives, spouses and children of their own to add.  But we are fresh out of stairs.