* Nostalgic Sundays *

I haven't thought about my "Nostalgic Sundays" blog posts in such a long time, but just this moment when I wondered what I would write about tonight...it came to me 😀 (Most of this was written ON Sunday!)

It's Time for Another Nostalgic Sunday!

I feel a little bad because it's been almost a month since my last post and I'd promised myself that I was going to blog regularly again...Hmm, what are my excuses?? 

1) Well, one excuse is that I gobbled up another great book! The Headmaster's Wife, by Thomas Christopher Greene. There are 3 or 4 other novels with the exact same title, so if you're thinking about reading it, make sure you get the one by THIS author! (I never read much of the book reviews of a book or the inside flap, etc. before I begin it, because too many times it tells me too much about the plot.) 

This was another page-turner and had at least one "jaw dropping" moment! If anyone reads it, I'd love to know your thoughts.

2) Another excuse is because I worked 4 days last week instead of my usual 2 days and I was exhausted every evening. I have a long commute, which is "okay" for 2 days, but not 4. Ha Ha!

3) I've been helping Ron a little with our renovations. He does all the hard work and sometimes I hand him a hammer, screw driver, etc! 😊

4) Charlie and I are still enjoying quite a bit of time on our porch. He wants to go out there all the time, even when it's a bit too cold for me! I do cover up with a blanket sometimes. I need to get a little heater and lamp for it because that would help a lot, to read and/or write!

    *Being in the screened-in porch always makes me VERY nostalgic. Especially when the crickets are chirping and I hear the sound of a train in the distance. I close my eyes and I'm about six years old again, sitting on my grandma's screened-in porch in Greenfield, Iowa. I would love to go back to those days...*

“It shocks me how I wish for...what is lost and cannot come back.” -- Sue Monk Kidd, Traveling With Pomegranates: A Mother-Daughter Story

Wishing everyone a happy and safe week. 

Here's a couple of photos from a couple of years ago.
I never get tired of looking at autumn leaves...

or reading beautiful words about autumn.

"A few days ago I walked along the edge of the lake and was treated to the crunch and rustle of leaves with each step I made. The acoustics of this season are different and all sounds, no matter how hushed, are as crisp as autumn air." - Eric Sloane

* NOSTALGIC SUNDAY *

IT'S TIME FOR ANOTHER "NOSTALGIC SUNDAY!"

I'm happy to say that I'm at home and I'm still able to work on my blog! I always used to use Internet Explorer, but I'm using a different one, and it seems to be the one I need to stick with. 

I haven't had "fun" blogging in a long time, but I hope to discover that joy again, and soon, like as in...Now! 

So, my nostalgic thoughts this evening are of past years when so many of us were blogging consistently...as many of you still do.

I always enjoyed the:

• Writerly blogs
• Tea cup blogs
• Photography blogs
• Food & Recipe blogs
• Humorous blogs
• Serious blogs
• Motivational blogs
• Etcetera!

I plan to be back soon, posting on my blog, and reading as many of yours as I possibly can. Have a beautiful, blissful week everyone!

All my crazy friends mean the world to me!

You know who you are! 💗

* NOSTALGIC SUNDAY *

It's Time For Another Nostalgic Sunday

 

 

I watched one of my favorite Christmas movies

a day or two ago. No...it wasn't A Christmas Carol, although I do love this musical version the best: Scrooge, with Albert Finney. (1971)

 

 

Love, love, love it!

 

 

 

 

And, no it wasn't It's a Wonderful Life, or Christmas Story, or Christmas Vacation, or White Christmas, or The Bishop's Wife, Home Alone, The Polar Express, A Charlie Brown Christmas, Miracle on 34th Street (the original 1947), The Family Stone, Christmas in Connecticut, or Meet Me in St. Louis. Whew....I think that's most of my favorites, but I'll also throw in, Trading Places and While You Were Sleeping, because they take place during Christmas time and I want to include them!

 

 

 

No, the one I watched was Scrooged, with Bill Murray! (1988)

I can't say how many times I've seen this movie;

let's just say countless!

