Memoir Monday ~ What You Wish You'd Known

How about a fun Memoir Monday?

When you look back on your life, what are a few things you wish you'd known to pay more attention to? You realize, of course, that someone in your life tried (hard!) to tell you, but you were young and not willing to listen. Okay, that's me anyway.

Here's a few to get you started:

1. Exercise more.

2. Eat healthier. Notice those first sneaky pounds piling on. Let's include here all those things you know you should have been doing...wearing sunscreen, getting enough sleep, and staying away from addictive substances like Dr Pepper....

3. Be money smart. Save more, spend less, work smarter.

4. Pursue dreams with greater passion and hard work and less by daydreaming for a big break.

5. Live with less fear. What's the worst thing that could happen?

6. Savor parenting more. Be stricter with my sons. Enjoy them more. Don't let the frustrations ever outweigh the delights.

7. Keep up with photo scrapbooking. The boxes of loose photos I have speak volumes. It's overwhelming to think about and a crying shame we can't enjoy our own photo memories. It's a double shame when you consider every photo leaving my studio was either in a frame, a folder, or an album. Beautiful. I wish I'd taken the time to treat my own personal photos with an equal amount of respect. Someday was what I always told myself.

8. Keep a journal of my son's cute sayings and antics. True, there's some things you never forget, but the older I get the more swiss cheesy my memory gets. Capture precious moments and write down family stories.

9. Hug people I love more. They may not be there tomorrow. Send more thoughtfully written cards telling people how much they mean to me.

10. Live more artistically. Be truer to my 'vision' and taste and less blown by winds of trends and fashions. Be more true to my creative soul.

I could go on, but you get the idea. Post your list on your blog and link back to here..and mention your blog addy in the comments below.

Profound or silly...I can't wait to read them.

Memoir Monday ~ Valentine Reflections

Since Valentine's Day was yesterday, let's explore those recollections for Memoir Monday.

What are your strongest memories of Valentine's Day?
Any special traditions associated with the day?
Foods? Activities?
Favorite Valentine's cards?


Can't wait to see what you reveal!


For me....

Valentine's Day stuff is a product of our school systems, I think. From an early grade, students learn to apply glue to paper and lace to make valentines. There's a party, so each student has to give a small card to every other student. I noticed when we started homeschooling, Valentine's Day became a lot more fun because we could tread more lightly and with less frou-frou stuff.

My strongest Valentine's Day memories are not of glue, glitter, or paper hearts. The first V-day, The Pilot Guy and I dated was one busy weekend. That year, Valentine's fell on a Saturday. The same Saturday of Master Follies at Lubbock Christian, a huge annual performance event. It just so happened that was also homecoming, too, with all it's related festivities. We were the only hired photographers on campus and busy doesn't even begin to describe that weekend. A yearbook deadline and the regular weekly deadlines for the campus newspaper were also a part of the mix. We worked long and hard to cover all of our responsibilities, something close to sixty hours each within a three or four day period between our actual photography duties, plus darkroom time. By the way, I got paid a whopping $1.67 per hour in those days...I don't remember if that was minimum wage or simply work/study pay according to college standards. It was good money as far as I was concerned. As you can see, there was simply no time to go out for a romantic date on February 14th, so we postponed our celebration until the next day.

Thirty-five years later, we still are.

In fact, a couple of years after that first Valentine's weekend, we became engaged on February 15th.

Memoir Monday ~ The Best Meal

Apple Pie ala Mode


The Pilot Guy and I had just sat down to a casual Sunday evening supper of baked brie with almonds and garlic, crackers, sliced avocado, and a glass of wine when the Food Network advertised a show titled, "My Best Meal Ever.' Instantly, I thought what a cool topic for memior Monday. We love to eat around here.

What's the best meal (or food) in your memory?
Was it a fancy sit down affair or a casual picnic?
Where were you?
Was the food cooked by your own hands or someone else's?
Who ate with you?
What about the meal made it memorable?
What meals emerge from your childhood memories?
Any fun memories of your own children's food preferences?

It's all things food today...have fun!


