When I was in Junior High, we were always in the gym watching the older guys practice basketball, and you remember how COLD it was in the winter in there!  This one particular day under my favorite skirt, I was sporting a brand new, stiffly starched, tri-layered petticoat which had each layer a different shade of pastel.  It was the stuff dreams are made of!  I thought I was "all that" as they say now, because of my new petticoat, which I had saved to buy with my allowance (for months and months).  Well, Glenda and I were there watching, backed up to the big old space heater there in the gym with all of the other girls.  Suddenly I heard Coach Tate yelling at someone and looked back to see smoke - lots of if, billowing from below.  Then I heard him - clearly this time, "Corbin, you're on fire."  My petticoat was smoking, then flaming.  Needless to say, everyone grabbed it and we got it off and stomped the flames (which were minimal but enough to scare us to death).  Everyone got a great laugh except me.  Nothing was injured except my pride, which was totally destroyed, along with my new petticoat. I stayed out of the gym for awhile after that!

Jeannie

I never knew that happened, but I do remember all those starched petticoats.  We would dip them in starch and just hang them across the clothes line (from line to line) and there they stayed until they were dry.  Then as you pulled the layers apart, the thing kept growing and growing until it would stand straight out from your waist. 

I would imagine that it was pretty frightening to realize you were on fire though!

That is a great, but really terrible, memory, Jeannie. 

Shirley Trammell ( I think it was Trammell) rode the same little bus I did and she had billows of those beautiful, stiffly starched petticoats to try to control almost every day!  THey reminded me of sherbet in different flavors.

Momma and I couldn't figure what that funny smell was in the back of my closet.  When we finally pulled out everything, there was a very dry mouse with a toenail caught in the netting on a petticoat, but no flames!

Jean

Jean, that's a funny story....bet that mouse wishes he'd never got into that!  Hey you might be able to patent that!

Don't think 'Eau de Mouse' perfume would sell, Annie!

You are probably right.  Jean, are you and Bob going to make it to the reunion in October?

Oh, Annie, color me BLUE.  The Fall meeting schedule has gotten fairly busy.  There is a Veterinary Dental meeting I need to attend that is from Sept 30- Oct 4th.  Then there is a Veterinary Dental teaching series that begins Nov 1st.  That requires a bit of prep that I can only do just prior to teaching.

That would not have been a problem a few years ago, but the last 2 years I have been struggling with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.  That is just more stress than is wise for me.  I am sad. It had been something we had been planning on doing.  It would have been great fun.

Love,J

Aw.....I was so looking forward to seeing you again, Jean.  Maybe next year!

Yes, next year color me 'hopeful'.  I was very disaoppointed, one: that I am still not well and two: that the meetings were too close for comfort.

My love to everyone,

J

Okay memories