Numbers, relationships of numbers..all this.... is so interesting to me. All relating to ORDER!!!
I imagine this fascination comes from my Dad who was a CPA, and a genius with numbers! He came by it from his Father and Grandfather, who by the way was the inventor of a Perpetual Calendar! I am very proud of that family fact!!!!
Getting back to TODAY.
Today is November 25, 2011. It's the fourth Friday of this November.
Now, you ask: " So Why Is This So Special" On November 25, 1955 I met "My Honey".......AKA... MC!!
That November 25, was also the fourth Friday of that November. The month of November in 1955 was identical in form to this November!!
MC AND I MET AND HAVE BEEN TOGETHER FOR:
56 YEARS
20,454 DAYS
490,896 HOURS
29,453,760 MINUTES
1,767,225,600 SECONDS
.......Oh..I LOVE the internet. What would I do without it!!!!
MC'S SENIOR PROM 1956
IN HONOR OF THIS VERY SPECIAL ANNIVERSARY, MC FINISHED REFINISHING MY HOPE CHEST!!!
On Christmas 1956, I received my Hope Chest. Exactly 13 months (as you all know, Christmas is December 25) after meeting MC.......He should have known he was Taken.......
I have been trying to figure out why the world looks so differently at "Young Love" today. A number of my friends fell in love with their future husbands while in High School. It wasn't that rare in 1955!!! Maybe it's because one's life span was not much over 65. To have a long life with your loved one, one had to start a little younger than you can today!!!! Just a thought!
Back to the Hope Chest......
It has had a wonderful life of it's own.
It was the only piece of furniture we owned in our FIRST APARTMENT!! The apartment came "furnished". We didn't buy any other furniture until we moved to California in 1962. Our Mobile home also came "furnished"!
During the years, before I gave (loaned) it to Patti in 1988, it was usually in our dining room. It also was a great place for the kids to hang their Christmas Stockings! The first few, of the 34 homes we have lived in, didn't have fireplaces......
Sorry Steve
,.........in 1962...you were due in one month !!!!
1963...you were in your crib!!!!
In the 1960's I "antiqued" it green with one of those fabulous antiquing kits!!!
This picture actually was taken in the 1980's during MY COUNTRY PERIOD!!!
When Patti received it, that was it's finish. She, with the help of Erica, Maggie and her Mother-In-Law, refinished it back to it's original form, BLOND MAHOGANY, which was the big trend in the 50's or what is referred to today as MID-CENTURY!!!!
For some strange and unbelievable reason the tag that was attached to the inside of the chest is STILL ATTACHED !!!!
It's fabulous.......So, so typical of THE DAY. Love it......these are the items every young girl had to have for her trousseau . To be honest, I can't remember if I was able to amass them all!
Last year, when Patti and Mark "trucked back" my 1968 sofa, they also brought my Hope Chest . .....I do have a habit of asking for some things BACK. Terrible, I know, but the family is very aware that when I discard "treasures"... they better keep them, because if they no longer want them.....I am apt to ask for them back!!! I have first dibs on items they are no longer using.
For this past year, I have been toying with how to refinish or redo the Chest. Last month it hit me.
Yes, right in the middle of putting together all the gold ornaments, I came up with this huge project for MC to get finished before December 4th. No pressure...."just please squeeze it in!!!"....
Last night we brought it into the Dining Room....where else?
I love the New Look. MC outdid himself...once more!
Don't you just love the Lion Head hardware.......
I CAN'T WAIT TO "DRESS" IT FOR THE TOUR....
ps......On January 25, 1956, MC and I officially WENT STEADY
On July 25, 1959 we were MARRIED
NUMBERS......LOVE 25!!!!
I enjoyed this so much!! As you know, we share anniversaries, just a few years' difference! And, my father's birthday was January 25, so we have something else in common. I am glad you shared this with us.
ReplyDeletethat calculation is cool!!! Claire and i love the photos! Especially the prom one!
ReplyDeleteWhat I can I say?
ReplyDeleteHas anyone noticed the suggested linens for the brides bedroom?
ReplyDeleteAwwww what a sweet story! It's kinda crazy how life finds patterns... And yes, I saw the "one for each bed" hahaha!! The chest has never looked better. Now, what's in your "Inventory"?
ReplyDeleteYou know me, Erica, as we were putting everything back into the chest, I WAS BLESSED WITH A WHOPPER OF AN EPIPHANY.....
ReplyDeleteNeed to do some "sweet" talking to MC for this one
The "inventory" now consists of a number of my previous duvet covers, bed spreads, a mink stole,(which belonged to my Aunt Lucy) two mink hats (which were my Grandmothers, my First Communion Dress which was had made by my Grandmother and a baby coat that belonged to my Mom......no sheets or dish towels!
ReplyDeleteBY THE WAY....
ReplyDeleteTHE GORGEOUS LION HEAD KNOBS WERE A FABULOUS BUY FROM AMAZON.COM
Beautiful!!! It's a good thing I am able to "store" these treasures for you. I'm looking around my house now to see what I might "loose" next...haha... The hope chest now doesn't have to "hope" any longer...it's finally going to be in the world of beauty!
ReplyDeleteI think I've cleaned you out.....but your brothers better watch out!!!!
ReplyDeleteAh Patty, what a gem of a post. Smitten with you and MC, but maybe more so with MC for restoring that chest and turning it an even more amazing piece of furniture than it was before. Happy belated anniversary wishes as well. You should write a book about love and committment. I daresay, you've outlasted many, many marriages and considering the record-breaking 41-day marriage of Chad Johnson (formerly Mr. Ochocinco), that is quite a milestone in this era.
ReplyDelete