A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....04-18-06....Sides-To-Middle

Billie | Better Homes & Gardens, May, 2006 | Gillian Driscoll

[Billie]

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day

Free Republic made its debut in September, 1996, and the forum was added in early 1997.   Over 100,000 people have registered for posting privileges on Free Republic, and the forum is read daily by tens of thousands of concerned citizens and patriots from all around the country and the world.

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day was introduced on June 24, 2002. It's only a small room in JimRob's house where we can get to know one another a little better; salute and support our military and our leaders; pray for those in need; and congratulate those deserving. We strive to keep our threads entertaining, fun, and pleasing to look at, and often have guest writers contribute an essay, or a profile of another FReeper.

On Mondays please visit us to see photos of A FEW OF FR'S VETERANS AND ACTIVE MILITARY

If you have a suggestion, or an idea, or if there's a FReeper you would like to see featured, please drop one of us a note in FR mail.

We're having fun and hope you are!
~ Billie, Dutchess, DollyCali, GodBlessUSA, JustAmy ~

by Gillian Driscoll

I recently came across an item in a magazine that showcased a bed linen manufacturer's latest innovation -- a sheet for temperature-challenged couples. It allows one person to slumber under cool cotton, the other under cozy fleece.

That swept me back to my childhood, a time of scarcity and rationing in post-World War II England, when my mother used to sit at her hand-cranked Singer sewing machine, steadily guiding yards of sheeting under the needle.

"What are you doing?" I asked once, with the curiosity of a 5-year-old.

"I'm sides-to-middling," she replied. Noticing my baffled look, she paused the shiny black machine (which had belonged to her mother) to explain. "I've cut the sheets down the middle, and because the outside is less worn, I'm sewing the edges together. Then I'll hem the raw edges, which used to be the middle, and we'll have sheets that will last a year or two more before you put your big toe through them."

I accepted the explanation and happily carried on playing.

Sewing sides-to-middle was just part of her routine. Like many mothers of that era, she made clothing by hand and "padded" meals with barley and rice to make meat go farther. Scratch-cooking, baking and making amazingly delicious dishes with leftovers was second nature. My mother rode a bicycle -- everywhere -- to the shops, to the laundromat, to visit her friends.

These memories brought me back to the present with a jolt. I suddenly felt guilty. Today, I tend to tighten my belt only when neessary, and I spend like the good consumer my (now-American) culture expects me to be. Mother would certainly cringe at some of my wasteful practices, and as I abandon things I have no further use for, I hear her voice admonishing me. "There's plenty of life left in that!"

Thinking it through some more, however, I realize that our generation carries on the motto of "waste not, want not" in more updated ways. What community nowadays doesn't encourage the recycling of glass, plastic, metal, and paper? Schools collect used printer cartridges and old mobile phones to help boost funds. Many household items with plenty of life left in them get donated to thrift stores run by charities.

Which reminds me -- it's Wednesday and our local thrift store is having a half-price sale, so I really must be going. And the weather is so nice that I think I'll ride my bicycle.

Have a Finest Kind of Day!                                               

03-28-06 ~ Hall of Fame #15

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 04-17-06 Military Monday

Opinions by our own 'King of Ping' Every Thursday at the Finest The guy's good, folks!

[Billie]

[Billie]

[DollyCali]

Oh.. I LOVE The ping.. haven't even opened the thread yet! Love the colors..rose/gray.. (well, it looks gray on my computer!). Cant wait to see the thread. Have been spending a fun few hours trying to install MS Office.. as usual Murphy is my friend

[Billie]

You're seeing the right colors. :) Thanks, dolly, and also thanks for Thursday this week. :)

[Billie]

P.S. There's dolly at the end of the post! LOL

[Billie]

Below are names of some of our FReepers' loved ones who are serving our country. If you have someone you would like to add, please address a post to

Billie; Dutchess; DollyCali; Mama_Bear; The Mayor; GodBlessUSA,
and we will add their name to this list. As we pray for them, we pray also for all our nation’s leaders, and military personnel, and their families and friends. May God hold them close to His heart.