There are so many scenes that crack me up

and I laugh out loud every single time...one in particular: at the restaurant when Frank (Bill Murray) thinks he sees a real eyeball in his drink and starts screaming and pointing at it. The way the camera goes from the drink to his face, and to the others' faces...Classic!

 

Love, love, love it!

 

 

What are some of YOUR favorite Christmas movies?

Or old TV shows' Christmas episodes?

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

Put a Little Love in Your Heart

(from Scrooged soundtrack)

 

"Think of your fellow man, lend him a helping hand
Put a little love in your heart
You see, it's getting late, oh, please don't hesitate
Put a little love in your heart"

 

 

* NOSTALGIC SUNDAY *

 

It's Time for Another Nostalgic Sunday

 

 

 

 

 

I know, I know it's not even Thanksgiving yet, and believe me I am NOT one to rush Christmas and decorations, etc. But, I'm cleaning out the closet in the bedroom where my desk and laptop is. Attempting to cram as much "things to keep" stuff in it, and get rid of the stuff "I really can let go of."

 

 

See, all this has to do with desperately needing to get organized, so I can WRITE and not have clutter stressing me out. That's my biggest "chore" right now. I hate clutter!

 

 

 

So, anyway, I came across this photo taken at an office party in 1984! I was a couple of weeks away from my 32nd birthday in January of '85. OMG, I was so young, slender and cute!....If I do say so myself! Yes, that is a glass of beer in my hand, too! (Ron must've taken this photo because he was at the party with me, of course!)

In my mind, I still feel like that same young woman. I feel as if I look just like that, too. The human brain is so interesting. We all know we will age, and yet when we're young, it seems as if we never will! And then all of a sudden, poof... 20, 30, 40 years go by and we're staring into the mirror at an old, wrinkly person.

I think mirrors should not

be allowed in our Baby Boomer homes!

We could fix our hair and put on make-up,

looking into our rearview car mirror!

* NOSTALGIC SUNDAY *

Well, here it is again folks....time for another Nostalgic Sunday.

 

Can someone please invent a lasso of some sort that can be thrown around the earth and slow down time?? Or better yet, spin it backwards, and take us back to the days of black and white TV shows, and much simpler times.

I am really ready for a trip to good old Greenfield, where life is still a lot like Mayberry in the early 1960s. I don't know when I'll be going again, but you can be sure
 I'll be blogging about it when I do.

Greenfield Police Dept

July 2009

 

(smaller than Andy's jail!)

 

 

 

That same visit, July 2009

I actually rode in a prop plane, a 1946 Piper Cub, with NO doors,

and the pilot sat behind me. Weird! 

We flew all over Greenfield, and following the streets with my view, I saw my (deceased) grandparents' home. I still can't believe I did that!

 

 

P.S. One of the reasons I'd like to slow down the always marching of time, is because my youngest son's birthday was last week...he is now 29 years old!

 

 

(P.S. #2 - You can click on the Greenfield police station and
yellow prop plane photos to see them larger.) 

 

 

 

“The years just pass like trains.
I wave but they don't slow down” - Steven Wilson 

* NOSTALGIC SUNDAY *

It's Time For Another Nostalgic Sunday

 

 

 

 

Gosh, I almost forgot another Nostalgic Sunday! (That's why there wasn't one last Sunday...I forgot.)

 

With it being autumn, or so the calendar says, I love reminiscing about my Catholic School days. Strolling home from grade school, carrying an arm load of books, and purposely zigzagging through crunchy leaves, I'd go over the day's events in my mind...

 

(my uniform was similar to this, solid color, no plaid)

 

I enjoyed Sister Marie's English class, but as always, hated the torture of Arithmetic word problems.

 

The cafeteria's lunch was one of my favorites: a bowl of chili-mac, a peanut butter sandwich, celery sticks, and milk to drink.

 

That boy I've had a crush on for over two years actually said "Hi" to me today! Be still my heart! At least I think it was me...I looked around and nobody was behind me...