One of my favorite meals was in Oban, Argyle, Scotland while we were waiting for the ferry to take us to the Isle of Barra. Our B&B hostess had recommended a local fish and chips eatery for our lunch before we caught the afternoon ferry. I can't remember the name of the place, unfortunately, but it was a little take away shop with a bright yellow front. And busy. We arrived just as they were opening for the day and already there was a small crowd. We ordered and our hot fish came wrapped in paper. We stepped out the shop and strolled down the street to sit on the wall surrounding Oban Bay. There, we unwrapped our treasures. Hot, flaky, freshly fried fish fillets, dusted with salt and splashed with a malt vinegar and surrounded by fries (or chips as the English and Scottish call them.) The warm sun, a cool breeze, the lap of waves and the cries of sea birds...the smiles of my sons and the happy chatter of our conversation made this meal one of our finest. We've had fish and chips since - in fact, The Pilot Guy and I had some terrific ones seaside in Vancouver last summer--but none will ever beat that moment.

PaJo's Fish and Chips, Vancouver, B.C.

A meal that has become a family 'legend' happened in France. We were in the burgundy region staying in Beaune. (Pronounced 'bone.') I really wanted to have Boeuf Bourguignon while in it's home of orgin. We didn't travel with too many dressy clothes, but we scrubbed up to the best of our ability and donned our travel finest, all the while impressing on our 15 year old and our 9 year old to be on their their very best manners. The inn we were staying at helped up locate the "Cheval Blanc' restaurant (white horse-and yes, that's one of the reasons we picked it.)

The restaurant was gracious and not as fancy as I'd feared. The Pilot Guy started his meal with escargot. I don't remember my starter. I think I was too fascinated by the escargot. Yes, I did steal one. Me, eating snails. Who would have ever believed that! Our 15 year old had something as well. Our little guy didn't order an appetizer. The restaurant graciously brought him a lovely slice of smoked salmon so he wouldn't be the only one not eating. I'm pretty sure it was the first time he'd had salmon. He enjoyed it.

After our meal of Boeuf Bourguignon, the cheese cart came around. It was a good sized cart with a huge assortment of cheeses. The Pilot Guy chose three or four to try. One he was familar with and the rest were best guesses. One particular selection was cut into one inch cubes and covered with herbs. It looked like something soft. However, when he tried to cut into it, it slipped from under his knife and shot away just like that funny scene in Pretty Woman. The cheese bounced off the wall behind him. The boys' eyes grew huge and I thought giggles would swallow them whole. Here we were trying our best to be on our best behavior in a French restaurant and Dad is throwing cheese against the wall. I'm pretty sure the 9 year old almost slipped out of his seat because he was trying not to laugh so hard. To hear the guys tell this story makes it even better.

Coffee from the original Starbucks in Seattle. Apricot Croissant from French bakery

I'm lucky enough to have had lots of great meals to choose from. Fried chicken dinners at my Mamaw's house. Brisket and homemade ice cream at my in law's home. Campfire breakfasts with my family. Some super suppers right here in our own home. Lots of memories are made around the table.

Is it time to eat yet?

Memoir Monday ~ Thanksgiving

With Thanksgiving weekend fading into the past, now's a good time to capture a few memories. Write (or paint, or draw, or sew) about your family's traditions at Thanksgiving.

Was your family a good china and fancy dress type meal? Do you have photos of the table decor?

Or were you guys paper plates and football games?

What foods scream Thanksgiving to you?

Any heirloom recipes that you still make?

Where (Who) did they come from?

Any funny stories, train wrecks, or terrible incidents you recall?

Did you gather at Grandma's or some other house?

Which relative did you long to see most?

Which relative did you not want to see?

How has your current family traditions evolved from your growing up family traditions?

Have a wonderful time capturing some memories this week. If you post them on your blog, let us know. (Thanks, Beth!)

Memoir Monday ~ Cars

I'm amused when I look through old photos of my parents, especially during their dating years, at how often the young couple was posed in front of their car.

My mom and dad

There are a number of reasons for that, I'm sure. Fifty years or more ago, film definitely liked the bright sunshine and flashbulbs were expensive. Photos were done outside. Secondly, those cars were a great big purchase...still are today, too. There is just something about those hunks of metal and combustion that make us happy. I'm even more amused to find a number of photos of me in front of my car. Cars are nice and all, but you'd think there would be more photos of me with a dog.

So, what did your first car look like? (Or what was the most interesting vehicle you've ever driven?) Was it given to you or did you slave at some job to purchase it? Standard or automatic? How old were you when you learn to drive?

My first car was a Ford Maverick I shared with my mom.

