One of the {myriad of} things
that I love about blogging
is the way that blogging
women often refer to other
blogging women as girls.
Like ~ Good for you, girl....
or
Go for it, girl!
or
Girl, I just love you.
And since anything
older than 30 years
is considered vintage,
then I guess that
makes me {and many of you}
a vintage girl.
Girl or girlfriend doesn't
roll off my
tongue,
pen or
keyboard
very easily, though.
That type of slang just wasn't
common among my peers
when I was growing up and
it feels a bit forced to use it.
But girlie?
That's a different story.
And this is why.
{Please....have a seat.}
My grandpa, aka Pa, called
his sweetheart of 55+ years
Girlie,
as if it were her real name,
until the day he died,
at the age of 80.
As a kid, I thought it was
fascinating that he called my
Mie-Mie Girlie, since really,
she was old.
She was 47
when I was born : )
As I matured and became
interested in romance, boys
and all the rest, I thought
that Pa's pet name for Mie-Mie
was really something
special.
The years rolled on and
they grew older.
I grew older.
Because of their example,
Girlie came to mean
comfort,
sweetness
and unending
love.
Even after my Pa
and his Girlie were gone.
Girlie's favorite color: purple.
Now I'm aware that
girlie
isn't a term that feminists
would likely embrace. And
some of you may find it just
plain annoying, feminist
or not.
But if I leave you a comment
or send you an e-mail that
includes girlie, please indulge me
and know....
It comes straight
from
my
heart.
xx
Suzanne
All photos by me,
the vintage girl
who likes vintage : )
48 comments:
Hi Suzanne, that's such a lovely story. Imagine being a girlie when you're in your seventies? I think that's great.
Just been catching up as life has been slightly busy here and I loved your photos from the vintage baseball game. I didn't realise that they were actual shots of the game at first and thought that they could have been from a movie set or someting similar.
I also sometimes wonder what it would have been like to live a century ago and move country. I guess that you basically say a huge farewell to family and friends with no idea when or if you were ever going to see them again...
As much as I might complain about the 24+ hour flight back to the UK at least I know that I can have some element of choice. I count my lucky stars there.
have a great week girlie.
x
x
I think this is sweet, from one vintage girlie to another :)
Such beautiful sentiments. There is nothing like a pet name and the memories it invokes.
- The Tablescaper
Love the Girlie post. It reminded me a few years ago when my daughter caqme home and explained how her friend stopped talking to her and when she asked why...her little girlfriend explained......YOU ARE TOO GIRLIE GIRL NOW.....she was 10! I want my daughter to read this post to see being a girlie girl was and is actually COOL & SWEET ......Thank you!
Suzanne that is the sweetest story! I am a city girl at heart, I do think in Girl terms. A woman as well, when I think of all we have experienced in this great life we live!
Come and join my new fashion Giveaway from Fresh Produce!
xoxo
Karena
Art by Karena
Girlie is a term of endearment in my vocabulary too!
I seriously answer the phone for friends as "Hey Girlie"!
I also like to say Miss Ma'am... :)
All ways that I say "girl" in my own way!
Sending hugs and blessings your way Miss Ma'am!
Biz
Ah, Suzanne. I *get* this post. I have pondered this one myself. I mostly use 'ladies' but occasionally use 'girls'. It all depends on the context and degree of connection you have, I guess. Yet another blogging etiquette imponderable! J x
that is one of the sweetest stories. I would love to hear more...
What gets me is when girls way younger than me call me sweetie or honey. It just seems wrong:)
I would feel honored after reading this to be called girlie..xo
Right back at ya! I think it's sweet he called her that too. Girlie sounds much better than Frizzy which is my hubby's pet name for me.
Another beautiful post suzanne! I love the term girlie and even more now. I am obviously not a feminist! xxoo
Beautiful.
The love you have for your family is something I wish would have been more evident in mine.Oh,don't get me wrong. My mom and dad loved me, but I had no grandparents when I was born, no brothers or sisters, and aunts and uncles were very cordial. It was just different, and how your refer to your memories of these special people is just WONDERFUL. You are special too, Suzanne...Anita
Terms of endearment are never annoying, no matter what they are! Thank you for starting my day with such a sweet story. I grew up known as "Susie" (no one calls me that anymore except family). My grandpa always called my grandma, Susie, even though her name was Irene, go figure. To continue the connection, my daughter's middle name is Irene.
Best,
Susan
Sweet Girlie...I love this post. So touching! My grandfather always called my grandmother "sweetheart". I thought that was her real name for the longest time! I love that we have these special memories of our loved ones. LOVE your photos! Especially the mason jar and typewritter! My favorite vintage pieces!
What a wonderful heritage you have . . . growing up watching mature love and sweet nick names. And your beautiful photos so match this love story.
I love your blog, Suzanne. Keep up the great work, girlie. And all us crazy blogging girlies will keep reading.
Fondly,
Glenda
You can call me girlie any time you want! I'd consider it an honor! I'm a little more "vintage" than you, and all is well. May the next generation be so lucky to have memories as sweet!
good morning...charming post. :)
I can honestly say, I don't think I've ever referred to someone as "girl." It doesn't roll easily off my tonque either. In fact, I don't care for it...it seems so impersonal and generic. I do like "girlie" though. It's an endearing word and I can feel the thoughtfulness when you talk about your memories of it being used. My husband calls me "sweet lady." I hear it many times a day. xo
What a sweet post and tribute to your Pa and his Girlie!!! XO, Pinky
that is precious!!
girlie,what a sweet nickname for her.
i always feel like i need to do some funky handmotions when i declare...."girl"...like YO ADRIAN or something.
girlie however does make me feel cutsey and young of course. young!
ok girlie, you go &
have a great day ok
xo
My husband calls our daughter "girlie" every day.
