A Summer Breakfast

     This table was all about teacups, but there actually wasn't any tea involved. The morning was all about four good friends finally taking time to catch up over a light breakfast and coffee.

It was Christmas when I opened this

fun-shaped box from my dad...

     ...to find these beautiful cups and saucers.

The hat box they came in, the soft colors...

I felt like I had stepped into a cross

between Easter and Alice in Wonderland.

     I knew that I wanted to use the cups and saucers when I had 3 friends in for breakfast last week. I also knew that two of them aren't coffee drinkers and that the two of us who did drink coffee would use the Keurig pot and we would want big mugs for our coffee. So, I came up with a plan. I wanted to use the cups, keep things simple and still be fun for my girls! As you can see, I have switched my formal dining table for my round oak table for the summer. For those of you who don't remember, this table was purchased by my grandmother with her first paycheck as a gift for her mother. My grandmother was born in 1900, so this table has been in the family for quite a while. I am happy to say that this is one of the few pieces that my daughter actually does want.

     I used a simple runner with a large shell on each end. One of my friends is all about polka dots, so I pulled out the dotted plates and fun silverware to match. A simple white plate provides a layer between the blue plates and the pastel cup and saucers. The juice glasses I first used myself at a hotel in Vero Beach, Florida. I loved them and asked if I could buy them from the hotel. Imagine my surprise when the waitress told me to just take them, "she wouldn't tell". Of course I didn't do that. I did find them shortly after that trip at TJ Maxx.

     The centerpiece has been on the table all summer. A silver edged tray with a starfish on it, some beach glass and shells and a favorite "beachy" piece of pottery from an artisan show in Sarasota, FL. Simple, easy and light for summer.

     White napkins, sea glass colored napkin rings and I was ready to add a simple fruit mix to the cups. I always tell you to think outside of the box when setting your tables! 

Breakfast was easy.

 Fruit, juice, cherry scones, bacon and coffee.

Sometimes it is much nicer to keep it all simple.

Don't worry so much about the menu

or the table setting.

It really is about the friends and the conversation!

     I have had an interesting service provided this summer. An organic family farm in a small town near here sends out an email on Sunday nights and I place my order.  Every Friday morning they deliver produce, herbs, fresh eggs and flowers depending on what I have ordered that week. I had her bring my first bouquet on Friday morning and it came like this, in the vase for $5! Needless to say, she is bringing another one this Friday.

I am joining Kim @ Savvy Southern Style for

Wow Us Wednesdays

Kathleen @ Cuisine Kathleen for

Let's Dish

Susan @ Between Naps on the Porch

for Tablescape Thursday

Make New Friends, But Keep The Old

     The old Girl Scout song lyrics have never felt so true to me as they feel this week. I just spent the weekend in the company of many of my high school classmates as we celebrated our 40^th (ugh) class reunion.

Class of '72

     So many of us are struggling with words to describe what the weekend meant to us. My class has a page on Facebook and the pictures and words have been streaming in at a fast pace since Sunday. I really had no plans to do a blog post about the reunion, but as a writer…I just had to try to capture some of the feelings that this event stirred in all of us. The other thing I hope to do is to encourage all of you who skip class reunions, to rethink that idea.

     To quote some of my classmates, “Looking around, this weekend and seeing other old friends being together was all so familiar” “I feel like this weekend changed my life again” “but only the friends of our youth knew our families and where we came from”. I think it could be said that most of us were shocked at how wonderful it was to reconnect with old friends and even make some new ones. After all, at most we spent 12 years of our lives with these people and we have had 40 years of life, new friendships and experiences since leaving high school. It doesn’t make sense that when I saw my friend Elaine walking towards me, I felt such a rush of pure joy. The hug I gave my friend Liz, was genuine and filled with love even though I hadn’t seen her in 20 years.

Girlfriends!

     I think there is something to be said for people who knew you before “life happened” to us all. It was a time of hope and innocence for most of us, although I have learned that some classmates weren’t living my sheltered childhood and yet they never told us. I knew when my mom died and so many classmates sent me messages through Facebook, that there was something special about the bonds we created years ago. People who know me today, were kind and very sympathetic but those who knew me back then, had spent the night at my house, had my mom for a Girl Scout leader or been to my birthday parties. They knew her and that helped me through the worst time of my life.

