Treasures in Black and White

Yes, I feel like I have been a little out of touch with the blog world and my blog friends as of late. I never expected to be absent for so long either. My sister gently reminded me how long it had been since me last post......Ooops! Well with the magic of the Olympics a distant memory, kid parties over with,and sick children now back at school I am finally feeling like I can get back to normal life. Yay!

I have not had the time to sew, decorate, or hunt for treasures, but I have made time to sort. and organize and that always feels good.

I have been scanning some old photos for my Father-in-law and in so doing have found a few sweet little treasures worth sharing. (Nichole if you see these keep it a secret from your Hubby as there maybe some forthcoming gifts for family members.)

Here are a few of my favorites.......

How much more Canadian could you get?

Love the old wooden sidewalks and the child's wagon that says :Artillery Car" on the side!

I think this one has to be my favorite.

Who didn't play "wedding" just once when they were a kid?

It looks like something right out of "Little Rascals".

Flowers for sale.

Love the lazy days of summer!

We were happy to find this photo!

The family members in this photo traveled half way across the country in the car above.

The picture was taken in Stanley Park in Vancouver (the "Central Park" of our city).

Some engineers are doing everything they can to preserve this old tree

... here is what it looks like today.

Sad to compare the two photos.

Absolutely Giddy with Olympic Spirit!

As you may have read in my last post, the Olympic torch passed us by yesterday. Soon after that post we were able to catch up with a few torch bearers at a gathering near our home. My kids and I sat and had lunch with a wonderful lady who carried the torch for one leg of the torch relay. We all got to hold the torch and get our photos taken with them and hear there stories as to how and why they were selected and also how it felt for them to carry it.

As I mentioned before I can't get through a national anthem without tears (it doesn't even have to be my anthem) I told her I would probably have bawl they entire way. She said that is exactly what she did! She explained that there was such an incredible wave of emotions and just as she was about to begin her run some said, "Just think, at this very moment you are the only person in the world carrying the Olympic flame!" She said that was it! It was a great little moment for us and we all felt very fortunate!

OK who is more excited about this - my kids or their gung-ho mother with the happy dorky smile!

This morning we were lucky enough to get to watch the Canadian figure skaters practice at our local ice rink. A few teams have been practicing here but up until today they have had heavy security. Today they decided to open it up to a few people and we were lucky enough to get in to watch them practice their routines. We sat for almost an hour and a half and watched them. We even saw some pairs, and ice dancing. They make it seem so completely effortless.

I hope you all find a comfy spot to take in the ceremonies tonight and that you are feeling as patriotic as I am! Enjoy!

Go CanadaGo!!

The Olympic Torch Has Passed Us!

We woke the kids up at 6 am to rush down the street to see the torch pass us by.

Surprisingly, the kids actually woke up for it,

and with the exception of our youngest they were actually in good spirits at this early hour.

Early Morning Torch Crowds

There were thousands of people lining the streets - I couldn't believe how many people would come out in the pouring rain, and at the crack of dawn to see this torch pass by.

My First Attempt at a Torch Photo

(Someone waved their flag right in front of my camera when the torch bearer was right in front of us - perfect timing.)

The torch as it runs away from us.

One last pass with the torch.

I've decided rain, darkness and a speeding subject do not make for fabulous pictures .

Oh well I guess I will have to rely on my memories for this moment.

The Olympic excitement is definitely growing and there is a incredible energy in the air that simply can not be described.

I am a big mush ball and things like this always make me teary - I rarely can get through a national anthem with out kleenex, and seeing this Olympic torch, as fast and fleeting as it was , was a great moment and a once in a lifetime experience.

Wish you could all be here!

A Lucky Stop!

The Gods were on my side today! I made a quick stop and look what I found!

I've being keeping my eyes open for cases like these for a while and I just never see them.

So I asked "How much?"

$10 each!!!

Start the car!!!

The brown one is staying with me and has found it's home already.

Wasn't I just saying that I need a stack of old suitcases?

My sister has claimed the blue one.

It will be hard to part with

but I love her so I'll give it up for her .

Don't you just love old suit cases?

Oh the dreams the owner must have had! There are several tags and labels still intact, they add such soul and such charm.

Remind me to tell my kids not to pick these tags off!

I'm sure they would love to "HELP" mommy out.

Olympic Fever Has Begun

I took at drive into downtown Vancouver yesterday and snapped a few photos of the cities transformation for you. It was great to see some of the buildings decorated for the games. There are tents, and banners everywhere you look. Here are a few of the photos I took.

The Hudson's Bay Company Building - The Official Olympic Store

The Georgia Hotel - I think this is reserved for Media, but I am not 100% sure about that.

The Hotel Vancouver with the RBC Tower in behind.

Robson Square Outdoor Skating Rink

They were installing a zip track right above this while I was there.

If any of you have tried to get tickets you will know that it is not an easy task. The tickets were distributed by a lottery system and there were no gaurantees that you would get any tickets at all. In fact, many people I know were quite dissapointed when no tickets were awarded to them. My cousins in Holland also had their Olympic speedskating dreams squashed (temporarily) when their lottery system failed them as well. After hearing all the stories I simply didn't even bother trying. Finally I thought I have to at least try. Years from now I will be kicking myself big-time if I don't at least attempt to get tickets. So on the last round of sales I finally got on the 2010 site set up an account and gave it a go.

