Happy New Year - 2012

1912

Happy New Year Dear Bloggyfriends! 

  

I've chosen this century old card to ring in 2012 AD at 12:00 AM

Irene posted this card  January 1, 1912 to Mrs. Lena Martin in East Providence RI.  A satellite view of the address shows a large piece of property with a rambling house on Watchmoket Cove, an inlet on the Providence River.

The message reads:

"Wish you a Happy New Year. Be sure to come to the initiation Wednesday night won't you.  We have ten young men coming in and not enough girls to march with them.  I want you to be one of the escorts and I'll be sure to pick out a nice looking young fellow for you.  Wear white if convenient. It looks so pretty in line."

This message has put Lena into a fine state. She had planned to have "one of her headaches" Wednesday.  Always an excellent excuse for not attending  Irene's stuffy gatherings. And now, not only must she go, but she will be required to wear the lovely white gown she was saving for Myrna Pindley's Annual Post-New Years Eve Cotillion.  If any of the same people are at both events Lena shall be just mortified to be caught wearing the same frock twice.  Lena feels the beginning of one of her headaches - a real one this time.  But then, while searching for her medicinal powders she considers that a slight change to the gown may allow for two wearings without the gossip.  Lena makes a note to call Lucile, her personal designer, first thing in the morning.

  Design by Lucile c.1912

All is well in the morning! Lucile is so cunning!  She suggests a striking black bodice and train be added for the Cotillion.  Who will ever guess it is a twice worn dress, excepting perhaps Lady Gertrude Winterberry and her spinster daughter. 

1912

 But that was then...

2012

And this is now

Raise your glass high and

Have a spectacular New Year!

PFF and Sepia Saturday - BIG Step For Mankind

Postmarked on the Recovery Ship Hornet CV12 on July 24, 1969

 Our theme for Sepia Saturday is recognition of the amazing work of NASA's Space Program.  The first manned Lunar Landing in 1969 is something I will always remember.  Where I was and what I was doing:  My dad had the old black and white TV on a 40 foot extension cord in the driveway. He was doing an oil change on the giant blue Mercury station wagon and didn't want to miss a minute of Apollo 11and the first moon landing. I was on my way to the mall for some serious shopping - mini skirts and such - but I stopped to see what he was doing. Together we watched the grainy sights and crackling sounds of the landing.  A few days later I received the above envelope - Dad had thoughtfully sent one for each of his 7 children to be postmarked on the U.S. Navy Recovery ship Hornet!

 The Hornet CV-12

The Hornet is a recommissioned and renamed WWII Essex class aircraft carrier, and the eighth Navy ship to be given the distinctive name, Hornet.  She was originally named Kearsarge, but was renamed Hornet in honor of Hornet C8 which was sunk in 1942. 

Hornet CV-12 played a major roll in the Pacific during WWII, earning 9 battle stars.  She also served during during peacetime, the Cold War and Vietnam The Hornet then became the recovery ship for both manned and unmanned Apollo space flights.  This was not her first recovery assignment.  Hornet was part of the Operation Magic Carpet operation which brought hundreds of thousands of soldiers home after WWII ended.

Coming Home!  Operation Magic Carpet 1945/46

Recovered Apollo Space Capsule

The Hornet is now stationed in Alameda California as the USS Hornet Museum.  The exhibit includes the Apollo 11 Space Capsule

First Day of Issue - Man on the Moon

 My father had this First Day of Issue stamp, and postmarks and envelope sent to me in 1969 as well.

Footsteps and our Flag on the Moon

President Nixon greets our Brave Astronauts

Armstrong, Collins and Aldrin were put in quarantine  aboard the Hornet.  NASA wanted to be sure they only came back with Moon rocks.

 Where the Apollo Missions Left Footprints

A Pre-Apollo Space Shot for Postcard Friendship Friday

We've just this week come to the end of a great and exciting era. We'll always remember those brave men and women who traveled into the true unknown to explore and to advance our knowledge of the universe. Some came back,  others did not.

 For more Postcard Friendship Friday travel HERE

Sepia Saturday is a space shot away HERE

PFF And Sepia Saturday: It's in the Cards

 The Sepia Saturday Theme has to do with card games in vintage photos. So, for Postcard Friendship Friday, I chose this old and somewhat flirty postcard.

 It was postmarked June 5, 1911 in Arthur Ontario.  The message to Miss Florence reads:  Received your card some time ago.  Have not had a chance to answer before. Have no views of G.M. (Grand Manan) at present.  Will send one next time.  Come again,
Yours truly.