gator girl........................husband severa............husband, brother Maigrey.........................cousin mystery-ak...........son, husband Gogrammy.................grandson Inspectorette.......................son deadhead.......................cousin Blessed American..........nephew Slip18..........................nephew Diver Dave........niece, nephew ConspiracyGuy........2 nephews Pippin............niece's husband sneakers..........................son weldgophardline.....brotherinlaw jamaly.................brotherinlaw Future Snake Eater.......cousin WaterDragon............grandson WaterDragon...........son-in-law BeforeISleep.....................son kimmie7......................brother Armymarinemom..........3 sons american_ranger...............son LadyX.......................grandson fawn796......................nephew ValerieUSA..................2 sons Lakeside......................2 sons LakeLady....................nephew Spruce......................daughter Bykrbayb..........................son Leofl.................................son chena...............................son Hope and Glory..................son Philman_36.............2 nephews bjcintennessee........son, niece TheMayor...............friends'son Doug from Upland.......soninlaw homeschoolmama........nephew ariamne...................2 cousins mhking.........................cousin gonzo...................friend's son visualops......................cousin auboy..........................cousin LoneRedRanger...brother-in-law Ladysmith.nephew, friend's son tina07......soninlaw & his friend MontanaCowgirlCop......brother nelibeli........................nephew Misty4jc.....................husband Colorado Slim..............nephew Tapatio....................2 nephews ProudAFDad......................son Alouette.............................son Katydidnt...........................son Zechariah_8_13....brother-in-law Zechariah_8_13.............cousin PreviouslyA-Lurker........brother sheeza.......................husband kemathen7..................husband Q6-God..................twin brother Q6-God....................active duty Warrior Nurse...........active duty SK1 Thurman...........active duty David Osborne..........active duty fc2tomschermuly......active duty bkwells....................active duty LongCut...................active duty cjk...........................active duty Trish........................active duty ODC-GIRL................active duty AF_Blue...................active duty Notwithstanding........active duty thumperusn..............active duty Veloxherc.................active duty Don Simmons...........active duty wingnutx...................active duty Old Sarge.................active duty CGblue.....................active duty bigghurtt...................active duty frankiep....................active duty veeceeque................active duty JRios1968................active duty NoLongerFreeState...active duty CMS........................active duty

OhioWfan................................son ladtx..................................2 sons Its_me_K.E.T.........................son Hostel............................cousin MozartLover...........son, nephew ak_daddoo........................nephew Dubya............................nephew LBGA (RIP)..........................son katykelly..............................son cookcounty.............................son Himyar....................................son SpookBrat........................nephew SpookBrat........................cousin boxerblues........................2 sons the piper..............................son Tiffee4Bob......................boyfriend JimRobinson...............2 nephews TexKat.......................son, step-son StarCMC.............................brother Consort........................2 daughters Consort.......................son-in-law Darheel...............................niece Donaeus...........................nephew dixie sass........................nephew BeAllYouCanBe........................son Repubmommy........................brother AgThorn................................2 sons kneezles.................................son RoseinRoseBear.....cousin's hubby Atomic Conspiracy......half-brother Atomic Conspiracy...........nephew Atomic Conspiracy..............niece Sunflowergal....................grandson mrstank..............................husband MrsMike31........................husband spotbust1............................husband campfollower............................fiance LUV W........................................son painter...................................nephew SilentServiceCPOWife........husband Walkenfree................2 grandsons Walkenfree.................. 3 nephews Walkenfree..................granddaughter DirtyHarryY2K......................daughter DirtyHarryY2K................son-in-law Skimask.....................................son Palladin...............................grandson MississippyMuddy...................sister MississippyMuddy.....2 nephews Kramster...............................stepson Socratic.............................nephew Jemian...................................son freema.......................nephew, son Azbushgal..............................son kimmykay.................................son right2parent..............................son NavySEAL F-16........................son Ike..........................................son repubmom...............................son wolfcreek..........................daughter JesseJane ...........................cousin Roses0508..............................son pmmd81..................................son GodBlessUSA......................cousin SoldiersPrayingMom.................son WakeUpandVote..................brother Skyraider.................................son CyberAnt...........................nephew mrs tiggywinkle...................cousin Jen's Mom........................daughter Meg33.............................grandson 911angelady........................2 sons Nadine...............................nephew U S Army EOD.................daughter weldgophardline.......................son jrushing....................................son thehumanlynx...........brother-in-law JFC..................................nephew Earthdweller......................nephew Scubachick.......................husband ChairmanDec19thSociety ..brotherinlaw Anthem............................2 cousins meanie monster .........family friend PragmaticWarrior..........2 nephews

[Billie]

Will be back in the morning. Nite all!

