Silver and Gold

Yesterday's planned blog post was rescheduled due to my distraction at the sudden arrival of...

Christmas Cupcakes!

 

These aren't just any old cupcakes, mind you - these are Santa's favorites,

Chocolate Mint Cupcakes

Let's just say that once these bad boys arrived, we needed a little private time together, 'kay? (The word is "mouthgasm")

This past weekend I received an early Christmas present from a new friend, someone I connected with through the wide and ranging blogiverse.  She found a unusual treasure she thought I might appreciate, packaged it up with another little booklet and a pin bearing her "signature symbol", and here it is:

McCall's Needlework & Crafts - Spring/Summer 1962

Proclaiming itself to be the "Biggest Spring/Summer Issue Ever!" and full of patterns "Fun to Knit for the Whole Family!" along with "Helpful Household Hints", and ads that just make me giggle.  I'm betting if you already passed through that era in your adult years this isn't quite so funny, but for those of us who missed it, this is great stuff. 

Of course, at this point a lot of the fashions pictured have either come back in style or have achieved that oh so fabulous "retro" status. Plenty of these items could be knit and worn today and look just fine, if not downright stylish, I fully recognize that.  But it's the magazine photos themselves that crack me up. 

Here's a few of my favorites:

 

Cute dresses but lordy I do not want to know what that man is doing or why he is dressed as a genie.  If there were a police officer in the photo we'd think he was "assuming the position" but otherwise? He's on his way home from a costume party and stopped to...nevermind. Just get your three wishes granted and move along.

Okay - so who ever does THIS with a friend watching?  And fully dressed?

"Marge, I told you not to take that last slice of cake!"

"Oh shut up Betty, I'm feeling bloated and I'm sure it's just water."

And one of my favorites, 'cause anyone's who's traveled by air in the last few years can get a kick out of it.  Please note however, that all these ladies have their shoes on.

"Miss, did you purchase this ginormous bottle of Chanel No. 5 at the duty-free shop?"

"Oh that little bitty thing?  I forgot all about it!"

In the same mail delivery I also received one of those family holiday newsletters, the kind that usually just either bore or annoy me.  But this one was from a very old friend, someone whose life was intertwined with mine for many years and during that time we shared a lot of laughter, and no small amount of tears.  Our lives took very different paths and I think we struggled to understand each other's choices, even as we accepted and defended them to anyone else who dared to question.  Receiving that letter brought back so many memories, and as I read her words and saw photos of their family as they've grown, I realized how rare that is, to survive the years and distance of miles apart, and still keep some fragile connection, a precious essence of friendship. 

Something to ponder as I look toward a new year, and new choices.