     During our class picture, one of my friends who knows me the best, realized that as an extremely claustrophobic person, being somehow situated in the middle of 100 plus people for what seemed like forever, without dinner, in the heat and humidity was starting to get to me. She was standing right in front of me and probably felt my knees start to shake…what no one knows is that she stuck her hand up behind her back and grabbed mine and held on until the picture was done and quietly said under her breath, “do you need to leave”. True friendship based on years of knowing someone very well.

     We talked about our classmates who were no longer with us…and how much we missed them. We talked of those who still live in town and didn’t come and how much they were missing by not showing up! We missed many who live away and for some reason didn’t make the trip. We had people come from Oregon, Texas, Florida, Iowa, Indiana, Colorado and I’m sure other states. I doubt anyone would say they regretted making the trip.

     We learned that some of the boys thought we were cute in junior high but never bothered to let us know (oh what a difference that would have made in the 7^th grade), that where you lived in school and what your father did makes absolutely no difference now that we are all grown up (it didn’t matter then either, we just didn’t know it), that the class clown is still funny and that years can drop away in a heartbeat and you fall right back into the banter that you had decades ago. We discovered that people who felt like wallflowers in school are really great people and they certainly weren’t ignored anymore (isn‘t it sad they ever were). We are a class that we has produced lawyers, doctors, business executives, teachers, laborers, housewives, mothers, fathers and grandparents…funny, smart and caring individuals. Our parents and our teachers would be proud I think of who we have become.

Grade School Classmates

     The point is, it was worth it. It was worth all the work (done by others, not me) to prepare for this event. It was worth the travel, the manicures, the worrying about what to wear (I screwed that one up on the second night-bad outfit for pictures). It didn’t matter that we didn’t lose the 20 pounds or that we couldn’t read the name tags because we all have old eyes. There was something special happening in Mattoon, IL last weekend…and I am so glad that I was part of it.
　

Goodnight Moon and An Extra Ordinary Day

     A few nights ago I happened to capture this beautiful image from my backyard. The lights you see below it are actually cars on the interstate in the distance. What is it about a full moon that takes your breath away? I think it is right up there with rainbows and falling stars!

     My favorite children's book has always been Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown. I loved reading it to my children when they were small. Did you realize it was published in 1947? At the moment, I have a new favorite children's book that I can't wait to read to my little grandsons the next time they visit. I wanted to share not only the book with you, but also the fun, fabulous book signing event that I went to on Thursday night.

     One of my dear friends has written and published her first book and I'm so excited for her. Debbie is one of those people that does everything "over the top". She seems to never need sleep, has 3 busy kids and always seems to find the time to do anything for anyone. She throws the parties that everyone wants to go to because you know that you are going to have a good time and that everything will be perfect at the party. Regular readers of my blog may remember the annual Halloween "Witch Party" that I attend...that is Debbie's party.

     There was no doubt in my mind that I would love the book and that the book signing would be a fun event. I got my copy of the book from Barnes and Noble (it is also available on Amazon) and read it with a smile on my face. As a friend of Debbies, I could almost hear her voice reading it to me. As an objective reviewer, I love the way she found an artist (Jan VonBokel) who was able to capture the story in such whimsical images. I also love the fact that the book opens up a dialog with the child by asking questions and even having a few pages at the end of the book where the child can draw his own pictures in response to the questions.

     There is a definate moral to the story, which is expressed in a way that even the youngest child will grasp it. As for the book signing...see that ice cream cone in the picture above?

     In fact, all the sweet treats mentioned in the book...were at the party. I felt like I was 5...what should I try?

     Of course the plates and napkins matched the book cover. The bowl in the back, filled with bags of cotton candy and ooey, gooey chocolate chip cookies...

...there were cupcakes and huge

ice cream cone cookies (my choice, yum)!

