This week as I was driving to Salt Lake City, I was listening to NPR’s Radio West. The author being interviewed was Ellen Ruppel Shell about her book, Cheap: The High Cost of Discount Culture
Frugality by her definition, is about having fewer things, but of good quality. It’s about taking good care of what you have, so that it lasts a long, long time.
The program made me think about my daughters’ bed.
My twins share the full bed you see above.
I really love their bed.
But before it belonged to my girls, it had a little history.
It was the bed my husband and I had when we were first married, until we could afford a larger bed.
And before that, it was my bed growing up. When I was young, I shared it with my younger sister Cam. She woke me many nights having had a nightmare… and I would walk her up to my parents room. We also gave each other “charlie-horses” in that bed…ouch. And told stories to each other under the covers…
Before it belonged to me it was my parents first bed when they got married, until they could afford a bigger bed. As newlyweds they had driven to Beaver, Utah to pick the bed up from the home of my mother’s Great Aunt.
She gave them the bed because it had once been my grandfather’s when he was a little boy. His mother had died giving birth to him, so he was raised by his Uncle Will and his wife. The bed was their’s and they gave it to my grandfather.
Before that, the story of this old bed is lost.
But, I am grateful that whoever of my ancestors purchased my daughters’ bed, they bought something of such quality, that after many generations, and many coats of paint, it is still solid and lovely.
What a wonderful story.. and a wonderful bed. It is all about quality, not quantity!
wow. I’m a little teary sitting here at work. I love reading your blog, thank you for sharing. :)
what a great tale. I bet that bed has so many stories to tell. And it is truly beautiful!
Wow, I love stories like that:) Where’s it going to go next I wonder…
Love this post! What a beautiful bed and wonderful history… Sometimes I do buy “cheap” because I can’t invest at the moment, but I am also grateful for all of the investments that have been handed down. My bedside table was purchased by my grandmother at a rummage shop when she was a newlywed trying to furnish on a budget. I love it and love the history too… :)
Very pretty bed….. It almost makes me want to crawl up on it and take a little nap…….. sighhh………
Cute post, thanks for sharing!
http://www.mommassoapbox.blogspot.com
Such a sweet history. And a beautiful bed (with a beautiful quilt!)
I agree on the difference between cheap and frugal.
And the bed, you can’t buy memories like those.
beautiful story, and beautiful bed!
What a wonderful story and a beautiful bed
PS I was looking at this picture again (because I love it) and noticed the quilt hanging on the wall. I took the class your mom taught at Gentler Times when she made that quilt. And I loved it so much, mine is almost identical. :) I was pregnant with my Emma at the time and I remember she was making it for one of your girls. I still adore that quilt. One of my all time favorites.
Amy, that coincidence is amazing. That quilt is my Emma’s quilt. Don’t you just love the name… it’s strong and kind. I don’t know how my mom had time to make quilts back then, she was doing so much for me. But she always finds a way to quilt.