"Sew what?"

Last Christmas I made aprons for my daughters. I had a couple of friends who were into vintage aprons, and Phoebe had clued me into eBay. The old aprons on eBay were sometimes overpriced. At some point I thought, "I could made an apron like that."

I then remembered a pattern my mom had used to make me an apron 30 years ago. And I not only located the apron pattern, but it turned out there were 3 of them - small, medium and large!

So I started making aprons, and it was a lot of fun. I started thinking of all kinds of people I'd like to make one for - birthdays, new babies, bridal showers - the list was endless.

I have made probably 25 or 30 aprons since December. I am always on the lookout for vintage or retro fabrics - even traditional fabrics catch my eye. So do good deals!

And I've gotten pretty fast too - I can make one in under two hours now.

The best thing about it, however, is the fact that I have made enough of them that I'm pretty much on AutoPilot when I sew. So I can think and ponder and compose letters and blogs in my head!! And when I'm done, I have something to show for my time.

I can see why people have hobbies!!

"Giving" to Remember 9/11

I had been contacted by the Red Cross to donate blood today. They've been calling me all summer - and I kept forgetting my appointments - on purpose and by accident.

But today I remembered - and thought, "I won't forget this time - I can do this to honor 9/11."

So I went and had to wait an hour - and I had an appointment! Then they tested my blood and it looked like I might not have enough red blood cells! So the nurse said, "Well, we will have to spin it and see if it's okay."

And she came back smiling - assuming I guess that I'd be disappointed if I couldn't give blood. And maybe I would have been.

I thought about Carol Lynn Pearson's poem, "Giving,"

I love giving blood.
Sometimes I walk in
Off the street
When no one has even asked
And roll up my sleeve.

I love lying on the table
Watching my blood flow
Through the scarlet tube
To fill the little bag
That bears no address.

I love the mystery
Of it's destination.
It runs as easily
To child or woman or man,
Black or white,
Californian or Asian,
Methodist, Mormon,
Moslem or Jew.

Rain does too.
Rivers do.
I think God does.
We do not.

Our suspicious egos clot
On the journey
From "Us" to "Them."

So I give blood
To practice flowing,
Never knowing
Where it's going.
And glad.

"DIg, dig, "Dig, dig, dig, dig, dig, dig, dig the whole day through . . ."

The Seven Dwarfs were certainly workers of a high caliber. At least they stayed on task all day! (Better than me - although I did stay at the weeding this a.m. until it was done - at least it was a manageable task!!) (And I certainly stayed on task with my blogging!!)

I did a lesson in class on Friday about the origins of Labor Day. I have been doing that over the years - doing brief lessons on the origins of holidays. I do this mainly because is distresses me that most kids just think a holiday is a day to go shopping - or one created by Hallmark to sell cards! They look blank when you say, "Well, why is November 22nd important?" or "What do we commemorate on December 7th?" or "What is Veteran's Day and why do we always celebrate it on the 11th and not the 2nd Monday in November?"

Labor Day has more of a history than I realized. For one thing, there is not agreement on who started it. Some say it was Peter McGuire. Others say it was Matthew Maguire. (And they're not related - ha, ha - that's one my kids don't always get - but then when I was a kid I couldn't understand why Clayton Smith, who lived on Louise, wasn't a relative of ours!!)

Both of these men were early leaders in the labor union movement in the United States. And whoever really was first instigated a parade and picnic in New York on September 5, 1882. Other states and cities joined in over the years, and by 1894, Congress had made it a national holiday.

But I don't think they ever said anything about not wearing white shoes after Labor Day!!