I already gave you the Christmas edition, so this continues the series.
Here are some things around my house picked up on travels:
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| We'll start with something weird. This was in a box of crap my mom gave me. While we took a family vacation every year when I was a kid, we never really got any souvenirs. Mostly, I would take the postcard from the motel desk and that was my memento. So, it's strange that my parents bought this mug on a trip. Or maybe it was free with a cup of coffee? The name sounded vaguely familiar, but I had no idea where it was from until I googled the restaurant and found that they were a chain in Arizona. That means the mug is from 1977. Maybe I can sell it on ebay? |
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| There is quite a story behind this monstrosity. When my husband was a young teen, he and his brother got to go to Mexico with his mom and her high school Spanish class (she was a teacher). Now, one thing about my spouse is that he places sentimental value on objects, especially from his childhood. He had saved up money for the trip to buy a nice souvenir. This is not that souvenir!!! The story goes that he bought a nice little tchotchke and displayed it in his bedroom on a shelf. One day, maybe a year later, he noticed that it was missing. He asked his mom about it and she said, "Oh, I needed a housewarming gift for someone." She couldn't understand why he was SO upset about it!?!? (I could psychoanalyze my MIL for days . . . ) Anyhoo, to shut him up, she went to Pier 1 or some such store and bought him this. I think he refuses to get rid of it just for the proof to his claim. |
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| On to more recent acquisitions! I never got to go on a beach vacation as a kid because my Dad claimed to hate the beach (I doubt he ever really visited one to begin with). Most of our vacations involved going to caves, which interested him. So, the first time I went to a real beach was as an adult, taking my own kids. We went to Virginia Beach and Isle of Palms, SC, where there really weren't many shells (basically, the same kind I can find along the shores of the Great Lakes, which I don't consider a real beach). A few years ago, my husband and I went to Palm Beach, Florida and I went crazy over their seashells. So many! And such variety! I took a nice bag home and they sit in my bathroom where I can enjoy them every day. |
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A souvenir I actually purchased! These are coasters I bought in Maui two years ago. They are signed on the back by a local artist and made from black lava. Very inexpensive, but I love them and use them all the time.
Do you have anything that reminds you of your travels?
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I would be ripped if my mom gave something away with out asking too. I went to a Florida beach on the gulf side once and could have spent the whole day shelling. I love the Jersey Shore, but the shells are blah!
ReplyDeleteThe story seems unbelievable, unless you know my MIL! I need to get to the gulf side some day. I was so excited to finally get some good seashells!
DeleteAnd if either of you make it to the Gulf side, let me know!
DeleteSounds like a plan!
DeleteThe coasters are neat. Lmao, I couldn't help but snicker about his mother. She must have been in a whole other world to think she could just go in, take it, and give it away. Or maybe just a cheapskate lol Probably could get some dough for the first on eBay.
ReplyDeleteYeah, she just never thought stuff like that was a big deal. I don't know if it was the big family thing or what. Now she has dementia so doesn't know wtf is going on. My husband and siblings could write a very sad, but entertaining book about their childhoods.
DeleteI remember Hobo Joe's it was a favorite restaurant of my Granddad's, he had a Hobo Joe Bank that I got after he passed away, it is packed up in some of my stuff still unpacked from when we moved out here lol, Lordy I haven't thought of that in a while.
ReplyDeleteOh, I was hoping my of my readers remembered the restaurant! You will have to find that bank!
DeleteLOVE the mug and the history behind it!
ReplyDelete"Anyhoo, to shut him up, she went to Pier 1 or some such store and bought him this. I think he refuses to get rid of it just for the proof to his claim.
OMG, that's priceless!
I love how you have your shells in a dish filled with salt, that's so cool!
One of the things I still have saved are some Japanese yen from the time I lived there for two months. I have bills and a few coins. They're beautiful! I cherish the time I spent in Japan, so anytime I look at the yen, they bring back wonderful memories.
Enjoying these posts! Have a faaaaaaabulous weekend, my friend!
Isn't that story nuts? Sometimes, my husband and his brother will start telling these stories at the holidays and our kids will be doubled over with laughter.
DeleteThat's white sand with the shells that I bought at the dollar store! And I'd love to see the yen!
