To all Americans

Just try it. If you don't start to wear those hats on Friday nights, I'll come and confiscate them all and wear them on Sunday mornings!! I 'tolya', very often mine is the only hat in church, but so what? (I tell them "somebody has to keep up the standards".) Actually, as I am still a northern blonde, trapped in the south, I have to have hats handy at all times. There is a big straw sunhat on the backseat of my car right now in case I have to be out in the sun - plus a big shawl to wear inside if I go into a building which has been air-conditioned to a fare-thee-well.

My summer church hats are at least two feet wide, to keep the sun off. In winter, I still have some felt hats from England, Montreal and Ohio, but I really could use some more velvets and satins for seasons like this, when it is often too warm for straw, but not cold enough for felt.

Olwyn Mary in New Orleans

Even as a lay chalice bearer I learned these things - just in case. Of course, it almost never happens these days, but I do loathe those dear ladies who freshen up their lipstick before they walk up the aisle. Mind you, the Altar Guild loathes them even more, as they have to get the stains out of the purificators.

Olwyn Mary in New Orleans.

Speakin' of purificators, I had an unnerving experience last year. I was talking to our parish priest and asked him if any sewing/mending needed doing in the sacristy. He asked if I'd join the group making a new crop of surplices for the altar servers *and* wondered if I'd mind running up some purificators, which were needed in a hurry. I said that would be fine and what would he like me to make the purificators from.

Next thing, I had the most beautiful old Irish linen altarcloth in my hands with the instructions 'Oh, you can just cut that up!'

I nearly died! The fabric was so beautiful and soft (we worked out, it's at least fifty years old) and still good. But Father said he needed purificators and that the old linen would be perfect for that purpose, since it washes and starches so well.

I cut up the lovely old cloth and made a whole pile of purificators out of it. Hee! I couldn't resist embroidering the initials of one of my family members in white on the corner of each one. Now, when I see the purificators being used, I smile to myself and wonder 'whose' they are.

One day, I'd love to have a go at making a stole or chasuble for our parish. One day...

Quick boring story, but on topic, since it involves embroidery.

When I was in my final year of high school, the end-of-year youth camp was to be the biggest and best ever for our school district. I was really excited about it because I'd recently got my 12-string guitar and looked forward to playing it at the camp, along with all my friends in music ministry.

I spent a good bit of time beforehand, practicing my music and making some neato clothes to wear during the fortnight. One of the things I made was a coverup 'garment' to wear over my (rather tiny) green bikini.

I got a great length of white lawn and made a slit-to the hip garment with a square neckline and bell sleeves. I embroidered it around the hem with bright pink and purple peace symbols (chain stitch in six strands) about six inches high. I repeated that pattern on the edges of the sleeves, only the symbols were only an inch or so. Next, I did a Greek key pattern around the neck in blue. This was rather more complicated since it was sort of bargellish. I started in DMC 995 and then 'thickened' the lines with a darker blue beside it in satin stitch. Finally, I drew a chain-link symbol on the chest and embroidered that also in bargellish (not quite bargello, but sort of similar). Y'know: a row of red, another of orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. The finished effect was very phunky and I was rather proud of it.

Well! The first day of the camp, our hip-and-with-it young priest saw me wearing my garment and asked if he could borrow it to say Mass in! I nearly swooned with the satisfaction of it all! So, I wore a T-shirt over my green bikini and my garment was transformed into a chasuble for the duration. I've still got it and it brings smiles at the memories of what did turn out to be a great camp!

Postscript: About eight years ago when my Dad was dying, the same priest came to give him the Last Rites. As he quietly entered Dad's room, he spotted me in the corner and said 'Oh Trish! Time has changed us both, hasn't it?'

We're both old and grey and overweight. Father has very little hair left and a limp from his arthritis. I've got dicky knees and a crook back. The garment which we both wore was about a size 34. LOL! I don't think it would fit either of us these days.

Please, correct me in any way, in every way, and at any time. I love to be right but unfortunately, that simply doesn't always happen.

More importantly, I wish you much more exciting dreams then that boring subject.

By the way, what was splendiferous to you was more like hideous to me.

I think that about nothing impacts "equally" - but similarly. You know, that statistics thing, bell curves, 3 sigma deviations. Even in sociology - "evenly" could be construed to mean with similar variance across a spectrum or variety of groups. There will always be some at either extreme, and that big 63% in the middle.

