Thursday, February 17

the Olympics, Portland and my granny knickers...

they say it is going to snow, drat and double drat is all i can think of.
me and Our #2 are heading out on the highway tomorrow, just the two of us on a road trip to Portland. a couple of days ago i was struck down by the thought, by summer my flock will be down by half in the space of a year. my time is running out fast, the wheels have been set in motion, another set of wings are beginning to stretch...

tomorrow morning, lack of snow permitting, i will pack my toothbrush, my pyjamas and a pair of large undies and the two of us will spend some quality time together for a few days.


to distract me from the 'will it, won't it snow' and my mothering heart strings i have a tale to tell, so if you are sitting comfortably then i shall begin...

it would be quite true to say, i am not the athletic type, in all my 42 years i can only recall one athletic moment of glory and even then it was accidental and not wanted.
around the age of 13, we had to run for miles across the surrounding countryside for PE. it was bitterly cold and being of the scrawny sort, i did not fair well in winter conditions. i think being in a tee shirt and navy blue nylon elasticated granny knickers did not aid my warmth. i ran my blimen' heart out that day, for the sooner i got back to base the greater my chance of staying alive and not being turned into an icicle.

i came in second place, the PE teacher turned and congratulated me, i assumed upon the fact i was still alive with my heart pumping wildly trying to keep my fingers and toes from dropping off. i did note even in my distress she had a somewhat astonished look upon her face. for indeed anyone who knew me back then, would know i did not move very fast, indeed even today i do not. unless i am heading to a thrift store, then i find my pace is picked up tenfold.

i began to feel lightheaded when i heard her talk about Cross Country Meets, representing the school at the next championships, how i had been picked for the team...
i was aghast! i had been tricked! i was under no knowledge i was trying out for a school athletic team position, i was just under the impression the PE teachers were doing what they always did back then, make our lives miserable and then have a good laugh about it in the Staff Room afterwards.

i do not know how, all i know is i did not represent my school. i am quite sure my mother stepped in and wrote a note saying due to skinny legs, bad circulation and mental trauma bought on by having to wear giant nylon underpants in front of large crowds i was not able to participate on the school team.

for the rest of my school years i laid low in PE and never ever caught the teacher's eye, for if i did she looked at me with the look of failure, of one who cannot and will not amount to much.


but ha ha! hee hee! roll on quite a few years and here i am today in my giant granny knickers, this time safely tucked under clothing so as not to be gazed upon by others and it would appear my PE teacher was wrong about my athletic abilities. for i have been shortlisted for not one but two events in the 2011 Handmade Olympics... now that is my kind of athletic event!

i am totally thrilled by this news, which i received a couple of days back. i must say a large 'thanking you kindly' to the folks who took their time to nominate me, to the judges who shortlisted me, and to any other folkie doke involved in what appears to be a very big thing indeed, especially the lovely RicRak herself

the two events i have been shortlisted to compete in are


Event #4 ~ our favorite handmade goodie that inspires loveliness & wellness

and perhaps the one i am most chuffed about


Event #6 ~ our favorite thrifty or vintage-forward blog, shop or site
for this here shiny place, my 'ramblings of dottie angel'

as you will be able to see from the links, i am amongst a peachy bunch of other finalists, who i am quite sure have their own memories of PE as a child and indeed may very well have worn the same giant nylon granny knickers. well not the same exact pair, cause that isn't possible, but a pair similar perhaps in equal horridness and due to skinny legs, the elastic too loose around the legs thus revealing underwear to all the boys.

but i digress, haunted by my PE knickers...
and so my lovely dearest readers, if you may care to cast your vote in my direction i would be most delighted, especially in Event #6 and does not matter what the outcome of the events.
at the end of the day we will all be wearing our knickers, large, small, with elastic or without (and if you must insist, i will allow thongs, although they do nothing for insulation purposes) accompanied by our gold sticky stars, which i have stocked up in, for everyone is a winner in my athletic world :)


and talking of stocking up, i think i will be having to put a 'wanted' notice on my studio window for any passing buttons who may indeed be out of work and looking for a bit of excitement in their lives. i was unable to comment amongst your lovely answers to my giveaway for it would throw off my very tricky brainy technical way of counting the amount of entrants, but i must tell you, each and every comment i have read and felt uplifted by, thank you so kindly for sharing.

she is wondering if any random buttons in Portland fancy a change of scene and will see you on tuesday after the buttons have done their death defying deed ~ Tif

26 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh, congratulations! I am so very happy for you!

NoraAnne said...

I love your story :) Brings back such memories of my track running days and how I loathed it! My votes have been cast for you :) LOVE LOVE LOVE your blog and your lappity lap blankie! GOOD LUCK in the olympics and I hope for NO SNOW!

Connie said...

Hope you have fun on your road trip! Let me know if you need any recommendations on food or activities. I always play tour guide with my visiting friends!

Itchin' Stitchin' said...

Yeah!!! So happy you were shortlisted for the Olympics - I got your lovely email - no thanks needed - I love your blog.

