A Tale of Two Dresses

The big white box sat in our attic for years.

When the grandchildren begged to play in there recently, my eye

fell on the box. It'd been almost 45 years since my mother took 

my wedding dress to a dry cleaner's to be "preserved." 

It was time to get the box out and see what was there.

How disappointing! 

Obviously the preservation wasn't guaranteed for 45 years!

But tucked on top was my sister's wedding dress that she

had sewed 47 years ago with beautiful polished cotton and lace. 

It was pristinely white and in perfect condition. 

Since it was her birthday I thought it would be

fun to mail her the dress as she probably didn't know I had it.

So I packed it up, along with the left over fabric and lace.

The dress arrived just a few days before my sister attended a very sad event.

A newborn baby had been found on a walking path and

the community was coming together to celebrate 

the short little life with a tender burial. 

There was a display in the church of infant burial gowns,

which had been made out of wedding gowns.

You can guess what my tender-hearted sister did.

Her beautiful dress and extra fabric is now being turned into sweet burial gowns.

All because two kids wanted to play in "Grandma's Attic."

pinch

I'm not in love with crickets. When we moved into this house there were a few that liked to 

come out in the evening to visit. They remind me too much of tiny frogs 

with their jumping here and there and the "startle factor."

I digress for a moment. We may live a pretty bland life because 

I have a lot of "pinch myself"--"I can't believe I'm here" moments. 

Like … standing in the Blue Mosque in Istanbul or sitting along the Mediterranean … 

Walking in a Kenyan tea farm ...Wishing for sunglasses while standing 

on top of the Eiffel Tower at 10 pm on a July evening … 

Walking through Anne Boleyn's house where Henry VIII used to come 

courting …  They all sound a bit exotic when lumped together.

But none more "pinchable" than this:

A favorite memory shines out from our years of homeschooling, 

now 25 years ago. I really loved reading chapter books to our boys, 

and a favorite is "A Cricket in Times Square." It seemed the entire time 

we read it, we had a tiny houseguest in the living room. 

He'd play his violin energetically, especially in the evening. 

He may have been named Chester, and we thought it was pretty cool how 

he timed his stay with our reading of the book.

Back to the present day. I've started volunteering at Little One's

 2nd grade class and am thoroughly enjoying it. 

The teacher is reading them "A Cricket in Times Square."

When the light goes off in the classroom, the teacher needs 

the students' attention immediately.

The first day I was there the lights flashed off.

"Come class quickly, it seems a cricket has come to visit our class."

The kids gathered around. Maybe it was Chester's grandchild.

A little history repeating itself.

For me, the sweetest "pinch myself" moment. 

Five Views of Breakfast

If you put a little cereal in the bowl, I'll be all set for breakfast. 

Low sodium vegetable juice, coffee (1/2 caffeine, 1/2 caffeine free). 

Other days I have two eggs rolled into an omelet with a tad of cheese.

I admit to bringing out the creamer and sugar bowl just

for the photo. I dearly love this sugar bowl found somewhere at a 

resale shop. It broke but was carefully glued together.

The napkin is rediscovered from the 1980s. Are you noticing checks reappearing?

If you are as fussy about your view as I am, I wonder if you can guess

what would "bug" me about this place setting.

I do love the view of this I-EA plant and container

along with my grandmother's depression glass S&Ps, and a 

little gift I bought the Gardener. He likes to have a toothpick handy.

In my work with a mostly young communication team,

I'm learning centered photos aren't the best, especially

if they are of people. So these last two are not centered.

Also a pop of red seems to enhance a photo, doesn't it?

And that's about all I have to say about my 5 breakfast views.

Joining Amy's Five on Friday.

the little cabinet that could

This old girl has been around our house for a long time.

So long I don't remember where she came from but

she's been used for all kinds of things. 

 In all kinds of places.

Most recently to hold the TV.

I had left over paint from a project I did last year.

And decided it was time to get rid of the green, and since we

were moving all the wires, etc. it was time to get the box out from

under the cabinet. I didn't like the clutter.

And the finished project. Now the clutter

has been moved to the top! But at least I have worked

since this photo and hidden the wires.

I think this may be the last time I paint this little cabinet…

but … one never knows for sure ….