Monday 14 May 2012

Alex J Cavanaugh's First Loves Blogfest - what and who did I fall in love with?

Hi! It's time for Alex J's First Loves Blogfest. This sounds like a RomanticFridayWriters idea, but no, the Ninja thought this up!

So today I have to come clean and tell you about my First Loves: first movie, first song/band, first book, and yes, first person.

First, the first movie I fell in love with was:

Anything with Sandra Dee in it. I idolized her when I was a youngster. My room was full of her pin ups! That changed when I got a bit older of course! But if you've ever seen, or heard the song, 'A Summer Place', crooned by Sir Cliff Richard, that was from the Sandra Dee movie.

Embedding disabled in the clip I wanted to show you. You can see it here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2ImKNSVxWk



The first song/band I fell in love with was:

Nah, not Slim Dusty's Pub With No Beer (the No 1 Aussie beer-drinking song my brothers loved), but the preppy American boys Simon and Garfunkle's The Sounds of Silence. I went on to love a lot more of their songs, such as Bridge Over Troubled Water. On a par were the Byrds with Mr Tambourine Man. I continue to love Paul Simon solo.




The first book I fell in love with was:

Heidi by Johanna Spyri

This is what the cover looked like when my mother gave it to me for my birthday. I was enthralled by the adventures of this young orphaned girl in the mountains of Switzerland (gave me a thirst to see this strange world). Heidi goes to live with her grandfather who's a big grump, but her friendship with local goatherd, young Peter, adds joy to her days. The book's still selling today.

Just to show how things change, check out the modern cover.

My first love? Jeffrey in third grade. We used to sit in the back of the class and hold hands and win all the mathematics competitions. How cute! Wonder where he is now? No, I'm not going to look!


BUT I met Monsieur L'Aussie when I was 16 and married him at 19, crazeeeeee! My own HEA.

My Sir Galahad. He holds the weekend papers, my  shoes and guards monster dog
while I had a frolic in the surf yesterday.


This was a fun blogfest. Want to read more? Go here...


80 comments:

Unknown said...

I loved Sandra Dee. I first saw A Summer Place when it came on as a Sunday classic film here in Chicago on one of the local stations. Oh how I loved that movie. My third grade crush was Joey Martocio. What a cutie! Alex sure came up with a great blogfest, didn't he?

Denise Covey said...

Yes, A Summer Place was awesome. Alex always has low maintenance blogfests which reveal a lot about us! D.

Suze said...

I really like Simon and Garfunkel, too -- including their solo work.

These were some lovely answers, Denise!

Denise Covey said...

Thanks Suze. I don't meet many S & G fans. Amazing songs. D.

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

Oh yes! The first time I heard Simon and Garfunkle's The Sounds of Silence, I fell in love with it. I even learnt how to play it on the piano, lol.

Kyra Lennon said...

Yay, I loved Heidi too!

Charmaine Clancy said...

Hi Denise, I of course forgot (which is what I do best) about the blogfest and posted on a completely different topic :) I'll remedy that later.

I loved Heidi when I was little, so long ago! I should reread it, I just remember something very sad happening in the story. LOVE monster dog :)

Spanj said...

I love Simon and Garfunkel too. And how cute that maths brought you and your first love together!

Unknown said...

Hi Denise, dropping by from the First 4 Loves Blogfest - hey I live in Maroochydore!

Denise Covey said...

I tried to learn it on the guitar without much luck. D.

Denise Covey said...

Lovely book. Must reread! D.

Denise Covey said...

Ha ha. I'll come by again. Glad you know Heidi. D.

Denise Covey said...

Maroochydore! Wow! Just down the road! What glorious weather hey? Nice to meet you. D.

Denise Covey said...

Thanks Angeline. Yes we were cute, lol. Glad I've found another S & G fan! D.

Unknown said...

No Denise, best not to look!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

You married your high school sweetheart - that's cute. And there is something so timeless in that Simon and Garfunkle song.
Thanks for participating in my blogfest!

Unknown said...

I love your current love. How sweet. My brothers-in-law both have that hat (or that type of hat) but one of them is from Aussie-land.

Denise Covey said...

Ha ha as if I would Carole. D.

Luanne G. Smith said...

I was crazy about Simon and Garfunkel as a kid too. Listened to their songs over and over and over...