 

~~~

 

Although my family moved around quite a bit during my very early school years, I attended the same grade school from the middle of 4th grade through graduation at the end of 8th grade. I loved it there!

 

And I so love the fact that I grew up in an era where kids were safe walking to and from school, and/or riding their bikes to friends' houses, and not coming home until it was almost dark. I think growing up in the 50s and 60s was undoubtedly the BEST time to grow up...for which I am SO THANKFUL!

 





 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

Happy Nostalgic Sunday!

* NOSTALGIC SUNDAY *

It's Time for Another Nostalgic Sunday!

 

 

Wow, this is my third Nostalgic Sunday in a row!
Will I be able to keep this up??

 

 

 

I borrowed the below photos from a blog post I wrote on November 18, 2011. Usually when I look back at memories, it doesn't seem like anything was so long ago, but for some reason, this particular memory does seem like it was five years ago...or even more.  

 

I think it's because we've moved twice since we lived in that home. We downsized both times and I've always been happy...or maybe the correct way of saying it would be "I chose to be happy" and "I've always bloomed wherever I've been planted."

 

 

So, why am I posting photos from almost five years ago?! Here is that link: http://beckypovich.blogspot.com/2011/11/i-wonder_18.html#comment-form 

 

Because I made two homemade apple pies this afternoon and everything looked just like these photos! I used the exact same recipe which is so simple, even I can bake great pies! And I love using my apple peeler/slicer/corer thingy, which still works great.

 

 

 

Today, I did use different apples because my local grocery store had some on sale. I used Honey Crisp and Sweet Tango. Yummy! 
(I've always used a variety in one pie: granny smith, gala, braeburn, cortland.)
 

 

I used my go-to pie crust - Pillsbury!
Sprinkle the apple slices with a cinnamon sugar mix.
 

 

 

The topping is flour, sugar, and butter. 
 

And...voila' ! 

 

(When you click on each photo, you can see a LARGE view!)


My husband, Ron, has already eaten almost half of one!
(Good reason to make two at a time!)
I'll be happy to post the recipe if anyone would like to see it.


How about it, everyone? Who likes to bake pies? Do you have a favorite recipe to share? Or do you prefer cakes? Now that the weather is finally cooling a bit, I'm ready to bake homemade bread, which I really haven't done in YEARS!
 



* NOSTALGIC SUNDAY *

 

It's Time for Another Nostalgic Sunday

 

 

 

I can't believe it's Sunday already...

 

~~~

 

 

 

I'm feeling nostalgic today about music from another era, the 1960s.

 

 

 

One song I love, in particular, is "Moon River" by Andy Williams. It's one of those songs that just does something to me whenever I hear it. I also like it as an instrumental, but only Mr. Williams can sing it for me!

 

 

1960s performance

 

https://youtu.be/flm4xcOyiCo

 

 

AND

 

 

1970s performance

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mi0UUP7g-0M

 

 

 

Do you have a preference between the two??

 

 

What about you? Do you have favorite songs from the 1960s?

 

 

P.S. I forgot to welcome my three new followers! - Lee, Delores, and Jennifer.  I hope you'll stop by often and always enjoy what you read and see. Thank you!





* NOSTALGIC SUNDAY *

It's time for another Nostalgic Sunday

 

 

 

 

 

All I really want to say on this particular Sunday, September 11th, is how this date in 2001 was so horrible it was beyond comprehension...and it was the day my naivety about the world we lived in, ended.

 

 

 

I still yearn for those days of innocence....

 

 

 

But I'm also so grateful that I was fortunate enough to enjoy

so many years of that innocence.

 



 

 

 

Lyrics from God Bless the USA,

by Lee Greenwood

 

 

...I thank my lucky stars
To be living here today
'Cause the flag still stands for freedom
And they can't take that away...

 

 

 

(I'll be back next Sunday with another visit to the Andy Taylor residence!)





