Reunion, Cowboy Storytelling, and Vintage Sewing

 

1.) High school reunion 

My ten year high school reunion was this past Saturday. About 14 out of 72 graduates were there. 

It was really interesting to see how widely varied all our lives had become. We all graduated from a Catholic school that tried to teach us to adopt a certain set of values, but it wasn't hard to see that our value systems, politics, and lifestyles varied pretty widely. Some of us were still "good church kids", but a lot of us very obviously weren't. 

And, gloriously, absolutely no one cared. 

I've seen so much vitriol and nastiness between people who differ online, and, frankly, in a lot of "Catholic" settings, that it was downright stunning to be in a group of people that was so diverse in ideology but also so genuinely glad to just be able to see each other and visit. We focused on what we had in common, cared about each other as people, and just had a great time. 

It was nice that Chris knew everyone too, and he was genuinely excited to be able to catch up with people as well. No one seemed to think it was awkward having a former teacher there, though a couple people tripped over calling him "Chris" instead of "Mr. Hess". They mostly just wanted to catch up and visit, and it was nice to be able to visit without worrying about him. 

(I married my high school theology teacher, we started dating AFTER we had both left the school and I turned 18. Yes, it's a bit unusual, but nothing immoral or icky happened. Honestly, my parents were thrilled-- he and my dad get along pretty well). 

We were all pretty close knit as a class, and after everything that's happened in the past ten years, it was just absolutely lovely to see that we all still care about each other. I had a little of my faith in humanity restored. 

2.) Game Night 

Little Boy has finally reached the point where he's old enough to play board games meant for older kids and grown-ups without having to be on a "team" with mom or dad.

So, in the interest of family togetherness and filling in that hour and a half between supper and bedtime on Sunday nights, we've instituted family game night. 

Little Girl usually teams up with me, and it goes pretty well. We've played Settlers of Catan twice now, and Little Boy has beat me both times (he came in second, I came in last. Chris is undisputed board game king). 

I've been campaigning for playing Ticket to Ride next. Chris thinks Little Boy may not be ready for that one yet though. If not, I'll probably get the kid's version for someone's Christmas gift. 

3.) I wrote something again this week

It turns out that I have some rather deeply held opinions about two of the children's shows on the FORMED app. What began as a simple comparison of two shows ended up being an in-depth examination of the one I liked less, and a comparison of it to two other shows it claims to emulate. I give my explanation of why I think it doesn't do a very good job.

Does it really matter in the grand scheme of things? Maybe not. But it was fun to write, and hopefully fun to read. 

4.) 1950s-1970s Patterns 

I recently came into some really cool vintage patterns.

Turns out that my grandmother has kept every pattern she ever bought-- including ones she purchased as a teenager in the 1950s. 

There were also some that looked to be from that era that were young boys clothes-- I think possibly purchased by one of her older sisters. 

And lots of stuff from the 1970s, when she made clothes for her own kids. 

I borrowed a small pile of them, and I'm going to make some dress shirts for Little Boy and a couple blouses for little girl. 

And possibly a nightie from 1956, because why not? 

5.) Hank the Cowdog 

Have I ever told y'all about Hank the Cowdog? I don't think I have. 

They're children's books written by a cowboy out of Perrytown, Texas about the adventures of a dog living on a ranch in the Texas panhandle. The same man, John R. Erikson, also records the audiobooks and is a pretty stinkin' talented voice actor. He does different voices for each character and they really come alive. 

We've been checking the audiobooks out at the library to listen to in the van. I read the books as a kid, but I think I'm enjoying them far more as an adult. Not only is the production value pretty good, but the fact that they're written by a cowboy living in the area his books are set in really gives you a deeply detailed picture of a particular place, culture, and occupation. Listening to them, I feel like I'm getting an intimate glimpse into a lifestyle and culture I otherwise wouldn't know much about (I live in Texas, but at the complete other end of the state. About as far geographically from Amarillo as I am from Los Angeles. Texas is a really big state, y'all). 

They're pretty funny too. Erikson's a very talented humorist with a pretty keen eye for human nature, kind of like a masculine blue collar Jane Austin. 

I'd recommend them if you've got a long road trip coming up and are looking for something to fill the time. 

(Some might be bothered by his depiction of coyotes, who speak in a deep, stilted accent and are pretty much always antagonists (they're pretty much always pests to humans and eat smaller dogs and cats in rural areas, so that aspect fits). It's not obvious or prevalent enough to turn me off of the audiobooks (I honestly thought he was going for a Mongo in Blazing Saddles type thing until a coyote chief popped up in The Case of Rabbits Past), and I never picked up on it at all reading the books as a kid, but I felt like it warranted a heads-up). 

6.) Ecumenical Harmony 

Here's a really cool video of a Catholic apologist and a Protestant apologist doing a Bible study...and not getting into apologetics. Not a wiff of theological controversy.  

Not gonna lie, it's kind of magical. 

7.) Quilt

I'm currently making a quilt with some polyester and denim scraps, some never used cloth diapers (the really thin, flimsy Gerber brand type ones that are only good for sewing a flannel border on and giving as burp cloths), and a flannel receiving blanket that never saw much use. 

I've got the three layers together, and I've been quilting it with thread and embroidery floss by hand whenever I have a spare moment. I didn't measure anything carefully or take my time with the initial bits like I should have, so it's going to end up being kind of... eclectic. 

That's ok. So long as it's some form of useable, I'll consider it worthwhile. 

See the rest of this week's takes here.