Remembering Laura Ashley

By, Cheryl Harwell Bailey

 The first time I walked into a "Laura Ashley"
 shop, it was in San Francisco.

I instantly felt as if I were back in Britain. 
It was Christmas time.

When I walked out of the dressing room, wearing a wool Tartan jumper,
 Randall didn't say a word.

Once I had finished looking around,
 I said, 
"I could stay in here all day, but lets go."
"Not just yet," he replied. 
Randall went over to the rack,
 picked up the jumper,
 kissed me on the cheek, and said 
"Merry Christmas!"

 Height of fashion back in the day.

 "Lady Diana," loved "Laura Ashley!"

I am amazed at the quality of workmanship.
They don't wear out!
I have all of our daughters, and my glorious dresses, hats, etc.
I try with all my might to.....give them away,
but it feels like trying to rid myself of a cherished classic movie!
(Someone should make a movie about Laura Ashley)

I still have every Laura Ashley catalog and book ever written in my book case, 
right this very minute!
 Organized by year!

She also designed home decor.

Forest Lane Cottage

1985

Forest Lane Cottage

Laura Ashley went from being a young wife and mother, designing head scarves in the basement of her small flat in London,
to designing clothes for the backs of royalty,
and the wallpaper on their palace walls.
Yet I could walk into one of her shops in
 San Francisco,
 or anywhere around the world,

 and never want to leave.

  

First Laura Ashley Shop
London



Laura Ashley fell down a flight of stairs,
 at 60 years old, and died.
She was a real person, not a trade mark.


I miss her.

"Want A Little Romance?"
Add Candlelight!

Every year on Saint Valentine's Day,

Randall and I have a romantic 
candlelight dinner. 
But not just on "Valentine's Day." 
Winter lends itself easily to romantic 
candlelight dinners, since it gets dark so early.

"Valentine's Day"
2013

Jacqueline Kennedy

There's just something about candlelight!
It is so romantic
 for:  

a big dinner party,

We sponsored a potluck sweetheart supper at the church for many years.
a small dinner party,

or my favorite,
"dinner for two!"

   

Winter is almost over.
Pull out the romantic movies. 
Hurry and get the candles on the table.
(Don't forget to light them.)

There's just something about candlelight! 



  

Girls Don't!

By, Carolyn Donaldson Harwell
My Mother

Call boys!

Never ever.

If he likes you, he will call you.

Ask a boy out!

Never ever.

(Except on Sadie Hawkins Day)

If he likes you, he will ask you out.

Chase any boy!

Never ever.

If he likes you, he will chase you.

Open doors!

Never ever.

If he's a gentleman, he will open the door.

Pay!

Never ever.

If he asks you out, he pays for the movie, and the hamburger.

Kiss on the first date!

Never ever.

If he likes you, he will try.

Good advise from my mother, set a high standard.
Like the cakes she baked, and the songs she pinned,
 she was right on!

"The Glove"
By, Randall Bailey 

It was soft and of the finest fabric.

It was delicate and fragile.

A rare beauty beyond compare.

It was warm.

It could feel.

It could move.

It had shape.

It was alive.

It was a miracle, amazing, breathtaking!

It accomplished everything it wanted to do.

One sad day,

the "glove" slipped off the hand.

The glove lay limp, 

as the hand

soared to "Heaven!"

In eternity the soul and it's body will reunite.

For the Lord Himself shall descend from Heaven

with a shout, with a voice of the archangel,

and with the trump of God:

and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

Then we which are alive and remain shall be

caught up together with them in the clouds,

to meet the Lord in the air:

and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

I Thessalonians 5: 16-18 

I wish to thank Randall for the reprinting of his article,

"The Glove"

Happy Birthday Dad!

"Opa And The Monkey"

By, Cheryl Harwell Bailey
February 13, 2013 

Dad Bailey has accomplished much in his life.

He is the professor, to the professors.

He is the world traveler, to the travelers.

But there is only one family story,

 the grand kids, and the great grand kids,

 want to hear over and over again.

Is it the story about 

living in Roswell, New Mexico

when the aliens came?

No!

The much loved story is:

Once upon a time,

 Opa wanted a monkey.

Yes! 

But most parents were not that brave!

A "dog" was about as brave as it got.

"The Bailey's,"

 loved to travel. Mom, Dad, and 2 boys,

Bill and Luchen.

They settled in sunny California,

 but traveled everywhere.

On a trip to Florida, the whole family, 

fell in love with a little baby boy monkey.

He was "for sale."

Almost every parent in the world, 

would have rolled their eyes, and said, 

NO WAY, 

if they had been asked this question? 

"Can we?"

"Please?"

But not great great Grandma & Grandpa!

"Oh, he is so cute!"

"Sir, how much do you want for this monkey?"

Armed with a "Monkey Manuel,"

"Monkey Bread," and tiny diapers, they took turns holding him all the way back to California.

They named him "Chippy!"

He was very energetic,
 but "Chippy" was a  good little monkey!

