No stories to tell but I love your story! *sniff*

Very nice, Pirula!

Red

Ohhhhh pirula, reading your story brought tears to my eyes, but what a wonderful ending.((())))

The one thing I have that brings wonderful memories is my toe shoes i've had since I was 10. I remember my Mom taking me to classes, makng all the costumes, and my family coming to the recitals while I was on that big stage with the bright lights on me. My dream was going to New York city and becoming a 'famous' ballerina. LOL Instead, I married and had 5 kids...wouldn't change a thing.(())

As soon as I scrolled down and saw the statue, my eyes filled up! How sweet!

Wow! We're you completely surprised when you got it? What a great story to pass on from generation to generation.

Here's mine. Both of my Grandmothers had died before I was born. My mom was raised in an orphanage in Virginia so I don't have anything of her mother's. :(

Before my dad's mother died, she had given my mother a few things. One of them was a piece of Watt Pottery (picture below) which had written in the middle, "It's better with Butter." :) I've since passed it onto my DIL to pass on to her children. They gave Watt pottery away free in bags of flour, etc.

I've collected other pieces and when I was in my 20s I loved the colors so much my home has been decorated in those three colors ever since, even after the remodel. Red, cream-yellow, and dark green. I've literally decorated my home around that one bowl.

My grandmother's name was Brooke. I hope she's proud. :)

Pirula, love the Don Quixote sculpture and the story. Good lesson that we should share them when we have treasured memories!

Pirula, what a beautiful story!!! Call your dad and tell him exactly what you told us! Life is short and I'm sure he would love to hear just how much this means to you.

I'm so glad you all enjoyed it. Oh believe me door1, I called him immediately in tears and told him I couldn't believe it!

oakelyoak, that was lovely.

Anyone else? Surely there are lots of beautiful things with stories owned by the folks on this forum...

WHERE ARE MY TISSUES!!!!!!! SNIIIIIIIIFFFFFF!

I promise to post one tomorrow, but mine won't come close to yours!

Thanks for sharing!

Great story!!!

I have my Dad's desk...had it refinished and it looks wonderful in my office. I also have my Mom & Dad's first real bedroom set from the 50's plus a few other treasured items (couple of chairs, an icebox, etc.). My Mom is 91 and visits me a couple of times a year. She is so happy and proud to see I have used these items in my decor...I am lucky to be able to share my joy of these items with her. When she stays with me she uses the bedroom set as it is in her room (aka guest room). I know my Dad would be proud too. My sister, on the other hand, is not that much of a sentimentalist...my Mom is glad that I am.

Lovely stories...thanks for sharing!

I have my grandparents first bed in a guest room. I have ruby red glass candle holders that my great-grandmother gave to my grandmother when she married. My grandmother later gave them to me. I have a few other of the red ruby pieces that belonged to my grandmother. A couple of my most treasured items are 1) a child's tea set. I can't think of the maker right now, but it's a cute little set of cups and saucers, creamer and sugar bowl. Child size, different pastel colors. My mom had this set as a child and since it's glass, of course a few pieces were broken. She saved the unbroken pieces through the years and occasionally my sister and I would get to have a tea party with them. When we got older, she divided the remaining pieces between my sister and I. Several years ago, I was lucky enough to find a complete set on ebay and add to the pieces I already had. I have it displayed in the same guest room with my grandparents bed. I also have my pappaw's bible, which has many family notes in it from over the years - which is in the same bedroom.

This one's kind of funny. My pappaw raised beagles and chickens all of my childhood. A very strong memory for me. He passed away a few years ago and two things of his I wanted - an old egg scale and one of his leather beagle collars - he always had a little metal tag made onto the collar with his name and the dog's name. And yes, both of these are displayed in our home. I like having family things around me.

tina

Yes, pirula, my eyes are welling up! Thank you for sharing such a wonderful memory.

I haven't decorated around family items (still trying to find a place for some), but we have a number of things that mean a lot to us. Both DH and I come from poor farm families, we're living on the back acreage of my family's farm right now. That's the most meaningful "thing" to me.

My grandma gave me some silver pieces when I was young - one a candy dish/small compote, the other a perfume bottle. She knew how I loved silver and used to polish hers all the time (though I don't know where the candlesticks ended up). Those are packed away for now. She also split some teacups and saucers (4 each, so we each have a pair) of her mother's b/t me and my cousin who is 3 months older. I have to ask cousin if she still has them, since she only has boys, she might give me her pair to hand down to DD. My dad inherited his great-grandparents' cocoa set and has promised it to me as the oldest.

My mom also gave me her grandmother's silverplate flatware when I got married. Some pieces were missing, I've found replacements in thrift stores, some are dented (hollow handles) but they have a place of honor in my DR, we have used them occasionally at the holidays, along with some lace placemats and napkins from my dad's mom.

I had a copy made of my great-grandma's portrait, just have to repair ( or do I? Can I leave the corners chipped?) an old frame I got from GW and get it printed, I'd like to hang it perhaps in my DR. The original (oval) hung in the farmhouse for app. 90 years, until my godmother died and her younger sister inherited it.

