Daily Musings Page 4

Nancy, that is a great story. I would have taken them, too. and it's too cute that the cat claimed one of them! I'm very sentimental about family things. my aunt had a silver-plated tea set that belonged to her aunt. she asked me last year if would like to have it. I don't think she expected me to say yes because nobody wants to polish silver anymore. but I was glad to get it. well, not only did she give it to me, she had it resilvered and gave it to me for xmas. I was absolutely thrilled. It was a pot, creamer & sugar bowl. but she also gave me a silver tray that she had been given as a wedding gift by her employer to use with it.

she's so funny. I may have mentioned her before. my maiden aunt that finally married at 65 when she retired? she has told me I should let her know what I want when she dies (she's 85) because she doesn't want her family things to go her stepdaughter. not that she doesn't get along with her DSD, but the family things wouldn't mean anything to her. I don't know if anybody remembers the episode of Frasier where everybody was marking the bottoms of things with yellow stickies, but that's what I think of everytime she says that and I just can't do it.

Nap, I love those shoe box gifts. I'm sure you are making a lot of kids very happy with them. Good for you.
Al, cute kid, nice Dahlias, too.
I still have my moms old rocker. It's not an antique but I remember sitting on her lap in it, LOL. Circa 1955. I also have an old needlepoint she did of an English cottage covered with flowers. Very delicate work, nicely framed. It's not very masculine but it reminds me of her. She could do anything with needle and thread.
Andy P

Billyporter, was your Grandad on your Mom's side? Is that why you gave one chair to her sister? How nice for her to receive a sentimental gift like that, and how nice of you to share them with her.

Carrie, I was always a stuffed animal fiend myself. The ones they make now are so darn soft and cuddly that I'm jealous they weren't around when I was younger. Gosh darn it, I'm too old now and it would be too embarrassing to buy them for myself! And thanks for sharing the story about your Nancy. A twelve year old named Nancy. That's rather unusual.

I love your own story, gram, and I completely understand. My father's cousin's wife approached me about ten years ago (she's been dead about eight years) and asked if I would like an antique blouse thing that she owned. She has only two sons in their sixties and she didn't trust them to hang on to it. It's got to be over 120 years old. I assured her that I would cherish it. I hardly knew her, but she was pretty close to the relative I mentioned above. It must have been really important to her, to give it to me. I think I'll go look at it again.

Andy, somewhere in my memory I recall that in order to be considered an actual antique, a piece of furniture must be 100 years old. So hang on to your memories of that chair, and be sure to tell whoever you give it to someday just what it means to you. The needlepoint too. You know, I have a piece of needlework that I did about 35 years ago that I like a lot. I have only two sons, in their thirties, unmarried, who really wouldn't be interested in it. So your mom is (was) a lucky lady, in my book.

One thing I have that my sons might both want is a Grandfather Clock that was built in the Black Forest of Germany around 1900. We were in Germany with the Army in the late 1960's and bought it from a German lady. She liked me, so she only charged me $50 for it! Then when we came back to the States, the Army shipped it for us...free, of course. We had it appraised about 20 years ago. Then it's value was $2000. Not a bad deal, huh?

Great deal Nancy!

My wife's rocking chair story is not about one quite so antique. We were at a Lion's Club antique sale on a local green. We had not intended to go to this but the friend we were meeting was late enough to blow our original plans. So we see this sale and stop in.

As we checked things out, my wife saw a child's rocker that reminded her of the one she had as a kid. She was reminiscing, telling us about how much she had loved her rocker. Finally she pointed to the arm of the chair to tell us how she had carved her initials in her's and she noticed that she was pointing at her initials. It was her chair!

Of course, we bought it.

How amazing is that!!!! I sure love to hear stories like that! I'd have bawled my eyes out, right then and there. Things like that usually only happen in the movies. Someone late for an appointment? How to pass the time while waiting? Oh look, a sale, might as well take a look. Nice little chair like the one I used to have.........Divine intervention? Why not.

The only problem was that before the price could be ascertained, let alone bargained, my DW kept yelling to the seller: "I have to have it! I have to have it!"
Nor exactly a tough sell. ;^)

Dave, at that point, I'm sure you would have paid anything for it. I think that story should be printed in the dictionary next to the word 'serendipity'. what a lovely story.