My mom and I

Mavis as I called my little vehicle, was an odd grass green color. No air conditioning and black interior. We are talking Texas here, folks. Can you say hot? We kept towels in the car to sit on, especially in the summer. I sorched my shorts clad legs several times before I figured out the towel thing. Mavis was also a standard shift car with the gear on the steering column. It was an adventure learning to drive in traffic while also learning how to shift gears. My mother said if I learned how to drive a standard I could drive anything. How right she was. I've driven all over Europe in standard shift models. I've driven tractors and an eighteen wheeler. Thanks, Mom, for teaching me how.

Look, here is one of the Pilot Guy and I in front of Mavis.

We hit the jackpot here because we not only have a photo of Mavis, but we have a glimpse of the Pilot Guy's red LTD in the background.

One last note...every dress I'm wearing in these photos I made with my own little hands.

We had a great little car in Europe. I'll have to write about that car some day soon.

Alright, people, show me your first or favorite car. If you post photos on your blog, come leave a comment here so we can traipse over and enjoy.

Memoir Monday ~ A Favorite Teacher

As you can see I've been blogging a lot in my head lately. I'm making a real push to get the words out of my head and onto the screen. Follow through, right?

For today's memoir prompt...who was your favorite teacher? This does not have to be a childhood or school age teacher, but someone who taught you a skill or concept that you value today. Perhaps what they taught wasn't as important as how they taught it.

So...favorite teachers....

Two of my favorites were Sharon K., my English teacher and Mama Marge W., my journalism teacher. Mama Marge ( and yes we often called her that) had already encouraged my love of photography by putting me on the photography staff of the school newspaper and yearbook. She is a tall, thin woman with a quick, sharp mind. She treated her staff students not as students only, but as adults capable of doing amazing work. My sophomore and junior year of high school, she taught me to write according to strict journalism standards. Just the facts and economical with words. Deadlines became my friends.

Sharon K. (whom we called Mrs. K---) loved being an English teacher. I ate her class up. We studied classic books with enthusiasm. It was in her class that I discovered Ray Bradbury. What a discovery! During my junior year, she taught me to write in a traditional English manner. Vivid description, powerful presentation, and the joy of organizing a big project.

Having both of these teachers in the same year was excellent for me. Because of their demands, I learned to write according to the audience. I can't tell you how valuable that skill has been in my creative life. Whether I'm writing a marketing piece for my studio or a letter to the editor or a piece of fiction, I know to pay attention to the unseen person who will be reading my words and craft accordingly.

As I said, I had a very adult type relationship with Mama Marge. She attended my wedding and my dad's funeral. A few years ago, her children arranged a party to celebrate her 80th birthday. It was delightful to see her again. She was, as ever, a sharp, insightful, and intelligent woman.

In my thirties, when I was showing German Shepherds in obedience, I ran into Mrs. K-- at several shows. She, too, had taken up dog showing. Her Bernese Mountain Dogs were like huge teddy bears...all plush fur and happy expressions. She introduced me to her husband by his first name. When she noticed I was still calling her by Mrs. K--, she said, you know, you've graduated. You can call me Sharon. With a smile, I shook my head. "Nope, I don't think I can."

Memoir Monday ~ Back to School

For today's memior prompt, how about school memories?

Do you remember your first days of school?

Did your family have a ritual for first days?

Who was your favorite teacher?

What were your favorite subjects?

Happy remembering!

Memoir Monday ~ A Book Review

Instead of an assignment today, I'm doing a review of "My Life In France" by Julia Child and Alex Prud'Homme.

Why a book review? Because this is one of the best memoirs I've read recently. It was built and written from collections of letters, journal entries, and photographs saved by members of the family. Exactly the type of writing I'm urging you to do each Monday.

From what I understand, Julia Child's grand-nephew, Alex Prud'Homme would read aloud from the saved letters or he and Julia would sort through photos and Julia would tell stories sparked from those memories.

The writing is warm, witty, and engaging. For the writers among us, there are some terrific turns of phrase and lovely language. It is a look into the passionate pursuit of creativity. It's the story of someone who loved life abroad and truly came alive when she found her calling. You'll want to pack up and move to France, roast a duck, or at the very least, you'll be inspired to try something new and challenging. What ever the call, I hope you hear it clearly.

If you loved Meryl Streep's Julia Child in the movie, you'll enjoy 'hearing' Julia's true voice through her words and rememberances. This is a good read!

