I have decided to participate in this weeks group blog series hosted on LA's blog {Freckled Nest} as this weeks word is Vintage!! {If you want to read up on how it works, go here for more information} I'm not sure I will participate every week but we will see how it goes. We all know how easily I get bored and distracted with routine when it comes to this blog. Hey, I do what I can.......lol!! Ok, let's give this a go......

One | The Clock

When I was in 4th grade at school I was living with my mother's friend at the time and we were sitting around the dinning room table talking about an old antique clock that her mother had handed down to her. I remember everything about the clock, the shape, the color and even the texture of the old curved wood. It sat on her shelf as a center piece for all to see. She explained to me that it had never worked in all the time she had had it. I remember her looking at it fondly and muttering to herself "I should take it to someone and see if it can be fixed". Just after she had finished talking there was a loud ticking that could be heard coming from that very clock! We both looked over towards the clock and witnessed at the same time, that the second hand had begun to move in time with the loud ticking. It only lasted for about 10-15 seconds until it came to an abrupt stop but neither of us could take our eyes off that clock and neither of us could come up with a plausible explanation that would explain what had just taken place and why! I'll never forget that night.

Two | St Vinnies

Not long after leaving home, one of my very favorite jobs I have ever had was working at a St Vincent de Paul store in Waverly in the eastern suburbs of Sydney. I loved the idea of working for a company that gave back to the community and helped those who needed it. Every day working at the store was an adventure. Some days you had to sell out the front of the store, other days you were able to sell at the back of the store where all the amazing goodies were kept just waiting to be discovered. The gorgeous antique items and furniture used fly out the doors as fast as it was coming in. This place was massive as it catered to the whole of the eastern suburbs including all the very rich area's. Other days I got to work upstairs where the huge bales used to be pushed around on massive pulley systems hanging down from the roof and little cranes so they could be lifted from the lower level to the upper levels. Inside these bales were items that had been collected from deceased estates and this is where I discovered my love for all things vintage. In just one bale sometimes two {these bales are about the same size as the round bails of hay you see in fields} you could see the whole life of one person. Love letters, photos, war medals, fine china, jewelry, journals, the list goes on and on. Items that had been passed down from generation to generation. It was our job to go through these dear peoples lives and save what we felt was important and that others would hold as a valued, cherished item. You really needed to have a heart to do this job and if you discovered anything that you felt was of great importance but no one would ever buy, then we could take it to our amazing boss and it would be saved and taken to a storage facility to be examined and cataloged for future reference. Working at this place really taught me how to appreciate and respect the little things that others hold dear to their hearts. It also gave me the curiosity to look at any given vintagey item and wonder who, where and what it had seen!

Three | A Steinway Pianola

The last house we lived in was full of charm and history. It still retained most of it's original features as well as an old piano. To be exact it was a Steinway Pianola Piano which dates back to the 1900's. We tried to trace this piano's history and find out just how long it had lived in the house. We were quite close with the owners of the house we were renting and they gave us the information we needed to track down the owner before them who still lived in town. He was able to tell us that he was born in our house and that the piano had been there ever since he could remember and that the house had been passed down through family over it's many, many years. My two girls loved playing with that piano even though it had been neglected over the years. Some of the keys no longer worked but it did bring lots of joy to the dinning room after and sometimes during meals. Since leaving that wonderful house, we do have an electric organ but it's no match for that ole pianola.

Four | Mother of Pearl

My mother saved her First Communion Prayer Book that was given to her by her mother in the early 1950's and she in turn handed it down to when my first child was born. I have kept this precious book in a safe place and hope to one day have the inside cover mended which is missing the mother of pearl crucifix. The outside cover is still in pretty good condition and is covered in mother of pearl. I love the fact that this little book is now 60 years old and considered to be a vintage item so by the time I hand it down to Miss O, it will be an heirloom. Before I do pass it down and before Mum takes to that staircase, I want her to tell the story of how she received it and what fond memories she has to share about it. Then before I pass it down to Miss O, I will tell a similar story and ask that the next owner do the same. Just imagine in a few generations time what they will think. Will we still have book I wonder???


Ok, that was fun!! Now if you would like to write your 4 stories why not join in and group blog with us. I look forward to reading other peoples 4 stories. A wonderful way to exercise those brain cells I say!!

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend ;)