[MHGinTN]

When the edge of my collars on dress shirts I wore to work started fraying, my then wife would 'deseam' them and turn the collar over to reattach it. Doubled the use of my dress shirts when we were poor and happy. Thax for the ping, BTW, Billie.

[DollyCali]

Lovely presentation of a pertinent article Billie.. I for one am part of the throw away mentality(well at least it is retired to garage.. like the collection of new but unusable vacuum sweepers). Wonderful pledge. thanks for opening the Tuesday doors to the Finest.

think I will admit for now that MS Office has bettered me for today.. and catch some Zzzzzzs. there is always tomorrow to get further frustrated trying?

[DollyCali]

yes, I saw it.. sadly I have yet to get on my bike in this nice weather.. Home front compllications & huge yard clean up effort (and just scratched surface) has eaten up my time. I may take the couple hours tomorrow to pedal around a bit.

lovely graphics throughout. that gentle, soft "billie" touch

[Jack Deth]

For The Ladies Of The Finest!


The Cabinet Meeting





The Great Grand Cats of the Third Floor Flats
Decided that they would have a Meeting
Atop Rapunzel's wide, scarred, antique cabinet
Where there would be lots of room and plenty of comfortable seating

The Ladies were gathered to discuss and decide
What to do with the new Family that had just arrived
And spent the day carrying furniture into Flat 305
While trying to sneak in a kennel that was very hard to hide

The Ladies were quite in their element
Posing questions that drew discussion, yet little dissent
As to when and how to invite the latest arrival to their little group
When the door creaked open slowly and threw the Ladies in Attendance for a loop!

For there, wrapped in the doorway's streaming light
Appeared to The Ladies a most breathtaking sight
A lithe, muscular Tom in a glossy ebony coat, white spats and vest
Who would be very soon putting The Ladies to the test!


Jack Deth~ 04/18/06.

[MEG33]

So beautiful! I just had a flash memory of an old flannel sheet I found among my mother's linens..soft and very thin..and a seam down the middle..

"If you don't need it don't buy it" was a theme during WW2 years..already in force for many because of the Great Depression.

My favorite memory of a new coat was one fashioned using a hand me down..Mother had made a tie on hood trimmed in grey rabbit fur to match, using the extra fabric from the adult coat...It was a grey blue coat and I loved it.

[La Enchiladita]

[La Enchiladita]

THAT is the most beautiful graphic... the colors are divine.

[antceecee]

My Grandmother and Great-Grandmother never threw away a piece of clothing. Whatever was not used in an alternative piece of clothing or quilt was cut into strips, seamed together and wound into large balls of fabric yarn. These made it's way into countless numbers of rag-rugs or potholders. They were actually quite beautiful. My Grandmother and my Mother remember that our Old Memere kept her balls of fabric and other yarn in a long wooden crate kept in the upstairs hall (also served as a bench).
I loved to look at the quilts and point to the pieces of fabric and tell my brothers and sisters "hey there's the pair of shorts you wore in third grade and there's my favorite shirt!".

[MEG33]

Thank you, Jack

[Jack Deth]

You're welcome, MEG!

Great photo!

How are your little ones doing tonight?

Jack.

[MEG33]

My mother in law's mother made beautiful quilts..I recall a "throw" that was made out of scrap squares and decorated with a large blanket stitch made by my grandmother,too..There were velvet squares included and I loved it....

I have one of my mother in law's quilts in good shape.

The mending basket was always out and no one ever wore unmended clothes or had a hanging hem on their dress or sleeve!

[MEG33]

That is the largest of my little one's,TRubble. He was playing with a fake mouse, pushed it under an old "kitty" floor mat and went under to "catch it". Not good background for a picture but he was looking so cute!

[snugs]

Sides to middle I can remember my mum doing that as late the 1970s.

Also she made handkerchiefs from cotton sheets that had worn too thin or had already been sides to middled.

Old shirts became rags for dirty jobs.