Author: Valerie

The Recycled Birthday Card

In yesterday’s blog I referred to a birthday card my friend and I have been sending back-and-forth to each other since 1979. I am including a link to a blog post I wrote in October 2016 about this card.

Click here.

However, there is “more to the story” now.

Our little recycled birthday card is now a booklet with 10 pages added to the original card. It’s 44 years old.

This past year my friend, Diane, and her husband spent the winter in Florida, and enjoyed it very much. She did however, text me on my birthday to let me know the birthday card was back in Minnesota so it would be late in getting to me. She would send it when they returned from Florida. She continued to say her packing list for Florida next year will include, her swimsuit, sun tan lotion, and the recycled birthday card!

It is a very special card, from a very special friend.

St. Anthony, Minnesota

My childhood friend and I have exchanged the same birthday card since 1979. I know I’ll hear from her in March, and a card exchange at Christmas, but only occasionally during the rest of the year. 

So, when I saw a text come through from her last week I was delighted, but curious as to what she had to say. She told me about a new luxury apartment complex that was built in St. Anthony, Minnesota.

I don’t have many photos of the house where I grew up. My dad built the house in 1953, the year I was born.

The back story is my mother, Ruby, lived in the house my dad built, the house where I grew up in NE Minneapolis, for several years after my father passed away. Eventually she moved in to a townhouse, not more than a mile away from the house. It was newly-built, and well-built, small complex of townhomes, and a wonderful place for her to live for the next 20 years. After the townhouse, she moved into a senior apartment complex and enjoyed a few years there before she died in 2009.

For twenty years we would visit my mother at her townhouse in St. Anthony, across from the old Apache Plaza Mall, which is no longer standing. Office units and strip malls with a big grocery store took over the space.

Diane, my friend, texted to tell me about a new luxury apartment building that was built in that space across the street from where my mother lived in the townhouse. And she went on to write, “I thought you’d like the name…The Ruby Apartments!”

The photo Diane sent me of the brochure for The Ruby Aparments.

What fun! It made me smile. 

And I like the logo…the capitol R in Ruby has a rectangular ruby stone as part of the letter. 

Art In Bloom 2023

Creativity was all around at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. The annual Art in Bloom exhibit opened on Thursday, April 27th and I went on the first day, while the blooms are fresh.

This stunning bouquet greeted people as they entered the Minneapolis Institute of Art.

The concept is for floral designers to pair with a piece of artwork in the museum, to create a floral arrangement to compliment the work, usually attempt to represent the art piece using flowers.

A great representation of the idea behind Art in Bloom, including the color of the vase.

It is a very popular affair… lots of traffic, buses, etc… but, once inside this free event, people are able to spread out throughout the second and third floors and it doesn’t feel crowded. 

I liked this arrangement for Immaculate Madonna. I have always liked white flowers.

We meandered around and enjoyed the floral designer’s creations, taking photos of some, but not all – over 100 displays.  

A beautiful portrait, a beautiful flower arrangement.

Occasionally the floral designer is standing next to their creation, ready to answer questions. That is a nice touch.  

This was a great “pop” of color.
Up close. Wow!

It’s always fun to try and see how the flowers compliment the artwork…sometimes using the imagination to make it work.

It is a wonderful way to spend an afternoon, walking among great artwork and seeing so many beautiful flower arrangements at the same time. 

This is lovely, but some folks commented it needs a stand alone flower to represent the dog in the painting. I agree. 😉

It’s also a great way for MIA to highlight its many art pieces. 

I had to include this photo because the designer said it’s the only Norwegian painting in the museum. I liked the use of evergreen trees.
This was fun because the painting is entitled The Birthday Party, and the floral designer used a cake plate as part of her creation.
A dramatic dragon spiting fire made of flowers. This was next to a Chinese mask.

I forget what a gem the institute is to Minnesota…with or without fresh-cut flowers.  

