Wednesday, February 19, 2020

The Boots, the Levis, and the Barn Dance

Hello Everyone,
 
The hours and days just seem to get away from me and evaporate into yesterdays. 
 


Mr. Joe and I have been reviewing all of the names received on email, FaceBook, and on my blog.  There were over 100 names to choose from!  Thank you all for responding.

Congratulations to Quilting Babcia for the name Starlit Barn Dance.  Let me tell you why........

First, no one has a quilt by this name, and that is important to me.
Second, it is not associated with a particular color.
Third, if is wasn't for a Barn Dance, I would not have met Mr. Joe 49 years ago.

Here's my long winded story.

Let's time travel back to July 1971, when I was a sophomore at Chico State College in Chico, CA.  At that time I had a small studio apartment that cost me $50/month during the summer and $100/month during the school year. That was a lot of money for someone working part-time and going to school. 

I was dating an agriculture major/cowboy from Redding, and he started taking me to barn dances up and down the Sacramento Valley.  He suggested that I purchase some cowboy boots and Levis so that I'd "fit in" a little more at the barn dances.

I bought a pair of tall, English riding boots, because I didn't want to have pointy toes.  I also bought the tightest pair of jeans that I could squeeze my young, curvy body into.  The jeans were so tight I had to lay down on the bed to zip them up.

I was all dressed up in my best Western regalia when my date came to pick me up.  I thought we were going to a barn dance, but instead we went to watch a softball game in Bidwell Park.  Did I forget to mention that it gets really, REALLY, hot in Chico in the summertime.  It was about 110 degrees at the softball game.  I was dying and almost had a heat stroke.

My date brought me back to my apartment and dropped me off.  All I wanted to do was get my tight jeans and boots off and lay down in front of my swamp cooler.  Well, in the heat, my ankles got swollen.  I couldn't get my boots off which meant I couldn't get my pants off.  I couldn't call my date and ask him to undress me!  I had only lived in my apartment for a month, and I didn't know any of the neighbors.

There were about 20 apartments in my complex, and there was one light on in the entire place.  That light belonged to a rough and tumble "bad boy" type, with a hot Mustang and a motorcycle.  I could tell that he was a Veteran because of his camo-wearing friends.  Viet Nam Veterans weren't treated with the respect they deserved, and I have to tell you I was a little afraid.

I was desperate.  I summoned up my courage, and my boots, Levis and I walked down and knocked on the door of a stranger.  I was secretly afraid he was "entertaining" someone if you catch my drift.  The bad boy opened the door, and my heart was beating out of my chest.  I told him my name, and asked him if he could take my boots off.  He looked at me, laughed, and said he didn't like to undress women in the hallway, come on in.  I went in. 

Now I could be mean and say part 2 tomorrow, but I'll finish the story.

We talked for hours, and hours.  He asked me out to a barbeque with his friends the next night. Bad Boy and I were engaged six months later.  Now I know inquiring minds want to know if he took my boots off.  Yes he did, and only the boots!

So if it hadn't have been for the boots, the Levis, and the Barn Dance I didn't go to that night, I wouldn't have spent the last 49 years with the Bad Boy.....A.K.A....Mr. Joe.

This is our engagement picture in January 1972.  How do you like that hair!!!  It took about two cans of Aqua Net hairspray a week to keep that "do" in place.  I take personal responsibility for global warming.
 
Here's a more current picture of us, and we are still smiling.
 

 
Our 49 years together have been good to us.  I have no idea where the cowboy is....but I still have my boots and my Bad Boy!
 
Soon,
Lynn
 

 
 

 

28 comments:

  1. How funny - loved reading your story - you and Joe have been married just a tad longer than me and my hubby - it is 48 years in June for us and we met at a USO dance and got married 7 weeks later!
    Love the hair :) I never could get mine that big!!

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    1. You have us beat Karen. We got married in Sept of 1972. But we've been together for 49 years. My hair is really thick.....go big or go home right?

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  2. I loved reading the story and so happy the quilt name I submitted triggered such sweet memories for you and Mr. Joe. Here's to many more memorable years together! And thank you for choosing my submission for your wonderful quilt!

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    1. I love the name of Starlit Barn Dance. It will always bring back great memories. --Lynn

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  3. Lovely story! Met my husband at reunion party that the guys he was in the service with had 7 years after they were all discharged. (I was somebody else's date.) We married a year later, 42 years ago.

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    1. That's a great story Kathy. When you least expect it....look what happens! --Lynn

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  4. Omg, Lynn... you kill me! I met my husband in a bar, but dated his friend. It gets very convoluted after that, but we all lived happily ever after!

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    1. I love to hear how couple meet. There is usually a funny story behind the meetings. -Lynn

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  5. What a great story! Love the part about watching softball as our daughters both play. We have played in Roseville in the summer and know how hot it can be up in that area! I love the part about the bad boy! So glad you married him. I know how much he helps you these days. Great to see you blogging more. Always fun to see what you are up to. K- lkw2x6-apq@yahoo.com

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    1. Thank you for commenting Kristy. Yes, Mr. Joe does help me a lot everyday. --Lynn

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  6. Thanks so much for sharing the story about the start of your romance, I really enjoyed reading it!

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    1. I'm so glad you enjoyed our story Jenny. Life has so many funny twists and turns. --Lynn

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  7. Lynn - all I can to this is - PRICELESS!!!!

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  8. This probably has more meaning to you since you know the Bad Boy! --Lynn

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  9. Best first date story ever! Congratulations.

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    1. Thank you Sue! After all of these years, it still makes us smile. --Lynn

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  10. What a beautiful love story, thanks for sharing!

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  11. Thank you Bobbie. Bad Boy is a keeper. --Lynn

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  12. Love your choice!!! It's perfect. Love your story too...

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  13. I've heard that story before, but I loved reading it again: Thank goodness for those boots!!! I love your engagement picture: such beautiful smiles, and you two still have the same smiling eyes! :-) And I see that nowdays you two are wearing tennis shoes! :D

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    1. I can't even begin to squeeze my foot into my old boots.....but I will never part with them. Maybe I can be buried with my boots on! --Lynn

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  14. OMG! That was such a sweet story, brought tears to my eyes. That wasn't the only thing that brought tears to my eyes -- that hair!!! Still tee-hee-ing here in IL!

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    1. My hair looks like a helmet! Glad you got a laugh out of it Susie. --Lynn

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  15. Love your story, adn you two look SO much better now than you did way back then.

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    1. Isn't it funny when you look back at old pictures and see yourself. At the time you thought you looked great! Now it just makes me laugh. -Lynn

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