Another Mess

Delle and Jane in the kitchen.

Delle, Mz Mary, Mimi and Jane posing after lunch.

Jane has almost finished the day bed spread.

A close up of the bedspread.

Jane is the spry one of the ladies so she came outside to greet us as we were getting out of the silver bullet. Mimi got out and held onto the side of the car until she could make it to the portable walker that I had gotten out of the trunk. Jane held the door for us to get inside the house.

I was amazed at all the beautiful furnishing that Delle had and how it looked like everything was in it's place and not overdone or too crowded. Her table was set with blue china and the crystal had blue stems. I would have loved to taken more photos but alas this would have been unmannerly of me. So I just drunk in all the wonderful furnishings.

Delle has a black lab who greeted us with barks but was so well behaved like her breed is inclined to be.

As we were waiting to be called to lunch, Jane spread her handy work on the floor so we could see it. She announced it had only taken her 75 years to finish it. I thought she was kidding so I let out a horse laugh. Mimi said "No it is true." Found out she had been working on knitting the spread since she was in high school. I admired how tiny the stitches were and how it was so uniformed. I am sure I would have ended with one wide end and one narrow end as I would have tighten my stitches over 75 years. Her oldest daughter is turning 60 and she is gonna give it to her as a Burpday present. At the moment she is working on an edge to be added on the side that will show. This is an Ann Orr pattern of Calvin Coolidge's Great Grandmother's spread. Ann Orr lived here in Nashville and Mimi has been generous and gave me the books with her patterns.

Jane was the one who invited Mimi to join the Sewing Club sixty years ago. Both were working on baby clothes for their coming bundles of joys. Both ladies had girls. So the Sewing Club came into Mimi's life while she was with her first child.

Jane was one of the original founders and invited Mimi to join the club. There were only twelve ladies and two left because it was not their cup of tea, and one moved away and the others have made their passage into Heaven.

Delle announced at the table that she was having the Sixty Anniversary luncheon for the Club. Mz Patty, Sandra and I were honored guests. Delle has not been quite well and she had a sinking spell and Jane came to the rescue. I wanted to help but Jane informed me all was under control. We had a chicken and rice casserole , fresh asparagus with a congealed fruit salad served on a bed of lettuce with a dollop of mayonnaise on top. Home made rolls were passed and each of us had green ice tea to wash the wonderful meal down with. For dessert, Sandra had made some chocolate brownies which was served with ice cream and coffee. A true southern luncheon was enjoyed by all.

The ladies spoke of politics, health issue and estate sales along with folks I had never heard of but were acquaintances of theirs.

After the grand meal we visited in the Living room and that is where I took most of the photos. One of the first comments, Mimi made is she could see Opie(who is no longer with us) in the chair across the way as she had always sat in that chair. I wanted to know where Harriet sat and I had her place of honor. Harriet just left us a few months ago. Each lady was delightful in their own right.

When I came into the family, several of the ladies still had their husbands and a Christmas party was held for the Sewing Club and their spouses. This was the first time I really got into the tradition of the club. When they first started and for a long time in my memory, each lady would take turn and as the clock would tick, every three weeks the ladies got together at someones house for a luncheon. I remember we would clean, polish and dither about the food to be prepared and Prince would grumble about having to eat Sewing Food leftovers. Mimi always tried different things but some of the ladies had a set menu that they would prepare.

As the club has now dwindled down to four ladies from twelve it is now a hit or miss kind of affair as Father time has been catching up to the majority except Jane. Remember she was the one dancing in Alan Jackson's video just this summer.

The kitty justice is that we should all strive for such a club with such longevity.