Aside from swinging from the drapes.
After all, he was a "Spider Monkey!"
He was potty trained. 
His little hands even flushed the toilet.
There were times, he had "monkey manners."
He burped,
 among other disgusting things,  
but boys never get embarrassed.

"Luchen," had a bike.

 And it wasn't long,

until Chippy stayed perched on his shoulder, 

everywhere he went. 

Luchen had a "crush,"

on a gorgeous "redhead" at church.

Her name was "Jewell."

He went to her house, 

because he was "crazy" about her.

"Chip" really showed his "monkey manners,"

and it is a wonder "Jewell,"

even gave "Luchen" a second look, 

but she did. 

In fact they got married!

Or you wouldn't be here.

"Chip" was the best man at the wedding.

The End

"Chip is the best Man?"

Happy Birthday Dad!

With All Our Love,

Randy & Cheri

   

"SAINT VALENTINE'S DAY "

  A day set aside,
  to celebrate romantic love!
YES!
One day on the calendar each and every year.
How did such a beautiful holiday even start?
It started because of the 
early Christian Church.
It started because of a man martyred for Christ on February 14, 269 A.D.
His name was Valentino.

It was illegal to be a "Christian,"
 in ancient Rome, or to associate with them, punishable by death.

During the reign of Claudius the II, 
Valentino, a "Christian" pastor performed 
 Christian marriage ceremonies in secret.
Not even the threat of death 
could keep him from this.
Not even the threat of death 
could keep Christian couples from marrying.

It is said he gave each couple, a token.
 A token to remind them of their sacred vows to each other, and to Christ Jesus.
It was a simple cut out, 
cut from the parchment on which he wrote.   
It was a "Heart!"

Little did Valentino know, 
He stated something good!
  
Eventually Valentino, 
was arrested and imprisoned.
He was punished, beaten, and tortured.

Asterius, his jailer, observed this man.
After a time, 
Asterius could not help but 
respect and admire 
this highly educated prisoner.
He began to trust Bishop Valentino.

 Asterius began to confide in Valentino. 
 His little daughter 
Julia had been blind since birth.
He asked Valentino to be her teacher.
He brought her to be taught by Valentino.

The Bishop taught Julia about God. 
He read stories to her,
 teaching her the basics 
of moral and ethical values.
He vividly described the beauty of the earth.
Of roses, trees, and birds in flight.

One day she asked her teacher Valentino, 
"If I pray to God will he hear my prayer?"
"Oh yes dear girl, He hears every prayer!"
"May we pray now Valentino?"
They knelt in prayer and he prayed for her.
The dark jail cell began to shine 
with an incandescent light.
Julia cried "Valentino, I can see. 
For the first time in my life, I can see."
Julia and Valentino praised God.
Julia asked Jesus into her heart.
Her life was changed forever. 
 Valentino taught her to read and write!
She could see with her eyes and her heart.
Her father, Asterius, also became a Christian.

The day of his execution, 
February 14, 270 A.D.
 Valentino wrote to her.
Stay close to God Julia. 
  He signed it, 
"Your Valentino"

He started something good!
"Valentine Cards!"

He was beheaded and buried  
near a gate that would later be named 
"Porta Valentini."
Julia planted an Almond Tree 
next to his grave.

  In 2020 humanity would not have a holiday dedicated to romantic love, had it not been for Jesus Christ our Lord, and his servant
"Saint Valentine," martyred for Christ.
Tragedy turned to triumph in that much of the world acknowledge "Valentine's Day!" 
Sometimes I wonder if the saints in Heaven can look down and see what they started.
After all, the Bible tells us, we are surrounded by a cloud of witnesses.
 Valentino started something good! 
Jesus inspires those who believe.

Randall and I will celebrate this day
with:


Love Songs

 Baking

A Double Double Chocolate Chocolate Cake,

 Scottish Shortbread Heart Cookies!





 A Candlelight Dinner,

In front of our Fireplace!



 Roses!

A Valentine!

I have them all.

Romantic Movies!

Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice."

William Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet."


Chocolate 

candy!

I love this candy wrapper! My scrapbooks are full of little things others would throw away. At the time, all we could afford was one piece each. It was so good! We were living in Europe 40 years ago.

Salzburg, Austria has the most beautiful Chocolate shops,

 I have ever seen! Some began in honor of

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart!

A home boy, who loved and married his one and only, Constanze!

What a love story!

Original Confectioner Chocolate shops are still going strong,

 150 years later. Family owned and operated 

by the descendants to this day. 

The shops are around the world.

Hot Chocolate

The last time we were in Paris, 

we so enjoyed Angelina's!

Founded in 1903

If you can't go to Paris, bring Paris to you!
Whip up some heavy cream with a smidgen of sugar. 
Make some rich homemade thick hot chocolate, 
and use a double boiler to make sure it doesn't scald.




Flickering Scented Candles

The candles, glass goblets, and china plates, 
I purchased from the dollar store.
The beautiful white linen tablecloth, which I washed, starched and ironed is a $2:00 yard sale find. 


Our Home 

Our favorite place!


Being 
Romantical!
                   Anne of Green Gables

1970

Yes, this is us!

Happy Saint Valentines Day Blessings!