A colorful wall mural.

iPhone Battery

Below are three thoughts about getting a new battery for my iPhone…

1. My iPhone battery died after only two years. “Sometimes that happens,” they said. So, on a Wednesday, I left my phone at the Apple Store to have the battery replaced, and they “would call me when it was ready,” they said. They didn’t. It took me over an hour and three attempts over the phone to get a live person to talk with, and then to get the answer I needed. This was on a Sunday, five days after I dropped the phone off at the Apple store. I had left Gary’s phone number to call when it was ready.  No one knew why they did not call me to let me know it was ready. It was very frustrating, but I was happy to finally get an answer.

2. Before leaving my phone for repair I needed to take down some information I wanted during the time I wouldn’t have access to my phone. I asked Gary for his phone so I could record the information on it and then realized …I had a pen and notebook in my purse! I forgot about that low-tech, but wonderful way, of recording information. I laughed.

3. As I said, it took over an hour and three phone calls to get anywhere with Apple service. The first guy I talked with seemed to be helping, but we got cut off…argh. So I tried again for another 50 minutes and talked with two others.  In the meantime, the first guy apparently kept trying to find an answer for me, which was nice. And when he did find the answer, he called my phone to let me know by leaving a message on my voicemail …he left the message on the phone that was in the repair shop…which I did not have access to…which was the phone I was calling about! Sigh. 

It was a nice break not having my phone available for five days…sometimes modern technology makes me crazy…but it is also hard to live without. I’m happy to have my phone back.

Ordinary Days

Our trip to North Carolina fell over our grandchildren’s spring break, so they were off school the ten days we were there. It was a special time, especially celebrating Easter with them, but it was an ordinary time too.

The kids watching the rafters and paddle boarders at Whitewater Center.

We didn’t do anything spectacular, it was nice just hanging out. We did visit Whitewater Center, a national training center for whitewater rafting, paddle boarding, kayaking, rock climbing and mountain bike riding.

The first hurdle in the children’s challenging obstacle course.
Mastering the children’s obstacle course at the Whitewater Center.

Whitewater Center was very interesting place, and the kids had fun tackling an obstacle course geared towards children. 

Setting up the walkie talkies.

We always explore the nature preserve that is close to their home, and this time we used walkie talkies that we brought along from Minnesota. That was a hit.

Attacked by snowballs.

Before we left home, we asked the kids if there was anything they wanted us to bring from Minnesota and Ezra immediately said, “a snowball.” Although he was thinking the real thing, we brought a dozen soft, cotton-ball style snowballs and had a surprise snowball fight one warm and sunny afternoon!

Our outdoor workspace, creating fun pictures.

Another time Zoey and I sat on the back veranda and made paper-cut-out pictures. It was fun to sit and create something out of nothing. We both enjoyed it, and I think I want to continue doing more of that.

Displaying “my” picture on our refrigerator. 😉

I just need to give myself permission to sit down and do it by myself…either use color crayons or colored pencils, cut out paper, or use markers, try drawing…just being creative. It was fun, relaxing and fed my soul, and I hope to do more of it.

Knitting

I packed shiny, new, yellow knitting needles and a bright, multi-colored skein of soft yarn to bring to North Carolina. My oldest granddaughter had shown an interest in knitting the last time we were there, so I thought I’d teach her to knit this time.

At Hobby Lobby I told a stranger in the yarn aisle what my plan was. She helped me pick out a good size knitting needle for a young girl. I appreciated that. 

Zoey loved the color of the needles, and the yarn, and she was excited to learn. It didn’t take her long to catch on – how to cast on and the knit stitch. What fun. 

Knitting on the front porch.

Because this is something new for her, she was knitting almost every time she sat down…hopefully she will continue to like it and it will be a fun skill for her to use in the future. 

Knitting can be done almost anywhere…even in the car.

Unfortunately, I don’t remember who taught me to knit (I hope Zoey will remember who taught her!) I have pages torn out of a girl’s magazine with knitting instructions…did I teach myself? I remember knitting slippers…

Creating her own space in the morning sun.

