Tag: gifts

On Boxer Shorts

Nick and Conor, cousins’ overnight.

They tell me I used to patch our boys’ boxer shorts. I hardly remember doing that, but I do know that I’m thrifty.

One time, I made the boys some boxers out of quilting fabric, some of which was pretreated to glow in the dark. When I was awakened by a son having a nightmare, for instance, and coming into our dark bedroom, it soon became myself who was frightened (then laughing) by this moving blob of light bouncing into the room.

When boxers were a forgotten item on a recent roadtrip, we had to stop at WalMart for Hanes, or Fruit of the Looms, necessary basics for sure.

I used to make doll clothes, and Ken was not left out!

Boxer shorts, Ken size. From my vintage 1962 collection.

On 55th and Jackson St, site of our first Omaha home, the sidewalks were so bad that the city summoned us to repair them, or have the city do it (for a very high price). You can guess that Dan and a couple of neighbors banded together to do the job on a sultry summer’s day. Sweat ensued with dripping results. Sitting around our porch afterwards, with cold drinks in hand, admiring the work, everyone was happy.

Liz thought that Tony should go take a shower and then come back for a cold drink, but, no, he came as he was, with “something” dragging below his summer shorts. Liz was teasing him about it, and I said, “Well, what do you expect from boxer shorts?” , to which Tony and Liz both hooted and howled with, “Those aren’t boxers!”. Oh boy! We all laughed.

When Conor, now 41, was 13, I made a Joe Boxer quilt, ostensibly for him as a birthday gift, but mostly for me, because I got a kick out of the novelty prints.

100% cotton quilt, my first large quilt. Some of these fabrics glowin the dark.

This quilt was on exhibit in the Omaha Quilt Show, and won honorable mention. It was hand quilted by me in our living room, on a portable frame that I checked out from the Quilt Guild. I own this quilt and nap under it on summer afternoons every chance I get.

The brand “Joe Boxer” also designed flannel fabrics. In January, 1995, at our annual small group (The Comfortmakers) quilters’ retreat at Mahoney State Park, I started to make boxer shorts for the men in my family as Christmas gifts. I told myself that I would make one a month, and that is how I would get them done by Christmas. I only needed 6, so I had room to fudge on that goal.

The opening of the gifts, Carroll, IA, 1995 Christmas.

The guys were good sports and seemed to like their gifts.

Rob, Dad, Jim, Marty, Ed, and Tony, kindly modeling for me.

I’ve sure enjoyed my life with boxer shorts!

Shirley

On Whipped Cream

My yellow whipped cream bowl. Contemplating the goodness.

Because I’ve recently enjoyed a slice of pecan pie, with whipped cream, I thought I would post this musing from November 22, 2014.

Dan’s mother, Betty, would always whip the cream on the holidays when we visited, in a medium sized yellowware bowl. It was sturdy and nicely shaped. I loved how the whipped cream looked in there!

Dan’s mother, Betty Neary

I knew where cream came from because I have a vague memory of Grandma Schelle (or Mom?) pouring off a layer of cream on fresh milk. Our neighbors were dairy farmers.

However, for most of my childhood, we used the powdered “Dream Whip” boxed product that you added milk to, and then whipped it up.

We loved this!

After that, it was Cool Whip for many years. Or, the whipped cream in a can that my Grandma Thelen used. I really loved that!

Then, I got married, and noticed my mother-in-law, Betty’s real whipped cream.WOW! How fantastic! I still used Cool Whip a lot, while our 4 kids were growing up. Crazy to think about it now, all of those plastic containers and chemicals in the fake whipped cream!

But somewhere in those years, I started whipping fresh cream. I remember putting some in my coffee in the afternoon, if I was watching kids from our babysitting co-op, and I’d sit on the couch for a bit, and enjoy that.

 Also, we had a cylindrical Tupperware container, with a little mixer inside, to whip cream in. One time, I shook it so long that the air pressure built up and the lid flew off! It had become butter, flying all over the dining room, and my new navy cotton sweater I was wearing. It also hit Leigh, about 4 months old, in her baby swing, and Mom at the table. It was a huge mess, and even worse, there was no whipped cream for dessert!

Then, our oldest son, Bryan, became interested in good, delicious food as a young adult, and married husband and father. He makes the very best whipped cream! It has just the right amount of sugar, and a consistency that holds up well. He brings a generous supply of it to our holiday dinners. We have lots left over to enjoy and maybe freeze, remembering Bryan’s gift later.

Now, our grandson, Gus, knows the method. He offered me some that he had made, to take home last Thanksgiving, and this year too. Such a treat, and once in awhile, it’s worth it!

Shirley