Fancy a trip down Memory Lane?
Monday’s blog is Flowers and Trees, right?
I want to share something really special with you…
Well yesterday, we hung out with our friends Debby and Gill.
They have moved to Texas, which has been a bit of a mission.
Having moved back and forth across the continents from Europe
to California myself, I know what a logistic challenge that is.
We were talking about all the trinkets and dust-catchers you shed to lighten the load, and how you really only hang on to the things which have sentimental value.
Suddenly, my little Mind Locomotive took me right back to Germany in the late ‘80s, just before we moved from there to California.
And I remembered my good Italian friends in Nürnberg,
Giovanni and Antoinetta.
They ran the big Italian restaurant by the park,
and we saw each other almost daily, because I ran the language school next door!
Whenever I went to their home, there was a huge, ornate terrine in the centre of their dining table.
And I would always admire it, and tell Antoinetta how beautiful it was. It had been a wedding present to them.
Well the day came when we were leaving Germany and moving to America.
The packers were in our apartment
(which by the way, was on the 5th floor with no lift).
I heard Antoinetta before I saw her,
because she really did have a voice that carried!
“BARBARA ! BARBARA ! Ich hab was für Dich!!”
(I’ve got something for you!)
She had a very strong Italian accent and spoke a beautifully broken German, laced with the regional dialect.
When I looked down in the stairwell,
I could see her mass of black curly hair climbing up the stairs.
And when she finally reached the top, breathless and laughing,
guess what she had for me.
Yep.
“Mußt Du mitnehmen nach Amerika!
Als Andenken an Deine Freunde!”
(You must take this to America, to remind you of your friends)
It’s huge!
A real statement, as they say!!!
Antoinetta would be proud of me.
Still pristine, no chips, no cracks.
It’s been in and out of boxes and halfway round the world,
and still has pride of place.
In my heart too.
Got to go.
Lots to do today.
We’re off on our next adventure tomorrow…..
Love and friendship,
Barb
xxx
91 thoughts on “Fancy a trip down Memory Lane?”
Beautiful memories Barbara thank you for sharing you never know they might read your blog and find away back to you lots of kindness hugs xxx
Afternoon my dear family of blog friends I'm first to blog , I'm getting ready for my hospital appointment to see the rheumatologist consultant this afternoon hoping I can get some help to take the pain away I had a very bad night with the pain kept Tom awake most of the night bless him sending lots of hugs to you all and all on the blog xxx
Dorothy sending wee cuddles I do hope your ok missing you xxx
Hi Sheila – I am right behind you! So sorry to hear about your really bad night. Good luck at your appointment – lets hope that the consultant can come up with something to help you. I will be thinking of you – sending you positive caring thoughts and hugs – love Gilly xxx
Sheila, by the sounds of it, it is you that needs the hugs. I hope everything goes well this afternoon and you can get some pain relief.
Hi Sheila,
So sorry to hear that you had a bad night. I really do hope that the consultant can give you something to help you. I will be thinking of you. Love and hugs Alison xx
I do hope they can give you something to help your pain xx
I hope your hospital visit went well and that you are able to get the pain under control xx
Fingers crossed your appointment went well. Xx
Hi Sheila, I do hope the Consultant was able to help you today. Love and Hugs xxx
Hi Sheila I hope the consultant was able to help you today and you and Tom have a better night tonight. Sending hugs xxx
Hi Barbara – what a truly beautiful terrine and an even more beautiful story! Fantastic memories of such happy times, priceless! Thank you for sharing this wonderful story of friendship with us all – and no doubt you will now be making more wonderful memories with Debby and Gill – hugs to you all, Gilly xxx
Hi to all of my lovely blog friends – I hope that you are having a good day and managing to keep dry! Rain here all through last night and so far today – we have been promised sunshine later on this afternoon and evening! A very lazy day for both of us so far – just thinking about going out to do a bit of shopping – love and hugs to you all, Gilly xxx
Hi Gilly, it's my day off today so I've done lots of housework and I went to the gym this morning. The gym is by the beach in the middle of the town. I came out of the gym and all was well but when I drove to my house the road was wet – that's what you call localised weather. It's dry and mild now so I'm hoping to get out into the garden for an hour.