Later I learned to crochet. And, back then (50 years ago), I learned to make granny squares…they were a big deal at that time. I remember I made a vest from them. I have seen granny square vests for sale in vintage clothing stores recently.

This afghan I made for Gary before we were married.

I also crocheted several afghans, using granny squares.

An afghan I made for my son before he was born.

Several years later I went back to knitting. I knit winter scarves and then I learned about a prayer shawl ministry. I loved the idea, so I started knitting prayer shawls. I made several prayer shawls to give away.

Two of my cousins in Norway knit beautifully, and gifted me with these slippers and scarf when I was there last summer. I never learned to knit like this! There are so many beautiful knitting patterns.

Now that I’ve shown my granddaughter how to knit, I need to refresh myself on how to crochet, so eventually I can show her how to do that. And who knows, she may want to learn how to crochet a granny square…

In An Instant

As we drove away from our son’s home in North Carolina, we headed north through rolling hills of North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia.  It was scenic! And bright sunshine added a nice touch for a lovely drive. 

Redbud trees were blooming everywhere…like weeds in the forest. They were beautiful. This photo was taken in Indiana, a day after the scenic drive in the Virginias, and not as scenic.

In West Virginia, we pulled off the highway for a break and then it happened so fast…

We heard the crash…it sounded so close…

Then, instantly we felt the impact…the car behind us was pushed into our car by a third vehicle behind her.

We had stopped for a traffic back up. A red car was stopped behind us. A third car – a gold car – rammed into the red car which rammed into our car.  

Thankfully, no one was hurt, including the little doggie in the middle, red car.

Thankfully, our car was drivable since it was the first day of our journey home to Minnesota. The middle, red car was able to drive away too. The third car had to be towed away. It looked totaled.

Thankfully, the damage to our car was minimal.

Thankfully, the police were quick, kind and efficient. 

Thankfully, it was afternoon and we were soon going to stop driving for the day.

Thankfully, we have insurance.

We have a lot to be thankful for. It could have been much worse. A reminder, life can be changed in an instant.

Hand Soap Flashback

Gary and I visited my soon to be 93-year-old aunt today. She moved from her beautiful home on 150 acres in Deerwood, Minnesota into an assisted living apartment in Plymouth. She is doing well, and likes her new space. 

Auntie Joyce and me.

We had a nice long visit over coffee and some goodies. We updated family information and talked family history, and looked at photos she had hanging around her new apartment, and her many decorations.

Janet, one of Joyce’s daughters, lives near-by and stops in frequently, and happily enjoys shopping for her mother…from groceries to decorations for her new place.

There was one moment when I had an instant flashback to another aunt’s home…my Auntie Ag’s house. 

This carved, cherub hand soap immediately brought back a vivid memory.

Auntie Ag died in 2004. She was a very attentive aunt to her three nieces… me, and Janet and Cindy (Joyce’s two daughters). It didn’t surprise me to find out while Janet was shopping for Joyce, she bought unique hand soaps, with a cherub carved into the soap. My Auntie Ag always had similar soaps in her bathroom. It was so classic “Aggie”. It made me smile, and I mentioned it to Joyce, of course.  Joyce said, “I have extra. Please, take a bar home with you.” And so I did…including the beautiful box it’s packaged in.

A beautiful box of Italian Lavender Scented Soap.

The funny thing is I don’t recall the bar of soap in Auntie Ag’s bathroom was “for use.” I believe she used it for decoration only. And Joyce said the same thing. And so, Joyce too, put one of these unique hand soaps in each bathroom…for display only.

My newly acquired bar of hand soap that needs a special dish.

Now, while shopping thrift stores, I will look for a pretty dish to place my “Italian, lavender-scented, beautifully carved cherub in a perfectly round, hand soap” to put on display…somewhere in my house.

For memory’s sake.