Bathroom Project!!!

Here is the old bath-tub - 64 years old - both tub & faucets

were in very poor condition!

Since this is an old home, I wanted to stick

with the vintage style and had an old

claw-foot tub installed that had been resurfaced,

plus NEW faucets, which includes a hand shower!

The old linen closet took up too much space.

The new linen closeth - the handles are yet to be put on.

Takes up less space, and is more efficient storage.

The 64 year old medicine cabinet - this was

made by my Dad and it will be kept (someplace else)

The new medicine cabinet.   The plan is to

find a different light for above it - this one

is temporary since I didn't want to spend a lot

of money until I find exactly what I like.

View looking into old bathroom - While it doesn't look

great, this picture makes it look a lot better

than it actually was!

Looking in on finished bathroom - I added the

bead board to give it the more vintage look

and of course, new linoleum. 

Here is how it looked after taking out the old

cast iron bathtub!

The chimney and space where the clothes chute

and old linen closet were located.

So GLAD this is done!  As usual in any

remodel, there were set-backs, goof-ups,

and what-have-you!

SING SOFTLY, PLEASE

This picture has nothing to do with this particular post,

but thought it was so pretty I would share it!

Maxine was a good friend and neighbor of mine

many years ago.

I invited her to my church and

she and her family started attending there regularly.

The first Sunday she was there, I noticed how

very animated she was during the hymns.

She was thoroughly enjoying singing

and was doing so with noticeable joy.

After the service, I asked her if she

was a singer - since most of us

non-great-singers (especially us Scandinavians)

do so without much fanfare or displays of emotion.

Maxine laughed, and told me,

"I can't sing good at all, I am tone deaf."

I was skeptical and told her so.

She went on,

"When I was little, in elementary school,

the teacher told me to sing quietly,

since quiet singers were needed."

She said she didn't realize until many years

later that her teacher was just trying

to keep her voice from being heard.

I was still skeptical - I don't know if I

had ever heard anyone sing THAT bad.

"One day, you sit by me in church and you

listen," she told me, "and then you will know."

Since I was the organist, there wasn't much

opportunity to actually sit by her, but

finally, one day it happened.

I sat by her and heard her, well, sing (?).

I could not believe my ears.

It was not good.

It was actually quite bad.

No really,  it was bad.

After the service she said to me,

"Well, do you still think I can sing?"

I had to admit to her  that perhaps she really

was tone-deaf.
It crossed my mind that perhaps
 she really should sing softly.

She was my good friend and we just laughed about it.

She was happy - she loved to sing (that word will be used loosely here)

and I wasn't going to deny her that.

She said that when she died and went to heaven

she was sure she would be a great singer

and that was enough for her.

I have lost touch with Maxine - I moved, she moved,

things changed.  But every once in awhile

I think about her and wish I knew where

she was so we could re-connect.

I wonder if she is still singing (again, I use that word loosely)

with as much feeling and joy as I remember?
I hope so.

-

The Walls are Still Talking!

Today, I took out the floor of the little shoe closet

and retrieved the rest of the stuff that was

trapped between the 1st floor and the basement.

To explain just a little - there is about a 3 ft. gap

between the floor of this little closet to the

top of the heat duct in the basement.  A gap

in the back of the bottom shelf allowed

items to drop below, only to be found

again many years later when a remodel project occurred.

The is the last item laying on the bottom - a

little mirror, plus lots of dust.  I did

finally get the mirror out without breaking it.

Found:  A jump rope handle, ear muffs,

a wrench, and a cough drop box.

This box  was from nylons, most likely

bought at Rorvig's Store in Dalton.

Someone's math project.

A National Bellas Hess magazine.

Inside of National Bellas Hess

Family Circle - 1951 - only 5 cents!

Inside of Family Circle Magazine.

I also found some pens, a button, wrapping paper

for a bridal shower, a baby card offering congratulations

on the new baby girl (signed by Gunda),  a swatch

of red/black wool plaid, roller pick and much dust!

I did not  find any money, however.



