Memories of a dress and a box of letters.

For God so loved us that He gave us Jesus so we could love to live /live to love.

Sandy and John 3:16 (For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have eternal life.)

I have precious memories of falling in love with Roy but here I will leave them in a box sealed with a kiss.

We had been camping by the sea and Dad in his usual way said: ” It is quieter, fewer accidents let’s leave tomorrow!” (and unless it was Sabbath we would travel on Christmas day.) What he was really saying was the toilet block is too crowded and not to my liking. So it was while traveling that Mum gave us each a box of chocolates. Our Christmas presents. (I never remember being without but we never had lavish presents.)

This box is now in my home because Mum packed it full of Roy’s letters and tied it up with string. It is a little too full for its size. During the holidays Roy would write every day and then post the letter at the end of the week. Mum believed I should not write to him more than he wrote to me so I answered each letter. When we got engaged I knitted him a jersey during the holidays and Mum knitted mine to match.

Then there was a snag I needed a wedding dress. A friend of mine got Vogue magazines regularly and she happily gave me a pile of old ones. I chose my wedding dress. A picture I took home the next holiday for Mum to see.

Mum found a dress pattern with the shape I liked, layed newspaper out on the lounge floor and drew the train using a pen with string to make the curve accurate. She had never made something like this before but you could see she was full of energy and joy. Then because she was working as site nurse at a dress factory she was able to buy offcuts of white silkleen( a synthetic silk) This was a challenge as she had to take into account flaws as she worked.

Mum pinned and shaped its sleek, smooth surface until it fitted like a glove. I was more than satisfied. Placed in a pillowcase it was ready for travel.

“I don’t want to live

I want to love first,

and live incidentally.”

Zelda Fitzgerald to F. Scott Fitsgerald

I enjoyed visiting these memories. Thank you for reading them.

Sandy 😊