Training Wheels Required

Sooooooooooooo...

Today while shopping at Target with my daughter & grandson, somehow I wandered

into the BICYCLE department & something bright & shiny caught my eye.

It was a brand new, emerald green beach cruiser, with a front basket,

tan trim & a cup holder on it. I mean it had everything but the bell

& I thought, JEEZ...I can put a BELL ON IT!

That's it above, but the color is much darker & greener...like a midnight evergreen.

I YELLED out to the kids like it was Christmas morning, "Kai, get Mommy I found

something I REALLY WANT!" Now, usually it's Kai screaming out to me about

something he's found that he absolutely HAS to HAVE, so this was out of the

ordinary & he took it quite seriously. He screamed for his Mom & came running

towards me as I stared in awe at the glorious ride before my eyes.

As we huddled around the Huffy Women's Nassau 26" Cruiser,

visions of A Christmas Story danced through my head.

I announced not only to my family, but to the entire store, that I was in love with

this bike. That it had to be mine. That I wanted it for my birthday or Christmas,

or whatever. Take note children, cuz this is the one I WANT & we all ooohed

& aaahed over it's beauty! Now I haven't gotten a new bike for over 20 years,

so in my mind I was thinkin...I DESERVE this!

Fast Forward...
After the bustle of the day my hubby & I are sitting on our porch swing, when yes...
even on Father's Day I blurt out, "I found a beautiful new bike at Target & I WANT IT!!"
My husband was taken aback by my outburst & sweetly mentions,
"But you haven't ridden a bike in years honey." to which I say, 
"I don't even know where my old beach cruiser is!"
To which he says gently, now knowing he's dealing with a crazy person...
"It's hanging in the garage with all the other bikes, let's go look at it." 
Acting slightly like a seven year old, my arms crossed over my chest I say,
"I haven't had a new bike in over 20 YEARS!!"
He gives me a funny sideways glance & heads out to the garage where I hear the
sound of clanking & air compressors & other manly things. He emerges with my old
beach cruiser, a little rusty & worn, but still looking good & says..."Let's go for a ride!"

This is the road in front of my house, a pretty little country road, but also a kinda
BIG hill. I tell hubby I really don't like riding in the mountains, that I like to ride
on flat ground, which I know sounds pretty weird since I LIVE in the mountains.
{thus why I haven't ridden in several years, duhhh}
We climb on our bikes & I do a couple tiny test rides in front of my house.
Hubby says, "Let's walk the bikes up past the top of the hill & then ride on the
straight way just past it." To which I say, "No, I'll just ride fast down the hill in
front of our house & that will give me enough momentum to get up the big hill."
Off I go, petaling as fast as I can, wind blowin in my hair, feeling free as a bird
& then I reach the crest. My legs can no longer petal, it becomes clear in my
mind that I can't make it up the hill & in a blur of confusion & pain,
I COMPLETELY WIPEOUT!!!!

Hubby comes riding up behind me worried & concerned, "Are you OK?"
 I'm still slightly in a state of shock, but the worst part is that a neighbor
happened to be walking his dog right in front of my high speed accident.
He runs over & picks my bike up as I tell them both, "It's OK, I'm fine,"
now blood is slowly trickling down my leg. We slowly walk our bikes
back to the house & I can can see the barely there smile on Robert's face. 
When we get home, I jump back on the bike & try & make a few victory
laps in front of the house, but now my leg is starting to hurt so I park the
bike on the porch & head inside for some much needed medical attention.

Once settled, I open up my laptop on a vision quest. Robert says, "What are you
looking for?" & I reply, "I want to show you a picture of the bike I want." He puts
his glasses on & we spend the rest of the night looking at different styles of COOL
beach cruisers for sale. I really like the one in the picture above too!!

Moral of this story?
I have such an AMAZING husband...
Falling down didn't make me NOT want a bike, it made me want a bike even more...
If I had a dollar for every time I've picked my self up, dusted myself off & tried again,
I'd be a millionaire.
And yes, I'm STILL getting the new bike I want, although...
Training Wheels Might Be Required.  ;)

XOXO
vintagesusie

Queen Elizabeth II & her Diamond Jubilee

Today is the last day of celebrations for Queen Elizabeth II's

Diamond Jubilee!!

The Diamond Jubilee is the 60 year anniversary of a monarch's reign & has only

happened once before in England's history when Queen Victoria

celebrated her Diamond Jubilee in 1897.

As I sit here watching CNN in preparation for the Queen & her family to come out

onto the balcony, I think of the history that had to happened in order to get 

Elizabeth Alexandra Mary to this moment.

She was an unlikely monarch.
Her father, King George VI, was the 2nd son of King George V,

who's eldest son Edward, was groomed to become the next King of England.

After the death of his father, Edward became King Edward VIII, but his reign

was to be short lived. He ruled England from January to December of 1936,

at which time he abdicated the throne for his American,

divorcee mistress, Wallis Simpson.

And of course as you know, that's a whole other story.  ;)

So, due to an unforeseen set of circumstances,
Elizabeth's father became King George VI.

Look at all the crowns in this picture...Yummmmy!!!

So the princess who would be Queen, started her royal journey to the monarchy.