Teresa Kasner said...

Dear Tif, I voted for you and right now you're ahead.. the winner.. the BEST! My hubby is even going to vote for you on his computer. :-)

What will you be doing in Portland? I live in the gorge, you should visit Multnomah Falls and the gorge while you're here!

Hugs, Teresa

Rachel at Stitched in Color said...

It is with great pleasure (and thankful laughter) that I vote for you twice, my dottie friend. Thank goodness your mum rescued you from the PE lady.

fee @ chipper nelly said...

aaah - the button exercsie made my brain hurt! Would share my buttons with you...but a little too far away!

re: granny knickers
in our house (ever since school days) such pants have been known as 'harvest festivals'...all safely gathered in!

Nowadays i don't feel safe without them!
much love
fee x

I'm Deborah said...

how exciting to be shortlisted for TWO events in the most dandy Olympics that I have ever heard about..... I shall be casting my vote lickety split....

the story about the nylon knickers made me smile (oh how well I remember the hideous nylon knicks though I have tried to forget.....) and your mention of 'thongs' raised a snigger too - here in Oz (I too am a Brit abroad) thongs are the name for flip flops, so you sometimes see signs on eating establishment windows saying 'no thongs allowed' and it makes me wonder if they are going to have a quick look at everyones undies just to check that they are not trying to flaunt the rules.....

hope your day remains unsnowy and your time away full of happy times....

dottie angel said...

oh thank you my dearies! i am most chuffed indeed
and yes Deborah, i believe they are flip flops here too, i can't remember now, i get so confused with all these double meaning words. bad enough with bangs/fringe.

Jill said...

I have already voted earlier today for your lovely blog. (in a sing song voice...I think you're going to wi-in...)
I loved your PE storie and lack of athleticism. May need to forward this to my daughter. She'll love it!

Rachele said...

What a great story. I love how you tell em. Hope you have fun in Portland!

<3 nearsightedowl.com

Little Blue Mouse said...

Good luck with your Olympic events, my votes have been cast!

ColinTheComputer said...

Hi Tif,
My master says sorry about the granny knickers. Blame your mother.
Lots of love, CTC
PS. I've voted. Fantastic!

liz said...

I shall cast my vote in your direction. The elastic in my sister's granny knickers gave way when she was at school and she had to tie a knot in them! Still tease her to this day!
Happy weekend. Liz :)

Leanda said...

Such a funny PE story Tif! We are the same age... I'm sure our PE kits were exactly the same. How I remember those knickers! I had about as much enthusiasm for anything athletic as you. My greatest achievement for avoiding double games was hiding and getting myself locked in the changing room for 2 hours. I got detention for that :)

Daisyfleabane said...

Oh my these "athletic" memories do make me laugh. Mine was the time in fifth grade when I threw my wicker lunchbox (which my mother thought was charming, while I dreamed of a nice, new, metal Barbie one) at Donald Mays, the class bully. He had gone too far and I was fed up. Based on experience, he believed me completely incapable of hitting the broad side of a barn, and he never even ducked. I hit him square on and he ended up with a bloody nose, while I relished a rare and rather triumphant moment! He never bothered me again, and we all learned a valuable lesson (blah, blah, blah). I still have that wicker lunchbox, which I lined in leftover toile about 30 years ago. So now, I feel all warm and glowy, just remembering my stunning athleticism, and I feel all warm and glowy for your nominations. Now to go and vote....

dottie angel said...

hurrah! thank you my dearies...
Teresa, thank you for the kind offer, we have our plans all mapped out and we have only one whole day. i have high hopes i will return to Portland in the future for longer so i will be sure to think of you :)

and CTC, you do know all comments are read by my mother, she will see this and it could be your afternoon cup of tea and cake will be in jeopardy ;)

blueberries in the fields said...

oh, i am so sad, i had just finished wrtiting beautiful comment and poof ! as i signed in, it disappeared.
sigh! everything went wrong today, so sad...anyways, wishing you a happy week end with #2. i voted for youand love all of your fascinating stories. :)
much love your way
monique

Pixie said...

Ha! I was tricked as well but unfortunately I agreed to join the team. That lasted for all of one practice when we had to run UP an DOWN the bleachers! Not only am I not athletic, but I am CLUMSY! I quit that same day and decided piano lessons weren't that bad after all.

~ Junkyard Jennifer said...

This is so cool, Tif! I just cast my votes. Best of luck! The little lappity lap quilt is fantastic.

~ Jennifer

Unknown said...

P.E. ~ The most dreaded class of all!

guerrillartmomma said...

Oh how I hope you win! 2 votes for you!

tea 4 tootles said...

Great blog!!! Wonderful to see your dreams coming true!

Lali said...

Voted with pleasure ;-)...best regards from Slovenia!

dottie angel said...

thank you again my dearies for casting your votes in the direction of moi and my granny knickers :)

Candy Pop said...

I love your story - being a 'skinny' girl - the very same thing happened to me! :)

Congrats!