The "Quote Board"

One side effect of a kitchen renovation is that all artwork and wall hangings have to be removed for the new paint.  Everything has been gone from our space for a couple of months, and now it is time to unpack and survey possessions to see what goes back in.  

My "Spaghetti Guy" (a.k.a. "The Man of the House") painting was back on the wall in his new spot before the new counter top was even in... but other pieces are still stacked in the basement awaiting judgement.  

One such piece is our "Quote Board."  Our infamous quote board, which is actually an old recycled piece of faded yellow bristol board stuck on the wall with tape. This piece of paper has been an institution in our family for almost five years.  It has been decorated and written on, referred to and often autographed by our female friends and family visitors.  

It may not be pretty, but it is our family creed.  It evolves with us, it grows as we grow, and it lifts us when we fall.  We all contribute to it, and we all take from it what we need: 

One winter morning in the wee hours I was sitting quietly in the kitchen pouting over a broken heart, looking around at my house, at my life, and I thought of one of my favourite quotes from childhood.  Early in my life I began collecting quotes, my first memory of this quirk began with Eleanor Roosevelt saying on a page "We teach people how to treat us."  

I noticed how much I missed the whiteboard/corkboard that had hung beside my EX-armoire in the kitchen, how I had printed a Dr. Seuss quote beside a balsamic vinegar dressing recipe and the newspaper clipping of Bill's valu-mart store hours.  I needed to replace that quote, and I couldn't think of any better time to do it.  

Rummaging around in the basement at 4 a.m. I found an old bristol board from my Meaford Farmers Market Board of Director days, flipped it over on the kitchen counter, sat down with my couple of fancy coloured Sharpies and started writing.  I surprised myself by remembering quite a few of the items on the whiteboard, then I ran down and retrieved the EX-whiteboard from the rubble to copy the quotes I had missed.

In my idiom-inspired Sharpie-fume fervor I barely noticed Cassie sleepily perched across from me until she asked if she could put something on that piece of paper.  "Of course!" I said, and rustled up some crafting supplies for her to create that big pink butterfly stuck on the left in the photo above.  We chatted and crafted until the sun came up, and when Claire woke up she was only briefly puzzled by our very awake state.  She hopped on board and had to create something as well, hence the heart-filled peace sign to the left of their tiny school photos stolen from the proof thingy from the school photographer. 

Those items have remained there all this time, as have the original quotes I neatly printed that morning.  We have added to the "board" numerous times and we still have plenty of room, although the girls all know that additions to the board are a sacred act, approved only by myself.  

Should they wish to have quote boards in their homes when they grow up they can put whatever they want on them.  For this one I will rely on my wisdom and experience to sift through the superficial social media stuff they come across daily, and allow only true, intelligent, and inspirational comments.

The photo is small so I thought I would share some of our favourites.  These quotes may be historical, may be realistic, may be deep in meaning for some and not for others, but they are all essential to who Claire and Cass and I are.  I hope you enjoy some of our favourites:

Fortune favours the brave

Luck = when preparation and opportunity meet

A MISTAKE MADE MORE THAN TWICE, IS A DECISION.

Honesty is the best policy

If you're never scared, or embarrassed, or hurt, it means you never take any chances.

You are what you think you are! 

What do you think you are? ~ Oprah

There are also some clippings that have meaning for us, a romantic card, a medal of friendship from a birthday party, a couple of photos, including one of Captain Jack Sparrow.  If you happen to not be familiar with him here is a closer look:

(YAHOO!!! Now I have Robert Downey Jr. AND Johnny Depp on my blog!!!)

 We must not weep for what might have been... for there is still time. ~ Edward Matchett

And one of my personal favourites and possibly the most true:

Treat every problem like a dog would: 

PISS ON IT AND WALK AWAY

 Yes, the quote board will be taped back on the wall... at 4 a.m. tomorrow.  :-)