And I love that you and your hubs met so young and are still going strong. Pretty rare stuff, that.

Denise Covey said...

That's the sort of hat you need in our sun, even though its autumn. Yes, isn't he sweet! D.

Denise Covey said...

Was fun Ninja. D.

Denise Covey said...

Oh so many S &G fans! Yes we are pretty rare! D.

Dani said...

S&G were the bomb! I still play their vinyls.

Denise Covey said...

Excellent Danielle! The bomb Alrighty! D.

Andrea Teagan said...

Thanks for sharing! I also think Heidi is a great book. Your first love is such a romantic story.. ahhh true love :)

Andrea

Donna Shields said...

I completely forgot about the book Heidi.

Ella said...

Great list! Growing up, S&G played a lot at my house! My Mom's loved them, so did I~ :D

Unknown said...

wonderful choices...

We all love something...right!
Jeremy [Retro-Zombie]
Howlin' Wolf Records: On-Line Magazine

Anonymous said...

What a fabulous entry. I loved your choices. Hubby liked Simon & Garfunkel. So romantic meeting your hubby at the age of 16yrs. Awe.

Unknown said...

Wonderful choices! My High School band did a show over Simon and Garfunkel. Love their music!

Paula Martin said...

I love your 'firsts', Denise. Simon and Garfunkel were among my favourites too.

Tasha Seegmiller said...

I love Simon and Garfunkel! They are just fantastic.

Talli Roland said...

I'm really enjoying this blogfest! I used to love Heidi, too. I even wanted her braids...

bazza said...

'A Summer Place' crooned by Sir Keith Richard. Wot, him out of The Rolling Stones? A wild guess but could you mean the ghastly Cliff Richard?
I also (like nearly every commenter) really like Simon & Garfunkel and the solo Paul Simon Stuff.
I had a crush on Sandra Dee and hated Bobby Darin for marrying her!
Click here for Bazza’s Blog ‘To Discover Ice’

Nancy Thompson said...

Okay, what's wrong with me? I don't recognize any of them. :/

Annalisa Crawford said...

I can't believe I forgot about Heidi - which I loved as much as the choice I plumped for. I had a tiny hard-backed copy, the dust-jacket long gone by the time I was given it, with tissue paper pages. So beautiful.

Nicole said...

I'm not familiar with any of the items on this list but Heidi looks like a cute book to read.

~Nicole
Blog: The Madlab Post
@MadlabPost on Twitter

L. Diane Wolfe said...

You should look up Jeffrey. My first little boyfriend was named Geoff, but unfortunately I don't remember his last name. He was really cute, too.

Rek Sesh said...

Wonderful choices the rest, though I am unfamiliar with the first one.
Loved the part about mathematical geniuses bonding over quizzes. :)

Francine Howarth said...

Nice firsts... S&G were genius! Did you get all the Heidi books? ;)

And still married to sweetheart you met when 16. Wow!

best
F

Rebekah Loper said...

You were a brave soul, getting married at 19! I was 22 when I got married, and still didn't feel old enough!

Denise Covey said...

Thanks Maddy. Ah, isn't it romantic? D.

Denise Covey said...

A Freudian slip Bazza. I'd just heard that the Rolling Stones were recording a new album so they must have been on my mind. Yes, Sir Cliff Richard, and I no way think he's ghastly.

Denise

Denise Covey said...

Looking back, I didn't feel old enough either but it didn't do me any harm. Hope you're still going strong. These days 19 is practically a child, lol. D.

Denise Covey said...

I think I read them all! Yes, these days 16 is a baby but I was older and wiser than most, lol! D.

Denise Covey said...

I remember his last name. Be interesting to see where he is. Do I feel a story coming on? D.

Denise Covey said...

Ha Ha it is funny, considering my maths level stayed at about third grade, lol. D.

Denise Covey said...

The best! D.

baygirl32 said...

married at 19! wow

J.L. Campbell said...

Hey, Denise, love the Sound of Silence. Much prefer the old cover of Heidi. Cute story on your first love, holding hands and all.

Cathy Olliffe-Webster said...

Hi Denise!!!! How ya doing, busy girl? Were we cloned or something? Other than the fact I was terrible in math, I'm with ya on all those choices and I do believe I actually had the same version of Heidi that you had!
And Sandra Dee? I wanted to be Gidget, I did.
(And your Sir Galahad of the surf sounds and looks wonderful. Lucky you!)