Turner Ingalls, Jr.

Captain, Little Wood Island Life Saving Station, Grand Manan, New Brunswick. (That's in Canada)

Grand Manan Island

 Grand Manan and all of the surrounding islands are set in treacherous waters filled with rocks and currents. Storms and fog make travel quite dicey.  Many light houses, fog horns, and life saving stations were - and still are -constructed on these islands to assist sailing ships, fishermen and ferry boats.

Web searches turned up quite a bit of information about Turner Ingalls!

Ruthven Deane was taking a count of Snowy Owls in 1906 and included this information in his report:

"Mr. Turner Ingalls, Jr, keeper of Southwest Arbor Light Station, Grand Manan informs me under date of Jan. 20, 1906 that 26 snowy Owls had been seen on the island, and many of these had been seen shot during December 1, 1905.  During the flight of 1901-2 Mr. Turner observed only about half this number."

 TURNER INGALLS was born February 18, 1843 in Grand Manan, N. B. He married Antoinette Foster Parker and they had one son, Page Ingalls who died at age 4. At the time this postcard was written,  Ingalls was 68 years old, had lost his wife, Antoinette and remarried.

He became overseer of this lighthouse in 1901 when his father in law retired after 47 years service. By then, the Marconi telegraph wire was replaced with a telephone.

Southwest Light House as it appeared in about 1899. 

The Ingalls/Mclaughlin family is pictured here. The family added all of the buildings to the original lighthouse tower at their own expense. Upon his retirement, Turner's Father-in-law asked for reimbursement for all of the buildings - to which the Department of Marine replied "No."    

The location of this lighthouse can be seen on the  map posted above. It is off the most Southwest point of the Grand Manan Island.

After Turner Ingalls retired a succession of family members continued to live and work here until it closed in 1987. Turner Ingalls died in 1914.  

For more Friendship Friday Fun go HERE

For Sepia Saturday stop by HERE

Sepia Saturday: Happy Father's Day

 Remembering our Fathers on Father's Day

 Stanislaus Grocholski

1858-1933

 Great Grandfather

 John Ignatius Grocholski

1887 -1978

Grandfather

Joseph Leo Grocholski

1922-1975

Father

I remember past Fathers Days and am thankful for the memories.

PFF and Sepia Saturday: Neither Rain, Nor Sleet, Nor, uhm, Cannon Fire...

WWII Mail From Mom

To which of the 7,500 Pfc. Robert Smith's does this belong????

Soldiers love to get mail.  That's probably what the M in morale stands for - and the Army is always on the move.  Things can get dicey - especially when thousands of soldiers are out in the middle of the forest at Ardennes or some arid atoll in the South Pacific or any of hundreds of places they "visited" during wartime.

That's where the "Six-Triple Eight" comes in!

LTC. Charity Adams, Women's Army Corps led the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion 

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"Not only was she the first black woman commissioned as an officer in the Women's Army Corps, Charity Adams also attained the highest rank possible in the Corps below the directorship -- Only one full colonel was permitted in the WAC, and that rank was held only by the Director.  She was also the commanding officer of the first battalion of black service women to serve overseas during WWII.
 

This unit, the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion (or "Six Triple Eight"), did an extraordinary job of redirecting mail in the European Theater of Operations.  Troops were reassigned quickly, battle casualties were relocated often, and the sheer number of U.S. personnel in the ETO was staggering -- a total of about seven million, with more than 7,500 of them, for instance, having the name of Robert Smith.  But the Six Triple Eight broke all records for redirecting mail.  They knew the importance of their job, in maintaining morale."  (Museum of Black WWII History)

The 6888th marches in the town square at Rouen, France on the feast day of Joan D'Arc.  This is the spot where Joan D'Arc was burned at the stake on May 30, 1431 

These exceptional women were here to do battle of their own - move the mail.

LTC. Charity Adams reviews her unit.

Despite having the same patriotic reasons for serving our Country, African Americans were segregated, given menial jobs, discriminated against and suffered the same inequities as they did at home.  You would think America would be too busy for racial bias in the thick of battle but, of course, ignorance often takes the lead. Go here HERE for more information about this fine officer.