Yes, Nap, a twelve year old named Nancy. I wanted names that were family names and that were not possible to mispell or mispronounce. (All my life while I introduced myself I got Karen? Oh, Carol. No, CARRIE, like the movie. Oh, Cary. Karey. Cari. Keri. Carry. ARGGH!) So I named my first child Emma, after my Mom's grandmother, and EVERYONE in the world named their child EMMA that year! So my second daughter I named after my father's side. My father's grandmothers were Florence and somebody else, which didn't fit into my un misspellable criteria. So I named her after my grandmother, my fother's mother, Nancy. There were tons of Nancy's in my generation. But for a looooong time she was the only Nancy she knew.

xxx, Carrie

I know. With me it was Eric. Our first son in 1970 we named Eric. The only Eric we'd heard of back then was Eric Estrada, but we just liked the name. A year later my cousin had an Eric. Then another, and another.

My husband wanted names you couldn't pin an "ie" on the end of. He grew up with Billy, Jimmy, Jackie, Bobby, etc. So Eric was a good choice for our firstborn. Now he's a grown man, but ever since his college days, guess what his friends have called him........"E". Oh well!

Here's the final count.....99 shoeboxes! (this picture is only 96, however)

Nancy, great job! you have to feel good looking at that. we usually do an 'angel tree' thing at work where we adopt a family and everybody picks something off the tree to contribute...gifts for the kids, things for Christmas dinner, etc.

Nancy, do you have any idea what countries your boxes go to?

I just got this in an E-Mail. Kinda cute.
Andy P

And this one.

Funny!

Andy, that's cute. you get better stuff in your e-mail than I do ;-)

ewwww Andy, green faces!

You've all got me thinking now about the rocking chair I had as a child - one of those with the musical box on the bottom that "sang" while you rocked? Have no idea where it ended up after my move to Virginia - going to have to write to my mother to see if she knows.

nap, what an incredible job you've done with those gifts - should be some very happy children on Christmas!

Felt the same way when naming my children - never wanted names ending with "ie" - never liked the name Debbie :( Named my first son, Caleb, figured no one would call him anything but - however a relative started calling him CJ (his middle name is Joseph) - put a quick stop to that! Our immediate family now fondly calls him 'Cabe' :)

Debra (aka Debbie)

Hi everyone,
Been busy getting ready for the holidays, and I see I have missed much on this forum!
The rocking chairs stories are great, I love a story with a happy ending.
NAP....Those box are great! You must feel really good inside knowing how happy those children will be come Christmas morning.

As for stuffed animals...I still have alot of them. I actually sleep with a certain white polar bear and have for the last 19 years. He was my comfort pillow when I was pregnant with child # 5 and has never left my bed since.
Anita...how was the authentic chinese food? (Nov. 10th post) I use to have to go to the Childrens hospital in Boston with my son and would always go to Chinatown for Chinese food. Nothing could compare here in Maine to that food until I decided to go to work for a Chinese gentleman. He made some of the best dish's I had ever tasted. He owned a restraunt and got me to go to work for him there. He made sure i was home when the kides got off the bus, paid me well, and I got perks....free food!

Sounds like a deal, Pixie!

xxx, Carrie

Thanks, everyone. Yeah, it makes me feel good inside. I know it's not "about me" and I try not to let it be "about me" but somehow it feels like it is "about me" because there is so much joy in my heart. I've watched some videos of the kids opening their gifts and I just sobbed at their simple happiness. Andy, here's a quote from the organization:

"Operation Christmas Child has delivered shoebox gifts to some of the world's most remote regions. In Panama, for example, helicopters were used to reach children in isolated regions. In Jordan, camels carried gifts across the desert to Bedouin children. In the Solomon Islands, thousands of shoeboxes were delivered by small boats from Australia."

Here's a clip from the brochure. Later I want to show you some happy faces.

The big smiles and the map says it all.

I just found this. It's in Arabic but just scroll down to see some fun animations. (The scroll bar is on the left).
http://vb.star28.net/showthread.php?t=981
Andy P

Wow! That shows me that people are people, wherever they are.

Grampapa, that is so neat!! If she didn't want you to keep the family line open, she wouldn't offer. Don't be afraid to suggest what you like. Obviously no one else is.

Nap, yes it was her Dad. I felt it only fair to share. They also have a brother, but he ended up with everything else. Mom wanted to name me Nancy, but we already had one in the family. Now, I'm the only Sally in Nichols. That is a colorful wall of boxes! I don't blame you for crying. I would too.

