Memories Are Made of This: Turn About is Fair Play

I have spent months writing about the things in Mom's house....so many of which are now in my house. Well, I got to thinking about all the things that WERE in my house that ended up in Mom's house. As they say, turn about is fair play!

When Jim and I bought our house on Hillside Drive in Shelby, there was a chandelier...in the bedroom! It wasn't our taste, particularly in the bedroom. Had it been in the dining room, we may have felt differently. Anyway, we chose to take it down and replace it with something a little less ornate (actually a LOT less ornate!) I will admit, it is a beautiful and intricate chandelier, it just wasn't working for us at the time.

Mom couldn't believe we didn't want the chandelier, so she took it. I don't really know where she planned to put it, but she couldn't let it go! I don't really blame her, understanding her love for such lovely and unique things.

I remember when we sold our house on Ridgeview Drive, there was a beautiful chandelier over the dining room table. It was one of those to-die-for chandeliers. When the new owners invited Mom to come over and see the house, she was sick to notice that chandelier was gone! I guess not everyone has the taste for such fancy and beautiful crystal chandeliers. This memory is probably why Mom wanted to take the chandelier that Jim and I didn't want. It's hard to let go of beautiful things.

Well, long story short, that chandelier from our Hillside Drive house is now in my garage here in Florida 24 years later! It was never hung anywhere, and the crystals are all loose and in need of repair. However, I am trying to figure out a way to get this chandelier hung in my dining room. It will take some drilling, rewiring, and ceiling repair, but I think it will be worth it. I have been wanting one in there, and after packing up Mom's house and moving so much of her stuff down here....that chandelier included....I have about decided that it is time to hang it. It will hold a lot of sentimental value.....not to mention it will be a beautiful addition to my home.

The chandelier Mom left behind in the dining room of her house on Lynhurst Lane puts this chandelier to shame. It is absolutely gorgeous, and if I could imagine it in my house in any way shape or form, I would move it here. It is just much too large and formal for my house, but it is truly a masterpiece. I guess whoever buys Mom's house will luck into that one.

I have already blogged about the lovely clock that was Jessie's that is now mine. I proudly display this pink and white ceramic clock in my living room. It doesn't match nor does the style of it go with my decor, but guess what? I really don't care. That clock brings so many things to me each time I look at it. It is truly now one of the most cherished pieces in my home.

It was Jessie's and I can picture it on a side table in her living room. When she gave it to me, I was stressed out about moving it to Florida....not to mention it didn't go with my decor. When I realized how beautiful it looked in Mom's living room, I told her to "babysit" it for a while. And she did for several years. But now Mom is in Florida and that clock came down with her. She doesn't have a place for it at Stratford Court, and it is mine, so I decided to find a place for it...right or wrong. Needless to say, it has become a conversation piece and I smile each time I look at it. Who cares that it doesn't match? It was Jessie's and now it's mine!

On a totally different note, the Barbies that were Martha's and mine are now in my garage with Madeline's name on them. I know Eric will be overjoyed to have a couple of boxes full of old Barbies and their clothes moved into their home once they are married!

I have always loved dolls. I got them and loved them and took care of them. Yes. Martha had a Barbie the first year they were ever made! She was definitely "hip" that way! Martha learned many years later that the Barbies from the original run were quite valuable. The way you could tell was to see a hole in the bottom of the left foot of the Barbie. Martha called me and asked me to check her Barbies for left foot holes. I did. They were not from the original run, but they were from the first year that Barbie was made. I think that is pretty cool!

Martha outgrew the dolls she really was never into in the first place. I was one of those dorky kids that saved all my allowance (except for the 50 cents per week I pledged to the church) so I almost always had some money stashed away. Martha, on the other hand, was more of a spender. I don't think she was wrong in her spending. I just think Martha had a flair for living, and living she did! I am happy that her shortened life was blessed with an abundance of experiences.

Anyway, Martha gladly "sold" me her Barbies and the Barbie accessories. I paid her my allowance in order to be the proud owner of all the Barbies and their lovely clothes! Madeline inherited my love and passion for these dolls, and I will never forget that at age 22 she called me when I was in Shelby packing up Mom's house to move to Florida to tell me not to forget HER Barbies!

So, Eric, Madeline AND her Barbies are yours now.

Jim and I bought our dream home on Fairway Drive in Shelby. I don't think either of us will ever get over missing that house. It was the perfect house for us in so many ways. It was on the golf course. I used to tease Jim because he had a little office (which we wallpapered in a golf theme) that had a window that overlooked the golf course. I worried that he'd never get any work done for staring out at the golf course, but instead, it just made him happy and motivated, so he did do his work and he did it well!