Click HERE for a short WWII film of the 6888th

A Pretty French Postcard

Note the "free" postage for servicemen and the Army Examiner stamp in the lower left hand corner.  Sgt. Henry Rabinowicz  posted this card on December 21, 1944 from somewhere in France.  He said:

Dear Lillian, I picked this greeting card especially for you to make double sure, my sentiments are expressed both in English and French.  Goodbye for now.  Affectionately. Henry. It appears from his return address, that Henry was part of the huge Replacement Pool of soldiers that were brought in  late 1944 as replacements for infantry casualties.  Replacement troops did not necessarily receive the same battle training of the infantry they were replacing.  They lacked the cohesion that troops who trained together and fought together had.  The seasoned soldiers would pretty much ignore them - their infantry may have suffered 50 to 70% casualties and here comes new guy with creases in his pants.  "I don't know him, I'm not talking to him, he's just gonna die anyway." was the psychological attitude.

I found Henry's service card at ancestry.com, stamped with the word WOUNDED.  I've not found anything further yet - but will add whatever additional information I can find.

Jewish Servicemen Card For Henry Rabinowicz

Laiterie Cooperative

Sgt. Charles Shenloogian of Company C, 11th Cavalry, who's WWII experiences are chronicled in his oral history interview 2002 HERE, posted this card November 9, 1944.  He said:  Dear Jewel, Just a few words to let you know that I am well.  I picked this card up in my travels (This is the understatement of the century!  His unit was fighting in France in the thick of battle and participated in the Battle of the Bulge in November, 1944 - the unit was out of gas, ammunition and supplies yet ordered by Patton to advance.) Hope everything is O.K.  Don't work too hard.  Seen many good shows? Would like to have been with you.  Love, Charlie.  His homogenized message was reviewed and passed by the Army Examiner.

More links to Postcard Friendship Friday are HERE

Links to Sepia Saturday posts are HERE

Postcard Friendship Friday and Sepia Saturday: Lest We Forget

When this beautiful postcard was mailed, 100 years ago, Memorial Day was called Decoration Day, a day to pause and remember both the Union and Confederate soldiers who died in the Civil war.  Today, after many other wars, we remember all of the soldiers who gave their lives for our Country. "Lest We Forget", May 30th (now the last Monday in May" was designated as the day of remembrance.

The card was mailed 8/2/1911 and is postmarked Rome, New York which is in the north central part of the state.  E.W. says "I cannot do as I promised because I have got to go to my cousin's.  He is very ill."  The writing appears to be that of a child.  What do you suppose she promised her friend Henrietta?  Another of life's mysteries.

 William LaKoske 1925 -1994

This is my Uncle, Bill La Koske.  The picture was taken around 1943 while he was in boot camp in Ft. Hood Texas. He is 17 years old.  

I know little about Uncle Bill's time in the service.  We were instructed to never ask him any questions about his experiences during WWII.   I've managed to put a few bits and pieces together though.  

He took his basic training at Ft Hood, Texas, and was still there in October of 1943 when my parents took a train to visit him while on their honeymoon.

I enlarged the patch on his left arm, and I also remembered an ashtray he had with the same insignia.

 It is the insignia of the US Army Tank Destroyer Unit.

At the time, Fort Hood was a training center for the TDU, and I found this on line:

"The mission of the Tank Destroyer Unit Training Center became that of training tank destroyer units to the point of blotting out and erasing any fear of armored forces; establishing superiority in maneuvering and gunfire.

The specialized training program for TDs provided for 19 weeks of training. 6 weeks of basic and 13 weeks technical and tactical training. The basic training was comparable to that of a replacement training center." 

At some point, after the D-Day invasion, and on the heels of the Battle of the Bulge Uncle Bill and his battalion were in France and possibly fought their way as far as Belgium.  His job was manning a machine gun attached to the back of a Jeep. During heavy fighting against the Germans, Uncle Bill and several  other men were forced to take cover inside a barn.  The Germans destroyed the barn with canon fire and a beam fell, pinning Uncle Bill at mid-section to the ground.  The other men were killed.  He remained there for 2 days and was near death by the time he was rescued.  He recuperated in Colorado for about 18 months, was awarded the Purple Heart,  and then returned home.

Mom spoke once of the day the telegram came informing his mother, Julia that Uncle Bill was injured. Other than a short telegram, families had no way of knowing anything further about the fate of their husband, brother or son.  

Today, wars are fought right on television.  Soldiers keep in touch on cellphones and computers. At that time, communication except by the soldier himself, was non existent.  Since Uncle Bill was badly injured, it may have been weeks before they received further word about his condition.  They could only wait for a letter or for another telegram informing them of his death.  Luckily that 2nd telegram never came.

