This week’s fabulous Fun Monday host is ari_1965 over at Beyond My Slab and she has asked us about old things:
What is the oldest possession in your house or flat? Describe it or show us a picture. Where did it come from? Why do you hang on to it?
Old things….ah yes, I know what I’ve got….okay here they are! Meet the parents!
Ooops, you didn’t mean that? Right…possessions….okay I’ll be serious 
This week is about old things but what could I share? Oh wait, there’s Big – my first teddy bear! (she’s a poet and didn’t know it!)
Big is going to be 42 years old at Christmas, I’m only 8 months older than him and oddly enough he’s older than my husband. My parents bought him as my first teddy on my first Christmas, and as you can see he’s still going well, apart from his man boobs or moobs. But it happens to the best of them doesn’t it! Will I ever get rid of him, oh never, in fact, there are strict instructions that when my time comes, he gets placed in the coffin with me to safely take me on my next journey. Excuse my bad hair day!
Big is a Wendy Boston bear (appropriate), though they don’t make bears anymore.
I pondered, could there be anything older than Big? And there was!! When I went to England in 2004 and saw my great aunt, she said she had something for me, it was this little jug below. My grandmother gave it to her before leaving, so it originally belonged to my grandmother, she gave it to her sister in-law as a reminder of their wonderful friendship and then she passed it back to me in 2004. I was so happy to get this as my grandmother didn’t leave much behind, so this is a treasured item that I can never get rid of.
Then I got to thinking, could I have anything older than this jug? I’m not sure of the jug’s age, but it would have been made before 1964. Yes I have got something – two somethings.
These rings below. They hold sentimental value, both are 18 carat gold, both wedding bands, here is the story behind them. The smaller one is my great grandmother’s and the larger one is my great great grandmother’s ring. The interesting thing though is my great grandmother wasn’t actually married, she had her son (my mum’s father) out of wedlock – but she went through the motions and pretended to be married, taking on a new surname to fool people. Back in those days 1919 it was unheard of and frowned upon. So the smaller ring was from around 1918 and the larger one was from the late 1890s. I wore one at my wedding, my ‘something old’ and it felt great to have a link to past generations – I wore the real wedding ring, the oldest one, the wedding that actually took place – call me superstitious but it had to be done, I couldn’t chance the other one haha
In the first photo you can see how bent they got over the years, they’re quite fragile now and fine.
I quite enjoyed that, looking at the artifacts I’ve collected over the years, parents included :lmao:
Make sure you go visit the other FM participants and ari_1965 over at Beyond My Slab.
Disclaimer: No parents were harmed in the writing of this post! (they happily posed for the photo knowing exactly how I was going to start my post) Such great sports!
oh — such a wonderful post of old things.
At first I thought your husband had manboobs. Good thing for him I put on my bifoculs.
It would be a fantastic read if you would write more about your great grandmothers story. Let me know if you ever do!
Thanks Pamela, actually her story is quite sad at times, I might just share it because it’s a good story albeit with a sad ending!
LOL :lmao: thanx for the giggle! The kids thought that was funny too, you posting the parents! I got my doll for my first xmas as well. And I don’t think your having a bad hair day at all, your hair looks lovely and soft hanging in your face like that.
You reminded me that years ago I had some rings that were my mothers. She was engaged to a guy when she was very young and he was killed before they could marry. Sadly in a car accident caused by a drink driver. His mother gave the rings to my mother and she gave them to me. Sadly they were stolen from my first flat when I moved out of home. Quite a few things went missing before we realised and changed the locks.
hehe you know me, if I can get a giggle out of someone my work is complete!
That’s really sad about your mum’s ex being killed, and then the rings.
Love your writing Wendy, love your writing. If only I still had Tomas – my bear that I was given my a dear friend of the family when I was about the same age. Alas, the house fire and he didn’t et along.
Thanks for your sharing your wonderful memories.
Oh noes poor Tomas
:tears:
If there were a fire, Big would be one of the top ‘people’ to save.
Lovely post… both the parents (how lucky you are to have a matched set!
) and the artifacts. It’s only right that when you go, Big goes with you.
Thanks cyn, yeah I take it for granted that I have the matching set, something to be thankful for. The reason I want Big to come with me is I have no idea where he’d end up and that would be sad. I can’t have him becoming a derelict bear, traipsing the streets homeless with his shopping cart and collection of empty cans, his pink sweater in tatters!
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Love the story of your great grandmother. She was one smart cookie
Well, in a sense she was but it ended up going against her in the end. I might share the story of her, it’s fascinating yet tragic.
