Saturday, September 12, 2009

MyMy MeMe for Lyn: 7 Random Facts


Okay readers, help me here. Yep, there I am lost in time in the first photo!

1. The Dave Matthews Band is the one rock band that I still like to see in concert. I adore the lyrics, the music, and fiddler Boyd Tinsley on his electric fiddle is something to behold. This is the only band I have seen live more than I saw my original favorite rock & roll band in the '60's. Dave started this band when he was in college at the University of Virginia. He grew up in South Africa, but I am thrilled he came to this country and put together his amazing band. Yo, Dave!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2. I learned to drive in a 1951 Crosley Hot Shot designed by Powel Crosley. My father had purchased the car to make an economic drive to the Pentagon in Washington D.C. where he was assigned for a period of time during the Korean War. My brother, two older sisters, and I practiced our driving in the pony pasture featured in the header. It was a stick shift on the floor and loads of fun. The side doors were removable as was the top.

While looking for a photo of this little darling, I came across yet another book I need to read.




***************************

Remember Lily Tomlin's Ernestine?


3. My first job was as a long distance operator for Southern Bell --aka Ma Bell--located on 6th Avenue North in Birmingham. I worked there part time from 6:00 to 10:00 PM during my junior and senior years in high school. My best friend and often partner in crime, Cindy and I had applied and been hired and trained together. We worked in Unit Six which served the south side of Birmingham and a series of small towns down Highway 280 -- the same route that led to a college town named Auburn. Sometimes to keep the late evenings lively, Cindy and I liked to practice our accents: British , of course, and then Japanese, Spanish, French, and just plain Old Deep South --a la Scarlet O'Hara --when we plugged in and beamed "Your number please?"

4. One of my favorite claims to fame is the amazing fact that I actually had the gratt good fortune and pleasure of seeing the Beatles in concert 3 times! (Yes, only Dave Matthews got my attention as well as this band. )The first concert was in August of 1965 at Atlanta's Fulton Stadium. My best friend Cindy ( fellow operator in crime) convinced her mother to drive us to Atlanta. She took care of lodgings and food and made sure we made it to the concert on time. Thank you, Katharine!! The following summer, in August of 1966 my sister Sue and I took the train from Birmingham to Memphis. We had tickets to both the afternoon and evening performances at the Mid-South Coliseum. It was a much smaller and intimate venue. We could actually see their faces and hear the music!! I was much more mature by this time, and did not scream once (chuckling). It was sheer Fab Four euphoria! BEATLES 4 EVER!!!!

5. I STILL miss the Laura Ashley stores, clothes, accessories, fabric, & shoes desperately!!! Thank goodness I can still find my all time favorite perfumes Laura Ashley No 1 & 2 on eBay!
LA No 2 is a really rare find, but I have been lucky twice. As for clothes, I do have a few classic LA patterns, so I can have the occasional new taffeta or corduroy dress. At one point I was so far gone on the whole Laura Ashley era, that my good friend Bob, saw a chance to give me a most memorable Christmas present. Mind you , this neighbor, expert painter ( the only one I will allow to paint inside the cottage) , woodcutter, personal baker (his homemade sour dough bread is truly the stuff of yummylicious legend ), never misses a chance to have me double over in laughter with his humor. Having salvaged some satin & monogrammed Laura Ashley ribbon from some linens his wife had bought, he graciously presented me with my own personal and exquisitely wrapped bundle of his hand hewed Laura Ashley Fatwood (a Southern term for heart of pine pieces used as kindling) for my Christmas fireplace!


I think that was the beginning of the end of the era!



VANITY.....blame thy name on Laura Ashley!

***********************************



6. Though my usual approach to buying clothes had always been one of long, quiet reflection, I once bought two very special dresses in less than 15 minutes! I had only thirty minutes to stroll down the charming street in York known as the Shambles: a series of lilting but nevertheless sturdy & charming shops & buildings. Somewhere tucked in among the storefronts, I stepped into Droopy & Browns, the original store of designer Angela Holmes. A quick description of her style is in the name of the shop, then think medieval motifs in 1940's shapes and gorgeous fabrics. It was March and the winter dresses were on sale. I took one look at these beauties and declared something was going with me. When I returned two years later, there were several shops throughout England. I found the one in Bath, and discovered that Holmes's designs were quite in demand...and the prices had increased three fold! Alas, the end of another era was inevitable. I am sad to tell you that Angela died at the height of her career in the mid 90's.

*************************************************

7. After reading The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie and seeing the film, I vowed that I would have to do something to leave my mark on my students: I would conduct student tours to England & Scotland! I did, too. In the 1980's I organized and escorted six groups of junior high aged students along with some parents. It was hard work, but it was worth every minute. I will always be grateful to the students and parents who participated in those trips. When students ask me to sign their yearbooks, I either quote Bob Dylan's "Forever Young" or say "The classroom is just a beginning; travel if you really want to learn about the world.'

(The caricature was surprise gift done by art teacher
Betsy Logan when I left the junior high school & all my travelers.)


Okay, now I am obliged, and very happily so, to tag seven of my bloggy followers to follow suit! Truly, I ask anyone who wishes to join in and share seven facts about you!
Special requests go to these 7 super duper blog friends....



