Stories Collected While Living in France
Passions.
When I was young, it was riding my bike.
When I was a young woman it was praying in the monastery.
Later it was dancing. Boy did I dance. I met Yann.
My first year in France Yann and my home had a minimalistic look due to lack of funds to decorate.
As a mother, it was my children.
And throughout it, the brocante stirred me. The first old thing I ever bought I was 12. I bought it with my babysitting money. A hand mirror, a brown jar and a blue beaded purse from the 1920s.
First things I bought when I was 14 were a night stand that I had for YEARS before replacing it and an old large glass bottle with wire and wood handles. I loved that thing and kept loose change in it until one fateful moment when Jim swung a golf club in the house. No more beautiful bottle The dog.
When I was a young bride we didn’t have money for much, so I found I could go to a junk store and find something to decorate my home. I said at the time when I could afford new furniture the old junk would be tossed. 50 years later I am still collecting old stuff and rarely buy new. It is an addiction and what makes our homes unique.
My first collection was those 1920’d beaded bags!
Your new passion will arrive in June.
This is a great comment.
I remember walking around the street pulling my little wagon. On garbage days, I would bring all sorts of junk home. I was eight. Now I jump out of the car, and bring all sorts of junk home. I’m older…maybe a bit more discerning….
Ali
I think the first old things I bought when very young were old books and vintage clothing. When I was 16 I bought a beautiful Victorian corner chair and a marble top Victorian dresser with a tilt top mirror. I paid $100 for it and used money I’d saved up. I still have that dresser, and it still is stunning to look at!
My family ate at Bizarro Restaurant in Seattle last night, thanks to your recommendation here on your blog. It was great! And while we waited for our table, we visited the Rubber Chicken Museum which is around the corner at Archie McPhee’s joke shop. Fun store!
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