Something I've always thought must be so heartbreaking, is the fact that in order

to become a King or Queen, your parent must die. During a time of great

sorrow, you must take on the tremendous responsibility of a nation.

But Queen Elizabeth II did it magnificently!!

She was quite a beauty at the time she took the throne...

& exudes graciousness, confidence & elegance.

The Diamond Jubilee crown made for Queen Victoria...

OMG!!!!

One of her clothing ensembles designed by Angela Kelly for her Diamond Jubilee,

it took a year to design & create.

A few of the many festivities in Queen Elizabeth's honor...

a flotilla on the Thames in the Royal barge...

the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Concert in front of Buckingham Palace...

{she wore earplugs, how cute...}

& a Royal Carriage Ride...all of it, fit for a Queen!

Here's the moment I was waiting for, HRH The Queen, surrounded by her royal heirs.

Having had Diana as his mother, Prince William will make a wonderful King of

the People, just as Diana was the People's Princess.

CONGRATULATIONS

Queen Elizabeth II

on your Diamond Jubilee!!!

What a magnificent achievement!

And YES...I've already ordered my Diamond Jubilee souvenirs!!!

I got the mug & the tea towel above & it was in pounds,

so God only knows how much I really spent!!! LOL

XOXO

vintagesusie

Musing on Marie, Antoinette That Is...

It's a gorgeous morning here in our mountain HOME!!! :)))

We've been making some plans for the future of things we've wanted to do

here for a while, but haven't felt we could. The first big thing on the long list of

home remodeling to get done is going to be....

Drum Roll Please...

FRENCH DOORS!!!

Yes, I have coveted & longed for French Doors here forever & finally I will have One!

Now, since my house is no bigger then a cracker box, my door will not be as

magnificent as those seen here at the Palace of Versailles, but I will love

them just the same!!!

So...in honor of the occasion, I am watching Sofia Coppola's amazing 2006 vision of

Maria Antoinette!

For the past 6 years, I think there has been no doubt that this movie has some of the BEST
costuming & set design in movie history. Milena Canonero won an Academy Award for his
inspired designs & the magical world he creates for our beautiful young Queen.
Simply Scrumptious!!! 

This movie production was the first time ever that any film crew was allowed

to film a movie in it's entirety, at the Palace of Versailles...how cool is that!!

I haven't been to France yet, but it is at the top of my To Do List!!

Watching this movie gives you such a wonderful glimpse into the Palace

of Versailles & the glory & the decadence of the period...it's divine!

So, what are some of my musings as I watch this fabulous movie & dream

about the Queen of France, Marie Antoinette?? 

Is it possible that Marie, could have been any where near as stunningly,

beautiful as Kirsten Dunst is in every single scene of the movie??

Who's shoes were actually more exquisite...

Those that belonged to a Queen...

or the Manolo Blahnik's that were designed & created especially

for Sophia Coppola's film??

I think it's a toss up for me!!!

Were Maria Antoinette's gown's as opulent & extravagant &

over the top as history implies??

Looking at this portrait of Marie in her coronation gown & at the exquisite

fabric & style of gown below, I'd have to give that thought a BIG, YES!!!

Do you think Maria ever made wreaths of flowers for her & all her maids to wear...

because...

I just LOVE the idea of that!

Do you really think that Marie, during a period of time when her country was starving,

when they didn't even have bread, said in such a pompous, cruel & uncaring way...

"Let them eat cake!"???

It appears now, after a few hundred years, that there is absolutely no evidence

of her ever having said this. It was included in a book that was written by Rousseau 

in 1767 & refers to a 'great princess' saying...

'Qu'ils mangent de la brioche'.

The common opinion is that, "he invented it altogether."

From all accounts, historical & imagined, Marie Antoinette was a doting mother who

adored her children. It took her seven years to become pregnant, she had at least

two miscarriage & when her eldest son, the Dauphin of France died at the age of

seven, she was inconsolable. At the time when the French Revolution began to

truly escalate, Marie was in deep mourning over the loss of her son.

Marie changed many of the customs of the court, much to the dismay of the older generation.

She abandoned the use of heavy makeup & the wide hoops of the day that were so

popular, for a softer, simpler look using lighter, plainer fabrics like muslin.

During the American Revolution, the French were our allies & if it had not

been for their help, I wonder how it could have been possible for a colonial

state to fight & win a war against the most powerful nation on earth.

France was incurring debt partially from the resources that it used to help in

America's independence & who was responsible for this union between our

fledgling nation & a supreme power like France??

King Louis XVI & his Queen, Antoinette.

{Benjamin Franklin being received in the court of Louis XVI & Marie}

So, in the course of my musings, I've come to realize how much I have to be grateful

for to the court of Louis & Marie. I want to remember our sweet Marie Antoinette

as she was in some of the opening scenes of the movie, full of joy & innocence.

Because to think of her any other way is just too tragic.

{Marie at the age of thirteen}

She was the naive, young Princess of Austria when she first arrived in Paris.

She was all of fifteen when she married the future King of France.

She could never have known where this new life would take her.

She is forever fascinating & forever young.

Oh, & by the way, I know the music is a bit crazy,

but I LOVE this movie!!!  ;)

XOXO

vintagesusie