Cait O'Connor

Delwyn

Janelle Goodwin

Linda

Maggie's Garden

Michael

Virginia

Oh yes, you can take your sweet time to do this.....I certainly did!

Thank you, dear Lyn, for giving me something to do!!!

22 comments:

Virginia said...

YOU TOOK SIX GROUPS OF JUNIOR HIGH STUDENTS OUT OF ALABAMA????WHAT were you thinking. I can't get past that fact. I'm so sorry. How could you even fathom doing that???? I personally wouldn't take a group of junior high students to the bathroom!
V

FireLight said...

Virginia, let's just say, these were the best of the beasts!! Truly, I had some great students in Opelika back in the day!

Unknown said...

Hello FireLight,

Well that was interesting, a very different and entertaining way of divulging "stuff"! I have been similarly tagged by another friend. I shall have to dig deep! Your pony paddock pic is nice!

Country Girl said...

That car and the backstory . . . totally cool.
Dave Matthews . . . ditto on the cool, dude.
Laura Ashley . . . to each his own.
Self-portrait of you as tour guide . . . priceless!

Lyn said...

Well, I certainly did choose correctly! Most elegant and warm and so informative. Thanks for digging so deeply...and Bob's the one I'd like to borrow as a friend!!
Lovely and brilliant!

FireLight said...

Derrick, it was hardly a paddock, just a few acres fenced in for Jiggs. In the summer we left his gate open and he would help "mow the grass" so to speak. He was a dear old soul. I was just playing around with changing the header and found a snapshot I had scanned. The autumn colors caught my attention. I need to get out and take some new photos.
I know that I have seen you respond to memes several times, and you always make it fun!

FireLight said...

Country Girl, the car was a cutie. Your response to Laura Ashley made me chuckle. I can be a real tomboy, but when I want to play dress up, it is no holds barred! "I can't believe that we would lie in our graves dreaming of things we might have done..." DMB

FireLight said...

Lyn, I really meant it when I thanked you for the idea. Virginia has coined a term for bloggers block: blogstipation!! Seems the longer I cannot get to the new post, the more ideas that keep piling up, and then I cannot decide on one!
I loved the photos of the Clock Tower Penthouse!

Tess Kincaid said...

Oh, this was so much fun!!! My entire wardrobe was Laura Ashley in the 80's. And the highlight of my trip to London in 1989 was shopping at THE huge Laura Ashley store. Heaven. It was not fun, however, stipping all the LA 80's looking wallpaper a few years back. Ick.

Now I have a hankerin' for my favorite Beatles album...

Michael said...

Well you set the bar high as usual Marnie...I will try and get my bones over it in a most inelegant Fosbury Flop...it may take some time...lol.

FireLight said...

Willow, somehow I knew all about that LA wardrobe as you and I share many "loves &
can't-live-withouts"...I think that flagship store was on Regents Street...clothes all downstairs with the beautiful hardwood floors...and upstairs...drapery & upholstery fabrics and linens...
I was especially fond of the shop in Oxford where I spent the summer of 1989. The store was in a very authentic half-timber Tudor building and featured an enchanting bridal salon.

FireLight said...

Of all people, Michael, I am confident that you will perform the most elegant of the inelegant Fosbury Flops!
I so enjoyed many of your recent shoutings and photos today!

Thistle Cove Farm said...

Absolutely fabulous post; thoroughly enjoyed all of it! Dave Matthews has an organic farm near Charlottesville, VA and Laura Ashley has a new coffee table book out. I'm still wearing some of her dresses and they are 25 or 30 years old. What quality!

FireLight said...

Thistle Cove, is that the book by Martin Woods...all about the actual business that was Laura Ashley? I still have a few special pieces too! Few? That may be an understatement.

Dave King said...

Loved both the post and the blog. Both are full of interest and variety. (Many thanks for your visit to mine)

FireLight said...

Dave, I hope you have noticed that I describe myself as a recreational scholar...But you, my dear, are the Real Deal! I have to read up on something every time I stop by your blog! And, I definitely need to be there more frequently!

Aven said...

If you like Dave Matthews Band, you might like a Scottish band called Frightened Rabbit. I think they're pretty good, and remind me a little of DMB

FireLight said...

Aven, welcome ....ahh.. a thousand welcomes. What an honor to have one of my dearest students join the bloggyhood!
You know I will want to know more about this band!

Tom Atkins said...

Ah! This post made me think of so many memories in my own life. I so enjoyed reading it!

Tess Kincaid said...

Oh my gosh!! Look at Martha's eyes! Too crazy. She's a hoot. I'll have to pick up a copy at the grocery this week.

Love that hunk of a pumpkin on your sidebar!!

Cait O'Connor said...

Sorry Firelight I am a bit late to this, have been very busy of late but I will do this meme, thanks for asking.

Michael said...

wow, you actually saw the Beatles and three times!! WOW. Not may can say that.

About Me

My photo
Recreational scholar, former high school and junior college English teacher. Animal lover (especially horses, dogs, and people), lives in the South, sometimes poet and essayist... "Ireland, Scotland, Britain, and Wales...I can hear those ancient voices calling..." Van Morrison from Celtic Heartbeat