Hammer Time!

No, “Hammer Time” has absolutely nothing to do with my post today.  It just popped into my mind when I was about to write “Apron Time”.  It was a flashback to the ’80’s and the MC Hammer videos my kids used to watch on MTV.

And I used to sew my son Shane his “Hammer Pants” - remember those wide-legged genie-in-a-bottle-type pants??
He thought he was sooooo cool.  He was, like, ten years old....
Where were the Fashion Police when we needed them???

But I digress......  I had the most wonderful surprise in the mail the other day and I wanted to share it with you.

Many years ago (like ten or so),  I used to travel for my job with relative regularity (once or twice a year) back to our division’s HQ in Morristown, NJ.   Once I asked on the Quiltropolis CQ list if anybody lived out in NJ and could recommend some shopping.  Marilyn L answered, and we ended up meeting.  We had dinner and went shopping that first time, and had alot of fun.  Then we kept in regular touch, gifting each other with treasures from our yard- and thrift-saleing.  Marilyn even brought me back some incredibly beautiful hankies from Italy one year.   Another time when I was back East, Marilyn invited me to stay over one night.  I got to meet her dear hubby Jimmy and her mom.  I marveled at her lovely home and hospitality.  We always had fun!  A couple years ago, Jimmy’s job took them to Rhode Island.  For now they’re sort of biding their time for a handful of years until retirement, when they can return to their New Jersey home.

And over the last two or three years, we’ve corresponded very little, which is primarily my fault.  However, Marilyn does pop in to my blog now and then to say hello, so I know she’s out there!  Imagine my surprise when a package arrived from Marilyn, filled with.... VINTAGE APRONS.  

Apparently she SCORED at an estate sale, and though of me.  They’re lovely, as you can see.  And I got off my ample posterior, tried her email, and wrote a thank you note.  Now we’re back to corresponding again!  I didn’t realize that the email I’d saved for her was her actual, live, current one!

So aren’t these GREAT???   Lots of plaids, checks, vintage florals, rick rack.  Yum!!  

And the best news is that Marilyn will be attending the Crazy Quilting Adventure in Connecticut next April like me, so we’ll get to see each other again!    Thank you, Marilyn, for all the pretties!!

Such a wealth of ideas these aprons are!  The one below is one I found last week at a thrift store for $1.00.  Usually I never see ANY vintage aprons.  But this thrift store was off my beaten path (mental note:  beat a new path, Cathy),  and I was glad I stopped!

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I really don’t enjoy cooking too much.  I used to, but now I’d rather be stitching, sewing, reading, gardening, having a root canal, doing Sudoku, or whatever.   But somehow, some sort of nesting instinct has kicked in over the last week or two.  Must have something to do with the fact that we’ve got apricots and squash coming out our ears!!!  :-)

The yellow crooknecks and zucchini above (2 of each) were cooked up in 2 Tblsp.  balsamic vinegar and 1 Tblsp. butter.   Cathy doesn’t like balsamic vinegar.  Ha!  I LOVED the way this turned out.  Garnished it with a touch of salt and lots of fresh ground pepper.  We ate the whole thing!   Now I plan to experiment instead with olive oil,  adding onions and red peppers, garlic and ground pepper.....

And one of my many batches of apricot jam.  The tiny jars were left over from my lemon curd-making days.  These will make nice little neighbor gifties during the Holidays.    I bought a pressure cooker and am waiting now for green beans (not from MY garden; THAT’S a disaster this year) and whatever else strikes my fancy at the Farmers Market.

Well, now that I’ve gotten myself hungry, I think I’d better run and get something healthy to snack on before dinner.  I have a peach just calling my name.......