Around here, the DC metro area is close to the most integrated across socio-economic lines of American cities. There has been a minority middle-class, upper middle-class, lower middle class here for quite a long time, over 20 years, and not in separate neighborhoods. Of course, the separate or distinctly black or hispanic, or orthodox Jewish, etc neighborhoods exist. But, I think the integrated diversity here colors things. I can remember having to sort of advise my mom & grandmother to get over it when they visited in 1986, and I had to pick them up at the auto-train, and we drove home thru the city - some a poor area, some just not so good, some just poor but safe. The more we tooled around during their stay, my then DH & I really came to see that while we were used to seeing a big racial mix - in restaurants, shops, etc -regardless of expense

- they weren't so used to it. Miami was then, and is now, quite diverse - but it was a bit more separate (although in our very liberal transplanted Yankee neighborhood as a kid, in the 69s we had African-American neighbors and no issues). On my cul-de-sac here, we have 6 white American couples - sort or, 1 wife is Macedonian, 1 is Greek, and 1 couple gay, middle-aged men. There are 5 Indian (asian) couples, 1 ex-pat Russian couple, 1 hispanic--american couple. Our backyard neighbors are African-American directly behind, and adjacent a Pakistani couple. Just my cul-de-sac. Retired military, teachers, IT crew, accountants, Secret Service, and 1 other engineer. It's pretty varied and typical of this area.

WRT impact - in this neighborhood - of expensive middle-class homes (not MacMansions) - 2 blocks over there were 2 foreclosures, the block in between, we have friends that bought a short sale (pre-foreclosure). The house at the base of our cul de sac the contract fell thru just before closing, it was sold, for much less than original, then they left, then finally resold. The house our SS neighbors have - the people couldn't close on it, sale of their house prior fell, they walked away losing about $60 K, and after several months our now neighbors bought it for a good $130 K less. On the main drag into this section of our community, there are some MacMansions, one of which has been vacant for about 6 weeks, and has nice yellow tags/stickers and court notices from the Sheriff's. I think those people just left in the middle of the night.

For us, my whole job situation has completely put us in jeopardy with our mortgage - and we indeed almost did lose it. We had a huge amount of unanticipated expenses in medical, cars, etc that wiped our ready savings in the last 18 months - to the tune of about $25 K. And while I don't need my former 6 figure salary, I certainly do need to make at least $15-20 K for us to be comfortable. So, while I'd rather not discuss financial details, I assure you that we personally are lucky to have been able to not lose our house, and are working really hard to get into a better situation. It takes an amazing amount of time and communication to deal with a mortgage company once anything bad has happened. Fortunately we've been keeping up with our arrangement to repay the arrears, and out mortgage company would rather be getting money than the alternative. But, it's not easy at all.

Point being, that I know - personally - albeit not well - people with seemingly solid, well paid jobs, with education - who indeed some stupidely over-extended themselves with their house - but then due to all this economic crunch were not able to maintaint. We're not in that boat - though we did get stuck when the sale of our other house fell through right before we were closing on this one, ending up with a different (though not adjustable) mortgage situation, and finally selling the prior house for $135 K less than the original, which changed our being $85 K to the good into being $50 K on the wrong side.

My work situation is 2-fold, one being the issue because during the good old Clinton days I dared to bring an EEO action against my agency - which has retaliated and retaliated, and caused massive issues which even now will eventually require me to hire an attorney to go have a meeting for about an hour so my security clearance can be released so I can get a job in my field. And it would be nice if they paid me the back leave, salary, etc that the judge ordered to be paid. Same time, in seeking medical jobs - for which I am overqualified in some ways - so that I can do something useful, be paid, and continue with getting my RN/NP degrees - well - I'm overqualified. And it's a tough job market. Even trying to get retail - like go work in a bookstore jobs - it's not easy around here.

Of course it doesn't have an equal impact on everyone. My point is that the impact is across racial barriers - not just poor hispanics, or poor blacks, but middle-class people regardless of race. I totally agree that losing a portion of investments isn't the same. But, that's the point - there are people who already lost part of their savings, or never had huge savings, or their savings is a future pension. And live closer to a paycheck budget - even with steady, good salaries. It's difficult I think for some to understand, and you can talk about my privilege all you like - but when a house here costs $600 K and the same one costs $175 K in middle-America, and the salary difference for similar employment doesn't match, well - that's an impact. Which means having less extra to put into investments, or vacations, etc.

Anyhow, I think you may have misconstrued my point to begin with as I was really talking about racial/cultural diversity, and the impact of the economic downturn crossing those barriers, as well as some of the economic class barriers.

Ellice

(snip)

And as a Norwegian Lutheran, a phrase I've recently learned that struck me as perfect: a "womb to tomb" Lutheran!

Sue

He was being theologically correct, as in "we worship God, not a piece of cloth"... "We have an extra altar cloth we don't need, but we do need purificators, therefore............" Of course, had I been in your position, I would have gone and bought some linen myself and made it up. (snip)

and that the old linen would be perfect for that purpose,

Aaaaarrrrgggghhhh. You do NOT starch fine linen. Just iron it while fairly damp and it will come up nice and crisp all by itself. Starching it helps to break the fibers, so it doesn't last long enough. (Ask me about the corporals etc. I am currently repairing, whose hem edges have broken up so I have to just rip them off and make a smaller hem). Also, starch in stored linens help to attract "wildlife" into the sacristy drawers.

