Pattern pieces

For some reason Liv wanted me to make her a dress for her college graduation, and for some reason I agreed to do so. She sent me some ideas based on vintage Vogue patterns but they seemed too complex for me (plus requiring at least 6 yards of material for the full skirts). Butterick patterns were on sale this week and I managed to find one that looked a bit 1960s, and a lot Michelle Obama and Liv Anderson. The fabric I chose is very cool because it can be reversed which I plan to do for the collar and belt. The photo above is of some of the unsewn pieces laid out with pins. My only fear (based on past experience) is that it will turn out beautifully and won't fit at all. Stay tuned...

Cars

As Liv will be working for Teach for America in the Baton Rouge area, we (or hopefully, her grandparents) are going to have to buy her a car. That reminded me of two car stories...

1) In the summer of 2006, Joel and I were having on-and-off-again problems with our Ford Focus losing power. It was pretty scary to be driving along the freeway and suddenly realizing that you were just coasting. Of course it was the type of problem that never could be replicated when bringing it in for service. While we were procrastinating about buying a new car, Norris's old Mercury Mystique (formerly my parents) broke down on the freeway. As it would need some expensive work, we decided it would be better for him to get a new car. I had to drive him out to a Toyota dealership in West Saint Paul one evening, and yes, you guessed it--my car conked out in the middle of Robert Street during rush hour. We managed to glide into a parking lot and eventually re-started it to complete our journey. Norris still likes to chide me about my whispered words of advice as we entered the dealership: "Now remember, don't act desperate!" What if you are?!

2) Many years previous to that story, the kids were having dinner with a neighbor and I was going to meet Joel at the Mall of America (he worked out in Eden Prairie at the time). Unfortunately, I had a flat tire on 280, just minutes from home. I called our local service station from a nearby pay phone and a nice looking young man named Rob came to tow the car and give me a ride. We chatted a bit about my ruined evening and he dropped me off at my house. In this pre-cell phone era, I had no way to notify Joel that I wouldn't be able to meet him, so I sat around nervously, hoping he'd eventually wonder what was up and call home. The minutes turned into more minutes, and then an hour... I was really getting upset. Finally the phone rang! As soon as I heard a male voice say, "Teresa?" I started spewing out a jumbled and tearful tirade, concluding with "What have you been doing? Why didn't you call earlier?" There was a pause, and then: "Uh... this is Rob at Park Service. Did you think I was your husband?"

Another less appealing example of bits and pieces

Because we have to jam today's ubiquitous double rolls into our old-fashioned inset toilet paper holder, we fight an ongoing problem with white toilet paper lint in the bathroom. Unfortunately, my new cheap Target brand towels are now continually adding a layer of red to the mixture. Even after several washings, red lint continues to dust every surface, as illustrated by this lovely close-up of my sponge. If our bathroom were a textile mill, OSHA would shut it down.