Wait. . . the Great Lakes aren't real beaches?!? Hmmmph! Hmmmph, I say!
ReplyDeleteWe took a beach vacation in Florida some years back, and went to Siesta Key, near Sarasota. We had the whole beach virtually to ourselves. It was that incredible, fine white sand from the Gulf coast. It impressed me so much that I filled a mayonnaise jar with it to take home with us. And there's a funny (and near-tragic) story of Jenn mistaking a beached jellyfish for a discarded plastic sandwich bag. . .
Whenever we visit my mom in San Diego, we always bring back a sand dollar or two. . .
And, of course, on those 'unreal' Great Lakes beaches, we always find a Petoskey stone, or an agate, or some other such stoney marvel. . .
Lol, I did see a nice sunset on Lake Michigan once, but all I've ever found are those tiny hornsnails, which are not too exciting, at least for me.
DeleteYes, I almost picked up one of those Portuguese Man-of-War creatures in Florida, thinking it was a bag. Then I noticed hundreds of them! I've never found a whole sand dollar. That would be neat.
You never even found a crayfish claw?
Delete;)
Well, when I went on my road trip to Ohio in 2011, I brought back a stick. But it was a stick from the woods I used to play in as a kid, so to me, that is better than any souvenir I could have bought anywhere!
ReplyDeleteI've heard of people taking rocks from childhood places, but a stick is something new!
DeleteLove it. I had thought about doing another things around my house post too. I don't travel much, never did but I do have some things in inherited.
ReplyDeleteI hope you do another post because I know you have some interesting things!
DeleteLove those coasters, Bijoux! They remind of Hawaii and how I want to go back there as soon as I can. Vacation stuff is a great way to hold on to memories!
ReplyDeleteI have two friends who are each traveling to Hawaii for the first time next month. I'm so excited for them and anxious to talk about their trips upon return.
DeleteOkay, I'll be honest here - that coffee mug would give me the heebies. Too much like a clown.
ReplyDeleteBUT, I get sentimental souvenirs. I have a little bottle with sand and shells I collected at St. Simon's Island, GA where we used to go every summer. And I rarely travel without bringing something back. These days, though, I bring back a Christmas tree ornament and a pair of earrings and if anything else, something useful. And olive wood rolling pin from Italy, fabric to make curtains from Argentina, an Aran Islands wool cardigan from Irealnd that I wear al winter. That sort of thing.
He is a bit clownish! We have often bought Xmas ornaments on vacations. It's fun to see them once a year. My fave is the one from Montana.
DeleteMy brain reminds me, along with the occasional picture. We've got so much stuff around here and in storage from life there's just no room for much in the way of mementos or souvenirs. Do have some nice stuff the kids have gifted me over the years .....
ReplyDeleteThe funny thing is that I really have very little "stuff' sitting around my house that's not useful. I had to really reach to complete this theme, so I'm not certain how many more posts I can squeeze out of this 😂
DeleteI like to bring coffee mugs back from my vacations. They are useful and always remind me of the trip. My favorite one is the one from Las Vegas that I bought when we got married there.
ReplyDeleteSometimes I bring back rocks from my travels - a habit I picked up from my geologist friends. Some of them bring back A LOT of rocks...enough to get weird looks from the baggage checkers at the airport.
Your coasters from Maui look cool!
Bringng home interesting rocks sounds neat. I've always enjoyed geology.
DeleteI have lots of little things-boxes from Korea, lacquer wear from Japan, coasters from Mongolia, cupping dolls from Russia, etc (and clothes...)
ReplyDeleteYou have done a lot of traveling!
DeleteInteresting things, and interesting stories behind them. How sad that you were never taken to a beach as a child. I remember my childhood beach holidays so vividly, I loved them. The shells are beautiful.
ReplyDeleteWe just weren't a water family. Fortunately, we still got to go to a lot of fun places that most people have never been.
DeleteI like your shell collection. We have jars of shells, mostly from Folly Beach, SC, and a few from Florida in jars on top of the kitchen cabinets. Other than that, we mostly get consumable things (like local foods) when we travel. We have a small house, so not a lot of room for things.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comments today, Danielle!
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