(A very special force of WACS went to France in the heat of battle to make sure mail moved to and from the US.  The Army knew how important communication was for morale here and abroad.  I'll tell you all about them next week.)

Fizsimmons Army Medical Center, Aroura, Colorado

A little more detective work:  The Fitzsimmons Army Medical Center is most likely the hospital where Uncle Bill was treated and rehabilitated. It was built during WWI primarily for soldiers with TB and malaria and has always been considered an excellent hospital. It closed just within the past few years, is being updated and will reopen as a private hospital. 

The only thing Uncle Bill ever mentioned was that he had to eat pureed "baby" food for months and -he never explained this one- he came to despise raisins to the point that he would shiver if he even had to look at one.

Joe and Del and Del's baby brother Bill

Uncle Bill is standing on the steps of my Grandparent's house on Holcomb St. in Detroit in this photo. He is with my parents, Joe and Del. The photo is undated, so I don't know whether he was on leave before going overseas or had just returned from Colorado.  My best guess is that he was given leave after he completed his training. February/March 1944 would make sense - based on the winter coats, and the fact that Mom's coat is unbuttoned as opposed to everyone else's.  Which means she's probably a few months preggers with my brother Joe. 

Uncle Bill was my Godfather and a really wonderful Uncle.  He had a great sense of humor and was the main instigator of fun and frolic among the children at the dinner table.

Although he was fortunate to survive the war he, like most soldiers, suffered memories of the horror of it for the rest of his life.  Along with a strange fear of raisins.

While we enjoy this long Memorial Day weekend, let's take time to remember those who died in and of War.

Those incredibly brave men ... men ... they were, many of them just 17 seeing and doing things that we can only imagine. Tossed off of ships by bombs, thrown out of foreign skies, marched in weather we won't think of going out in. Giving their all for freedom for all. The brave soldiers from WWII in my family are gone now - but they came home, every one of them. They kept their promise to my Grandmother. Many never spoke of it. None could forget it. We'll never forget these brave men.

For more Postcard Friendship Friday go HERE

For more Sepia Saturday stories go HERE

Postcard Frienship Friday and Sepia Saturday: See you later, Alligator

 American Alligator

"Beautiful Florida Alligator in Native Wilds"

 These guys have been around since the Cretaceous Period which is between 145.5 and 65.5 million years ago.  Cretaceous is derived the Latin work for "chalk".  There was a lot of chalk around at the time.

 Alligator Fossil

This alligator did not make it much beyond the chalk age.  Neither did the European varieties.  Today you will find Alligators only in China and in the South Eastern United States, which includes the pond in my back yard. The word "alligator comes from the Spanish word for lizard.  Quite an understatement, but that's what we call them.

Alligator planking "just for the halibut" c. 1925

This alligator is one of the first ever to be caught on film "planking" which is one of the latest stupid stunts to appear on Facebook and Youtube.

Mating, which can be rather raucous, takes place in the spring.  The mom builds a nest and lays 20 to 50 goose egg sized eggs that take a little over two months to hatch. . The temperature at which alligator eggs develop determines their sex. Does too! Those eggs which are hatched in temperatures ranging from 90 to 93 degrees Fahrenheit (32 to 34 °C) become males, while those in temperatures from 82 to 86 °F (23 to 30 °C) become female. Intermediate temperature ranges have proven to yield a mix of both male and females.  The hatchlings look like little replicas of mom, and stay with her for about 5 months.  This a period of time you really want to leave mom and the kids alone.  Mom is very protective.  Kind of like an alligator with lipstick.

Alligator hunting c. 1925

For years, alligators were hunted for their hides and tail meat, and just because they were there.  Although you wouldn't know it today, they eventually made it on the endangered species list. It was thought, in the late '60's that the population would never recover and that they would soon become extinct. But, recover they did, and they are no longer endangered.  Florida state law "prohibits killing, harassing, or possessing alligators.  Unless they become a nuisance, and then all bets are off.

These are professional trappers.  Do not try this at home.

 This was the case for Elvis the Alligator who made his home in our pond for several years.  He apparently was menacing a neighbor and her dog, and she called the Nuisance Alligator Hotline. Yes it is true.  Yes we do have a hotline for gator's in Florida.  

When you call and the Fish and Wildlife Commission determines there is a problem they call one of several licensed trappers to come and lure the alligator out of the driveway, backyard pool, kitchen, doghouse, highway, or school parking lot that he has decided to inhabit. 