Hi Gilly,
Sorry to hear you've still got rain – doesn't it get you down. So much for it being the longest day! We've never really been able to enjoy the light nights yet. Actually it's not too bad here , a bit blowy but the sun does keep making an appearance! I have managed to get my washing dry though. Love and hugs Alison xx
Hi Gilly, I'm just on the bus back from lunch with my friends. It's poured all
Morning but sun is out now. I got so hot that I actually bought a lighter jacket (rainproof) with hood as my other one is more winter weight with a hood. It's quite muggy! Xx
Hi Gilly, I hope you have some sun and that your shopping trip was successful xx
Hope you had a good shopping trip. Xx
Hi to you all – we have now got some sunshine too! Shopping trip went well – nothing exciting just some food and some door furniture and fixings for a new gate, that we are having done. Hugs xxx
Hi Gilly. It's good for you to get out, regardless what you're shopping for. Love and Hugs xxx
Hi Gilly its poured with rain for most of the day here too then got really muggy and warm this evening xxxx
Good afternoon, what a lovely memory to share x
Precious memories, thanks for sharing xx. Makes you feel good.
That was so kind of her to give it to you seeing as it was a wedding present. It is beautiful, and I think it goes with an old country cottage just fine. Thanks for sharing x
What lovely memories and you are both a part of each other memories. I hope everyone is having a good day. We had a wee shower of rain this morning but now it is dry and mild so I'm hoping to get out in the garden for a wee while and then I might even get a chance to start the calendar challenge. I don't work on Monday and is a me day.
Hi Julia – hope that you got some gardening done, not to mention some crafting too! xxx
Hi Julia, I hope you've had a good day. xxx
Hi Julia hope your weather stayed fine and you got into the garden. It's been raining most of the day here but it's been a good chance to get groovi xxx
Lovely, heart warming memory. Thanks for sharing x
Hi Barb,
What a lovely post and even more so what a lovely gift! I'm amazed that it has survived! If it was mine and I'd travelled as much as you, it would be in a million pieces! It must hold some really special and fond memories for you. Love and hugs Alisonxx
Hi to all my blog friends,
Well today certainly hasn't gone as planned! I had meant to get my calendar challenge done but instead, I heard that two dear friends had died so I ended up making sympathy cards. One of my friends was only in her early 50s, certainly too young in my eyes. Still it makes you want to enjoy every day. Sorry for being a bit down, love and hugs to you all, Alison xx
Oh Alison, how sad for you. Being in my 50s I believe it's much too young too. Hugs x x
Oh dear Alison what a sad day for you, understandable that you are a bit down and you are so right, it makes you stop and think xx
Oh dear, sorry to hear your news. That is no age is it. Sending hugs. Xx
Oh Alison – I am so sorry that you have had such very sad news today. It is always worse when younger people die – way before their time. Sending you very special hugs and love from Gilly xxx
I'm so sorry you've had such bad news Alison. Thinking of you with love. Hugs xxx
Oh Alison I'm so sorry you had such bad news, yes 50 is far too young. Sending you a hug xxx
Hi Barbara, what a lovely gift! You've done well to keep it intact. Perhaps by the power of the internet you might make contact with your friend again. Looking forward to pics of your next adventure – hope it keeps dry for that! Xx
Hi blog friends, just been so wet here overnight and morning ! Sun out now. I'm on bus on way back from lunch out and I wore my boots today – I hate wet feet more than anything! Hugs to all xxx
Hi Jackie. I hate wet hair – it either goes flat and ratty or explodes so I look like a wild woman!
