LOOK WHO IS WATCHING

GOOD MORNING WORLD

It is the afternoon of the 11th of August.  I just want to make this clear that inspiration can come at any time any moment and from unexpected places.

This past few days we have had the joy of having #2 Grandson and his dad visiting.  It is bittersweet for this author as it may be the last time for many months that we see either of them.  Saying good-bye was tricky smiling and waving and wanting to cry and not doing it to keep everyone strong and happy.

On our first day here, we stopped to get some groceries where we saw a homeless man in the median. I mentioned how I was hoping he would be there when we came out and on our side of the road so I could give him some money.  Sadly he was gone when we left.  We saw him once again and before we could get back to his spot again he was gone.

The conversation at different times this last few days has been on homeless people and people who are hurt.  Our grandson asked about the scar on my neck.  I told him I had had surgery to which he responded it really upset him when family had surgeries.  He said he also was upset by homelessness too in the same conversation saying he could watch scary things on TV and they did not upset him as much as those two things.  Interesting conversations.

This morning our son showed us a video of a man giving a sleeping Homeless man $100 bill.  The camera then followed the Homeless man as he went and bought a sleeping bag and a pillow and few sundries at Target.  The Homeless man came back to the bench where the “Giver” of the $100 bill was sitting.  Since the Homeless man was sleeping he had no idea who his benefactor was.  The two men on the bench began talking and the “Giver” shared how his daughter needed medicine and he could not afford to buy it.  The “Giver” was really going on and on as the Homeless man stood holding his bags and listened.  Then the Homeless man asked the “Giver” to watch his back pack for a bit if he was going to be there awhile.  The “Giver” said sure he had no place to go.  The Homeless man returned empty handed and gave the “Giver” a $100 for the medicine for his daughter.  Imagine it.  At this point the man told the Homeless man that he was a videographer posting on the web and that his act of kindness had been recorded.  He said he was going to publish this video and gave the Homeless man $500 for his generosity.  The video ended with the Homeless man in tears and thankful.

My three guys, the boyfriend, the son and #2 Grandson are on their way to the Zoo today.  I am cleaning for an upcoming Open House.  Truth be told Zoos are not a favorite.  I do not go into the Reptile House and a few other places so why go???  The boys will have a ball.

An aside here………Grandson #2 lost a tooth last night and the tooth fairy found him even though he was not in his own bed.  He could not understand that as he thought he had this tooth fairy thing all scoped out.  She left him $2.

As the three guys arrived at the Zoo I got a phone call from our son – a proud father at this point.  He said, “You will not believe what your Grandson did.”  It seems they were stopped at an intersection with all the windows down.  Those three do not believe in air-conditioning like I do!

At this intersection was a homeless woman with a sign.  Before the men in the front knew it Grandson #2 in the back seat handed his tooth fairy money to the lady.  What a special moment for them all.

Lesson – you never know what your children pick up from you.  Live well, Laugh often and Love much! You never know who is watching.

…..ONWARD TO MORE MISADVENTURE…

COSTUMES ACROSS THE YEARS

GOOD MORNING WORLD

I have made a number of costumes in my life for children and even myself.  I thought I was out of the business until this week when the plea was, “Grandmama I need a costume.  I am going to be Max the Grinch’s dog in Suessical the Musical for my school choir.”  Said with sweet beautiful brown pleading eyes!  Of course I bought the necessary pattern thread, cloth and zipper and away we go again!

As I was cutting out the pattern this week I was wondering how many of these things I had made.  I can count at least three of the same pattern.  I made one for our son for Halloween when he was almost 2.  It was a tiger fabric and of course small.  I have pictures of many children taken in that same costume as we shared it along the way.  In the 70s and 80s there were no elaborate costumes in big box stores for this holiday like there are now.  No Disney store to purchase the favorite character outfit either.

My sister, Paula, was the best at it.  She made detailed costumes for here children.  They were prize winners for sure.  I used to just put stuff together usually except for this one all one piece pattern that I have made and remade in various sizes.  Our daughter had one in her early 20s for a costume party.  I am thinking she did most of that sewing with some help.  Here I am again re-buying the same pattern in yet another size.  Have I mentioned I do not mind continuity?

I do dislike the changes in prices and what manufacturers believe are improvements to their product.  Years ago when you bought a pattern you bought a specific size.  Now you buy a range and the pattern has three or more sizes on the one piece of tissue and you cut to which you choose.  Now this is the dilemma.  Do you cut the size you want and thus cutting off the tissue OR cut under the tissue and hope you get close to the size you want leaving the others attached to the paper?  I know it is a cost cutting advantage to the company yet it is a pain in the neck for the seamstress!!!  Today I sew and perhaps tomorrow I can add a picture of “Miss Max” to this post!

