Baskets

This stained glass portraiture was purchased during the early days of our marriage. It is without a doubt, my favorite art piece in the house. We purchased it at a craft fair in the1980s. My wife was a basketmaker then. She went to countless craft fairs. I went to many with her.

Our family economy then was a week to week existence. I drove trucks. BA made baskets. As I look back now, that period of my life was as good as it ever had been. Domestic life suited me. Constant concerns over money though, definitely created a hitch in the life fulfilling appreciation of the time. Money was tight. Thankfully we depended on my wife's bookkeeping skills to keep us straight. I was okay handling money. She was and still is a genius.

It was my habit to wander around the crafts booths to check out the various offerings; what other basket makers were there, etc. etc. I spotted this portrait and immediately wanted it. I do not remember the asking price. I do know though, the asking price made my butt pucker. If memory serves here today, I entusiastically petitioned BA to let us take it home. I said it was so special, she needed to take a break from her booth and check it out before someone else bought it. I volunteered to watch her booth; something I was not a fan of doing. We ended up taking it home with us. It has been hanging in our front living room window the last 40 or so years. If you look closely, you might notice the mullions behind the piece.

I like to take credit for finding this portrait. It may or may not be true. Siince I am writing this story, I will make me the hero. All of us, or least some of us,; well maybe it's just me ..... okay, okay . A few of us at least have in us, traits that Trump has in spades. Hell, someone has to support our egos and it should start with ourselves. Of course Trump's exaggerated dependence on the figments in his own mind are the ultimate extreme of a militarized Ego. My case of it is certainly more in the normal range I am sure......  Oops ....wandering off the trail again. 

I notice now, I titled this post "Baskets". Not sure why I did. The image of the lady at the top was what triggered me to sit and write. I had just removed a screensaver image and replaced it with this image. Thnking of this portrait took me to thinking of the 12 years my wife spent weaving baskets and ruining her hands. Next, I thought of the craft fair culture that was ingained in our lives at that time. Memories often come back to me indirectly rather than by specific intent. In order to continue to fool myself I am indeed normal, I will assume this tendency falls with normal parameters of human behavior.

I wandered around the house looking for some of the baskets my wife had made. I found three that were still performing the duties they were woven for; holding junk that should have been somewhere more appropriate. I pulled out bits and pieces of 40 years of accumulations. They were dusty and the color was faded on the one. One is a hurried basket she made over 40 years ago for the cats to lay in. It is still functional. It still holds the occasional cat.

The other two were bread and butter baskets. BA made many of them. I am guessing she could make them in her sleep. In retrospect, the price BA paid for those 12 years of manual labor was higher than it should have been. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and artritus as she aged damaged her hands and wrists horrenduously. Becoming an accountant was the smart shift in careers.

I am so thankful for BA allowing me to share her life. She has definitely been the rock upon which our relationship started and been able to last these past 45 years. ....... 45 years; Damn. Thats a huge chunk of my life. I wouldn't change it for anything.

Keep it 'tween the Ditches ............................

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I picked "Basket Case", recorded and released in 1994 by Green Day. My wife was still weaving baskets. Every time I played or listened to it, I thought of her. I still do.

Here is a live version they performed at their induction to the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame in 2015.