     The signing was in a local coffee shop, which just happens to be featured in the book. Check out those balloons...ice cream cones!

     This odd photo is actually Debbie's outfit. Jan had her artwork made into fabric and then made into clothing. I told you Debbie never does anything "small". The fabric looks exactly like the book cover!

     I really have high hopes that my friend finds great success with her first book and hopefully more to come. I'm so proud of her for having a dream and following it through! Wouldn't it be wonderful if decades from now people are still reading An Extra Ordinary Day to their grandchildren?

Make New Friends But Keep The Old...

     Facebook has been a wonderful thing for my high school class. I was one of those people who really didn't want to get involved with it. It seemed to me like something more for my 20-something kids, but I was talked into it and the benefits of connecting with so many of my high school classmates has been great! There are probably close to 150  of my classmates who are now catching up, offering support and actually getting together with old friends. I left my hometown for college at 17 and I never really went back. I was only in contact with 3 friends, so this has been so much fun.

     On Friday night, one of my high school girlfriends (who is now married to another classmate/friend) were coming to town for a concert. We decided to get together for pizza and a visit before they had to be at the theater. Since I was ordering pizza, I thought about just putting a stack of plates next to the cardboard boxes and styrofoam containers-but, I know my girlfriend likes dishes and reads the blog, so I threw together a quick tablescape.

     I had a new April Cornell table runner and napkins that I had been wanting to use. I bought both at HomeGoods and I loved the colors of this pattern. The sweet little bird matched perfectly. It was a birthday gift from another friend. Mercury glass votives in aqua added a touch of elegance to our fancy pizza meal!

     I just grabbed every day dishes and flatware from my kitchen cabinet. With the royal blue round placemats, and the patterned runner and napkins, I thought the plates needed to be simple. My flatware is the stainless we use daily.

     The bowls with the handles are actually soup bowls. I bought them along with the matching soup tureen at Crate and Barrel in October. I decided to use them for the fruit trifle that I made for dessert. I used deep aqua water/soda glasses that matched the blue in the runner.

I added some shapes and height to the table,

 but kept  things low enough that we could talk over them.

Pizza by candlelight...try it!

The pizza was good, the table was pretty...but it was the company

that was important. Thank you Facebook for getting so many of us

back together again...just in time for a big reunion this summer!

I am joining Susan @ Between Naps on the Porch

for Tablescape Thursday.

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Grab Your Kleenix-I'm Gonna Love You Through It

     I first saw this video on Good Morning America last week. I love the story it tells of love and friendship. My husband is a cancer survivor. If you are fighting the battle, have won the battle or have a loved one who is currently struggling, this video will touch your heart. In fact, it will touch your heart anyway. 

Make New Friends, But Keep The Old...

Make new friends,

but keep the old.

One is silver,

the other is gold.

A circle is round,

it has no end.

That's how long,

I will be your friend.

     I had an interesting day yesterday. I went to my hometown to spend the afternoon at a non-traditional visitation/funeral/reception for a friend's father who died last Friday. This wasn't just any friend, she is my oldest friend. Our grandparents were friends and neighbors, our parents grew up together and our mothers were pregnant with us at the same time. Our birthdays are 2 weeks apart. She was my maid of honor and I gave the baby shower for her oldest son. I have always known her and with the exception of a few years when we lost track of each other, we have always stayed in touch. Her father was a quiet, wise man who loved to golf and have a cocktail or two with dinner at the Country Club. So, she decided to have a reception following the funeral at her dad's favorite place. We grew up there, going to junior golf classes, swimming all afternoon and charging lunch to our dads whenever we could get by with it. My wedding reception was held at "The Club". Her father's tribute had an open bar, food and a piano player...people were dancing. Her dad would have loved every minute. 

     Also attending was my best friend from high school, who was also my first college roommate. We have kept in touch over the years with Christmas cards and phone calls, Facebook chats and when my mom died...she was there. We happen to share the same first name and in high school, my mom called us #1 and #2 because we were together so much. Oddly enough, we married men with the same last name...so now, we have the same name exactly-very confusing. 