Her wedding dress unfortunately also hung on a wooden hanger in the closet for 96 years (covered by a nightgown and a grain sack that are in perfect condition - go figure), the shoulders are shredded and it is too delicate to send to my great-aunt, so for now it's lying on the bottom of DD's armoire waiting for me to try to shadow box it.

DH just inherited his grandmother's mantel clock - I would love to have a mantel to put this on, for now it's on our dresser to keep it safe from the kids. But if I can put a shelf up somewhere in the LR it might be safe there.

My dad also brought my great-great-grandpa's Victrola down from the attic when my cousin started renovating the farmhouse, it's in a corner of my FR since I don't have a better place for it. I was missing 1 knob I found a replacement on eBay, also can't find the key but if I can find one for a decent price I'll replace that too. It needs repacking of the springs, but it still works! A little water damage on top, maybe I'll restore it sometime, but for now just cleaned 50+ years of attic dirt off of it.

My dad has told us and our kids how he remembered cranking it for his great-grandpa to listen to when he was about DD's age - then GGP died and since his grandpa didn't care for music it went to the attic. They didn't have running water or electricity in the house til the 1950's (put in when GGP was sick and couldn't make it to the outhouse) so this was all they had for entertainment (besides a few books) in the evenings after chores were done (or for GGP, during the day when he was too feeble to work, and dad was too young to do much - he started really working when he was 7, in 1950).

DH also has his dad's pocketknife that he carried til the day he died, and just this past Xmas gave DS the pocketknife *he* had as a boy.

Wow, sorry so long-winded. Pirula, that was a beautiful story. My dad would *never* do something like that.

how lovely ajsmama. That wedding dress is exquisite.... thanks for sharing..

I was just thinking we don't have to stick to only sentimental. Later today I'll post my Ganesh sculpture that I got in India and tell you all about how it always reminds me of waking up covered in dust after riding the night train to Jaiselmeer and having to lug that 30 lb thing in a back pack all day while touring! But I had to have it. I fell in love with it instantly, you know how that is. And it will always have a prime place in whatever room it's in.

I agree, call your dad and tell him all that you remember. I wanted to cry also when I read your posting.

Me and my dad were talking about something a few weeks ago and I confided in him that something he told me when I was a teenager changed my life. He never knew it until 20 years later (now) as I was too embarrassed to admit that even though I was a stubborn teenager, he was 100% effective getting his point across even though I fought him all the way. He thanked me then and again a couple of weeks later for telling him he helped me. He said he tried to be the best dad he could but never knew if he was doing the right things/saying the right things. I assured him he was the BEST dad I could have ever had.

I don't think any of us can top the first story!

Since I'm allergic to cats my Dad told me that he was leaving his 2 ceramic cats to me. Once, when leaving his house, I said "bye cats, see you soon" and immediately realized it might sound like I expected my Dad to die soon! I backpedaled and said on "my next visit, not at my house." They're actually just this side of hideous but I do have them on in the DR, on the floor, partially hidden by a plant, and think of him whenever I see them. My sisters still tease me about how "lucky" I was to get them.

In my bedroom I have a framed certificate (for lack of a better word) from when my Dad was in the Navy & crossed the equator. It's very elaborate and hand lettered. He was initiated into the Solemn Order of the Mysteries of the Deep (or something like that - I don't know for sure without looking at it).

I have a small box made from cinnamon bark that I bought with birthday money by Grandmother-in-law gave me. I think of her whenever I open it & smell the wonderful cinnamon aroma.

My current favorite home decor item is the artwork on the fridge from my 2 yr old niece.

Oh, I love the Don Quixote story! My dad loves to sing and him belting out "I am Don Quixote, the Lord of LaMancha" is a fond memory for me!

I have some family things I am very happy to have, like my great aunt's Depression glass and my grandma's cedar chest. Mostly I cherish old family photos. And plastic can be cherished, right? I collected dozens of Breyer horse models when I was young, and after decades in my parent's attic I passed them on to my daughter. She has since outgrown them, but they're tucked safely away, awaiting the next generation of horse lovers.

Thats a great story. I have a large about 2 gallon? pot that my folks bought on a trip to Nogales when I was about 9.( yes we had cars then)It is red clay pottery and had a lid. I asked what in the world she would do with that and Mom teased us and said it was a big cookie jar and kept it on her counter. Everyday I would come home from school and check inside the jar- just in case. One day I took off the lid and the jar was filled to the brim with my favorite- oatmeal raisin cookies! That was THE only time that pot was filled- Mom was determined to bake enough to fill it- and she had to make 3 or 4 batches to fill it that day! The lid is long gone and there is a hole in the bottom, but I have it in my living room with a vintage jai ali stick in it ( not sure why). And oatmeal raisins are still my favorite although they don't go in the pot.
That pot came to mind when I read your post. Thanks for reminding me!

What a great story Pirula and thanks for starting this wonderful thread!
I started piano lessons when I was 3 years old. My Grandmother had been a concert pianist and she insisted that I was going to be great :^(
When I turned 21, Mom gave me a long string of pearls that DGM had worn with her black velvet dress when she performed.
I am still playing professionally, and when I do a special concert...yep, it's a black dress and pearls. I'll bet that DGM and my Mom are smiling.....