As I was cutting and mulling I thought of all the costumes I have seen in my life.  My folks used to go to a ball each year and Mom made glorious dresses.  On of my favorites was a navy corduroy weskit jacket with a blue green plaid skirt!  I remember borrowing a gown from another lady in town, who attended the same ball as Momma, for a play.  This dress was a green elaborate affair much like Scarlett O’Hara’s in “Gone with the Wind”.  I borrowed another dress from my cousin for another school play that was a peach satin affair that she had worn as a bridesmaid for a friend.

I loved playing ‘dress up’ as a kid.  We had some fun clothes in which to play at our house.  When our kids were small I kept our oak deacons seat bench cavity filled with fun clothes for them.  It was cute to see them in the hats and shoes.

People rarely ‘dress up’ today.  I remember going to the theater in St.   Louis years ago for a Sunday Matinee of “Phantom”.  Our son and my husband had on shirts ties and jackets and our daughter and I dressed of course in heels and such.  It was a very warm day so the coats did not stay on long.  Regardless when we entered the Fox Theater and took our seats in the first balcony second row we were soon greeted by a young woman sitting in front of us in a tank top and cut off jeans.  Times were indeed achangin!

Even weddings today are attended in various states of what I would call business casual.  Maybe no tie or flats for the ladies instead of heels.  Jeans are the norm many places and when I was ‘growing up’ we could only wear them to ‘play’.  They did not go anywhere else let alone school, church, weddings or theater.

I am not sure which is better.  I have often said I would rather a person be in church in work clothes and grubby than not be there at all.  My father rants about not giving God the proper attire and attention.  It is a dilemma and one I am not going to solve in these few unimportant words.  The important thing today is to sew the costume for Max the Dog and once again get one of those delicious hugs only grandchildren can give.  By the way I have three great huggers on my team!!!

…..ONWARD TO MORE MISADVENTURE…

AUNTIE MAME LIVES

GOOD MORNING WORLD

To anyone that has read this blog right along all year, you are aware that “Auntie Mame” is one of my favorite movies.  To those who are just reading now, “Auntie Mame” IS one of my favorite movies!

This is a movie made from the book, “Auntie Mame” written by Patrick Dennis.  It is the story of his life after his parents died and he went to live with his socialite Aunt on Beekman Place in New York city.  Mame Dennis is an wonderfully eccentric lady of means though I have no idea from where her money came.  She was rich.  She was so rich she changed the decor of her apartment on a whim.  That was the fun of it to see all the changes over the course of the movie.  She also had a wonderful group of eclectic friends that kept her entertained and she them!  Until the crash of 1929!  Then she still made it back when she married a wealthy man.

For those of you that require more information Wikipedia has this:

Auntie Mame is a 1955 novel by Patrick Dennis chronicling the madcap adventures of a boy, Patrick, growing up a ward with the sister of his deceased father. The book is inspired by the author’s eccentric aunt, Marion Tanner, whose life and outlook mirrored those of Mame. The novel was a runaway best seller, setting records on the New York Times bestseller list, with more than two million copies in print during its initial publication. In 1958, Patrick Dennis wrote a sequel, Around the World with Auntie Mame.

Patrick came to her when he was 10 or so and lived with her for all the rest of his growing up years.  She took him on fantastic vacations and then when he was in college would ship wild gifts to him at school.  Patrick married and Auntie Mame wanted to entertain his son.  Patrick and his wife finally said yes that Auntie Mame could take their son Patrick Jr. on vacation.  Mame had very little respect for time or punctuality or schedules.  After they had given Mame permission to take Patrick with her for summer vacation they reminded her that he had to be back when school started after Labor Day.   I quote:

Auntie Mame replied, “Yes, Labor Day: Isn’t that sometime in November?

I give you all that information to assure you that I have finally arrived and “Auntie Mame” LIVES on in me!  This is a status to which I have aspired since our grandchildren were born.

Before this holiday I mentioned to our daughter that we might come over for a visit.  I realized that the spring break for those two grandchildren was the week after Easter.  Our other grandchild had spring break the week before.  This was not planned well as far as I was concerned.  Then I thought that we could get the one grandson for his week and take him to visit his cousins.  We would then return him after the holiday and have the other two for the rest of the week.  Each getting time with each other as well as alone time with the grandparents.  Sounded good to me.

I spoke to our daughter and a plan was formed that we would go to her house and then bring the children back with us for the rest of the week.  We would meet them halfway the following Saturday.  Halfway is still a 7 hour trip and doable for both of us as we can still do 14 hr days driving.  Or if worse came to worse we could go spend the night at a motel Friday night and then Sat is only a 7 hr trip for us back to our home.  We had choices.  It was decided this would work.

So our conversation went like this…..

Me: “When do the kids have to be back at school.”

Our daughter replied, “They have to be back in school for the 8th of April.”

To which I replied, not thinking, “That is sometime after Labor Day right?”

It was a totally Auntie Mame moment.  I rejoiced in laughter.  I had arrived!  AUNTIE MAME LIVES!!!

…..ONWARD TO MORE MISADVENTURE…