He hissed a lot. 

 In this case, and we were sad to see him go, Elvis was lured from the pond and got to take a ride in a Ram truck.  With a Hemi engine.  But not before I touched him.  He felt like a really expensive handbag. He had reached 6' and was about 8 years old.  His unwanted exuberance was probably due to the fact that he had become sexually mature, and it is spring, after all. 

Generally, if you leave roaming alligators alone, they will go back where they belong. They usually keep to themselves and are not a threat just because you can see it in your pond.  However, when they show signs of aggressiveness it often results from folks being transplanted from pigeon feeding states who decide feeding the cute alligators is even more fun.  Problem is, alligators have a brain the size of a walnut.  About the same size as a person who feeds an alligator.  They don't have the capacity to know where the food ends and the body begins and will start lunging at anyone who appears at the edge of their habitat. 

Many folks unintentionally feed alligators by letting their dogs and cats run loose.  Alligators are all about eating.  They don't care if it's your prized poodle - it looks like food. Recently an alligator attacked a police car.

This has nothing to do with this week's Sepia Saturday theme, unless you take note that alligators will inhabit any "pool" of fresh water and you had better go to the "hospital" if you are bitten by one.  They carry bacteria that will cause a dangerous infection if left untreated. Things might start to fall off, so go see your Dr.

For more Postcard Friendship Friday go HERE and Sepia Saturday can be found HERE!

Poetry Bus Takes the Cake!

We're waiting For TFE. We're not gettin' on the bus without him.  Except....we've been promised a birthday celebration. Does that mean cake? If there's cake we may board.  We WILL board, in fact, if there is cake.  Mildred is hoping for gluten free, and Albertus has issues with eggs.  Bertrand is on a lactose free diet, and Portia is hoping for chocolate. Lemon gives Martressa the vapours. But I like cake - any kind. Mmmm cake.

Vick at Poetry Jam has graciously offered to manage the Poetry Bus Station.  His is the last office on the left.  Next to the water cooler.  The sign on the door says POETRY JAM. Hmmm reminds me of jam cake and jelly rolls....where's that bus!

This poem may be just the ticket for this week's birthday themed poetry bus ride:

On Aging

I once thought that my mom was old

Oh yes, my father too

In retrospect I made that claim

When they were 32

I've long surpassed that golden year

I just turned 59

And look with reconditioned eyes

Upon these peers of mine

With each decade old gets older

I re-negotiate my gauge

And live well by the rule of thumb:

Age is relative to age

Cynthia A Conciatu

I've missed the last two or three bus rides!  I thought by riding each week I might write many new poems.  As always though, my poems come when they are good and ready.  They are inspired by a few words, a scene, an event, an emotion and when that happens, the poem practically writes itself,  beginning to end with few revisions. Strange but true.  It's very rare that I can just sit down and write on command, or write because I want to. I've tried it and I usually end up with something I'm not the least bit happy with. It sounds forced, lacks the stuff of poetry, and I end up submitting (like today) something that I've already written - an inspiration that I managed to get on paper when it arrived. But I'll keep on trying and writing and Poetry riding.

Some exciting news: I submitted several  of my poems for  publication in the annual Eckerd Review.  The poems were submitted anonymously and were among several hundred poems, short stories, writings and art work submitted by students, alumni, staff, and several organizations from my Alma Mater, Eckerd College, St. Petersburg Florida.  Two of my poems were chosen for publication and I've been invited, along with the others to read at a reception on Wednesday, May 11! The poems are Chapters and Forget-Me-Nots.

Sepia Saturday - A Bridge of Mothers

 Frank and Julia Kujat c. 1927

Our Sepia Saturday Host, Alan Burnett, suggested a theme of something old - people, marriages etc.  The picture I have chosen is of my maternal Great Grandparents, Julia Percha Kujat and Francis Kujat.  They were probably in their late 50's or early 60's here.  That was once considered old.

I know very little about them, but I knew their daughter, my grandmother, also named Julia.  I knew she loved to grow flowers, sewed and crocheted beautifully, and cooked delicious meals.  She raised her children with love, instilled the love of God in them, and was delighted with all of her 27 grandchildren.  So, I knew my great grandparents through the traits and gifts passed down to Julia.

Julia Percha was the youngest of 6 children born to Michael and Magdalena (Hintze) Percha in German Poland in 1864. Julia came to America when she was 15.  Her family settled in the Polish neighborhoods of Detroit, Michigan. She was 20 when she married Frank.  They had 13 children, 3 of which died in infancy.

