The place God calls you is the place where your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet.
-Buechner

Monday, January 10, 2011

Circa 1979


I'm a fan of 1979. It was a keeper of a year. Let's reflect for a moment, shall we...
  • Margaret Thatcher was elected - the first female Prime Minister of the UK
  • average cost to purchase a house in the USA was just over $58,000 (hello!)
  • Sahara Desert experienced snow for 30 minutes
  • first black-led government of Rhodesia in 90 years takes power and the country's name is changed to Zimbabwe
  • shag carpet was "in"
  • China institutes the 1 child per family rule (my understanding is that's being regretted now)
  • Sony introduces the Sony Walkman, which sells for $200 (that seems a little steep to me, compared to the cost of housing)
  • I was born
  • Gloria Gaynor produces her famous song, "I Will Survive" (I'm contemplating claiming rights on the song, in light of our journey)
  • Our house was built and it boasted the beautiful carpet being rolled below...did I mention shag was in?


We are thankful and blessed and grateful beyond words for the house, street, and town in which we live. When we purchased our house there were a few details we overlooked simply because the financial requirements (ie: mortgage) made the budget a little lean. Items like circa 1979 chairs and shag carpet were superficial details which simply could not and would not be deal breakers.

As of a couple weeks ago, shag carpet home owners we were no more.

That was one part of '79 to which I was not sad to bid farewell. (I realize shag is making a serious come back but anything over 30 years of age needs to be kicked to the curb - present company excluded.)

(we've since removed a few, ah hem, festive items...but you get the idea)

The chalk board was a mirror whose trim I painted and then sprayed with chalk board spray paint. (Did I just personify a chalk board? Yikes.) And I shared a bit about the chairs (with this library idea in mind) awhile back.

They like it.

And we feel as though we have completely entered the twenty-first century.

4 comments:

Lola said...

I love it... wow. I would totally walk on that carpet and I'm not sure if you remember my carpet issues. :) And the I will survive comment made me chuckle out loud.

Ashleigh said...

oh my friend, how i thought of you several times while yankin' the old shag out. you'd love this. or at least you would have the first week...not sure how you feel about 3 week old carpet though :) it's certainly not as absorbent as the shag was!

Gwen said...

Yup, '79 was a good year! My word verification is "pooft" which is what's happened to The Shag! pooft... it's gone. Good job!

pm'ing you!

Barbara said...

ummm, when i moved into my new place a few years ago i bought a white shag area rug for my living room. no, thanks anyway, but i don't need to expand my collection. i'm sure you found a good home for yours.