Monday, January 3, 2011

Post Holiday Reality

Today was all about reality.

First sign ... I returned to work today... it is fun to hear from my students what they did over the break and what they got for Christmas.  One of them asked me today what my favorite gift was ... of course I loved all my gifts, but if I had to choose a favorite ... here it is ...
... his name is Lightning ... Mr. DillyDally gave him to me ... isn't he just the cutest?  While growing up, we had a pony named Lightning who was a big part of the many adventures I had on the farm.  I've been having fun poking sticks at Mr. DillyDally ... obviously he is a bit worried about my reborn infatuation with Cowboys! ;-)  If confused, read this former post.  Hee-hee ... I'm sorry, but it just makes me giggle ... isn't life fun?
Second sign ... Brother DillyDally returned to college.  I guess it never gets easier to watch your children leave home and build lives of their own.  I admit ... when they are home ... I spoil them.  As a professional dillydallier, I rarely, if ever consent to mending.  Brother brought home four pairs of jeans that needed some serious attention.  Normally I just replace what needs serious mending ... but have you priced jeans for the 20 something male?  I can't afford to replace four pairs and neither can my poor college student!  Being a devout mother, I sewed 14 patches on 4 pairs of jeans that had very skinny legs!  UGH!  I do deserve "Mother of the Decade"! 

It is true that children hold our hearts in their hands.  He brought home additional mending ... the type of mending that I never refuse ...
... this just turns my heart to mush.  My mother-in-law, Nana made her grandchildren flannel pajamas every year for Christmas.  Which meant she had a lot of  flannel scraps on hand ... when Brother was about five she surprised all of her grandchildren with flannel quilts.  Both of the DillyDally children loved them ... used them ... constantly ... they were the preferred snuggle blankets.  When Brother was about 8, he asked me, "When will I be too old to have a snuggle blanket?"  I assured him that a snuggle blanket is something you never out grow.  As a tween attending camps and traveling, we would carefully put his snuggle blanket in the pillowcase with his pillow, so that at night he could touch it without any one knowing.  As a teen, he used it openly and in the fall of 2007 it went to college with him.  

I have replaced the satin binding at least four times ... no original fabric has been visible for at least 8 years ... there are many patches three deep.  We used to count the patches ... we stopped at 100.  He brought it home as it had become so worn, he didn't dare wash it ... so between the two sides ... I lovingly sewed on 25 additional patches.  Yes ... it went back to college with him ... and ... may it be worn even more.
In 2005, Nana made him a new flannel quilt ...this one ... it is beautiful.  I wouldn't let him use it then, I wanted this one to stay intact.  He convinced me that he wouldn't make forts with it ... that it wouldn't go camping ... that it wouldn't serve as a ground cloth in his apartment ... so it left for college too.  It was time ... tough to admit.

Third ... another temporary good bye .... most of the holiday decorations have been packed.  I am an early riser and enjoy having my first cup of coffee basking in the glow of the Christmas tree during the holidays.  What a wonderful and peaceful way to begin the day.

The fourth sign ... I have my sewing room back!  During the bustle of the holidays it becomes a dumping ground ... but on Sunday I reclaimed my dillydally domain!  
My sewing room mascots ... Lightning, Peanut the Elephant and Mrs. Friendly Cow all join me in saying ...
Forget reality and do dillydally!

Hmmmm ... I wonder when Mr. DillyDally will get boots and hat?

1 comment:

  1. I wonder when Mr. DillyDally will start sayin' "Howdy Partner"....LOL

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