I loved the huge country kitchen. That kitchen and the front porch with rocking chairs that overlooked the rollling hills of the golf course were enough to make me feel like I was in heaven. Being a beach person, that says a lot. That is how beautiful our lot was. I was content to rock on that front porch rather than sit at the beach.

When we moved into the house, there was a lovely carved screen that separated the breakfast room from the kitchen. I liked it, but I was more interested in an open area that fulfilled my love of cooking with being a mother of three. I needed to be able to see what was going on at all times, and I just love open and bright spaces.

This screen was too pretty to get rid of so Mom took it and put it upstairs in her little office room. It is still in the corner and I love it. It is interesting how a piece can look different and feel different depending on the area where you put it. I love the passing back and forth of the pieces. As I have said....turn about is fair play.

I don't know where this piece will end up, but I am sure it will stay in the family somehow.

And speaking of Mom's upstairs, I still laugh when I go in the bathroom up there! It is papered with the wallpaper I ordered for my dining room in our house in Raleigh. I still love the wallpaper, and surprisingly, it looks great in this bathroom although it was purchased for a dining room! I couldn't return the paper and Mom was just finishing this bathroom so she offered to take it. I couldn't use the wallpaper because it was more orangey than maroon, but the paper itself is lovely. 30 some years later, this paper looks awesome in Mom's bath! Go figure.

When I lived on Hillside Drive, I had these two prints hanging on the wall in my dining room. They were inexpensive simply framed prints, but they matched and looked great with my decor. They were prints of vases and flowers. They had a bit of a southwestern flair, which doesn't usually appeal to me (or Mom). When we moved, Mom said she wanted them for her upstairs office room.....the same room where she put the carved screen! I think this upstairs room was quickly becoming a room furnished with my things rather than hers. Turn about is fair play.

There are so many other things that have passed back and forth. One is a pencil drawing done by Roger Holland. He was a dear friend of mine in high school and we took art classes together. No matter how artistic I thought I might be, I recognized that Roger was truly the epitome of the artist that I wanted to be. He had a raw talent and I am sure that is why he is now the successful architect that he is.

I think we had an assignment in art class and Roger's result was a pencil drawing of his bedroom at home. It was an amazing drawing and very neat and detailed. He depicted his room with skis, balls, art supplies and other things cluttering the room. It definitely looked like the room of a teenage boy. I loved the drawing and was so impressed by the talent of this sweet guy.

The drawing was matted and I think it was entered into one of the art shows at SHS. I don't know if it won any ribbons or not (it should have), but all I remember was that Roger gave it to me. He told me it was the first piece of art he had ever given away. Trust me, I held it near and dear to my heart, because I am a humble artist myself and I know the impact of giving away a little piece of yourself.

Long story short....this piece is "missing." I know it is at my Mom's house as I have looked at it from time to time. Somehow we can't find it. I guess this (and one other thing we can't find) will remain a huge mystery until it can be found.

I remember that this piece went with me to Elon for my dorm room and it came back to Shelby when I came back. I saw it and enjoyed it many times. I know it is in that house somewhere. I can't wait to uncover it. This drawing is awesome and meaningful and I can't bear the thought of it being lost. I feel proud to be the recipient of this wonderful piece of artwork.

There were so many things in Mom's house that were earmarked for me. I appreciate that she noticed what I wanted/needed. I am such a sentimental sap. I wish I didn't have such emotional ties to so many things! There isn't the space for all the things I cherish. Fortunately, I am willing to rearrange my house a bit, and I have three children who might like to have some of these things to remember their Grandmother by.

It is probably a good thing that Porter already took the Swarovski crystal figures and put them in his room. He wanted them and I am delighted that he has them. I just want him to know that I was with Mom when she bought them. It was a hoot and one of the more memorable moments in my life! My enjoyment of these pieces is more in the story behind them than the pieces themselves. I am sure Porter will let me come over and enjoy them whenever I want! His Mom loved them and I think they probably remind him of his mom as much as they do of my mom. And that's a beautiful thing.

Mom bought the Swarovski crystal pieces in NYC. I love NY. I wouldn't want to live there, but there is no more "happening" place in the world. I dream of seeing a Broadway show daily! It is my passion aand has been since my Daddy introduced me to the Broadway theater when I was 12 or 13. But that is a whole other story.....

Anyway, Carol Rose was/is a dear friend of mine and I knew that her mother-in-law and my mom were friends. I so wanted to go on a trip with my Mom. We need to work on making memories.

