Stories from the Carsonville Hills
My great grandmother had dementia. She lived in the back of her son’s house but had her own room and a sitting room. Mother remembers riding in the horse-drawn sleigh across the snow-packed roads to her uncle’s house and seeing her grandmother drift mysteriously through the living room. Though she often didn't know where she was or who she was with, in other matters, nothing escaped her.
Women had just started wearing pants, and great-grandmother frowned on that. She’d look askance at a lady in pants and cast that disapproval mother’s way who, upon this occasion, had dared don a functionable pair of trousers with pockets for the ride through the snow.
In great-grandmother's day women sat stern with reddened hands, legs together, baked bread in their house dress, milked cows in their barn dress, and herded the children to bed in their nightdress.
Mother was on the cusp of attending Marygrove College in Detroit. A woman on the move who dressed smart but sometimes wore pants.
Sharing this little story (prose poem?) with Desperate Poets (something desperately different) and Poets and Storytellers United. The prompt is Triumph or Disaster. I look at this as a triumph for my mother given the times. But we woman are still fighting for decent pockets in everything!!
20 comments:
I wanted to know more....I think I was the first to wear pants....Your Mum was more modern than mine....although she did wear Backless summer frocks.
Your story reminds me so much of the generations of women in my family.
Ral, a backless summer frock seems much more adventursome (and fun) than pants!! Thanks for commenting.
Vanessa,
Hello there! Thank you. There is a common thread in that generation.
I love your story and do think it was a triumph!
Decent pockets in everything- that about sums it up!! There's always someone who wants to tell a woman how to dress.. the battle resonates!
Rosemary,
Thank you so much!
Rajani,
Exactly. Pockets in everything and men mind their own business!! Thanks for commenting.
Only old age and decrepitude finally made my grandmother submit to wearing "trousers," so I can relate to this mindset. Nicely told.
I was just thinking yesterday about how, if we live long enough, we end up in a very different world than the one we began in.
Such an innocent feel to this writing. Todays pants here in Scotland are of the 'almost a second skin, see through yoga variety' Can't imagine what Granny would say.
I enjoyed this look back, a time I revere in memory - my Grandma lived in the time of horse and buggy, and she would be APPALLED at what "society" has come to. Smiles. I really enjoyed reading this vignette. We have so much material for our writing when we look back! A treasure trove!
Hedgewitch, Thanks. I wonder what decrepitude will entice me to do?!
Fireblossom,
So true. Things have changed so much just in the past 25 years. Thanks for commenting.
Paul John,
Thank you so much. Nice to hear from Scotland! Honestly, that's much the style here too. Granny would be aghast!
Sherry,
Yes, indeed. When I look back at old journals I get inspired. Thanks!
We need those pockets!!
My. grandmother was not impressed with pants either. Times have changed and I'm very glad of that!
I love this tale, Yvonne! Such memories make juicy vignettes to retell. A lady must always own a good pair of trousers. Or jeans. Though I do love that your great-grandmother had a day dress, a barn dress and a night dress to perform all necessary tasks! :-D I'm forever adding pockets into dresses, women always have need of a pocket!
Thanks Sunra!
I keenly remember my own grandmother always in a dress she called her "day dress". In some ways, when it's super hot, dresses can be more comfortable than pants. That said, all we women want are choices-pockets, and for men to leave us alone!!
All, and I meant to thank you JEMI.
Here's a story I'd like to see continued!
Brendan,
How true. But as we get older the gazes don't linger.
Purple Pen,
Hmmm, I could do that. Thanks!
I love this story, and the look back at the customs of my grandma's day. My Grandma, in the 1950's, referred to my grandpa as Mr Marr when speaking ofhim to her lady friends, Miss Hicks, Mrs Goodfriend, Mrs Herbst....all formally addressed. She would have afternoon tea parties in her tiny cottage front room. Two card tables would be set up for bridge, and the ladies would come in dresss, hats and gloves, for cards and afternoon tea. My grandma never wore a pair of pants in her life until one day my cousin and I encouraged her to try on a pants suit. We took a picture, and her daughters were shocked! Smiles.
p.s. She was in her 90's then, and the pants suit was ORANGE!
My grandparents played brige too. They were even in a bridge club. I never mastered it, or even tried. All we every play is euchre. I think bridge if more complicated. I love your story. Too bad you don't have a picture of that orange pant suit!
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