Yep, with you there mine goes big and poofey! Xx
Hi Jackie – I hope that you had a very enjoyable lunch. I must admit that I too hate wet feet, but I hate the effect that rain has on my hair too – it gets frizzy, not a good look! Hugs Gilly xxx
Hi Jackie. I hope you didn't get wet feet in the end. I always loved walking in the rain when I was young, and it's something I've never grown out of. I still feel tempted to splash in the puddles….and sometimes do..just a little! hahaha!. xxx
Hi Jackie I looked at my boots today and thought 'no it's June!' And wore trainers instead but did put jeans on. Nothing worse than wet feet and frizzy hair! Xxx
Lovely blog. Memories are such special things. Trying to feel upbeat but a bit hard. Off to get my Clarity toys out and drift into the world of crafting. Always makes one feel better.
Love Anne (Reading)
Sending you more hugs Anne – Gilly xxx
Thinking of you and your daughter Anne. I hope there is some improvement. Love and Hugs xxx
Sending hugs Anne xxx
WOW what a gorgeous gift to give to remember her by! It looks stunning and those flowers are fabulous! Thank you for sharing.
Hugs
Linda xxx
Hi Barbara & ladies, what a wonderful story the flowers on the top I just love anything like that. A very good friend of mine bought me a plaque which says memories the best thing about memories is making them it is in my kitchen and it reminds me every day of special things so I know where you are comming from. Hope you are all having a dry day! !!!!! Not rain all morning and very heavy at times . Have a good evening all . Hugs Lynn xx
Your plaque says it all xx
That's a lovely sentiment Lynne. I totally agree with it. I hope you've had a good day. Love and Hugs xxx
Thanks for the wonderful walk through memory lane. Xxx
Lovely blog today. Some of my most treasured things are small and some are large, some have very little monetary value but with all of them it's the memory of an event or the person that they remind me of that has the value xx
Hello everyone. We had a couple of worrying days with my father. He was taken to A&E on Saturday teatime and we were very late home then we waited for 4 hours at the hospital yesterday afternoon to see if he was being discharged, which he was. At nearly 92 we wonder how long he will be able to go on experiencing emergencies and recovering from them.
Alison, I hope you have recovered from your fight with heather.
Donna, glad Phoebe is being good.
Pam, thinking of you.
Everyone else, hope all is well xx
Hi Chris, hope your dad is now on the mend. Sending hugs. Xx
Hi Chris, yes I agree with you on that. I to have some small items and some of them have such memories. Xx
Hi Chris – so sorry to hear of the problems with your Dad! It's so very hard to watch your parents suffering. Love and hugs, Gilly xxx
Hi Chris. I do hope your Dad has recovered well. thinking of you. Love and Hugs xxx
Hi Chris I hope your dad is feeling brighter today, what a worry for you all. Xxx
Always good to remember people and places from the past. Hope you are having fun making new memories. Xx
Hi all my bloggy friends, hope you have had a good day. Rain all morning and only now is the sun showing itself. Xx
Hi Donna – it sounds just the same as it's been here – hugs Gilly xx
Hi Donna, it's lovely to be able to say that we've actually had sun here today!! Hope you've had a good day. Are we still dong the rose leaves, or have I managed to miss something? Love and Hugs xxx
Hi Donna, what a treat wet playtime and it's only Monday!! Hopefully the sun will shine tomorrow xxx
I'm so pleased to learn there is someone else who keeps things with special memories. As Insit in the dining room writing this, I'm looking around at all these meaningful bits and pieces. Hats on the wall from Brunei, Sarawak, Oman, China -not forgetting the one I stopped Thai International Airlines for as I'd left it in Departures and that's just a start. Then there's the porcelain, glassware, nicknacks – I could go on. I could get rid – and will do – but not yet! ;~}
We keep saying we need to reduce our nicknacks not increase them, we try not to buy any more.
So many things, so many memories. It's lovely isn't it. Xxx
Thanks for sharing your memories with us – great story! I collect Christmas decorations from everywhere I go, and then get to relive my holidays every year when we decorate the tree. Some of them are a little unusual as my holidays are not always in the right season, but I love my beaded giraffe, boomerang, mosaic lizard and glass rugby playing sheep just as much as the baubles!!!