     I also got to see three other "girls" from my high school class. I hadn't seen them since graduation, 39 years ago. Because of Facebook, my class is reconnecting and I have had some FB conversations with them in the last year. These women were not friends who hung out at my house in high school, but I knew them. One was a friend I knew from my classes, one was part of a group I was in and we shared several friends and one I didn't really know well at all. However, yesterday...within 60 seconds of seeing each one of them, somewhere between the hug and the "I expected you to be blonde" we reconnected in a most unexpected way. 

     As we sat at our table catching up with children, grandchildren and talking about other classmates...I found myself thinking that this is like something out of a summer novel. Women getting together after many, many years and automatically feeling like sisters. We were there for our friend and as she walked through the room, sipping wine and visiting with family and friends, she would stop and sit with us for a moment when the tears would form and "recharge" before heading off again. She knew that we were holding her up and I knew almost instantly, that these women, some of whom I hadn't seen in decades would also hold me up when necessary. 

     Time is an interesting thing. It is the great equalizer. It doesn't matter if you were in a clique in high school (who can remember anyway?) and it doesn't matter where you lived or what your father did for a living, you are bonded in ways I didn't really understand until we started forming our group of classmates on Facebook. I was reluctant to join and yet as I have watched our class group grow to well over 100 members in the past year and now after actually meeting with some old friends face to face, I realize that those shared memories of our families, our town and our classmates really are something unique to a small group of people. As we all face the challenges that come with being this age, we are in the same boat and it is really wonderful to know that someone else will grab the oars and row for a while if you can't. 

     If you have lost touch with old friends or classmates, I really suggest that you start a group on Facebook and start looking. Take the risk. Don't assume that because you weren't best friends in school that you can't be friends now. The people that remember your parents, that remind you of the time you skipped class or sipped that first beer...they have your back and we all need a dose of that sometimes. 

     Can you pick me out of the senior pictures above?

Bits and Pieces

     It is Thursday, which generally means a Tablescape on my blog. With my daughter here, we had a plan for how we were going to set the table. We are still going to do that and call it a Mother's Day Table...my guess is that you will see it next week. You see things got a little busy around our house. Tuesday a couple of little guys showed up to play with their aunt. They seem to think of her as a celebrity, because after all she does work with Mickey Mouse!

Notice the T-shirts from her recent trip to NYC.

Needless to say there were a few Disney surprises in her suitcase!

     We served the little guys a very "nutritious" dinner of mac and cheese, hotdogs and applesauce. They aren't great eaters. Their mom gives them lots of Happy Meals and therefore they would really like to live on Happy Meals only.

     Tuesday night we had a sleepover. My son, his sons and my daughter were all here overnight. That has never happened before. My grands live with their mom about an hour and half from here, my son lives here in town and my daughter lives in Florida. I was a very happy mom/grandma to have all my chicks in the nest at once. That doesn't even happen on holidays for us now. We got up yesterday morning and took the boys back to their mom, drove to the nursing home and picked up my father-in-law and went to the cemetery for my mother-in-law's graveside service. It just took a few minutes, was just the family and the sun was shining. I hate to say that my father-in-law has gone downhill so much in the past 10 days that I think we will be going through this again...very soon. Two weeks ago he could walk with a walker and was slightly confused. Yesterday he couldn't stand, had to be lifted by my son into our car and barely spoke. It is hard to watch this happening so quickly.

     So, for our tablescape this week we are using what really was on the "table" this morning. My daughter loves my friends and wanted to see them while she was here. We had a simple coffee and conversation this morning. Scones, fruit, coffee and juice...nothing fancy, just fun. I didn't set the table, just put things on the counter and everyone helped themselves.

     Tomorrow we are headed to St. Louis to the Botanical Gardern. Hopefully, I will have some beautiful pictures for next week. I'm trying to jump in and read some of your blogs but I know I'm behind. Don't let me miss anything I need to see! Right now I'm just enjoying the company of my kiddo and loving every minute!

I am joining Susan @ Between Naps on The Porch

for Tablescape Thursday. Please go say hello

to Susan and see the gorgeous tablescapes!