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

for my lappity lap blanket

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