Tales of the Traveling Tote #43, Giveaway

 Hello, readers, and welcome to Panoply! Today marks the 43rd instalment of the Tales of the Traveling Tote, can you believe it? It's all about quarterly tales of ladies connecting friendship and stories of our everyday lives via a MacKenzie-Childs tote we all purchased at one time or another. 

To read more about the origin of this series of posts, you can learn how it started here. A link to all my previous tales can be found here. 


It's been a very busy spring! In mid-March, the sister who we moved from SC this past November had knee replacement surgery, and one local sister, brother and I rotated in visits and getting her to physical therapy. I'm happy to say she's done great, and has now been discharged by her Doctor to carry on with normal activities (which has been very sedentary to this point, soon to change, we hope!).

In early April, Mr. P. and I drove to Bristol, TN to meet with a few college friends (from 56 years ago!), to have dinner and celebrate their Economic professor who was responsible for steering these young men into very successful career paths. Mr. P. and the taller guy to his right were also on the basketball team. Mr. P. and the fellow with glasses went on to Virginia Tech together for their doctoral work.

Mid April was a very special celebration of my brother next in line to me, who turned 70. His companion planned a surprise party for him at his home (!). All eight of my siblings came to town! This is the first time we've all been together since our Mom died in 2007.

The photo below is all of us, in birth order, youngest to oldest L to R. My brother is still wearing a baseball cap, still a NY Yankees fan. 🙂 The sister with the knee replacement is second from right.

Someone then took a photo of all of us with our spouses (and my brother's companion). As we are ALL getting older, this photo and this occasion will hold special memories for all of us.

Other birthdays celebrated in April included my girlfriend below on the left.

And later in April, my high school girlfriends who lunch together celebrated our January and April birthdays. Due to crazy weather and crazier schedules, both kept us from getting together sooner.

Easter was rather low-key, as my oldest daughter and son-in-law were on vacation, and my younger daughter's husband was working. So Mr. P. and I had dinner for my daughter and J.

Little J comes over when her Mommy & Daddy's work schedules have gaps in coverage.  Right after Easter we played one late afternoon. I found a vintage doll baby that she quickly adopted as her own, and was quick to find herself a baby carrier. 

J has been taking gymnastics lessons for two years, and this year was her first time participating in a showcase of "Gym Stars". She won a first place medal for successfully listening and performing beginner skills on the mat (forward roll, cartwheel), bar (pullup and pullover), and balance beam (arabesque and straddle jump dismount). The girl loves "nastics", as she calls it.

Early May, we celebrated the 50th wedding anniversary of my oldest daughter's in-laws.

A week later we celebrated the graduation of my oldest daughter's Masters degree and national certification as a Licensed Professional Counselor. 🥳🥳The ceremony was early morning, and it was Mother's Day weekend, so we all had lunch together after the graduation event.

The weekend after Mother's Day we traveled to Lost Creek, WV for a family wedding. This was also my sister Mary's 81st birthday, just a few days after being medically released from knee replacement. The bride was her granddaughter. It was a beautiful ceremony and reception, and we were happy to be part of that special day. She is pictured below in the navy blue dress, flanked by me and my local Panoply sister.

The last weekend of May was our city's "FestivALL: the city becomes a work of art".  Saturday's events included a children's art fair and artisan fair. I spent time with my kids, especially enjoying all the fun J had. I also bought a couple pieces from artisans. 

I cannot do a post in the months of March through May without a mention of my garden. These are the busiest months in the garden, by far. I've amended the section of grass where a pin oak was removed four years ago where the earth had sunken. That's like watching paint dry, but it's coming along. Below is 35 days in between: April 17-May 22. It still hasn't been fully mowed yet, just trimmed with the weed eater while it fills in.

Below is a collage of the majority of my perennials I've been planting and nurturing over the past four years, and which have bloomed so far in 2025.

NOW, ONTO THE GIVEAWAY!

The winner of the luggage tag is Fonda. Fonda, your luggage tag will be mailed to you! ~ Rita, 6/10/25

The Traveling Totes Tribe is offering another giveaway and I am our giveaway sponsor this time here at Panoply. One lucky reader who leaves a comment on this post will have their name thrown into the hat for an opportunity to win this MacKenzie-Childs luggage tag.

PLEASE NOTE: If your comment displays as anonymous, be sure to write your name so that you may be identified!

Be sure to check out my other traveling sisters' posts to see how they spent their winter months. Also, please keep our dear sister Jenna from the Painted Apron in your thoughts, as she's currently focusing on some health issues and working hard in rehabilitation.

Debbie with Miss Aurora @ Mountain Breaths

Emily with Miss Courtney Childs@ The French Hutch

Patti with Miss Kenzie and Miss Taylor @ Pandora's Box

Linda P with Miss Lola @ Life and Linda

Rita with Miss Luna C @ Panoply (you are here!)

Sarah with Miss Merri Mac @ Hyacinths for the Soul

Jackie with Miss Madi K @ Purple Chocolat Home

Ricki Jill and Countess de Monet @The Bookish Dilettante

Join us again on September 1, 2025 for another edition of Tales of the Traveling Tote.

Thanks so much for your visit. I love reading your comments, and be sure to leave one on my this post for a chance to win our token gift. Happy June! 

Rita C. at Panoply