These are a few of my favorite things! - Vol. I

Danish Coin Pendant Necklace.

My Grandma and I are very close, very much alike and if I turn out to be half the woman she is, my life will be complete.

A few months ago I was over visiting with her and she was trying to decide on which jewelry to pack for the cruise she and my Grandpa are going on. That, of course, turned into her going through ALL of her jewelry for 2 hours. She came across a little pink velvet satchel and didn't know what was inside. When she opened it she said "Oh my! I haven't seen this in years!".

Turns out it was a Danish coin turned into a necklace. Back in 1963, when my grandparents still lived in Germany, my Grandpa had to go to Denmark for work. He bought this for my Grandma when he was there and she wore it for years but when they moved it got packed away and forgotten about.

I was taken by the necklace. By its simplicity and uniqueness. I kept asking more and more questions about it. She put the necklace in my hand and said "its yours now".

I wear it all the time (seriously, chances are if you have met me I am wearing it). I love that its something that no one else has. I love that its from my grandparents who I adore and admire beyond words.

(heads)

(tails)

(the coin rotates inside too which is a bonus because I'm always playing with it!)

Ps - Leah? Nat? Does the white hand look familiar?

Kitchen on a budget.

I have been renting my place for a year and a half now... and I *finally* got myself a kitchen table. Yay for me being a grown up!!

Since I have the tiniest area to put a table and a miniscule budget due to the fact that I'm still on the search for a full time job this was quite the daunting task.

I originally posted HERE about how I wanted something/anything green in my kitchen. I searched and searched... and searched for green chairs or even unpainted chairs that I could paint green myself but had no luck. I did find the perfect chairs on my hunt but they were $189 each and sadly that is not in my budget at this time. I looked on kijiji for weeks and found many bar stools but no chairs. I never thought it would be so hard (twss!).

But alas.... yesterday I found all the pieces that put my kitchenette together!!

(i hate that eye-sore black cord... i wish i could hide it some how)

-White table from Ikea - $39.00

(its actually supposed to be a desk but it works perfectly! you could even get white legs for the table and get the price down $29.00)

-2 White chairs from Ikea - on sale right now for $10.00 each!

- Green table runner from Ikea - $4.99

(they have them in a few colors including pink, blue and yellow but THIS was the very last green one that the Calgary Ikea had, I even had to get the girl to take it off the display for me)

-Purple place mat from Bed, Bath and Beyond - $2.00

- Green fruit bowl from Walmart - $1.50

- Pink flower picture from... surprise, surprise... Ikea - $10.00 for the picture and $19.99 for the frame.

Thats a whopping total of $97.48!!!!

Table and decor for less then $100.00.... I'm amaze-balls.

(Ikea had a different but very similar kitchen table set with 4 of the same chairs that I got selling for $119.00... even if I got 2 more chairs I would have still had a better deal!)

So... who's coming over for dinner?

Grandma has a girlfriend???

Odd story for you...

Last summer I went to a funeral with my mom for a family member on my Dad's side of the family. When we were there we chatted with my dad's cousin. I hadn't seen him in years and he was very close with my dad when they were teenagers.

A few days later I was having dinner with my parents when said cousin came up in conversation.

Dad: You know... I always had a feeling he was gay.

Me: What?? Really??

Dad: Yeah... when we were younger I just thought he was.

Me: Well I don't think so. He was even telling us about how he has a cabin and he goes there with his girlfriend all the time.

Mom: Well... that doesn't mean anything, Grandma was married to your dads dad.

Me: I just don't see that... wait.... WHAT??

Mom: What?

Me: What did you just say???

Mom: About what?

Me: Did you just say Grandma was married once? As in... shes gay?

Mom: (just gives me a look of confusion)

Me: .... so you're saying Grandma is gay??

Mom: You didn't know?

Me: NO!! I mean... it makes total sense when you think about it... but how am I JUST finding out about this now?

Dad: Who did you think *insert grandmas girlfriends name here* was?

Me: ........Her roommate? I just thought they were two divorced older women who were lonely and didn't want to live alone. So... they are a couple?? What the hell??

My parents: (laughing at my "roommate" comment)

Me: How is it that I'm 26 and JUST being told about this now???

Mom: I don't know... we thought you knew?

This little bit of information shook me to the core. How was it that at 26 years old the topic of my grandmothers sexuality preference finally comes out?? It baffled me. I mean looking at the whole picture it completely made sense. My grandma divorced my grandpa when my dad was 2 and has never had a male companion for as long as I have been around. She has always lived with *insert girlfriend name here* since I can remember and shes sort of a plaid wearing, men's haircut, not feminine in anyway kinda woman.

I love her the same and it doesn't change my feelings of her as my grandma but its was just strange that that's just how I thought it was... her and her roommate.

I found out later that when she came out, it was in the 70's and society wasn't as accepting as they are now so my dad was embarrassed by the whole concept. He never talked about it and apparently it took him a long time to even tell my mom when they were first dating.

It makes me wonder though... what else don't I know about my family?

Summer Wish List

Vintage-style bathing suits. So adorable!

Anything and everything Nautical!

A cute little (since I don't have a lot of space) kitchen dinette. Something colorful/green/CUTE would be perfect!

(this one would be so ideal if you knew what my kitchen looked like, too bad I found these photos on google and its not actually available anywhere)

A vintage bicycle!! Preferably colorful and WITH a basket.

Anyone else notice the vintage theme going on here?

Also... anyone know of somewhere I can find all or any of these things in Calgary without it costing me an arm or a leg. A flea market?? I only know of the Calgary Farmers Market and I never have luck there for finds like this.

Reunions.

A high school reunion should be something one would look forward to. Especially someone like me who had a great high school experience. I had tons of friends, I didn't have any traumatizing experiences (except "Kelly's party" at the end of Grade 11... we don't need to go there). I actually had an amazing time through out my high school years.

But I have zero interest in going to my 10 year reunion this month.

I feel that Facebook has changed the whole point of a reunion. Anyone that I cared to find out how their lives are or what they are up to, I'm already friends with on Facebook. I can look them up at any given time. There's no questions anymore of "I wonder if so-and-so is married or has kids" or "I heard what-his-name moved to Morocco, is that true??". It's all on Facebook for the world (or your friends) to see.

Maybe the real reason I don't want to go is because I have grown up. And by growing up I mean I grew OUT of those so called friends I had in high school. You know... the ones you said you would stay in contact with "forever!!" and haven't seen since the day you graduated. Or maybe you stayed in contact with them, and eventually became roommates which eventually led to the biggest fight/end of a friendship you have ever known and you are still not completely over it because it took your whole life as you knew it and threw it into a whirlwind of chaos and heartbreak and you know that SHE is gonna be there and put on a show of how *perfect* her life is and you will just feel awkward the whole time and probably leave just hating her even more...

Maybe.

No matter what the actual reason is, I just don't feel like going. My best friend is trying to convince me to go with her saying that I might regret not going in the long run.

Thoughts? Did you go to your reunion? Or if its coming up soon, will you?