Memoir Monday ~ Weddings

Today would have been my parent's 53rd wedding anniversary. With our son's wedding just a bit over a week ago, the taking of vows has been on my mind a lot. So today's memior assignment is to write about your wedding day...or go ask your parents or grandparents about their day.

Actually, it was a few pages in a journal I found after my mother's death which inspired Memoir Monday. Three handwritten pages she had penned about her wedding day. The fun they'd had getting married in my dad's parent's house, the flowers, the cake, the people who made the small wedding a pleasure. There was a page and a half about how my parents glossed through their three day honeymoon to come back to their rental house early. Unfortunately they didn't have a key, but my enterprising dad managed to 'break' in so they could settle in. I could feel her happiness and delight come through those pages. Have I mentioned that my mom was a sweet sixteen bride and my dad a mature twenty year old? (I know, I know!)


When I found that journal and read the story, I wept. I cried, in part, because my grief was still fresh, but I wept because there was no more. Only those few pages. The rest of the journal was blank. How I wanted more! My mother probably wrote those lines after she was sick. Probably after she realized she wasn't getting out of breast cancer alive. I imagine she wanted to fill that book up with the story of her life...but she didn't have the strength emotionally to go back into it all...or perhaps it was a simple matter of little physical strength. I'll never know. All I know is this daughter was greedy for more.


That's what Memoir Mondays are for...in bits and pieces you can capture the stories of your life. Every year you can print them out, bind them into a book or notebook, and shelve them. Your children, grandchildren, and great-grands will love having an eye witness account of your life and times. Include photos when ever you can.

Now--go write.

Memoir Monday ~ The Week Before....

Here at Chateau Creative Soul, we are in crazy mode. Our son's wedding day is T-minus six days and counting. Prayers are being said for good weather for the outdoor ceremony....stacks of wedding decor materials are multiplying....and the lists of things to be done seems to be getting longer, not shorter.

Thus, the inspiration for today's Memoir Monday. When have you been 'behind the scenes' of a big deal family event--a wedding, an anniversary, a birthday, a reunion, a holiday dinner....? What craziness happened? Who forgot to order something important? What were the costs involved? What did you make or create just for the event? Don't forget to detail the food and clothing.

Fifty years from now, your grandchildren will appreciate your memoir.

Memoir Monday ~ Family Visits

A week or two ago, some of our favorite people came for a visit~the Pilot Guy's youngest brother, his wife, and two teenagers. Together we shopped, watched baseball games, shopped some more, ate too much, stayed up too late, and laughed a lot.

In my growing up family as well as the Pilot Guy's family, relatives were welcome in our home all the time. In fact, it was a sign of something gone terribly wrong if the relatives didn't stay in your home.

Today's Memoir assignment is to write, draw, paint, or compose about your remembrances of family visits. Vacations, holidays, or other trips...who came to your house?

Did Grandmother and Granddad kick you out of your room? Did you have cousins sleeping on pallets on the floor of the living room? Who did the preparations for visitors? Did everyone pitch in to help clean and cook? Were you a formal bunch or loud and rowdy?

Was your family one of the ones that never hosted guests? What are your memories of being a guest in your grandmother's or aunt's home?

How have you changed from how your parent's or grandparent's generation did this?

I can't wait to see what you dig around and find in your memories this week.

One other thing...some of you know we are in the middle of planning a wedding this month. In fact, it is in less than two weeks. (YIKES!) In our backyard. (August. Texas. Outdoors. Are we brave or what?) I'm not blogging much because I simply don't have many working brain cells left at the end of the day. That's too bad, too, because now that I think of it, blogging is relaxing and refreshing. We will see what happens...

After the wedding...some exciting stuff will be happening here at Creative Soul. Thanks to each and everyone of you who read. You make my day!

Memoir Monday ~ Where Were You?

(Thanks to FreeStockPhotos.com for the images)

Today's topic for Memoir Monday practically writes itself. Forty years ago today, man walked on the moon.

Where were you when Neil and Buzz first stepped on that beautifully desolate landscape?
How old were you?
What are you memories of Apollo 11 and the rest of the American space program?
Did man walking on the moon directly affect your thinking or decisions?
If you are too young to remember the actual event, seize this opportunity to find out where your parents or grandparents were on that day.

At age twelve and already a science fiction devotee, I loved the space program. To me, the Apollo missions gave a strong foundation to my reading. Anything seemed possible. As a family, we watched every mission from lift-off to splash-down. I still get tears in my eyes when I remember the Christmas morning when Apollo 8 looped the moon for the first time. The astronauts read from Genesis about the earth's form. It was a lovely moment.