Patsy and Carol were on board, so I talked it over with Mom and we all went to NYC! It was 1991 or sometime around then.

Carol and I still laugh about feeling like Lucy and Ethel when we went into the store where Mom bought these large Swarovski figurines.

Even a back room and a promise of a class of wine or a special drink didn't prepare Carol or me from what transpired! We both agreed that we definitely represented Lucy and Ethel. I will never forget the moment...loved being with my dear friend and my mom . But the whole experience seemed so surrreal. I am just glad that everyone enjoyed just hanging out and relishing the moment even though it felt like the filming of an "I Love Lucy" episode. We sat in the back room of this antique shop and 2 guys with their gold chains and silky shirts were so enamored by these 4 southern ladies. I think they had us "hooked," and I guess they did, because Mom did buy all the crystal and I think the rest of us each bought something. They were bringing Persian rugs with price tags that left Carol and I speechless and rolling them out for us to admire. They were fast talkers and had plenty of stuff to show us!

I guess you had to be there to truly appreciate the sight, but I know I will never forget what Mom went through to get those Swarovski figures. I know Porter will appreciate them, and I know that had he been able to experience the shopping experience with us first hand, he'd get a kick out of it! But Porter always appreciates a good story, so this will be one 'for the books!'

I painted a picture when I was in high school (probably in one of the classes I shared with Roger Holland) of some blue denim high top sneakers with little children crawling on them. It is a weird painting, but I sort of like it. The shoes were actually shoes I wore (I guess in my less "preppie" stage) and the children crawling on the shoes are inspired by old photographs of Martha and me. I had it in my room on Ridgeview Drive and after I went off to college, Mom wanted to have the painting. At this point I didn't care much for it and I certainly didn't want to haul it to Elon with me, so we had it framed and it hung for years and years in Mom's upstairs on Lynhurst Lane.

When Mom moved down here to Florida, Madeline said she loved the whole upstairs bedroom of Mom's house on Lynhurst Lane, and if she could choose anything from the house (in addition to the Barbie dolls), she would choose that bedroom. No one else seemed interested in it at all, so that whole bedroom is now in my garage awaiting Madeline to get married and move it into her own home. I couldn't help but bring back the "shoe painting," but I really couldn't find anywhere to hang it. I put it out in the garage with Madeline's stuff and who knows, she may just want an old painting that her mom painted in high school hanging in her house!

Mom's bookshelves on Lynhurst Lane are filled with books. She has a lot of bookshelves and to get that many books to fill them definitely took a bit of collaborating! I still peruse the shelves whenever I go in there. I know many of the books are mine and some are Martha's. I think there are books from my cousin, Tony Hammock on that shelf. I don't really have room in my house for more books, but if I did I would bring back all my old books, and perhaps some of the books that aren't mine. I love books and always have. I think most people in our family feel the same way. These books have experienced the 'turn about is fair play' many times over!

I painted a little footstool when the boys were little. It has painted on it Jimmy and Joe along with a smiley face. It is at Mom's house upstairs in the guest room. I don't exactly know how or why she ended up with my stool, but it is there. Along with that stool is a wooden swivel chair. It is the chair I used as a desk chair in my kitchen on Fairway Drive. Again, I don't exactly know how it ended up at Mom's, but it did! Turn about is fair play.

There is a little porcelain bunny that was mine. I won it as a bridge prize one time. I love the little bunny, but when I realized Mom's rabbit collection was growing and I knew she had admired my little bunny, I decided to give it to her one Christmas. She enjoyed it with her collection for years. When we were packing her stuff to move, she gave a rabbit from her collection to several different people. A lot of people said they wanted one of the rabbits to remember her by. They associate the rabbits with Mom because of her big collection. Anyway, I wasn't about to give away this little porcelain bunny, so I took it back! I am not really an Indian-giver, but I thought I might as well let that be the rabbit I took from Mom's as a rememberance. It sits on a table in my extra bedroom/computer room/craft room. The little bunny always makes me smile.

Sometimes it is hard to tell what's what and who an item belongs to. I think it is interesting how we have managed to pass things back and forth between homes. Sometimes they come back to the original place just like a boomerang. Sometimes they stay put.

I guess that old saying "What's mine is yours and what's yours is mine" really rings true in our family!

It doesn't really matter who bought the item or whose house it was in or is in now, it is really in the sharing and the sheer enjoyment of these things. It is important that the right thing end up with the right person at the right time.

And memories are made of this.