* NOSTALGIC SUNDAY *

It's Time for Another Nostalgic Sunday

 

It's almost the 4th of July - America's Independence Day. It's been rainy and cool for the past couple of days, but we didn't have any plans...outside or in...so not a disappointment for us. In fact, we're being really lazy....

We just spent three days at our best friends' home at Lake of the Ozarks. We hadn't seen them in way too long and the weather was perfect. They also have two adorable doggies: a dachshund and a beagle, and we loved on them as much as we could! Made us feel like we should get another dog fairly soon for ourselves, but after we got back home, our common sense also returned! A few weeks ago, we'd said, "No more dogs." And even if we do change our minds, it's way too soon.... We still miss Vern so much.

I recently purchased a shadowbox frame to put memories of Vern in. When I have it finished, I'll share it here on my blog.

~~~

 

“It shocks me how I wish for...what is lost and cannot come back.” -- Sue Monk Kidd, Traveling With Pomegranates: A Mother-Daughter Story

* DUMB THINGS BECKY SAID *

One for the chapter of "Dumb Things Becky Said."

Hey, this might be a semi-regular blog post, like my Nostalgic Sundays.

(I think I have dyslexia of the mouth!)

At work today, a woman came into the store and asked how to get to our tearoom. I said, "I'll take you there. It's right this way."

Then...knowing there was a group of ladies already sitting at one of the long tables, I asked her, "Are you here with the group of large ladies?"

I swear to God I said that! I couldn't make this stuff up. I kind of back pedaled, explaining what I meant to say, etc. etc.

One of my dreams is to do Stand-Up someday at an Open Mic. I'd bring LOTS of friends who already laugh at stuff I say, so I wouldn't die of embarrassment, in case nobody else laughed.

 

 

I don't remember if I've jotted down any of the crazy, backwards things I've said over the past few years, but I'll look. And if I didn't write them down, hopefully some will pop into my head....hopefully!

 

 

 



"I am a goofy person, really. That's where my energy goes, that's how I live my life. The goof gene is very strong inside me, really." -  Devon Bostick

* NOSTALGIC SUNDAY *

It's Time for Another Nostalgic Sunday

 

From the time I wrote my post about Merle Haggard on Thursday afternoon, and today during the early afternoon, I had two of those Twilight Zoney happenings... otherwise known as those incidents of Cosmic Encouragement (thanks again to Connie's comment in an April 2010 blog post of mine!)

For now, I'm not going to share what happened, but please don't think it was something so magnificent or weird or bad. I just don't have the time and the mental strength to write about it properly. (I've been de-cluttering my home office this evening like the Tasmanian Devil!)

What does any of this have to do with Nostalgic Sunday?

Memories and Writing...and Following My Bliss

 

 

I'll be back soon, but for now I want to urge all of you to follow your bliss. The first time I heard the poem below, it was from a new writer friend and mentor...and it was a life-changing moment,

 

"If you do follow your bliss,
you put yourself on a kind of track
that has been there all the while waiting for you,
and the life you ought to be living
is the one you are living.
When you can see that,
you begin to meet people
who are in the field of your bliss,
and they open the doors to you.

I say, follow your bliss and don't be afraid,
and doors will open
where you didn't know they were going to be.
If you follow your bliss,
doors will open for you that wouldn't have opened for anyone else.”

-- Joseph Campbell

 

~~~



 

* NOSTALGIC SUNDAY *

It's Time for Another Nostalgic Sunday!

I don't think I mentioned I've been working a LOT of hours lately. I still love my new job, at Imogene's, and honestly enjoy being there, even though my "schedule" started out being two days a week, Tuesdays and Fridays. The word schedule is in parenthesis because I've actually never had a consistent schedule! But that's okay, too. (One of the words that describes me is Flexible! As long as I don't have any other mandatory activities, and I'm needed...I'm there for ya!) So, I worked this past Thursday, Friday and yesterday, mostly on the sales floor...so mostly on my feet...for our Spring Fling...and in between did some of my office work, too. The shop and tea room is closed on Sundays...thank goodness, so today I'm home recuperating. I go back again tomorrow, Tuesday, and Wednesday because one of the employees' last day is Wednesday and she has things to still go over with me...She is moving to Kansas City, and I'll be taking over some of her duties and I'll get my own office. 