Denise Covey said...

Ha ha, I'm not surprised Cathy. I think we're wickedly the same! Just you ended up in Canada and I ended up in Oz. D.

dolorah said...

Totally awesome Denise. The video of Simon and Garfunkle's reunion doesn't do justice to their harmonic voices in their younger years, but Sounds of Silence is probably my favorite song of theirs. They conceptualized the theory of "harmony" while they were together.

And I can totally see you as a Gidget type, lol.

You've been married to the same man all these years? Well, that is something to brag about. Romance does indeed seem a part of your everyday life :)

.......dhole

Denise Covey said...

Yeah, I didn't have much to choose from with the boys' songs. The days before youtube, right? My records sound so much better.

Yeah, I was a real Gidget when a teen, lol.

Married once is enough for me.

Denise

Lisa said...

You married your first love! Forget Mr Third Grader. That is the sweetest.

Ciara said...

I remember Sandra Dee. Didn't she play in all those Tammy movies? Funny, I didn't remember my third grade boyfriend until I read this. I received a note from him on the bus asking me to check yes or no if I'd marry him. :)

Denise Covey said...

Thanks Ocean Girl. You're right! D.

Denise Covey said...

Yes she's the one. Ah those cute little boys. D.

Kittie Howard said...

Oh, but I can relate to your first loves - except for Jeffrey. Never knew a guy named Jeffrey so am confident about that. "Bridge over Troubled Waters" is still one of my favorites. There's something about the lyric/music combo that endures. By luck, happened upon where it was written in England (so they said). It's such a quiet stream, tho, the lyrics became even deeper. You and your husband are a beautiful couple, i.e., your words glowed. Nice, very nice!

Lynn Proctor said...

oh how i loved simon and garfunkel--and i adored a summer place!

kjmckendry said...

I love the Sound of Silence!

Romance Book Haven said...

Lovely reading about all your firsts Denise! Now I know a bit more about you :)

Christina Farley said...

What a bunch of great firsts!

Li said...

You married your young sweetheart! Awww :-)) Simon & Garfunkel one of my all time faves, and I loved Paul Simon's Rhythm Of the Saints as well.

Denise Covey said...

Hi Li. Yeah, so sweet. And I'm glad you love Simon & Garfunkle too! D.

Denise Covey said...

How cool that you got to see the alleged 'bridge'. Love those stories. What a great song. Glad you liked my first love! D.

Anonymous said...

I love Simon and Garfunkel.

What sweet first love(s). It was great learning more about you.

Denise Covey said...

Thanks Media. D.

nutschell said...

had fun learning more about you. Simon & Garfunkel is actually pretty cool. :)
Nutschell
www.thewritingnut.com

Romance Reader said...

Hi Denise,

What fun! I loved reading about all your FIRSTS!

Riya

Heather M. Gardner said...

Sorry I'm late.
S&G is a wonderful choice. Their voices were so great together.
Great picks especially Sir Galahad!
Thanks for sharing with us!
Heather

Denise Covey said...

Hello Heather. Better late than never! Glad you like my choices! D.

Christine Rains said...

Great firsts post! I love your song and book choices. I remember Heidi. I also liked Pippy Longstockings. Your first love story was cute! Hurray for happy endings. :)

The Poet said...

Dear Denise,
You had some wonderful first loves! I love that last photo of Mr L'Aussie with your shoes, the paper & the dog. Hold on to him...he's a good man!
Fun post. Thanks for sharing.

Barbara said...

HHow wonderful that you married so young :) Congratulations on your love! Thank you for your post!

Sharing the Love!
English Speaking Zone

Denise Covey said...

Thanks Barbara. D.

Denise Covey said...

Pippy Longstocking was always great for dress ups, lol.

D.

Anonymous said...

Ah yes. Sandra Dee. I liked her too. I like that "older" cover of Heidi the most. And you married your love at age 19. That is awesome! Such a lovely post. Keep me informed of what you're doing. Right now Jen's health problems, mostly the hot flashes, are consuming my time. She needs me almost constantly.

Jeremy Bates said...

Best of all was the last one and getting married. Congrats for the success.

Shannon Lawrence said...

I always enjoyed Sandra Dee, too!