Friday, September 8, 2017

News...

I turn on the TV, and the news seems to keep getting worse. I'm not talking just about politics, I'm talking hurricanes, floods, fires, earthquakes. I was just watching a news story about a tiny town called Rose City, Texas, another small city devastated by the hurricane and the flooding. Most of the families have lost everything. A mom speaking, who just took a change of clothes for her children when they evacuated, and came back to a home destroyed, all but their memories washed away. One gentleman who had nothing salvageable except for a few items and his treasured American flag. A young couple trying to dry out their wedding photos, mold already forming on walls and furnishings. It's heartbreaking, but most are happy just to have survived the storm. It's what we all do, survive the storms of life, whether they are physical, emotional, or spiritual. We move forward, with hope, thankful to have made it through.


Friday, September 1, 2017

An Enjoyable Visit...

My little sis came over yesterday morning for a visit. She brought me a stack of LP's, everything from Mitch Miller and South Pacific to early Sting albums. The Mitch Miller Show was one of my favorites as a child. You could sing along to all the songs, just by following the bouncing ball. I'm listening to it now. It makes me smile. Happy memories!



We chatted about everything from the books we're writing, and procrastinating on finishing, to music, family, vintage treasures, and creative projects. I'd saved a huge box of old, extremely worn denim jeans. I was going to make a jeans quilt or two, but in all honesty, I was never going to make a quilt, that box had been in my garage for several years, so I sent them off with sis, because I know she'll get that project done for me. We found another box of fabric scraps I'd saved. There were things from my grandma's sewing projects, my sister's, as well as mine. I'm talking lime green polyester scraps among others equally wild. Yes, I made myself a lime green pants suit. It was the 70's, what can I say? It looked something like the one on the right. I had one in chocolate brown as well.



There were a couple things still in the original packaging, including a Unique Polyester Chocolate Invisible Zipper! The date of manufacture? 1969! There was also Penney's Bias Tape and a FABuckle you could cover with your choice of fabric.



In another box were vintage powder containers, Ovation and Charlie were grandma's and a pink Skinny Dip which was mine. The Skinny Dip still had the puff and some powder, and it smelled like Junior High! At least before gym class! The Ovation still had a strong scent and it felt like grandma was right in the room.


The power scent has over us is fascinating. One hint of a favorite smell, roses, rain, gingerbread, freshly ironed cotton, perfumes, powders, and we are transported to another time and place. I've used other vintage boxes to hold buttons, etc., but these needed a new home, so they went with sis.

A little alabaster lighthouse went home with her too. I should have snapped a photo. It was one my mother had, and we both remembered walking our fingers up the path to the lighthouse door. The carved out steps were so small, it was hard to imagine our fingers were ever that tiny. I know my sis will treasure it as much as I have, so it was easy to let it go. Here's a stock photo of a similar lighthouse.


It was a lovely day, filled with a bit of serious conversation, but mostly a lot of laughter and reminiscing. A reminder of how important it is to make time for the people I love.


© 01Sep2017 ajjahner