There's something to be said about having friends that you have known for decades. They can remember details about situations you've long forgotten or even remember the entire situation. In fact, they can correct your perhaps skewed perspective of the past and otherwise be there to reminisce because of those shared situations.
So it is with Linda and me. We completed our undergraduate degrees together studying the same major. This means in the last couple of years of completing that major we took lots and lots of classes together. My recollection of those years was of Linda being the fun-loving, cheer-making part of the equation and I was the more sober (perhaps not always literally), let's work first and play later part of the duo. We needed each other to have a balanced life.
After college we both started our careers teaching and then I moved away. That didn't keep each of us from standing up for the other's wedding and even though we lived far apart whenever I came to town we would get together. It became increasing challenging when her daughters and my sons were born and we attempted to bring each other up-to-date while watching the kids. Life happened and we lost a decade or so but recently have reconnected. Linda even came to Vancouver to visit me a couple of years ago bringing with her another friend from our university days. Linda still remains the fun-loving, cheer-making person she was over 40 years ago (geesh, it almost hurts to write that number down).
On my recent sojourn to the heartland, we met up again in a town we've been using for just this purpose for years. We always have lunch in a place where it is fine to linger. This year Linda brought a shopping bag with her which I found a bit curious. Of course in it she had photos and other things for me to see. One of the items was this:
The ever mischievous one, Linda takes this crocheted afghan out of the bag and asks: "Do you know what this is?" I answer "Of course" and add it is clearly a product of the 1970's. The popular colours then were avocado green, burnt orange and harvest gold, all conveniently represented in her afghan. Linda then said, "And" and I'm stumped. She says "You made this and gave it to me as a wedding gift." I am stunned.
First, I don't remember that I knew how to crochet back then, perhaps that explains why it was so easy for me to pick it up recently. Second, I don't remember a moment of making it and considering its size, this would have taken several weeks. Third, I lived in Honolulu, Hawaii at the time and it must have been quite warm as I worked on it with the bulk of the afghan in my lap. It was clear the afghan had been used. Like the afghan my Grandma Perry made for me, it showed the signs of having been washed but still looks great. I almost reflexively snatched it from her and took out my camera to photograph it.
Luckily for me, Linda remembers stuff like this. (Last year she reminded me about my love of Corn Nuts, again something I'd completely forgotten, but immediately remembered when she mentioned it.) I am pretty sure had anyone else told me I crocheted an afghan in 1976 I would have categorically denied it. But Linda, well she's a reliable source. Old friends are the greatest to help us remember our younger selves. Thanks Linda for reminding me of all of this and for hanging in there with me for so long.
So it is with Linda and me. We completed our undergraduate degrees together studying the same major. This means in the last couple of years of completing that major we took lots and lots of classes together. My recollection of those years was of Linda being the fun-loving, cheer-making part of the equation and I was the more sober (perhaps not always literally), let's work first and play later part of the duo. We needed each other to have a balanced life.
After college we both started our careers teaching and then I moved away. That didn't keep each of us from standing up for the other's wedding and even though we lived far apart whenever I came to town we would get together. It became increasing challenging when her daughters and my sons were born and we attempted to bring each other up-to-date while watching the kids. Life happened and we lost a decade or so but recently have reconnected. Linda even came to Vancouver to visit me a couple of years ago bringing with her another friend from our university days. Linda still remains the fun-loving, cheer-making person she was over 40 years ago (geesh, it almost hurts to write that number down).
On my recent sojourn to the heartland, we met up again in a town we've been using for just this purpose for years. We always have lunch in a place where it is fine to linger. This year Linda brought a shopping bag with her which I found a bit curious. Of course in it she had photos and other things for me to see. One of the items was this:
 |
| According to Linda an afghan made in the mid-70's by me |
First, I don't remember that I knew how to crochet back then, perhaps that explains why it was so easy for me to pick it up recently. Second, I don't remember a moment of making it and considering its size, this would have taken several weeks. Third, I lived in Honolulu, Hawaii at the time and it must have been quite warm as I worked on it with the bulk of the afghan in my lap. It was clear the afghan had been used. Like the afghan my Grandma Perry made for me, it showed the signs of having been washed but still looks great. I almost reflexively snatched it from her and took out my camera to photograph it.
Luckily for me, Linda remembers stuff like this. (Last year she reminded me about my love of Corn Nuts, again something I'd completely forgotten, but immediately remembered when she mentioned it.) I am pretty sure had anyone else told me I crocheted an afghan in 1976 I would have categorically denied it. But Linda, well she's a reliable source. Old friends are the greatest to help us remember our younger selves. Thanks Linda for reminding me of all of this and for hanging in there with me for so long.
Comments
Post a Comment