As newlyweds in Corpus Christi, Texas we were pretty much broke. Well not totally broke but we were scraping by on Paul’s pay as an Ensign in the Navy and my pay as an Administrative Assistant.
I actually remember Paul balancing the checkbook and we had exactly 10 cents left. That is not a typo. Wow.
We were grateful to be living in base housing. A little 2 bedroom, 1 bath ranch house with a carport connected to other similar looking houses.
We furnished it with what we lovingly called “old attic and early relative”. Our parents had given us a small table, a dresser, a twin bed, a 12 inch black and white TV and a few odds and ends.
Our wedding presents filled out the kitchen for the most part along with some decorative items.
We were happy, and had great friends who were in the same boat. It also helped that HGTV was decades away from airing on TV so we thought this was how every newlywed couple started out.
Our one new item was a Cannonball style Queen Size bed from Ethan Allen.
Yes we were broke newlyweds but the twin bed was not going to cut it. 🙂
It was quite the splurge and we loved it.
It would be another couple of years before we bought the pieces that completed the set.
It would see newborns, toddlers, serve as a refuge for our tired bodies, a dog or two who dared to sneak on it and our grandchildren.
In 2009 we replaced that furniture with a brand new set. We decided the Ethan Allen furniture looked “dated” and needed to go into our guest room.
This past June we made our 12th move and it made the cut to move to the new house.
The unpacking is going at a snails pace. Some of the items we moved don’t fit in the new space and others are being repurposed and still others are finding new homes.
But not our newlywed splurge. It will continue to welcome our guests and maybe one of us occasionally who may or may not be keeping the other one up snoring. Of course it is not me 🙂
As I smoothed out the comforter and fluffed up the pillows I thought about those 12 moves. Texas, California, Hawaii ( two trips across the ocean in a crate) Florida and 6 moves within Virgina. Okay one move was just down the street but it still counts.
As I write this I realize this is the only piece of furniture that we still have from those days in our first home in Texas.
Everything else bit the dust including the 12 inch black and white TV.
Our first piece of furniture tolerated all those moves beautifully.
I know organizers say not to get attached to stuff. It is just stuff.
Honestly thats a bunch a hooey.
And I really hope that Cannonball Style beds come back into style and one day this solid piece will bless another family because in those unforgetable words “She’s a beaut Clark”
Maybe next week I will tell the story of how we started one of our cars with a screwdriver for several months…if I can stop laughing about it.
As always keep triing,
Jennifer
P.S. I lied, we also bought the worlds ugliest couch after we bought the bed. That plaid pattern continues to haunt me!
P.S. again..I actually got this out on a Tuesday..go me! Also in a rare moment of tech savvy (thanks to you tube) I added a place to subscribe via email so you can have the pleasure of my weekly posts in your in box . I know..that is alot of excitement for a Tuesday..have a good one!