A Tale of Two Sisters

Two sisters. . . two years apart . . . living different lives in different worlds.

Marcia works in London, has a high powered job and dresses in the latest styles.

I do arty things dressed in flip flops and tees.

We spent a quick 24 hours together while she is home on vacation and I snapped some pics of her beautiful home.

A welcoming bench in the entry is decked out in lovely reds and yellows.

When we downsized to our cottage, several family pieces, such as this antique sewing cabinet in the entry, went from our home to Marcia's.

The colorful Chinaman and carved paint brush were gifts from me.

 It is difficult to buy for the woman who literally has everything so I am always pleased to see my gifts on display.

The first sight when you enter the house is the dining room table which is ALWAYS decked out in seasonal finery.

Fourth of July and Bastille Day are united on the table in my favorite color palette.

I love the little blue containers which tonight will sport colorful cloth stars Marcia purchased on our little shopping spree today.

The ceramic cups are from the yogurt she eats in London and she has promised to bring me back a set the next time she comes home.

Marcia dotes on detail and is always looking for the perfect pieces for her table.

The white pillow sat at the head of the table, but it was missing a counterpart.

On our shopping spree she found it's opposite - the blue with white stars.

 The "youth" chair in the corner is slightly taller than the dining room chairs and has been passed down through the family.  

My father sat in the chair as a child as did both Marcia and me.

The tradition continued with Marcia's children and when little Sophia is big enough, my niece will be the fourth generation to use the chair.

 I have not been to Marcia's house in several years (we tend to meet halfway for lunch or dinner) and had not seen her living room since she has redecorated.

Oh, the childhood memories the room evokes-

the oak buffet from our dining room

the tea cart which held my mother's precious tea set 

the china cabinet filled with "special occasion" dishes

the fireplace bench handmade by my grandfather.

The Queen Anne chair belonged to my grandmother and is another of the pieces that we gave to Marcia when we downsized.

Marcia tucks special pieces into corners and onto every surface throughout the house.

The library table my mother paid $.50 for at a school sale 50 years ago sits in the breakfast nook.

One of the few items I envy Marcia for getting is the Arab statue - although I hated dusting it when it was my turn to clean the living room.

Attention to detail is the focus outdoors as well with birds, lions and one of many westies guarding the front entry.

Marcia did not really want me to photograph the house and garden.

She says her house is missing "a woman's love" while she is away and the only occupants are her husband and step-son who don't notice little details.

It was lovely to sit with her in the garden last night and again this morning as we caught up, remembered and laughed together.

We followed yesterday's eating and shopping with more shopping - at a favorite shop in town and the garage of our childhood home.

I drove back home, after a long overdue visit, with a carload of goodies from favorite stores

AND

some great finds from the garage.

I only found one thing I was looking for, but I found so much more and can't wait to find ways to use them.

. . . . . . . . . . .

I am partying at

Savvy Southern Style - Wow Us Wednesdays

Common Ground - Be Inspired

Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson - Share Your Cup Thursday 

My Romantic Home - Show and Tell Friday

No Minimalist Here -  Open House Party

in the garden . . .

Oh, the excitement just reading about the party at

Castles Crowns and Cottages -France Simply Irresistible.

France - Simply Irresistible - isn't it just!

I knew exactly what I would share.

. . . . . . . . . . .

I'm big on lists - To Dos, I Want, Favorite Books, etc.

One of my favorite, incomplete, lists is my TOP 10 DAYS.

There are days, and then there are DAYS.

I don't include the obviously special "big ticket" days.

I focus on days that were out of the ordinary that happened for no special reason

Such as:

 horseback riding in the rain forest of Costa Rica - monkeys eating from my hands

sitting on the top of a pyramid at Chichen Itza - scared to death to climb back down

moving into our own beach house - 30 years in the planning stage

kayaking in Summerland - the dolphins jumping so close to our boats that we could hear them 'talking'

My #1 day was not with Steve and it happened with little thought or planning.

July 15, 1999.

I was in Paris with my daughter, my sister and my niece.

Below is the story I wrote and submitted to Victoria Magazine - it was rejected.

It was really written as a gift to my sister who gave us the gift of Europe -

 she did not reject my story.

. . . in the garden . . .

We all have special days in our lives - graduation, marriage, the birth of our children.  But most special are those stolen moments which happen unexpectedly that we savor forever.

My sister and I were taking our daughters on their "Grand Tour" of Europe. Marcia, who is  a frequent business traveler, had indulged us through seven countries viewing museums and monuments she had visited on numerous occasions.  She wanted to do something new to her. When we arrived in France, she suggested a trip to Giverny - Monet's house and gardens. The girls were quite unenthusiastic about relinquishing a minute of shopping time in Paris. We decided that it would be their loss. 1200 francs apiece and metro passes satisfied the girls for a day. We, on the other hand, grabbed our rail passes and packed our art supplies for a day of leisure in the French countryside.

A relatively quick train ride - compared to the 22 hour ride from Oslo to our relatives' homes in Northern Norway - brought us to the quaint French village of Vernon. We strolled about admiring the houses and flowers and picked up the requisite loaf of French bread for sustenance.

Bicycles were a tempting offer, but due to limited time, we opted for a taxi ride to Giverny. We were unprepared for the bus loads of school children and tour groups that rivaled the crowds at the Louvre. Undaunted, we lined up for the wait. Marcia got out her sketch pad and I my journal to pass the time.

Once inside the gardens, we were stunned by the beauty, a new color and scent greeting us at every turn.   Each new view was breathtaking. We located a stone bench with a view of the house peeking through the pinks, purples, oranges and reds.  As a dabbler, I merely sketched the abundant array  of flowers in each direction.  Marcia took out her water colors and began to paint Monet's home. 

Light sprinkles and the sense that we were hoarding the bench sent us off to see the lily pond.  We located a new bench with a charming view of the water lilies and a bridge tucked behind a weeping willow tree.

Marcia was engrossed in her artistic endeavors. I spent more time admiring my surroundings and people watching than actually sketching.  Her efforts came to the notice of most people who passed. Some simply smiled, others were intrigued with her work.  Many stopped to chat.  We met a family from Toronto who winters near us in California, a London couple who gave Marcia their son's address since he was job hunting in her field, and a Blackpool couple over to see the tall ships in Normandy. My favorite was the little French girl so in awe of Marcia's art that she lost track of time and her family. She yelled, "Mama" and ran away, but soon returned with her mother.  

Our feelings about the day were summed up by a precious little English boy holding his mother's hand.  As he passed by, he looked at his surroundings and spoke quietly, "we are so lucky to see this."

July 15, 1999 has been added to my "List of Days".  

No bells and whistles, no ceremony - I was simply sitting in a garden, with my sister.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

I'm (figuratively) on the road, bound for France, with many others at

Castles, Crowns and Cottages