So, what does that have to do with Nostalgic Sunday? Nothing, really! Except that because of my job, I attended a three-Saturdays-in-a-row QuickBooks class at our local community college....and that experience, my friends was the one and only college course I've ever taken! (If you've read my memoir, you are aware of the fact that I never was able to go to college, even though I desperately wanted to. And I dreamed about going someday....being a 40-year-old freshman, etc. But, as the quotes at the top of my blog reveal....sometimes, we become the person we never knew we could/should be!)

In honor of the occasion, my sweet husband surprised me with one of the college T-shirts. He said he thought it was something I should have. Now, that's why he's a "keeper" even when he thinks I say "polka dots" when I really say "tiny squares!"

Our Wedding Day - February 1983

 

Awww...so young...!



* NOSTALGIC SUNDAY *

It's Time for Another Nostalgic Sunday

 

~~~

 

This will be a short and sweet Nostalgic Sunday, since it's very close to being Monday!

 

 

 

This picture is one of my favorites, partly because it's probably the only one I have of just my brother Mike, and me, and our dad. But also because we were so happy then. It was Christmas Day approximately 1960. Looks like we were getting ready to go to Mass, or just got home. I vividly remember my outfit, I guess because I loved it so much! It was a gray jumper with a pink blouse. To this day, I still love pink and gray together. Mike is holding his new Chess For Beginners game, and I'm holding my much loved Colorforms! And what is our dad doing? Reading the newspaper, not paying a bit of attention. SO TYPICAL! And he's wearing what I affectionately refer to as his "Barney Fife suit!"....I wonder what's the deal with he and Mike wearing white socks with their suits??

 

Ahh, such a happy time in my life that ended way too soon......

 

 

Happy 2016 everyone! May this be a year of doors opening and blissful encounters for all!

* NOSTALGIC SUNDAY *

It's Time for Another Nostalgic Sunday

 

Yesterday I received a Facebook message from someone who was both a grade school and high school friend. (Yes, once again Facebook has been a good thing for me, so I guess I better quit stating that I don't like Facebook!) It wasn't "just a message," but it contained some very profound words. The kind of words we writers live for.

Her name is Debbie and we'd kept slightly in touch through Facebook, mostly through our "Group Leader" who is so good about keeping classmates up to date on things, and arranging reunions, both large and small. A couple of weeks ago, Debbie sent me a check for a signed copy of my memoir. The following are her words, taken directly from our Facebook messages. (And yes, she gave me permission to use them.)


DEBBIE

"Totally enjoyed your book. Will definitely be interested in your sequel. It did make me laugh, make me sad, made me want to sit down and have a cup of coffee with the author like Judith Hendricks said. And it also did make me remember a lot more from my past and brought my life into a sharper focus like Susan Bono said. It definitely left me wanting more so bring on that sequel girlfriend - I am definitely ready. Thanks again, Becky."

"Oh by the way - Was Gary XXX the boy in grade school? Thought I recognized the description. If it was, it was the first boy I kissed in 8th grade. LOL... Maybe not the first for sure but the first I can remember. CRS"


Becky

"OMG! You are one fast reader, Debbie!" [I think she read it in one day.] "Thank you SO MUCH for your compliments!! Those words mean the world to me! And yes, that was Gary XXX! I asked his permission first, to use his name, and after I wrote the chapter, let him read it and give his okey dokey! He's a really nice guy. Did you remember that the house your family was renting on 87th Street, was the one my family moved into and rented after your home was ready?? Thanks to YOU! I think you had me over for dinner one night, or something, and I found out then about you guys renting it. You saved us!! True!"


DEBBIE

"ZZZZ did tell me about that although I had a stroke in 1975 and I lost a lot of memories - so I did not recall it. I am not very computer savvy on sharing anything correctly but I did put a new message on facebook about your book. I think you brought back memories for me that I thought I had lost forever and I am not sure how but somehow through the listing of songs and just different little things - something started coming back. Amazing. You are sure welcome to use anything I have written to you as a quote or recommendation. Also, you are an inspiration also to all of us that kept things inside and our insecurities. Still trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up. LOL but not really funny. I use laughter as a defense.

PS I am not usually a fast reader however I just wanted to keep reading - couldn't put it down."

 

Becky

 

"You are so sweet! And I'm sorry I didn't know about your stroke. How wonderful that you have recovered from it as much as you have! YOU are inspirational, Debbie. And I agree with you....I'm still trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up! Thank you again!! My STA and St. Philips friends/aquaintances have been my best cheerleaders! It feels so wonderful. Bless you...and xoxo "

 