As I said, I was twelve years old. My mom and dad hosted a gathering of family at our house that day, very much like a holiday event. Grandparents, uncles. The mood was joyful expectation. Food, fun, and anticipation. That day was the first and only time we set up a net across the dining room table and played ping pong. It's funny the things you remember.

My uncle, who is only five years older than I and at that moment, a budding photographer, set up a twin lens reflex camera on the coffee table in front of my parent's console TV. In those days before VCRs and DVRs, he wanted to capture the images on screen to the more permanent medium of film. I remember him saying he had to slow the shutter speed down to 1/30 of a second in order to 'sync' up with the TV. My uncle went on to spend almost thirty years as a photo-journalist.

We all cheered when we heard Neil Armstrong say the Eagle had landed. It was a great time of celebration. Later that evening, well after my normal bedtime, it was just our family around the TV taking in those grainy black and white images of Neil Armstrong stepping out on the moon.

The moon landing, in fact the entire Apollo program, made me think our country could do anything. Even more, it made me believe I could do anything. Education and work were the keys.

As a family who emphasized seizing both educational and travel opportunities, we saw the space program as the ultimate of both. Looking back, I can see my mom thought her children would have the opportunity to travel in space during their lifetimes. Certainly, in her grandchildren's lifetimes. I know that my twelve year old self believed forty years into the future our society would have a few colonies on the moon and would have traveled to Mars.


So...the question begs to be answered...where do you want to 'boldly go?' Where do you need to make a giant leap? Where are your footsteps being left?

Forty years from now, what do you want people remembering about you?

Memoir Monday ~ Fourth of July

We just had a great time with family and friends over the Fourth of July holiday weekend. I hope you did, too!

What memories do you have of the Fourth?
What did your family do to celebrate?
Did you stay home or travel?
Were you around for the country's bi-centennial celebration?
What foods make the holiday special?
Who made those foods?
Who were the people you remember spending time with?
Any special or unique outfits or activities?

What's YOUR favorite memory of the Fourth of July?

Ready,

Set,

Write! Paint! Create!

Memoir Monday ~ Engagements

Kevin and Lisa

Since it's just become offcial that I'll be a mom-in-law in a few short months (more about that later), let's stroll down memory lane a bit considering our own engagements. Write about the day you got engaged. Or write about a romantic evening, trip, or event. A special date, perhaps....or a day that turned out to be very romantic in memory, but you didn't think so at the time.

Got any photos to put with your memoir story? If you are an artist, take a moment to sketch an image. What would a quilt block of your memory look like?

I hope you have a pleasant trip down Remember Lane.

An insistent and nasty infection kept me sluggish all last week, then a trip to an out of town wedding, so I didn't get as much done on my travel memoir or the blog as I planned. Hopefully, I'll post my travel piece by tonight.

Until then, muse upon your romantic memories. Happy writing!

Memoir Monday ~ Travel

We've been delving into lots of memories in the last few weeks. Sifting through photos for the Baseball guy's graduation was the trigger I think. He is the infant in the photo above. It is amazing to me how very quickly my sons grew from infants to taller-than-me men.

It is fun to hear my guys tell stories about our lives. Their perspective, their interpretations. To hear what made them laugh and what surprised them. We may not always agree on what exactly happened moment by moment, but it is fun to share family stories. Those experiences, those memories, and those stories tie us together. A unique bond.

I'd like to capture more of my memories in story form. We have tales which used to be told by The Pilot Guy's dad or my parents. Right now they are held in our heads, but I want them on paper to be enjoyed. Too many of my dad's stories died with him. The same with my mom.

For the next few weeks ~ a summer project, I'm initiating Memoir Monday. Each week will have a theme. Join me in writing a memory of the past, for the future. If you post your memoir on your blog, leave a link in the comments section so we can all enjoy. And not just your own memories....if you are headed to a family gathering of some sort this summer, take a notepad. Even better, take a video camera and a recorder. Be the story catcher in your family.

This week's theme is travel. Write about a trip or a vacation. Write about the first time you traveled by boat, or airplane, or ox cart. Write up a funny or scary or poignant memory of a place not your home. Foods, scents, sights...what sticks in your mind about a place?

Book Giveaway Winner!

The winner of the drawing for 'From the Ground Up' is Laughing Lioness.

Thanks to all who played the game!