Here’s the story…

of a 55 year old lady, who found visiting her favorite childhood tv show home’s exterior…completely overwheming.

The Brady Bunch.

Every day after school I watched reruns. I prided myself on being able to tell which episode was running based on the first 15 seconds. A million years later (10 years or so) I bought the complete series DVD set…it came in a green shag carpeted box. Brilliant. It was like $50, an extravagant purchase but I went for it…Merry Christmas to me. It is now selling for $175 on Amazon. A nice little investment!

Rewatching the series I found it a bit dated to say the least. Like eating a favorite breakfast cereal from childhood, way too sweet and completely over the top. Something that you might just want in small bits. 21 disks of Brady shenanigans is a LOT, but man, I still love it.

I identified with Jan…not as cute or clueless as Cindy, not as beautiful or talented as Marcia…just Jan. My personality was more of a Peter, more easygoing, not as bitter. I was not wise enough to realize the downside of being a middle until Alice pointed it all out…it hit me like a brick. Sigh, thanks Alice for noticing us middles.

I never considered the Bradys perfect…they looked perfect, had the grooviest clothes and the Astroturf lawn of excellence…but they had squabbles, made mistakes, and learned lessons. I loved the commotion that ended in peace…there was always hope for a good solution if everyone just put their heads together. Team work kids!

Yesterday we had spent the day sightseeing…a drive up to the farmland and mountains, over to the Pacific, winding down the highway, stopping to climb rocks, put our feet in the ocean, ogle at the Malibu houses (my neighbors should be glad we did not come to California earlier, we might have a pink house if we did, I am LOVING the pink houses), Santa Monica Pier, Venice, and back to Los Angeles for a “Jacob Tour”. I had in my head we were going to some vintage and Halloween stores in Burbank, I drove, we twisted and turned. I was told that I drive WAY too slowly, that NOBODY in Los Angeles drives as slow as I do…clearly payback for the backseat driving tips I had given him…I was going 75. Neighborhoods in Los Angeles change on a dime, it did not seem odd to me that a vintage shop might be next to a suburban ranch. Mom, stop, we are here. I looked up, and squeaked…literally…I squeaked in glee. There it was. I was in heaven.

To be clear, we did not go in. I could not even stand at the front door…there was a security guard there watching our every move. The whole experience took 3 minutes. Three emotional minutes.

Sigh, there is no real reason the exterior of a house should bring me such joy, but it did. For a few minutes I was completely filled with only things good. No sick friends, no death, no pandemic, no worry.

Thank you Brady Bunch. You connected us all as we watched you after school…that’s the way we all became the Brady Bunch.