Dave, that is the best story yet!!!! Sniff sniff.

Andy, that is one cool strange E-Mail!

Rcn, I want to school with 3 Debbies! I hope you find your rocking chair.

I have a child's rocker that was taken from an abandoned house. DH refinished it. It is over 100 years old. The only true antique I know I have.

I began this thread in Parking Lot Forum. Dave, maybe you could put yout wife's story there, or some of you others who had nice stories.

http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/671910/

Nap, it's a great thread!

Thanks for checking it out and adding your comments. I guess your kind of a "schmaltzy" person, like me.

Yeah, I think so.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ HAPPY THANKSGIVING ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

My pie is ready, smells good. This year I used 3 kinds of apples. Usually it's only my MacIntosh but my tree wimped out this season.

I found more coins while walking Sarah. There is this one area where I find loose change on the street. Today it was 35¢. Not much but this is the musing thread, lol.
Sarah found a dead rabbit yesterday, under a Privet hedge. We've been seeing it for months scurrying about, sure perked the dog up then. Not so much any more. It's was kinda sad to see the poor thing there again today.
Andy P

Edited to add a little game. http://www.freeworldgroup.com/games2/gameindex/turkeytogo.htm

This message was edited Nov 22, 2006 8:04 PM

Got to level 7... 9000+ points, then the fork came from out of nowhere and I ran out of time! Fun!

Andy, I can almost smell it from here. I didn't make apple. I'll trade you a piece of apple for a piece of pumpkin? are you cooking the turkey, too? I've been brining mine the last few years and it's so tender & juicy. no time for games tonight, but I'll try it another day :0) my granddaughter's here helping me make an antipasto and I still have yams to do.

have a wonderful day tomorrow! peace, gram

Hey guys, the 20th, on his 70th birthday, my father had a stroke. He's paralyzed on the right side. (At first they were saying 'weakness' but now they're saying 'paralyzed'.) He's able to eat pureed food, yum, yum. He's 2000 miles away in Santa Fe and doesn't want us to come visit. Happy Thanksgiving.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx, Carrie

Carrie, you and your Dad will be in my prayers this Thanksgiving Day. The Lord has plans for each and every one of us. Your Dad too.

Love to you all, Nancy

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Can you believe it's over already? On to Christmas!

What a storm we had yesterday, especially last night. Driving back from Plymouth was no fun. Wind and heavy rain made for slow going. Reports of over 3 inches of rain and gusts to 45 MPH. At least it wasn't snow, lol.
Andy P

Yes, yesterday definitely qualified as A Yucky Day.

It started to sleet here about 6pm but it didn't last long thank goodness. We had a wonderful meal and I ate too much as usual!
The deserts:
Pumpkin pie, Squash pie, Apple pie, Chocolate fudge, Apple Pear Coffee Cake, Homemade clam dip & chips, Death by Chocolate, and my Mom's recipe for Pumpkin Bread which is sooooooo moist!!! I can't move very well today. LOL

Carrie....My thoughts and prayers for your Dad and family.

Thank you, all. My father lives in New Mexico, all his family lives on the east coast. Maybe I should go snoop around on the South West US forum.

xxx, C

Carrie, does your Dad give you a reason why he doesn't want you to visit? I'll bet he won't consider moving near any family either. I'm sorry, that's got to be very hard for you.

We have had absolutely glorious weather for the last few days. 50's, sunny, no wind. Sure didn't have a Thanksgiving feel to it yesterday. I had the back door open part way with the screen on all day. It gets so warm with the oven on all day. sorry for those of you with storms. I don't eat much when I'm cooking but look out the day after. I had a nice big plate of leftovers today. and pie for breakfast (pumpkin...too early in the day for the lemon meringue)

my granddaughters are here and we're putting up some of my little tabletop Xmas trees. I collect ornaments. don't know exactly how many I have, but I know it's over 1,000. supposed to still be nice tomorrow, and my son's coming to pick up the girls, so it's a good time for the outside lights to go up. I'm getting in a Christmas mood :0)

Yeah - lemon meringue should definately not be eaten before 10 am. Gee - I had pumpkin pie for breakfast, too. 'Tis the season!

Hi you guys!!!! I lost you people.... latelly all I do is dream of roses...

hope you all had a great turkey day!

are we still up for pizza in New Haven????