A Walk Down Memory Lane

Last Friday I took a little stroll down memory lane.  My Mom has been in an assisted living facility for a few months and my Dad is going to move in with my sister and brother-in-law. So....I headed up to Green Bay to go through my mother's closet and dresser prior to his move, since space at my sister's and at the assisted living facility is at a premium. 

To put it nicely, my mother has always been a "saver", which I think came from her years living through the Depression and World War II.  But, it was fun to go through all of the clothes and jewelry I remembered her wearing over the years.  She still had her wedding dress from 67 years ago (which we kept), but she also had the dresses she wore to my wedding and my older sister's wedding - 37 and 39 years ago respectively.

Seeing certain pieces of jewelry brought back memories of when I was a little girl and watching her get "dressed up" to out for the evening. My Dad and I spent hours going through the little jewelry boxes, remembering when she got a certain piece, when she wore it, and laughing about things that happened so many, many years ago. We also came upon other "treasures" that she has kept over the years.....her registered nursing licenses from Wisconsin as well as Texas where they lived over 60 years ago, her starched nursing caps nestled neatly in a plastic bag in the bottom of a dresser drawer (ah yes...I remember her starching and folding those caps every week when I was small). There was a picture of her father (my grandfather) which brought back all kinds of memories of him and my grandmother, and the note I wrote her and my Dad after my wedding thanking them for the wonderful party they gave us and for everything they'd done for me up to that point in my life. 

There were other things that we found that were a bit puzzeling though.  A very old, formal photo of a woman that neither my Dad or I had ever seen before.  There was no name on the back which was unusual since my Mom always wrote the name and year on the back of pictures. Was it a picture of her mother, her grandmother, a friend?  But, I think the most intriguing thing we found was a large solitaire diamond ring and wedding band tucked away in the back corner of her dresser.  My Dad said he had no idea where it came from and that he had never seen it before.....so, we have a mystery on our hands - does he just not remember buying and giving it to her at some point during their years together, was it her mother's and she got it when she passed away?  Or, was it something she received way back when before she met my Dad? Hmmmmm.....the possibilities could lead to an interesting romantic mystery novel. My Dad was going to see if he could get answers to all of our questions when he went to see her on Saturday. I'm not too hopeful that we'll find out, because along with being 92 years of age comes memory loss - and, as my mother has always had...selective memory.

All in all, it was a good day on Friday - just spending time with my Dad and reliving some of the happy times of when I was one of his "little girls". Who could ask for anything more?

Wedding gift suggestions for an older couple?

My brother-in-law, whom no one in the family ever thought would get married, has met a wonderful woman and will be "tying the knot" next month. 

They have a beautiful home on the Green Bay shoreline and because they are older, have had very successful careers, and have each owned homes previously before combining their once individual households into one.

With that said, here's my dilemma.....what do you get a couple who pretty much have everything they want/need for a wedding gift?  My thoughts have gone from a high-end restaurant gift card to a gift certificate for a weekend get-away at a resort, to a gift basket of wine, cheese, crackers and chocolate.  In my mind, these were all great options....until my future sister-in-law mentioned at a niece's wedding that she thought wedding gifts that can be used over the years and remembered as the gift that came from a specific person were the best wedding gifts a couple could receive. I do have to agree with her philosophy, because I do think about specific people when I use something that we received from them for our wedding so many years ago. But, what do I get them?  There is a "Starving Artist Art Fair" http://www.fairsandfestivals.net/events/details/racine-starving-artist-outdoor-art-fair/  coming up in a few weeks and I had thought of heading down to the lakefront to see if there was anything unique yet useful that I may be able to pick up for them. Good idea?  Anyone reading this have any other ideas? Send a comment if you do - I will greatly appreciate suggestions.  

Finally.....the heat wave has subsided.....

Who would ever have thought that temperatures in the 80's would be thought of as cooler weather?

I cannot remember a summer as hot or as dry as it has been here in Southeast Wisconsin.  When I was a kid growing up in Milwaukee, I remember having hot days and since at that time central air was not the norm in people's houses (yes, I'm old) we would cool off by running through the sprinkler.  Remember that some of you "oldsters" out there?  That and the coveted Slip N Slide were the neighborhood kids form of entertainment/cooling off. Boy, the past couple of weeks I could sure have used a Slip N Slide in my yard.....over 100 degrees for days in a row. But, I s'pose if I did have one, I would have slipped and slid my way to a broken body part since I wasn't very coordinated in my youth and still can't say that I am.

My garden hose has been getting quite a workout though - but not for fun or cooling off - but to try to keep by flower and vegetable garden alive.  The grass....forget about it - it's like walking on straw with very few green patches to be found.  The only good thing about that is that it doesn't have to be cut. 

Now to just hope for rain - which doesn't look likely for the rest of this week.  It seems that I live in the section of Wisconsin where it rains to the North, South and West of us, but dries up before it gets to my "neck of the woods".

I really don't mean to complain, especially since before you know it, the temps will be dipping into the below zero category.  Personally, I prefer the hot, dry weather to freezing, icy and snowy conditions.....but one nice long thunderstorm would sure be nice :)

Happy Birthday America!

The 4th of July....America's Birthday!

My birthday wish for America this year is to return to the great nation it use to be. It's time to forget the partisan politics and political correctness - let's get the country back on track so we, our children, our children's children, etc, etc, can once again experience what the insightful forefathers put in place so many years ago.

Enjoy parades, sparklers and fireworks. 

It's a great day to celebrate in the United States of America!


                                                                    

I just saw a news alert that Andy Griffith passed away.

http://news.yahoo.com/report-andy-griffith-died-age-86-141449183.html


In my eyes, he was a tv icon....I grew up watching the Andy Griffith Show and Mayberry RFD.  To this day, I continue to watch Matlock reruns - even though I've seen them all several times.  To me, he was a great actor and from things I have read about him, a great person.  It was always refreshing to see how good won out over evil in the Matlock episodes, or how bad situations somehow were never as bad as they seemed or proved to be "teaching moments" as well as entertaining in the Andy Griffith Show and Mayberry RFD. It's a sad day, but I'm sure he is in a better place. 

Rest in Peace Sheriff Andy...you will be fondly remembered.