Tuesday, February 05, 2008

all the names (and a contest!)

I'm soooo sleepy. My own fault. Last night I worked the Kenmore until 3am. Getting up for work at 7 was impossible. 7 became 8, and that was still painful.
It's just that I'm over the moon about this machine, see. I had to finish a bag for Mr. Stevens, one he ordered back in -- November? October? It was a pretty heavy duty job, what with the denim and the woven interfacing and the lining and the seams like concrete and all. I'd started it way back when, but was dreading sewing over all that thickness, even with Rilla.

I promise, promise, promise, pictures in the next post. I'm having trouble naming the Kenmore. I'd like a little help from you, my friends.

I usually name everything after my maternal grandmother, Rosie. (When writing sample sentences for my grammar classes, I used Rosie so much -- "Rosie will buy candy for us, her beloved grandchildren," and "Have you seen Rosie, the girl in the blue dress, who was riding her bicycle?" -- that every time I'd pick up the dry erase marker my students would mock, Here comes Rosie.) Now that I've got, er, multiple sewing machines, I have to branch out. Rosie is my Featherweight, of course. Rilla, the 404, is named after Rosie's sister, the greatest great aunt in the history of the world. The names fit to a tee, as Rosie was short, plump, and darker brown, and Rilla was taller and very light complexioned (they had different mothers; Aunt Rilla's was bi-racial). Aunt Rilla wasn't a particularly large woman, but she had one of those legendary behinds that you could balance a tray on. Her real name was Ariller. Ariller Crowder. My grandmother was Rosie Lee Crowder Robinson. Anyway! I'm rambling. I guess I just miss my grandmother and aunt and mother and step-mother and great-grandmother and all the other women in my family who have passed on. Good girls, they were. Each and every one. What with the LOS (lack of sleep) my defenses against nostalgia are non-existent.

So. Naming. Here are the names I've picked out so far:

Blanche -- my stepmom
Maggie -- another great aunt
Ruby -- my grandfather's mistress (Don't ask. She was family like that.)
Ida -- my grandfather's mistress's mother (She was, too.)
Doris -- my favorite cousin
Virgie Lee -- my great grandmother (Rosie's mom)
Betty Jean -- another cousin

After I post pictures of the machine, tell me which name you think is most fitting. Know what? If I get multiple votes for the name I end up picking, I'll enter everyone who suggests that name in a drawing and send along a little prize. If only one person goes for the name I end up picking, it'll be an instant win. Odds for victory should be good!

Hey, in the words of the Golden Girls, thank you for being a friend.

A camera phone chronology of my walk to the library yesterday:

12 comments:

Christie said...

Oh, you're over there! Hmmm...do we have to wait for pictures of the machine? I guess I'll wait. And I have an Aunt Ernestine...she was my grandpop's girlfriend...so don't even stress about explaining.

carlita dee said...

Yep. I'll post pics tomorrow.

Adrienne said...

ohh fun. I wanna see the pic too lol NOW GO TO BED LOL

Laurie Ann said...

Even without a picture, I am voting for Ruby. It fits the R names and she's the temptress keeping you up all night as mistresses are known to do.

Anonymous said...

You didn't do that distance on foot??? Hope you didn't take on too much for that poor leg.

I vote for Blanche. Just as I scrolled down and saw the name I associated the machine with the 'Golden Girls' being a golden girl itself...Blanche - fiesty, headstrong and unfailing. Blanche it should be.
Heather

Ellen Bloom said...

The Kenmore will be your FAVORITE machine, so I vote for the name of your favorite cousin...Doris!

My favorite cousin is Carolyn. Hmmm? Carolyn Kenmore! Sounds Great!

Lola and Ava said...

That's a good camera phone!

I also don't need a picture, I'd go with Ruby. I love LOVE that name. If we had a girl, it would have been the middle name if not the first. If you don't mind sharing, was it the grandfather's mistress that was married to Rosie? I guess that'd kind of be ironic.

Anonymous said...

I don't want to wait! I love the name Blanche. It's a family name here, too. But I guess I'll vote officially after I see the photos.

Deborah said...

I envy all of your sunshine... and the green trees.

Anonymous said...

Oh my. How I envy you your walk! I live in Iowa, and it started sleeting here yesterday at about 1:30 PM, and it hasn't stopped snowing yet. My drive home from work last night was pretty scary, and I stayed home today. Besides all the shoveling, I've gotten allot of sewing done, but I'm ready for warm weather and spring. I haven't been able to walk my little dog in months.

Anonymous said...

Hey, where are the pictures!!! Well, I am off to bed, perhaps they'll be there when I get back online. Did you see my newest on Flickr?
Hope you are rested....now grab that camera...

Heather

Natalie said...

I'm feeling Blanche...in a duBois sorta way. A sewing machine named desire.