~~~

 

This Is Why I Write. This is what I hope for when I write; for readers to feel something...happiness, sadness, memories of their own, hopefully to make a difference in their lives. And when Debbie shared her above feelings with me, I was on top of the world.

 

 

 

“If the book is true, it will find an audience that is meant to read it.”
—Wally Lamb

 

* NOSTALGIC SUNDAYS *

 

It's Time for Another Nostalgic Sunday

 

This Nostalgic Sunday post is going to be about my beloved dogs, because I recently heard from my pal, Tracie Hotchner, about this upcoming Dog Film Festival in New York City, which is her project! (Sure wish I lived near there!)

"THE FIRST ANNUAL DOG FILM FESTIVAL IN NEW YORK IS A CELEBRATION OF THE REMARKABLE BOND BETWEEN DOGS AND THEIR PEOPLE. The Dog Film Festival is a project of The Radio Pet Lady Network and Tracie Hotchner. - See more at: http://dogfilmfestival.com/#sthash.9gogg1ju.dpuf "

My nostalgia today is about the three dogs I've had in my life...yes, only three, including my current old guy, VERN! We didn't have pets when I was growing up except for an occasional gold fish which is NOT a pet..at least in my opinion! (In my memoir sequel, I'm including a story about having a puppy for only a couple of days, until I had to give him back.)

Anyway....My first much-loved dog was Rocky. We got him as a 6 month old puppy when The Ronald and I were newlyweds - (1983 or '84)



This is my oldest son, Scott, holding Rocky soon after we got him.

Awww.....aren't they both adorable?!

We knew nothing about having a puppy, especially living in a small apartment, where nobody was home except in the evenings and on weekends! I wrote about our episodes with Rocky in my memoir, and also for NYMB ...On Dogs https://laughuntilyoupee.wordpress.com/2015/01/06/rocky-loses-by-a-tko-by-becky-povich/ 


A few years later, the minute we brought newborn Mark home from the hospital, Rocky was there looking out for him. He didn't want to let people get too close to him in the bassinet! Rocky lived to be almost 14 years old and was always Mark's companion.

Rocky and Mark 1988

 

~ ~ ~

 

 

Here is beautiful Tiger Gal. We got her at a shelter when she was 6 months old, just a month after we said goodbye to Rocky. Part of why we chose her was because she resembled Rocky's markings. She, too, lived to be 14 years old. We had to say goodbye to her just a couple of weeks before Christmas in 2010. I wrote about her on my blog here: http://beckypovich.blogspot.com/2010/12/tearful-goodbye-to-tiger-girl.html

 

~ ~ ~

 

And now....here is Vern. (June 2015)

 

Those of you who don't know the story about Vern, here's a condensed version: Three months after we had to say goodbye to our beloved Tiger, I was ready to look for another dog. Wanted an "older" dog....a companion, and not a frisky puppy. Found Vern, a lab mix, online at a shelter. His age was listed as eight, but found out he was really nine and a half.....big difference in dog years! But, we brought him home with us (in March 2011) and have been in love with this fabulous dog ever since! He is sweet, loving, smart, funny and just plain perfect. We will celebrate his birthday next month - - he'll be 14 years old, and our hopes and prayers are that he lives to be 20! (as long as he is healthy and happy)