Hi Susan yes I know what you mean. Lynn xx
I would love to see your tree!
That sounds fabulous Susan. We went in the Christmas shop in Florida last summer and looked at beautiful Disney decorations but it was far too hot to think of Christmas and we had to think of packing them so we didn't get them and of course regretted it once we got home. Xxx
What a real treasure, and how well you have kept it all this time. I hope you are giving yourself and Dave as much care and attention. You must be exhausted after this last week, all that organisation and setting up,then being such a wonderful hostess to us all, and all the clearing up afterwards. Leave your wonderful team to get on with things and grab some peaceful time for yourselves. You know you can trust them. I prescribe lots of fresh air and rest. xxx Maggie
I love that terrine what a lovely gift, such a shame you have lost touch but that happens sadly. We have lost a few friends along the way, same reason we move, forget sometimes to send new addresses. II have many treasured possessions, some are have a value but some are just trinkets. They all have a meaning though. I wonder what you are up to tomorrow. xx
What a beautiful story and terrine. Such great memories and I'm amazed it has survived those moves too xx
Beautiful story
real friends are like that. you might not speak to them but you still hold them in your heart, hugs xx
Aw that's lovely,some things and people you never forget even as time passes but it's the memories we make along the way that warm our hearts as we rekindle them. It's a beautiful piece and I would think worth a bob or two, as they say, not that you would ever want to part with it X
What a beautiful story Barbara, and a gorgeous terrine. I would say it's absolutely perfect for an old country cottage. I've got a 'thing' for old china, each piece we have has a very special memory too. Hugs xxx
Hello my friends. Today we've been to Liam's Award Ceremony at his college. He goes to an Autistic Unit, and it is so wonderful seeing the achievements of the Students there. Even more wonderful to see how even the smallest achievements are made so much of by the teachers. They are so dedicated and patient. It's always a day of very mixed emotions when we go, from tears to laughter.
I hope you've all had a good day. Love and Hugs to you all.xxx
How lovely, I am sure you felt very proud and privileged to be there xx
Hi Morag – so pleased to hear that you have had a wonderful, if somewhat emotional day – some more precious memories for you – love and hugs Gilly xxx
What a lovely day Morag and as you say quite emotional. Well done Liam xxx
Oh Barbara! What a wonderful story you tell! I had a tear in my eye reading it as it reminded me very much of an ornament that my dear grandma used to treasure! Unlike you I am not in pocession of it but no one can take memories away….it just needs something to trigger them and for that I thank you!
Take care of yourself! Love and hugs. Xxxxx
Oh Barbara! What a wonderful story you tell! I had a tear in my eye reading it as it reminded me very much of an ornament that my dear grandma used to treasure! Unlike you I am not in pocession of it but no one can take memories away….it just needs something to trigger them and for that I thank you!
Take care of yourself! Love and hugs. Xxxxx
Hi Barbara
What a lovely ornament and such a lovely friend, perhaps one day you will find each other again. I have a friend who lives in Nuremberg and her flat sounds just like the one you had, up lots of stairs and no lift. The China looks lovely on your dining room table, it's as if it was meant to be. Enjoy your adventure tomorrow.
Love Diane xxx
Hello my lovely blog friends hope you are ok. It's been very wet here with the sun finally coming out about 5. I've had a lovely afternoon playing with my groovi, just little things today for a few thank you cards and a friends birthday but once these are done I'm going to try pricking and snipping! Sending hugs all round xxx
Hello Diane. Sending you a hug xxx
What a lovely story Barbara. There are people I have lost contact with and some I just send cards at Christmas and birthdays but even if you don't speak to them any more you still remember the happy times. That terrine is a beauty! x
Hi Barb, thank you for sharing this heartfelt story with us. What a beautiful gift. Yes there are times when you lose touch with people, and it is sad, but if you still have that memory and the little corner of your heart and mind, there will always be a connection. Bx
Hi Barb
Lovely post and a great keepsake, life is funny like that you never know your life is so funny I won't be surprised if your paths cross again. Memories live on X X X