Thursday, September 18, 2008

My Birthday Party


Yep. Today's my birthday so I'm having a party for myself. Wow - another excuse to fool around on polyvore! Also, my playlist got corrupted so for your listening pleasure I'm putting up my Sixties Supergirls "private" playlist until my other one gets fixed. Then that made me decide to share some of my private emails. I'll explain.

I ran across this postcard online while looking for something else the other night.

So I sent it to my three best yaya friends and said......
I saw this and got so homesick - well homesick for this McAllen. I could go see my Dad when he waved at me from the marquee window at the Palace or shop at Anthonys and send my money upstairs through the tube - maybe buy a Miss Pat dress at the Advance shop. If I could go back I'd also go to Woolworths and buy every Millinery flower and plastic santa in the store. What would you guys do?
This is what I got back.
Well, I would go to Jones and Jones for a chicken salad sandwich and POTATO SALAD, which I loved...they ran it through a ricer not a dicer and it was different from any I have ever had...I would take rubbings of the beautiful stone full of fossil shells on that old building ...I might treat myself to hand blended powder at the make-up counter...they kept powder formulas on file and made each to order... I would go down to Valley Merc and stand at the very corner where you could do the mirror magic acrobatics in the glass reflection...I would go into Anthony’s to smell it to check my scent recall...I can still “picture smell” the oil-sawdust they cleaned the floors with...I think it smelled like Murphy’s Oil Soap...I would certainly hit the dime stores...Woolworth, McClellans, there was one more downtown that I don’t remember the name...and then head out to Winn’s...(I came across something with an old Winn’s price tag the other day and I just got the biggest lump in my throat),,,I would buy velvet leaves, flower bunches, and cards of buttons
I’d get a cherry Coke at the downtown City Drug and some time head for Forgy’s cafe where you could get a grilled hot dog and a root beer from a real wooden barrel ...I would go to Mr. De la Cross’s Cafe at Hoover’s Paradise for a slice of Chocolate Pie, the likes of which I have never had again...I would go in late Feb or early March when the citrus was blooming and the whole Valley smelled like the Garden of Eden...O.K., now I’m good and era-homesick for the hometown of my memories...Back to reality and today’s task which is to take Mother back to her apartment at Argent Court and get her settled. Thanks for the diversion...LaVerne who had a 18 or 19” waist back in the day


I would tell my mom that I was going to walk to the Palace and get my 25 cents to get in...then I would take my 25 cents and sneak over to the Queen and getin for 20 cents and use the nickel to buy popcorn and a coke. I would make sure that I had a napkin to put on the back of the seat so I didn't get ringworms.I would go buy cheese enchiladas at the White Kitchen. I would go swimming at the Casa...I think that might have been the last time I went swimming. I would go ride the escalator at Anthony's right after my money went up the tube. I would go to Sears and buy candy in the center of the store...my most of my memories involves eating....while I'm at it I would go to Jones and Jonesfor an Apple Dumpling with ice cream on top. I would go to Puryears and get that hugely, fabulous, gay guy to measure my foot and buy some shoes. I am really tired and I am going to go back to sleep...way to much memory lane for now....Before I go to bed I will go down one more lane and go to the Palms drive-in to see a movie or maybe the Buckhorn to see the wild animals and play on the swings or even to the Cactus to smell the stinky bathroom. Goodnight sweetheart well it's time to go..da-da-de-dada.....goodnight sweetheart well I hate to go....I hate to leave you but I really must go....Goodnight sweetheart Goodnight, Barbara(I just wrote this whole note without glasses not because I was on memory lane and I didn't wear glasses then but because I'm tooooo lazy to go get some.)

I too-o have memories of the same things. Mom would drop us off on the side of the Palace and we would run in and usually step in gum or maybe sit in it because someone dropped it from the balcony. But it was ok because it just happened every time so it was part of the experience. Then, we would go to Harry's and drop off a pair of shoes to be repaired because Barbara bought so many shoes from the flame at Puryears that I had to wear her old ones! If it was a Saturday we might go down to A and W and get a root beer float!! Can't you just taste the foam on top?? Their hamburgers weren't bad either. Or, on a summer afternoon we would go with the Waugh's to play miniature golf and eat watermelon, and I don't even like watermelon, but I guess I did then. Probably overdosed one day. These are a few of my favorite things...memories from the corners of my mind...yesterday, all my troubles seem so far away!!! Need I go on. Judy

What a gift to have lifetime friends with long ago memories to share. So what are some of your memories. Indulge me and yourself - share some!
Nancy

8 comments:

  1. I'm there - my fave - Lesley Gore! It could be any small town USA in the early 60s. I remember all those things from Salina, KS at the same time! GOOD MEMORIES! Thanks for the trip down Memory Lane! PAM

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  2. Happy Happy Happy Birthday!! Sorry I'm late. Hope you had a wonderful day!! I love your new look. You are such a sweetheart!! Going to keep Wes today while Shani runs barrels got to keep him yesterday, two days in a row a miracle. I'm coming back to read all of this post tomorrow, got to run today

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  3. i pray for the people of texas and all those who were hurt by ike. have a happy pink week.

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  4. Happy belated Birthday, Nancy!!
    Hope it was a good one!!! :)

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  5. Happy belate Birthday. Just wanted to tell you I love your fairy doors. I have been away at a doll retreat, boy did I need that.Andthey can teach an old dog new tricks.Love all your halloween
    love Debb

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  6. Happy belated Birthday, Ms. Nancy!!! I am so sorry I was late!! But please know that I am so happy to have had the pleasure to get ot meet you and swap with you and to call you a friend!! You are a doll and thank you for your sweet post about your favorite memories of McAllen!! We also used to go to Woolworth's and I remember the counter where we were sometimes treated to a coke. It's like an old faded dream in my head. Love ya, sweetie!!
    Hugs & blessings,
    Lisa

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  7. Happy Belated Birthday!

    I heard of corrupted playlists before on other blogs...I guess we will have to watch on that...

    ~ Gabriela ~

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  8. Oh my, I am behind on your blog! happy belated birthday!
    Heidi

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