You Know You're an Antique when . . .

. . . the stuff you see at an antique show are the things you played with, ate with, and generally used all your life! Elvin and I took a walk this afternoon down to Lititz Springs Park where the annual antiques and collectibles show was going on. Ah, the memories as we strolled through the park looking at all the items the various vendors had displayed.

Remember that set of yellow, green, red, and aqua mixing bowls that Mom used all the time (and we girls, too, for that matter as we learned to cook and bake.) I saw a complete set of them for $35.00. Actually, I thought that was probably a good price - the set was complete and it looked like it hadn't been used much. As we continued to walk around, I realized I could have bought all the bowls, except the red one, individually - $10 for the aqua one, $18 for the yellow one, and $15 for the green one - all at different stands. So for less than the cost of the individual bowls, I could have actually had a complete set. And to think that my mother-in-law still uses hers on a regular basis!

Continuing on I found a peanut butter glass with a red tulip for $12. At another stand there were a few more of the peanut butter glasses: a red rose ($15), Christmas Holly ($15), another red tulip ($10), and one or two others for $10 as well. Funny thing though, they had a morning glory for only $2. Can you believe it? - our parents actually let us drink out of those glasses! And if one got broken, it was no big deal. There were plenty more. However, I am guessing that for those of you who are fortunate enough to have some of those glasses, you better hang on to them.

There were a few other items that brought back memories of days on the farm, such as old galvanized watering cans. Somehow they weren't as dented as the one I remember; maybe the families that used them didn't have kids kicking them around. We saw a sausage press, a wooden butter churn, egg scales and wire egg baskets (although the basket we saw wasn't that old), and several of the red handled cooking utensils (egg beater and potato masher) like Mom used just to name a few. Elvin found an "oatmeal" dish; dishes that he said came in the oatmeal. I don't remember those, do you?

Several of the vendors had books that either Elvin or I remembered reading during our elementary school years. And a few toys that caused Elvin to wish he had kept his old toys. I can't help but wonder what things we should be keeping that might be of value someday. What will evoke memories in our children as they visit antique shows in the future? And what of the things that we think of as junk will be of value - could it be something as simple as the Styrofoam cup from Starbucks? After all, I am sure that our parents would have never imagined that the gallon oyster cans they brought home would be worth $20 one day.

All in all, it was a lot of fun just wandering around and looking. We didn't actually buy anything, but we enjoyed the experience of taking a few steps back in time. It also made me realize again that our parents didn't throw things away if they could be used again. Somehow, we have lost some of that. Why doesn't peanut butter (or other items for that matter)for example still come in containers that not only have some additional use but are also pretty? Might even be worth a few extra cents!

Back to School

The weather today is a bit cooler and that to me is a good thing. The past week has been spent getting ready for a new school year, so it seems fitting that the weather would at least begin to feel a little "fall-ish." I forget from year to year just how much needs to be done to get ready for the new school year - especially as the director of a preschool and kindergarten program. Not only is it ordering the supplies, enrolling the students, and what seems at times like a mountain of paperwork, but it is also the training of the staff in the various policies, not only of our organization but those required by law when working with young children. Every summer I think I have a head start on it all, but alas the last two weeks before the new school year are hectic ones.

Today we had a four hour training session in first aid and CPR - skills that we hope we never have to use. I'm not talking about the bandaids for the scrapes and cuts that are part of life with four and five year olds. But the idea of actually having to use my CPR skills is a scary thought. Would I really remember all the steps if I actually had to do it? It really is one of those things I hope I never have to use.

Memories

I've been thinking a lot lately about family and the importance of staying connected with one's family. Maybe it's because I am rapidly approaching the big "6-0" and realizing that none of us is getting any younger. Also, just recently I put all those pictures from Jim's "Trip Down Memory Lane" last summer into my scrapbook. That process made me start thinking about all the stories we shared during both that experience and our cabin weekends, and how we have often talked about preserving some of those stories for our children and grandchildren. I realized, too, how we often wish we could get together more often and just share what is happening in our lives, but time, distance, and the busyness of life gets in the way.

That's when the idea of a Dombach Family blog began to take shape. A place where we can connect, where we can share what's happening in our lives and the lives of our individual families. Perhaps even share a few pictures of the grandchildren, etc.

The idea of a Heritage scrapbook has not been lost. I have the pictures. I have a few stories. It is still my hope to see that happen (if I can ever find some time to devote to the project). But in the meantime pehaps we can begin to preserve some of those memories by putting our stories into print.

Just a few rambling thoughts; I'm sure there will be more. For now, I will be working on setting up this blog site so that hopefully each of my brothers and sisters will be able to add their own thoughts.