That is so sweet hanging on to your teddy bear…very sentimental. Those old wedding rings really do tell a story, now that I think of it, I also have some old rings. Love the little jug from your grandmother. Thanks for sharing and happy FM
I think sometimes we don’t realise just what we’ve held onto, whether it’s from our own past or our ancestors. This has been a great exploration I think for so everyone.
I love the rings. As the oldest granddaughter on my dad’s side, my aunt said I could have her mother’s and HER mother’s rings, but I don’t have them yet, that last one would definitely be older!
That’s great that you’ll get those, I was promised these by my grandmother who gave them to me a few years ago as I’m the oldest of both sides of grandchildren.
Funny you should mention your parents, my first thought was my mother and embee LOL
I love your your cute bear and the ornament. The rings are wonderful, I gave my grandmother’s rings to Beccy when she got married.
haha it had to be done didn’t it! That’s so sweet that you gave Beccy your grandmother’s rings when she got married, as I’ve seen you say, it’s so important to pass on family heirlooms and history.
Loved your post. Your parents are such good sports. Are you in the mood to host Fun Monday next week?
Oh they are great sports…yep I’ll do it if nobody else offers, I’ll let you know over at your blog in case you don’t get to see this.
My teddy is much worse for wear than yours. I wonder sometimes about having him restored, but he’s got so much character now, it would be a shame to give him a facelift. And a new foot. My grandfather bought him at FAO Schwartz when I was born (nearly 48 years ago).
I can see engraving in the rings, even as old and thinned as they are! They’re a real treasure.
Awwww poor teddy, but don’t you think when they look a bit worn out, it shows how much they’ve been loved? I agree, it gives them character. I’ve got three koalas too, though they’re packed, you’d laugh at what they look like, most of the fur missing, stitches everywhere, eyes missing, they look like lumps of leather now but I know they’re really koalas!
The engraving, I think it’s all the stamps to say where they were made and what carat etc.. it’s so small, I should find my magnifying glass and see if I can make it out.
I love the teddy bear!
I still have my “Edward” teddy bear… he’s 45 years old, and still lives atop my bed! i was ever so thankful that my mum kept him locked away safely for absolutely years and looked after him, until she ‘reintroduced’ him to me about 15 years ago!!!
The oldest thing in my home is our family heirloom Bible, with a handwritten frontspiece dated 1832!
How goes the writing today?
Cyalayta
Mal
Awww that’s so cool and how does Edward look? I’ve got a teddy called Edward as well but he’s a younger bear. That’s great that your mum kept him for you. I saw you mention the family Bible in Karisma’s blog, I think that’s fantastic.
Writing is going well, now and then I stumble trying to recall specific things but I’m slowly peeling the onion so to speak.
Great post! I loved your stories
Thank you, glad to have you visit
Your parents look like a crazy cool couple!
And I’d like to chime in my agreement of writing your grandmother’s story!
PS I collect Teddy’s, too! But my best and oldest and most loved were lost to hurricane Ike…
LOL they are, they’re not your stereotypical pair but we love them and they enjoy a bit of silliness with us which is always good. My in-laws are just as crazy
I’ll write something about my great grandmother and let you know about it. I am so sorry to hear of the teddy bears you lost to hurricane Ike
that’s so sad.
Ah what a face Mr. Big has–no wonder you’re so fond of him, Wendy. There was a time when I was wild about bears of all kinds–stuffed, Christmas ornaments. BTW, I received your postcard today with that cutest of all bears, the koala. Thank you. Good stamp as well. Why is it that koalas are not technically considered bears?
Good parents to be willing to be used as “blog fodder.” They look like they’d be up for any fun that came their way. Is your piece of pottery that came from England a Beatrix Potter? It has that look.
Bears are great, they’re full of love! Koalas aren’t related to bears in any way, they’re closely related to wombats and are marsupials. I’m not sure why they were originally dubbed bears, maybe because they are a similar shape to some teddy bears? Glad to hear the postcard arrived, I was starting to worry about it.
The pottery isn’t a Beatrix Potter, it does have that look about it, but it’s just a couple of cute rabbits.
Please go ahead and host Fun Monday this week. I’ll put an announcement on my blog to that effect. I recommend McLinky–it’s easy. Thank you for hosting.
Okay thanks
love your teddy bear, wish I still had mine teddy bear too, not sure where he went. nice post, I am just doing my rounds today
Hi Grace, sorry to hear you haven’t got yours anymore.