When I Grow Up
What did you want to be when you grew up?
Who knows what I wanted to be.
My father was involved in horses, rodeos here in Olney, and the surrounding area. I don’t think he participated in the competitions, but I believe he was part of the group that dressed alike and started the local rodeos with the Grand Entry.
The members would ride in and “dance” their horses in a pattern that ended with them stationed opposite of each other, and anyone who wanted to ride in the Grand Entry would use those stationary horses as turning points, weaving in around them until they reached the end and they rode out leaving the arena.
I suspect I wanted to be a cowgirl and compete in barrel racing. That couldn’t happen after my parents divorced, and dad married again. Besides, by the time I might have been old enough, I was not comfortable on a horse!
I’ve mentioned in another column that in 5th grade I couldn’t decide if I wanted to be an archaeologist, paleontologist, or move to Australia. But the “ologists” involved learning more history my least favorite subject back then.
In 8th grade we took a standardized test, not the achievement tests, but one that when “graded” let us know what we might excel at. My performance in math suggested that I could be an engineer or accountant. Working as a bookkeeper is close to being an accountant. I sort of am an “engineer.” I engineer yarn into throws or doilies, or chart cross stitch patterns to hang on my walls and give as gifts.
In the fall of 2000 when my daughter was headed to college, my husband suggested I could take some college courses. As a high school senior, I had never thought college was something I could afford. I didn’t think Mother could afford to send me to college. And I was cer- tain if I tried to “work my way” through college that I wouldn’t do very well. I was over 30 when my mother told me that she would have sent me to college if she thought I was interested. I was stunned.
Several years later, my son asked me, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”
By that time I had been a seamstress at Haggar Slacks, a bookkeeper/ secretary/sales clerk at a business in Wichita Falls, typesetter and bookkeeper for the newspaper, and data entry at Cherrydale Farms.
I love to crochet, and have created patterns that are actually sold to a company that no longer exists. I enjoy counted cross stitch. My grandmother taught me embroidery, and I have worked with needlepoint, plastic canvas and latchhook.
Before my youngest was born I was “working” with “The Creative Circle.” Like Tupperware, there were gatherings called classes. I introduced attendees to needlepoint, candle-wicking, crewel embroidery, cross stitch and lace net darning. The “income” from that job was based on sales of kits that were packaged with everything needed to stitch. They also sold frames, and “stretcher bars” so you could mount your finished piece, as well as things for non-stitchers. But for me, most of my income was used to purchase the kits I wanted.
I considered trying to sell my crochet projects online. But then I thought if it was successful, I’d not have time to do things for my friends and family or myself.
My family usually gets ornaments at Christmas, crochet or cross stitch. For a while I did sell some things, a “name banner” for lack of a better description. Filet crochet works in blocks to create a “picture.” I developed an alphabet of my own and crocheted “doilies” with people’s last names.
For my son’s wedding I had both his full first name and the bride’s first name. It laid nicely on a buffet at the reception. By the time guests had stacked gifts on that buffet, you couldn’t see the names.
I had given the name banners to friends and family as gifts and had several orders because some of their families and friends admired them and placed orders.
Rather than speculate on what I might have wanted to “be,” I’ll tell you what I have been and am.
I’m happily married and next year we’ll celebrate our 50th anniversary. I have been a granddaughter and a daughter. I am a niece, sibling, mother of three, motherin- law, and grandmother of nine!
And I am retired. I enjoy reading what I want, when I want. Enjoying crocheting things for gifts and donations. Making things that my family asks for or I think they will enjoy.
I am quite content with what I grew up to be.