Beware of the Dog when wearing Nylons

When I was about 9 I had my first piano recital. I remember the song I played and still have a copy of it in my collection. It was a piece that used 4Th's and 5Th's and was called Chinese Carnival. It was three pages long - which at the time was very, very long - or so I thought. My sister was also playing in the recital, she was younger, smaller and had to play piano in my shadow all her life. I don't know if I ever appreciated that until later in my life. For the recital we got new dresses and for the first time ever I was allowed to wear nylons. Mine were purple, dark purple and the dress was a light purple. I was very excited about getting to wear nylons. I was more excited that everyone was going to the recital. So my sister and I got dressed with my mother's help.

And then my mother had to get ready. Now this was a very interesting time for fashion. It was 1969-1970. Generally in Minnesota we are not known for big hair except during this mod era when everyone including Barbara Streisand made their hair big - it was called a beehive hairdo. Oh, yeah, my Mom had this down as did her sister Shirley. These were days of big jewelry, large flower patterns on dresses and plastic bracelets with big hoop earring's. My mom would spend what seemed like forever backcombing her hair and molding it on top of her head. I can still smell the hair spray she used to hold everything in place. It was late spring and she wore a dress that came down to just above her knees. The dress was fitted but in a proper way, darts under the arms, short sleeves and a modest cut neck with a little gathers around the skirt but a fairly straight cut. The only thing I can say about the material is that it reminded me of something between burlap and drapery material. It was a plain rich gold color no flower, no paisley pattern. My parents both have fairly classic taste in clothes so it wasn't too out there, but definitely fit into the scheme of the 60's and early 70's.

Funny what you remember. I waited downstairs for my mother and thought I was behaving when I picked up a toy for our dog Jojo. He, of course, jumped up to grab the toy and about the time my mom yelled down to tell me to sit still, the dog was on his way down, toy in tow, and his nail grabbed my nylons and walla, I had my first nylon run and my first urgent recital dress issue. Uff Da - my mother was not happy. We did not have time to get a new pair. Thank goodness for grandmothers. She quickly hand stitched the hole together and it didn't show "too" much or so she assured my mother. I was very careful not to add runs to the rest. The recital turned out fine. My grandparents were there for it and I am sure my sister and I did our best to be charming. I was successful in my first recital - from a musical perspective - um, I remembered all the notes - to say I had musical finesse may be a stretch.

I often do an early more walk or exercise with a good friend. On those days the dogs usually stay in bed stretching and sighing while I get dressed. I let them out and feed them and leave while they eat so they don't notice my departure. When I get home and and shower and get dressed for work they pay little attention to me. Sometimes they walk me to the door and sometimes they just yawn and look from a distance as I walk out the door. When I get home from work, the dogs follow me around while I say hi to Kristin and change out of my work clothes. They come and watch to see what I am changing into. When I start putting on my tennis shoes they start to wag their tails. They know the park is in their future, either that or class...they race down the stairs barking excitedly as we head for the car togehter this times. Happy dogs, happy clothes, happy us - our own little pack.

I am not nearly as excited to put on a pair of nylons these days. I do it if I need to do it, but I prefer tights or bare legs. Shorts and jeans instead of skirts and dresses. My job requires business casual. My dog park attire - whatever casual clothes I wore the day before and let's just say, well I have more than one pair of jeans that has pockets with holes and that have melted crusty cheese those pockets. I love to play piano, not so interested in recitals anymore. I would rather play with the dogs than play in the nylons I guess.