I hope she'll always remember that.
Hi Suzanne!
I have teenagers so I hear a lot of "girlfriend" around here.
I like all of it! Girl doesn't sound right to me, but girlfriend
makes me feel younger and that's ok with me!
I have a friend who recently moved to Miami and she always called me girlie, and girl and girlfriend!
I adore her and she meant it all in the sisterhood way so I take no offense to any of it!
Love your sweet grandma and grandpa love story. My mom's parents had that same kind of love.
xx
A
I think you have arrived! Welcome to the sisterhood. xo Jenny
It depends who says "girl." If stated by a man it gets my hackles up. By a woman not so much. Because CC is twenty I also hear "girlfriend" a lot too.
Morning Suzanne~
When I have my girlfriends over I tell Desi "the girls are coming over." We call our get-togethers Girl Parties. Just amongst my closest friends I use the term girls, otherwise I use the term Ladies... and I like that very much. And no, the feminists probably wouldn't like the term girlie, but that's OK! We like it and Pa liked it and that makes it wonderful... just like you. xoxo Amy
Ooh, what a romantic story! I just love the photos too. Are those taken in your house? - lucky girl :) XO
gurrrrrrrl, pleez.
i am a complicated girlie with a mutlicultural past so girl please and girl are pretty natural. even more natural for me? MAMA. and i mean it in the most endearing way. sometimes the boys still call me this, and i die a little cuz i love it so.
loving how you weave your memories, and wonderings, and idiosyncrasies into a tapestry that allows for more layers from us. there is such
brilliance and value in that ability, girlie.
michele
how sweet is that!? i love "girlie", girlie. and i'd sit down in that red chippy chair any day of the week!
What a lovely and sweet post!!
What a very lovely story about your Pa and his Girlie! It always makes me smile to read your posts because you have so much love in your family. And I'm certain that your children will carry that with them when they have their children.
Very romantic story.
Just came across your blog. Love it! Thanks for sharing!
Leticia
Suzanne - what a beautiful story!
my little cuddler/nurser is keeping my eyes wide open...
(47 doesn't sound so old anymore)
xo+blessings,
Anne Marie
I loved reading this story! So so sweet! Girlie is a lovely And anyone you say it too would be blessed!
xo,
Lulu
I love it! Your Pa really knew how to make your Mie Mie feel special!
Don't you wish the gentlemen of yesteryear were more abundant now? I have one myself but am wishing one would come by for my daughter!
such a sweet memory for you to have...amazing how simple words can have such depth of meaning for us when they are attached to loved ones in our history...and by the way...no one ever gets my email reference to the eminent mrs. pilcher...so glad to meet another kindred spirit!
alison
This vintage girl loves it - you could call me girlie any time!
Great memories Suzanne!
xo Cathy
I love the word Girlie....and I adore your RED chair...I am so looking for one just like that. xoxoxoxo
How adorable! I love all of your stories and hearing about such sweet love between parents and grandparents touches my heart. I love the term girlie.
There's a guy I know who always refers to his wife as "my bride" which I also think is so lovely. xo
I call my dear friends 'Girlie' too so we can be unpolitically-correct together! I can't imagine how anyone could take offense to that dear little word but I guess they do.
I love that your grandfather called your grandmother 'Girlie' all their married life - how adorable is that?!
Perfect little chair!
xxx
I would love to receive a note from you calling me girlie. So endearing and don't we all love to feel special?
Aww...I love this Suzanne, and being called Girlie would be just fine with me! XO
This story touched me in a special way, because my grandpa lived to be 85 years old and he always called my grandma,"girlie". It a an endearing name, and means more to me than ever. You shared it in a beautiful, vintage way.
Beautiful thoughts here Suzanne, and beautiful photos too. I use all of them: girl, girlie, girlfriend .... all with love in my heart! What a sweet memory for you to have of your grandparents. LOVE! xoxo
Love the driftwood heart, any chance you made it? I have been collecting driftwood for a few years hoping to do something fun with it. Laura
What a sweet romantic story and wonderful memory for you. I, too, have trouble at times with the names, and use them infrequently unless I really "know" a blogger. Being from the south, it is hard because I come from the Yes Ma'am generation so to call some bloggers who are older than me "girlfriend" is so weird!
What a treasured memory for you. How lucky to have your grandparents with you for so long and to see such an example of love and devotion!
That is such a sweet story, and I would be honored to have you call me girlie for sure. xo ~Lili
I love the term of endearment "girlie"...it has a lovely ring to it. I didn't grow up with grandparents so I'm just a little envious when you tell stories about your own. I especially love the photograph of you and your Mie Mie. Actually I love all of your photos. What an artful eye you have!
Hey, this not quite antique but most definitely vintage girl says amen to that!
While your story is charming, I find the term offensive. My friend called me it today and I was offended. To me it evokes a sense that I am less mature than I am (I'm over 40, she is 10 years younger). I'd rather be called girlfriend or sister than girlie. It is too childish for my tastes.
How sad that an innocent
term of love and affection
bothers you so much. As
you can see, most of my
readers disagree with you.
But everyone has traveled
their own path and perhaps
yours was a rocky one to feel
you must defend your maturity,
albeit as "anonymous."
I feel sorry for that inner girl.
Suzanne
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