Sunday, January 28, 2007

Hello..is this thing on? knock..knock..

Oh, yeah there you are. Quit hiding behind those snowbanks! It's been a'blowing like crazy here today. A perfect day for doing sweet bugger all. I managed to get the laundry done, but didn't get the "mending" done. Our clothes are falling apart. Buttons are missing from Gord's shirts, the hems on all my jeans are all falling apart, apparently the staples didn't hold. You always know when I have chosen to do the repairs the easy way: when the clothes are put in the dryer and you can hear "clicking noises"..that would be the staples! And if you don't hear the "clicking noises," you know it's time to get out the stapler! I seriously have to get out my Granny sewing kit, and poke all my fingers with a needle. By the time I am done, I look like someone who had just done some serious diabetes testing and lost, trying to find the right number.

I used to make my own clothes. Yes, you heard me. I used to buy patterns, buy the material, buy the thread and sit down in front of the old "singer"..and make my own clothes. I had one standard pair of pants I used for years. It didn't have a waist band, thus making it very easy. Invisible zippers were the rage back then, so if you had the attachment on your machine for that, you were in business! All you had to do was cut out the pattern, sew up the seams, and add the zipper in the centre of the back of your pants. Then you would finish it off with folding waistband and make a seam around it..along with the the hemming of the legs...and wahhhlaa...a new pair of pants for Saturday night!! Cord's were always my favorite, I must of made 9873 pairs of them. Later on when I moved to the city and had to wear skirts and dresses to work, I bought some very highly flammable material that did not fray to make my skirts. I had one pattern, and I made 9873 skirts in different colours for every day of the work week. I didn't make my blouses, because that required some skill. But, I do remember crocheting some very interesting vests to wear on top of them.

Just as I was writing this, I am amazed at how much times have changed. When I finally got my second or third serious office job after going to secretarial school in the city, how we as women were required to dress. The job I had at this time was a receptionist/typist/whatever. Women were required to wear dresses or skirts, no pants allowed! When suddenly we had a rebel in the midst of us. I still remember her name..Sheila Rosenblum. She was hired by the accounting department and from the day she started she was trouble....she had one big mouth!! I loved her.

She openly challenged management about the dress code. At this time, "pant suits" were all the rage, I had a few of them, but could not wear them to work. She told them that there was no reason a woman could not wear them to work. After all, the men in the department all wore pants!! She was a hoot. Management actually changed the policy, and we could wear pant suits to work. But not, pants and a sweater..it had to be to code..Gawwwwd.

Then, sweet little Sheila, got on their asses about smoking. (this was a long time ago friends)...Women in our office were not allowed to smoke, but the men were. So, I could be working next to Joe blow, and he could light up, but I couldn't. She make short work of that and took them to task. Two weeks later, we could all smoke in the office (not that was a good thing). she was way ahead of her time with women's rights and scared the livin bejesus out of them. She said her husband was a lawyer and he could sue our company if they didn't comply. I think she was blowing "smoke"...but she was one hell of a broad. I wonder where she is now?

I'm making short ribs for supper........yummers, it smells so good. But, I have never made this recipe before, so I will have report on it tom morrow. It involves, grape jelly, Heinz chili sauce, onions, rosemary, lemon, brown sugar, garlic and mustard. This will be served on rice, along with veggies.


We went to my brothers house for our Christmas get together last night. Finally, we were all well enough. It was so great seeing everyone again. I love me nieces to pieces. We had a great supper, ribs, shrimp, rice and salad. My SIL actually kept their tree up until we could all be together. But, my brother was not very sociable. I understand he has problems, but he seemed to be very angry at me. He pretty well ignored me when I came in, and went on during the evening to make snide remarks about my weight. I haven't gained or lost any weight, I'm not really overweight..I could loose 15 lbs, but I don't know what his agenda was. Maybe I haven't been there for him enough. I don't know how..he always seems so angry. He is pretty housebound in winter, because he has to use his "scooter" to get about. They have a van that gets him from place to place, but his life has changed forever, with his illness. I don't know how to handle it. I'm feeling I have not done enough, but I don't know what to do.

I will call him this weekend and try to get to the bottom of it.

So...enought for tonight

Bylonie...over and out.

5 comments:

ellen said...

I'm sorry that your family gathering was ruined by bad vibes from your brother-in-law, and I hope you can smooth things out with him.

Sheila Rosenblum sounds like she was a real pistol.

AndiePandie said...

I would definitely call him or his wife and ask what the deal is. Especially if this isn't his normal behavior towards you. I wonder if anyone else picked up on it?

Joan said...

Ellen, it wasn't really ruined, but it always surprises me when he is not his old self. I don't know how wonderful I would feel if I was in his shoes. I think I have to make a bigger effort to phone and maybe meet up with him at Polo Park. He can't drive and needs someone to drive him there in their special needs van. I just learned his daughter drives him their Sat. morning and he tools around all day in his scooter talking to friends he has met in the mall. I will make an effort to meet him there for lunch next weekend, and let's see where it goes from there.

....

Andie...yes and no, he likes making fun of me, and I used to make fun of him too, but now that he is in the shape he is, I find it hard to make jokes. And I probably am on a little guilt trip, I should be doing more for him than I am. I don't mind a little bitch slapping if that makes him feel better, and I think it was his way of telling me, I have not been there enough for him. All I can do, is try and make it better. And I will.

Anonymous said...

Hhhmmm... that whole smoking issue.... okay Joan, you've gone and done it now!!!--RANT TIME!
I hate how society has become with smokers... they act as if smokers have leprosy or some other funky disease.
So at first men could smoke in the work place and not women... then both sexes could... then neither sex could... then there was no smoking in restaurants.. then no smoking in lounges... then no smoking in BARS!!!-- and now there are places that make smoking outside in certain areas illegal (I'm sure you've all seen those blue zones), and if you have kids, smoking in your car is illegal as well in some areas! Did you hear that now the cigarette displays in stores have to be covered up?? I went to a store yesterday and found fucking bed sheets hiding my smokes!!--yet a truck load of asian lesbian hard core porn magazines sat out undettered!!!!!! What the hell has this world come to Joan??
Like really... I am sure that black mold is more harmful than cigarette smoke. Or what about the factories making fucking carpet? So many things can contribute to the health of an individual but why is it that smoking has been targeted?? I know.. because the government can tax the hell out of cigarettes to be greedy and fill their own pockets, whereas they can't tax carpet or humidity right?
Ah fuck it...
Gonna go mix myself another drink... or tell me, is it just time to slow down on the drinking?? LOL!
Tanzee the Ghetto Mamma

Joan said...

Tanz...you nailed it.