Visions & Dreams

Many years ago, I was visiting with my Dad

and he told me about a vision that he had.

He said he didn't tell too many people about the vision;

people might think he was "crazy."

And he stressed to me that he was awake

and that it was not a dream.

He had the same vision on two separate occasions:

There was a beautiful river, beautiful landscape.

On the other side of the river, sitting on the bank

 was a man with long hair.

The man smiled at Dad.

Dad said that it wasn't his smile, but the eyes of this man

that he remembered so vividly.

The man's eyes were very sharp,

but at the same time, they were very kind.

Dad was sure the man was very wise,

and he felt very comforted by his presence.

Dad believed that the man in his vision

was Jesus.

Dad said he was not afraid, and he would welcome

another such vision.

[I don't know if he had another one or not.]

Some years later, I read several accounts of

visions by others, and the description given

was almost word-for-word as Dad had

said to me.

[This vision was about  8 years before Dad's death in 1991.]

The Autograph Book

Back in the "olden days" autograph books were

very popular.

I have one that belonged to a relative

whose name was John Rime.

He was a "cousin" of my Grandpa Dahlager.

No one is really sure just how John Rime

was related - it is believed he was adopted

by Marit (Dahlager) and her husband,

Ole Rime. 

(prounounced Ree-ma)

Marit was my grandfather's aunt.

There was some speculation that John was

born illegitimately to another relative,

and another theory that since John was

a little "different" Marit and her husband

took him in as their own.

John Rime once claimed his real father

was Ole Bull (the Norwegian composer)

because John also played the violin,

just like Ole Bull

(well, not "just" like, but you get the picture)

John died at the State Hospital

in Fergus Falls.

My grandfather took care of the arrangements

since there was  no one else.

His personal items were given to my grandpa,

and my Aunt Esther gave me the

autograph book when I was working

on my genealogy.

I believe my brother Si has a trunk

that belonged to him.

Here are a couple of entries:

(Click to enlarge)

This autograph is dated February 27, 1889.

Notice the beautiful handwriting!

This one is from 1892.

The one below is a drawing my grandpa

contributed to the book in 1923.

The cover was a rust-colored velvet that has

lost its luster (in background)

The inside front page is still very nice.

Wonder why these days, no one

wants any autographs

unless it is from someone

rich and famous?

If These Walls Could Talk!

My bathroom remodeling project is well under way!

Look what was found hidden in the walls!

A whole pile of valentines were found - The envelopes

were yellowed & brittle, but these valentines

are in pretty good shape, complete with

moveable arms!  I am sure these

were from the 1950's, and they had not been written on.

Then there was this old crochet cross

found between the first floor & basement.

This cute wrapping paper was fold and still cute,

although brittle.

Wonder if we'll find anything else?   There was a couple of pens, a crayon,

a yellow balloon, parts of soap/deodorant boxes, and much dust.

There are a couple of

items found that I won't mention here!

[Keep you wondering!!]

Predictions for 2012

Now is the time for resolutions and predictions for 2012.

Have you ever said, "I could've predicted that?"

Well, I have. . .so here goes.

1. There will be devasting tornados in the U.S.
and deadly earthquakes in the world,

2.   President Obama's real birth certificate will be found. 
Many will be surprised by the details!

3.  In spite of the cost of groceries rising ridiculously,

Americans will continue to be overweight.

4.  The world will NOT end on December 12, 2012,

5.   Again, in 2012, Laurie Jensen will  NOT win the
 Publisher's Clearing House sweepstakes.

6.  Yet another politician faces scandal when his personal

life is exposed.

7.  The Upper Midwest winter will be cold and snowy.

8.   The best movie of the year will not win an Oscar.

9.  While the Vikings will improve in 2012, they have

no chance at winning the Super Bowl.

10.  Gas prices will fall right around Memorial Day,

but by the end of summer, the cost of gas will go up.

Then just before the election, gas prices will drop drastically

before going up again the next day.

11.  Another rock star will die of a drug overdose.

and finally. . .

12.   It will be a very close National Election in November.

The winner will be either a democrat or a republican.