Miss Jess wrote a very humerous post about her daughter’s hair plight this morning and it reminded me of a certain summer in my young daughter’s life.  I think she was about 9 or 10 and her friend’s mother wanted her to come to their cottage on the lake to spend a week with them.  Mary-Kate have very thick long hair.  Her hair also has a life of it’s own.  When she was younger I used to keep it braided in long very thick braids all of the time.  That was the only way to keep it under control.  The only time that she wore it down was for special occasions and only for VERY short periods of time, then back into braids it would go.  I got so I could braid it so tight it would last three days.  If I braided it when it was wet it would still be wet the next day when I took it down to brush it. 

That summer that she got invited to the cottage, Mary, her friends mother, asked me to leave her hair down.  She always wondered why I kept it up when she had such lovely hair.  I would just roll my eyes and say that she had no idea what she was saying.  So I sent Mary-Kate to the cottage with her hair down knowing that Mary would regret it. 

They got there and of course the girls wanted to go swimming first thing.  That was the beginning of the end of the hair.  Mary told me later that it took all of one day to brush the tangles out of that hair and get it braided.  Never again did she ask me why I didn’t let her wear it down.  Even now, at 19, MK wears it with a bandana tied around it to keep it tamed and I am relieved that I no longer have to take care of all that hair.

Mk and her friend Therese in their “Dorothy” dresses at the lake.

While cleaning out a cabinet today. I was looking for more room for table linens.  I found the pattern for these little pinafores.  They’re called Popover Pinafores.  When MK was little she had many, many of these in all sizes and colors.  She was one of the messiest children that I knew.  So I would just put one of these on her so that the dress that I had labored over wouldn’t be ruined by whatever she happened to get into that day.  When her pinafore got too stained I would just make a rag out of it or throw it away. 

After coming across the patterns I just couldn’t resist making one.  I unearthed a couple of coordinating scraps of fabric and this is what I came up with.  I have a friend with three young daughters in a row who I know would appreciate getting a few of these.  I think I will make a few more tomorrow.  It is even reversible.

Outside my window…..It’s cold and the wind is blowing.  I heard Ian leave sometime around 4 this morning so I assume that it has been snowing.  It is still dark out there.

I am thinking…….deep thoughts about family and sadness.  This is going to be a dark day if I don’t work very hard to fight off the blackness.

From the schoolroom……..nothing yet, but Matthew  and Brett will be hard at work when we get home from Mass.

I am thankful for……prayers and the ability to pray.

From the kitchen……..hooray!!!!! Matthew just ate the last of the pizza and wings so they aren’t there tempting me.  Tomorrow is Fat Tuesday so I have to plan on pancakes for supper.  Today I think it is pulled pork for supper.

I am wearing………long johns, blue tee shirt and slippers.  I have to get my shower and get ready for Mass as soon as Matthew is done in the bathroom.

I am reading………The Maxims of Christian Chivalry

I am hoping……….to get my broken sewing machine dropped off this morning, get the batting and backing for the completed quilt tops.

I am creating………a plan for lent

I am hearing……the wind blowing outside my window and the sounds of Matthew taking his shower.

Around the house……..all is quiet, too quiet.

One of my favorite things……..warm cozy evenings, wrapped in a quilt, reading a book.

A few plans for the rest of the week…….get out the quilt frame and get these quilts basted and ready to be quilted, along with laundry, classes, holy hour, ash wednesday, and stations of the cross on friday.  Oh, and did I mention that I have to pick up MK to make sure that she gets to church on Wednesday.

Here is a picture thought that I am sharing with you………….

Lupus had to pose for this picture.  She is feeling a little lonely since MK went back to school.  That’s here “please come home” look.

This one has a mistake in it that only I can tell.  Just remember, never piece in the dark.  Especially when your eyesight isn’t that good.

Seven snowmen all appliqued and ready for the setting squares.  The machine is really humming.  When the weather is cold and blustery this is about the only thing that someone who cannot risk falling can do.