Family matters: Those two words can be read in two different ways by the way... Well they got back to England safely, or Manchester airport to be more precise and my daughter has not brought back any religious stuff, though they went to St. Peter's square.
I have declared to most of the family that my odd job sewing for them has come to an end, well I might sew a button or two but hemming jeans is definitely not on the agenda as I told Ben. He is in the fashion business for goodness sake there must be a few seamstresses around. And as for cutting off the hems of Matilda's tops, just so she can show a lean four inches of bare midriff that is wicked. When I pointed out she would have frayed edges she replied but I don't wear them for long. Have you seen the piles of discarded clothing in those poor forgotten countries we do not speak of?
My interest was piqued (I love how that word floats to my brain;) by Tasker's latest blog, this time a book by 'Ascent of Man' by Jacob Bronowski. My mind went a couple of thousand years into the future, aliens were prodding over our now deceased world. Would they think men had the upper hand when they came across the book, indeed was it the actual truth. Looking at the assemblage of middle to old men clustered round our present heads of states it could well be. I am not declaring war by the way but it led me down another rabbit hole.
My second husband who I had been married to for about 27 years, it was not a particularly happy marriage but as he was an archaeology lecturer, I learnt a lot along the way, and also of course saw a lot. I wondered how much he had written, for we were married when he was in his forties and his earlier life was never discussed. So with the help of the web, I found two first World War books but not the dictionary of archaeology that he wrote. I found plenty of papers and mentions in various journals. It opened up another part of my life.
The remains of an Iron Age battle Carnyx horn is in the news today. They can be found on the Gundestrup Cauldron.
There are some interesting memories.
ReplyDeleteYes, there comes a time in life to say no, as my partner did for us hosting Christmas. He being a perfectionist so far as food goes, it was so much work. I was just the behind the scenes helper.
Apart from the fact that they need to develop these skills themselves Andrew, my sight is not as good as it could be. But of course I still feel mean about taking stands.
DeleteIt was a relief to read about the Iron Age find with all the current turmoil going on. Now we have retired I have just joined our local archaeology society.
ReplyDeleteI did my 'A' levels late Aril, archeology, sociology and English but it led on to archaeology. Which has a broad teaching front and many side avenues to go down. But it helps to get the dating methods in mind - BC and AD.
DeleteYes, double meaning to “Family matters”. Thanks for sharing the article about the Carnxy horn. I love history like this, and to actually see pictures of the actual item is amazing. Cali
ReplyDeleteI have never seen a carnyx Cali, there have only been a couple found in this country but I have seen the Gundestrup Cauldron. It was in Stuttgart, a whole wondrous Celtic exhibition of gold and Celtic torques.
DeleteLearning from the past and anticipating the future transports us through the sometimes uncomfortable present.
ReplyDeleteA neat rounding of past, present and future Janice but are lessons ever learnt in the greater world I wonder.
DeleteI guess that I have made some decisions too. The thing I have decided to do is stop...just stop. I know myself. My children have a way of making me feel foolish and useless. I think that they really don't like me much, if you come right down to it. I love them. But the thing is I am not going to feel like I have to fix this. Always feeling embarrassed or dumb or irrelevant.
ReplyDeleteIt is all in the generational viewing of each other I think Debby. We were raised in a different world but it has definitely changed. For goodness sake I am sure your children love you, we are the sounding boards of their lives which they like to kick against occasionally.
DeleteThe find of the amazing Iron Age battle Carnyx is excellent. The Iron Age was one of my favourite periods of archaeology.
ReplyDeleteAs for not very happily married for 27 years - you have grit, I'll give you that!
It was more important providing a family home for my children. I had a choice and I just chose the wrong person. My error, my mismatch. But look what came out of it a love of history and archaeology.
DeleteI have been the family seamstress for a great many years. I struggled to hem jeans neatly--[mostly for myself] until I found this method. For what its worth here is a link. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P02Mne95-s8
ReplyDeleteMy daughter buys beautiful clothing from an online source called 'Poshmark'--high end brands. When she arrives with a pile of garments needing a bit of tweaking she is inclined to state that 'we' need to make alterations. For the record, there is no 'we'--she does not sew!
It's funny that, the 'no sew' generation Sharon. The generation before us had to economise on food and clothes, nowadays there is too much of everything. Making and storing food is not seen as important. And as for clothes there is just too much around. Must admit the family does shop secondhand clothes on line 'Vinted' I think it is called.
Delete2026 is off to such a slow start for me as the flu has taken up all of my energy and I am just starting to get out of bed and try to do more. Yuck!
ReplyDeleteSounds like your life has been so busy and full and interesting compared to my life, Thelma.
Why do men keep repeating all of the worst mistakes instead of learning from them?
The answer is simple Ellen we come from different ways of thinking, we were just mismatched. I think most lives are interesting we just don't take note along the way. Rest with that flu as well, it takes a long time getting over.
DeleteWhat are grandmothers for if not for sewing hems up and for making granddaughters' tops more revealing than before? Actually, I am surprised that Matilda's attitude to clothes isn't more environmentally responsible. Nowadays, a lot of younger people have come to understand the wisdom of making their clothes last.
ReplyDeleteI think the problem is our society has become more inward looking, focusing on ourselves in a rather large frightening world, and I am not sure of the answer. We can't all go traipsing around the countryside being in love with nature and I do feel the obsessive nature of the handheld phone doesn't help but then I might be showing my age.
DeleteI don't understand young people and their indifference to clothes. I always got attached to my clothes, in a sort of emotional way. I'd have hated to wear something just a few times and then throw it out.
ReplyDeleteWhen looking at that photo above which must be about 30 years old, I note I still have a navy skirt in my wardrobe and the cardigan is handspun and knitted by myself. No change there then. Nowadays it is all down to the mythical world of fashion. The latest brand, the latest words etched on to your t-shirt, or football t-shirt Steve.
ReplyDelete