By the 1930 census, Julia was a widow living in a home she owned with several of her children. I've not located a record of her death. Julia always wore the Mother Hubbard style dress shown in the photo.  Good for her - it looks comfortable and far less constricting and restricting than the styles of the day. She changed the color to black after Frank died.

In the picture, Julia and Frank are smiling and walking close to each other - though not touching. They both look content and both appear to smile easily.

Julia had a daughter, who had a daughter who had a daughter (me) who has a daughter.  Think about this:  In order for you or I to exist today we came from an unbroken line of mother's stretching back to the first human mother that existed on the face of the Earth. You are part of a bridge of mothers who survived plague, epidemics, famine, childhood illness, medical practices that were dangerous, poverty, war, storms, travel, hardship and incredibly difficult circumstances of life long enough to birth the next generation and the next and so on.  You life depended on hundreds of mothers.  Perhaps thousands. The time and place of the first mother, our mother Eve, is still being sought by science.

This poem, written by Dorothy Hallard is a reminder of the bridge of mothers:

The Bridge

The way I walk

I see my mother walking

My feet secure

And firm upon the ground

The way I talk

I hear my daughter talking

And hear my mother's echo

In the sound

The way she thought

I find myself now thinking

The generations linking

In a firm continuum of mind

The bridge of immortality

I'm walking

The voice before me echoing behind

Happy Mother's Day to all of the mothers echoing behind us!

Postcard Friendship Friday and Sepia Saturday - Time for Tiaras

 The Penny Black

 The suggested theme for this Postcard Friendship Friday is "time".  Time for Tiara's, I thought, might be appropriate for this day of celebrating the wedding of Prince William and his bride, Kate Middleton.  We'll go from something old to something new beginning with the Penny Black stamp.

 The Penny Black was the first adhesive backed postage stamp issued in the United Kingdom in 1840.  A young Queen Victoria is featured on this penny postage stamp. She is wearing the King George IV Diadem.  This diamond crown was made for the coronation of George IV and has been handed down in time though a succession of Kings and Queens to Elizabeth II.  The diadem is among the personal jewels of the Queen as opposed the The Crown Jewels which belong to the United Kingdom.  The Queen has to resort to her personal collection when she travels, as the Crown Jewels cannot leave the country.

Queen Victoria is wearing another of her diamond tiaras.  the George III Tiara, in this "Gifts of the Magi" styled painting. 

It was Queen Victoria who initiated the bridal tradition of wearing white with her white satin and lace gown. In lieu of a tiara she wore orange blossoms in her hair. Prior to 1840, and certainly for many years after, women wore a dress in colors and materials that they could wear for other occasions. Wearing a white dress became - not a sign of purity as we were led to believe - but as a sign of wealth!   It was the wealthy who followed Victoria's lead at first.  Orange blossoms, according to my 1830 etiquette book was reserved for the bride.  Bridesmaids and ladies in waiting must not wear them. The custom of orange blossoms began in ancient China.  They are a sign of purity and fruitfulness.  The custom spread through Europe during the crusades and became popular in England during the early 1800's.

 Queen Elizabeth II wore  the George III Tiara - also called the Diamond Fringe -on her wedding day as "something borrowed" from her mother.  It was incorrectly speculated that this tiara would be the "something borrowed" for today's bride.  Instead, Kate Middleton is wearing the "halo" tiara which was made by Cartier and given to Queen Elizabeth on her 18th birthday.

Princess Diana's "something borrowed" were the diamond and pearl earrings lent by her mother.  Her beautiful tiara -which she said gave her a cracking headache - is from the Spencer family jewels.

Queen Elizabeth II is featured on this 1960 postage stamp.  She is wearing, 120 years later, the same tiara worn by Queen Victory on the Penny Black.

The new bride, the Duchess of Cambridge is shown wearing "something borrowed"  halo tiara. Her lace and satin gown is very reminiscent of Grace Kelly's wedding gown.

Queen Victoria's Handmade Wedding Shoes

Kate's wedding shoes have been hand-made by the team at Alexander McQueen and are made of ivory duchesse satin with lace hand-embroidered by the Royal School of Needlework. Do you suppose a sixpence has been sewn into the lining for good luck?

Now that you have your shoes on, dance over HERE for more Postcard Friendship Friday, and HERE for Sepia Saturday