Here is a play by play of my Olympic Ticket Buying Event!

First I patiently sit in the virtual waiting room

Faithfully refreshing my screen for three hours!!!!

I finally get in,

Kids don't bug me now

I only have twelve minutes to shop for tickets and then check out.....

I get my tickets and the system seems a bit slow

Lots of people must be on this site I guess

Man, this is really taking a long time

All I have to do now is click on "checkout"

I get the dreaded message, "Internet connection lost"

I scream

@#$%&*

Did this really just happen to me!

I guess it was not meant to be!

I can not give up with out a fight!

I get on again,

This time the wait is only 40mins, not bad!!

Miraculously all the tickets I want are still there,

I put them in my virtual cart.

Then I get cocky

I only have a few minutes left and I call my good friends

Do you want any tickets, Yes! Yes!

I throw their tickets into the cart.

Minutes to go,

I click on "check out"

and

@#$%&*

NOT AGAIN!!!!!

Can you believe it!!!!

I get on to the site again

and buy tickets for me

and my friends!!!

Yay me!!!!

It really is a once in a lifetime opportunity and I really wanted to take my kids to something.

We are all getting really excited! The Olympic mascots have been to their school and we are following the torch as well. It will be traveling through our little town on February 11th and we are for sure going to go see it pass through.

We can't wait and I will keep you posted!

Bravery at the Woolworth's Lunch Counter

When I mentioned bravery I'm not talking about finding the strength to put away a Shopper's Delight Salad (look at how gross these salads look) I'm talking about bravery, the kind of bravery they make bronze statues about! Read on!

My hubby and I went to the fabulous Fremont Sunday Market in Seattle a few years back and while we were there I found these old paper placemats from Woolworth's. A lady was selling them for .25 cents a piece! I'm a sucker for anything that takes me back to simpler times - so I quickly snapped up a few and then tucked them away.

I recently came across them while cleaning, and yes Donna, purging also! I finally brought them to a local business store and had them laminated. These little placemats are so fun, so practical, and totally appeal to my nostalgic side.

My mom would take me to Woolworth's when I was a kid for a special day of birthday or back -to-school shopping. I have fond memories of that little store, and the little lunch counter that you could walk right up to. You could almost reach out and touch the clothing from the stool where you sat. A friendly waitress would soon come over and place one of these paper placemats in front of us. My mom would get a coffee and they would bring it in a plastic cone that sat inside a golden coloured plastic holder. Does anyone else remember this? I decided to try to find a photo of this on-line because I'm sure you're all saying "HUH!" So I googled it to find ya photo but found this super cool and interesting history about the Woolworth's lunch counter instead.

I had absolutely no idea but on Feb. 1st 1960, four African American teens went to a Woolworth's lunch counter and waited for service. They were refused service. They sat there until the store closed. This sit-in sparked sit-ins at Woolworth lunch counters all across America.

Finally on July 25th of that same year they tried again and were serve food at that very same lunch counter.

A piece of this lunch counter now sits at the Smithsonian.

And these brave men were honored with a bronze statue - they have done so much for mankind. Thank you for changing the way we think! Look how far we have come because of you!

If you are interested in reading more clicking on the following link.

Woolworth's Lunch Counter Sit-ins

Compromising!

I think the biggest surprise upon getting married is that my husband actually had an opinion about what we put into our place! I don't really know why this was a surprise to me but somehow I hadn't thought he'd care all that much. Maybe it was the fact that he only had a futon, a computer desk and his beloved rattan sofa.

For the most part things have worked out but I have to tell you there have been some compromises along the way.

Big Compromise #1

Does anyone else have one of these in their living room that they have to work around? Pretty sure this is a 32" and believe me he would have been a lot happier with a 50+++, and yes I would have been happier with a 20" or none at all.

Compromise #2

It had to be leather!

This photo doesn't really do this beast justice. I do actually like this sofa, but I wouldn't have chosen it for this space. Having a leather sofa was the most important item on my husband's wish list. We discussed and discussed and it was clear that this was really important to him, so if I had to have a leather sofa I wanted to add a few requirements of my own.

Requirement # 1 - No pouffy attached pillows on the back or arm rests.

You know the ones, right?

Requirement #2 - No shiny leather - must have more of a distressed feel.

Requirement #3 - No colored leather, must be blackish-brownish, sort of aviator-ish.

This is what we came up with.

It looked a lot better when we first got it, but now the pillows are starting to droop in the center and the dye seems to be wearing on the cushions more than the rest of the sofa- not so sure what can be done about that.

Marriage is full of compromise and in the big scheme of things this is nothin'!

I bet your wondering what happened to the rattan sofa!

About a week before our wedding day we were moving his stuff into our first place and on the way down the elevator with this sofa some guy asked,

"What are you gonna do with that? It is really nice!"

I think my husband was so proud that someone appreciated it

that he gave it to the guy on the spot!

Sayounara! Adios! Good-bye!