One day, I'd love to have a go at making a stole or chasuble for our

Stoles are dead easy. Your ask the intended recipient for a stole which fits him/her comfortably ( they come in different neck curves), lay it out and cut a pattern from brown paper, newsprint, tissue paper, whatever you have around, then hand it back. Now you have a pattern, you only need face fabric, lining fabric and interfacing. You may embellish the face fabric in whichever way the intended recipient would like.

WOW. Way more work than I would do for a beach coverup!!

Olwyn Mary in New Orleans

You're right, of course. It was just me being all 'thing' about the nice fabric. ;-D

Goodness, this linen's been starched every week forever. It's in fine shape, even now that it's cut up into purificators. I dunno what sort of starch they use - maybe just a diluted version or something?

Thanks for that! It's handy to know about the fit and comfort index. I sort of envision something that reflects the history of our (very old) parish.

LOLOLOLOL! I'm with you, these days. Back then, I was *very* prolific with all my crafty stuff and worked tirelessly at embroidery, sewing, leatherwork, crochet, macramé and all the things that made the seventies Special. Wish I had a bit of that energy left! The beach cover-up was so successful, I made a shorter version to wear with jeans.

My new Norwegian Lutheran friends can be counted on to make excellent coffee after the service--and good cookies too. They have welcomed me in, but I must admit I am having serious envy issues around the number of lovely "from my trip to the old country" sweaters around there.

Dawne

Just around the corner from me there is a "Norwegian Seamen's Church" which has a bazaar every December. As well as delicious food ( we always go for lunch, plus a box of goodies to bring home) they sell Norwegian embroideries, jewelry, cutlery and SWEATERS. Get them to import one for you.

Olwyn Mary in New Orleans

(BG) That would be cheating! Besides, they have come to learn that I have no Norwegian ancestors--just Swedes and maybe a Finn or two. (Come into a group of Scandinavians with a surname like Peterson and talk turns to who you're related to.) Knitting is common to most cold climates, but I don't know much about the Swedish knitting tradition, except for Bohus style. Bonus though--they are going to teach me to make lefse before next Christmas Dawne

I agree - how much could it be for a sweater you'll wear forever!

I grew up in New Jersey - not a big Norwegian presence there - so I never caught on to the lefse or lutefisk part of the tradition. But krumkaker - that's a different story. My DD and I get together to make a big batch at the holidays.

My mom went to Norway for the first time last summer and her cousin knit a sweater for her. I haven't seen it yet, but mom tells me it's very beautiful and very warm.

Sue

LOL - I may just have to start, at least once in a while.

Sounds lovely, I do have some "significant" hats for spring & summer. In the summer, if I'm out in the sun, I do wear hats, hard enough keeping the red - it will turn blonde pretty quickly - or actually more like orange.

Ellice

Of course not sloths - they need warmer weather! I certainly didn't slur Canada....

Ellice, rdh

My point is, it may be the new thing in Washington but up here we have tried to accommodate everyone, perhaps have gone too far.

And my point was that multi-cultural acceptance may have been legal in places for years, but not actualized in many. The DC area (not the official gov, but the area) has been that way for a long time compared to many other cities, American expeically. I'd venture to say that it's the same in Canada. Not everyplace is equally diverse, integrated, etc. And practices in reality aren't the same as official doctrine. After all - hasn't Quebec tried to separate? We have a hockey acquaintance - English Canadian - who head been a haedmaster IIRC, or at least dept head at a well-known boys school (academy), had lived in Quebec for years - and actually moved down here when all the separatist activity was getting heated in the late 90s because he just couldn't stand it. Felt it very tense being an English rather than French first - that there was great segregation in neighborhoods, etc.

Canada is lovely place, but honsetly, do you believe that the Native peoples there feel they've been well integrated for such a long time? Yes, I know lots of Asians living there, especially in the Toronto burbs, and of course there are China towns. But I wonder - across the plains, and in Victoria - do you think it is really such a utopian land of multi-cultural acceptance? Maybe.

Ellice

That is my point - multiculturism is official and in places where people feel they are discriminated against, they can do something about it if they wish. There have been cases.

The separatism thing has gone away at this time but will doubtless be back at some point, when and if younger, more impetuous people get going in Quebec. That though, has nothing to do with multiculturism.

As regards native Canadians, they are doing far better now with large payments for harsh treatment in schools (much the same treatment I received at my English public school) there have been settlements of many kinds. Are some of them not doing well ? Yes. Hopefully that will change.

As regards the Quebec issue I was listening to a radio item on a Netherlands station the other night and they were talking about how France has it's knickers in a knot over Anglais creep. It would seem the English language has won out over French, yeah even in the EU, and France is not happy. Now to add to that some French bigwig came out with a book about Globish. That is 1500 English words which can be used in the simplest form in order that people can pretty well understand what you say anywhere. Then on top of that one of their top ministers at an EU meeting who had been asked to bring the subject of introducing more French into the EU admitted to speaking English more often than French. Talk about the hysteria, it struck me as very funny.

Remember years ago, Esperanto was going to be the answer to all language problems! I really haven't heard much about it for the last few years!