Daily Archives: February 8, 2023

My Plaid Luggage

Things, Travel, , ,

Before I went to England for an extended period of time, I treated myself to a nice set of luggage. Knowing that I was going to be responsible for hauling my luggage around, I was excited to find some large suitcases with wheels. The fact that they were beautiful was just icing on the cake. This was back before most luggage had wheels, so it was indeed a great find. It seems to me that I spent around $200 on them. That’s more than $900 in today’s money.

This style luggage was seen on WKRP in Cincinnati (the only episode I ever watched) and in Rocky IV where a robot tells Rocky’s coach to “be careful with the plaid ones, they belong to the boss”.

The zippers broke on at least one. We had the zippers repaired so could still use them, and did for a while but then better roller suitcases came along so I quit using these suitcases as suitcases.

Eventually we gave them to Clare when she went off to college — they were perfect for storing under her bed. She didn’t take them with her when she left for Olympia so they sat in the knee wall, full of her stuff, for nearly ten years.

We’ve emptied one and made the sad decision to let the trashmen haul it away tomorrow when they pick up our garbage. I’m pretty sad, but since it zips up on both sides and both zippers are broken (and expensive to repair) it would be silly to keep it. We still have the other, larger one.

Mom’s Sewing Machine Instructions

Emotions, Things, , , ,

My mom had an Elna sewing machine that ended up being sold at the estate sale. I kick myself for not taking this — even though our history was complicated. I don’t sew. I tried, I failed. I hated that sewing machine with a passion. On the other hand, it was a big part of my childhood — mom sewed often — my first pair of jeans, all of my middle school and high school dance dresses, a perfect gothic cloak for Clare.

The information plate and on/off switch
Similar model of Elna Sewing machine
Me, on the left wearing one of mom’s creations
Me on the right wearing one of mom’s creations

It came in a green metal carrying case.

Dad bought the sewing machine for mom from Hall’s in Elgin. Hall’s no longer exists, but I think the building does.

Even though I don’t have the actual machine, I do have the instruction book. And honestly, just looking through the booklet stresses me out.

Around the World Program Booklet: Puerto Rico

Things, Travel, ,

Before Stitch Fix, before Barkbox, before Hello Fresh, before Little Passports there was American Geographical Society‘s Around the World Program, a monthly subscription box for kids that included a booklet, a map, stickers and a trinket from countries all over the world.

It was expensive — so much so that my mom let me get it for only a year or so, but I vividly remember many of the trinkets. I didn’t really read about the countries and probably didn’t use the stickers in the booklet.

The two trinkets I remember most were from India and Ecuador (I think). The gift from India was a tiny seed pod filled with carved ivory elephants. The seed pod had an ivory colored (could have been carved ivory too) stopper. The gift from Ecuador was a handheld drum with beads on strings so one could twist the stick and make noises with the drum.

I don’t remember what Puerto Rico had to offer though.

I’m actually keeping this for a while since we’re planning a trip to Puerto Rico sometime in the not-so-distant future. Plus, I read a couple of fiction books by Camille Pagán that took place mostly in Puerto Rico. This little booklet mentions a few things that Pagán wrote about, including Phosphorescent Bay on Vieques Island.