"A Wink and a Smile"

How funny that I opened up an old album and then found out that today was July 26th! My Poppie was born in 1900 on this date. There isn't a lot that I remember about him ... he died when I was 5, but I do remember him being a gentle giant. He was a TALL NORWEGIAN with great big hands, but when he touched me it was like I was a delicate doll. His voice was quiet and his accent; unlike my own. We had a little connection that I can't describe with the right sort of words, but something tells me that we could have been great friends ... two peas in a pod . Not that I am some TALL NORWEGIAN woman with GREAT BIG HANDS (although, come to think of it ... my hands are rather large). Anyway, I mean that he had a lot of thoughts. Even to this day, I know that about him. I think we would really get one another.

From the age of 7-18, I lived in a place called Twin Rivers. I guess you could say it was where I grew up. It was built in the late 60's-early 70's and was located just 50 minutes from NYCity ... the first planned unit development. But before the age of 7, I lived in Brooklyn, NY. At the time my family of 6 was living in the downstairs floor of a home that we had definitely had outgrown by the time my parents had 2 children. This new development that we were heading to was being advertised as a great place to raise a family and a bus ride for those commuting to the city (NY). Of course, my dad worked in Manhattan at the time. So, when I was 7, my parents moved all of us to NJ (my 2 older siblings and one younger sister). I was thrilled because this was a real (town)house with 4 bedrooms, a small backyard, and a basement. We were moving on up! Some of the other cool features of this community were 4 pools (and not small ones ... 25M pools, 6 lanes, diving tanks, baby po...

When I look back at some of the photos that are in my possession, I can't help but to laugh a little. There are the clothing choices.  This I do understand is something that can't be helped.  There will always be trends that we will laugh at later on. My older Sister and Dad don't look too bad, but check out my green / orange plaid suit ... yikes! Then there is this ... Dad LOVED this shirt.  When I think of what my Dad wore in the 70's this ranks up there as being something I saw him wear a lot.  It had a strange sort of design and was satin .... oooooh la la!   Can't tell you why no one seemed to notice how VERY CROOKED that photo is above my Mom's bun.  Oh yes, "the bun".  For a solid 10 years I think my Mom wore her hair the same exact way. Now we can move to the 80's ... "Okay everyone ... let's take a picture.  Gerry pick up the dog! Eileen grab that lovely vase! Thomas primp that feathered hair!  Elaine and Heleen smile and don...

HT to Rob ToysR'Us from the 70's ... WHAT FUN! Time to make the DONUTS ... LOL! Raise your hand if you're SURE! I guess I am especially fond of the Christmas commercials from the past. FAST FORWARD to today and I usually fast forward through commercials.

WHAT WAS MY MOTHER THINKING????? Seriously, I think she wanted a "Shirley Temple" sort of child. Those curls and that dress with the knee highs. Any minute it looks as if I could break out in a song and dance routine ... "On the good ship lollipop. Its a sweet trip to a candy shop Where bon-bons play On the sunny beach of Peppermint Bay." There is a reason for this post and that is ... I love old photos and recently my Mom passed along an album that she wanted me to fix up. This album is one of those 1970's type (brown vinyl) that have the sticky pages and cellophane over it ... just TERRIBLE for the actual photographs. Certainly this is not acid free stuff. I am not sure I can do a whole lot with the photos, but maybe fixing the color, eliminating the scratches, and getting them on the computer will help. I've made my fair share of photobooks. Maybe I will do the same thing to the photo album she sent me. Seeing old photos is really cool to me. I know that ...