Anyway…the comment was from my friend Beth who I met in 1983. She was a 14 year old high school freshman and I was her teacher (at the ripe old age of 21.) It was a wonderful school--an all girls Catholic School with about 50 kids in each class, and to this day, I still keep in touch with many of my students. It was a very special time in my life. I taught there for 4 years and then headed off to Peace Corps. That same year, that crop of freshmen graduated (including Beth) so in some ways I went through the same formation as they did in those four years. I know that seems odd, but it wasn’t. Oh, and they decided that I was peppy, so since 1983 I’ve been know as Pep. Seriously. The nuns even call me that still.
This was many years before I ever figured out I was gay—that took me until the late 90s to figure out. I also must say that growing up in a fairly conservative Catholic environment, my former students have been overwhelmingly accepting of my being gay and I am proud to continue to count Beth and Amy and Marg and Jess and Karin and Laurie and so many others as wonderful friends.
Anyway, fast forward something like 25 years here we are. Beth and her husband live in Australia (their blog is in our blogroll) and it’s very fun to have blogs to keep up with the funny and poignant things that go on in each others lives.
So…when I wrote about “pilling sweaters” yesterday, Beth wrote a funny comment and lamented that "if only someone would write about how to fold a fitted sheet". So here we go… (teaching, always teaching ;-)
Beth, just fold it in half and then gently roll it up. Shove it in a drawer and when you later put it in the bed it will look perfectly ironed anyway when you stretch it out.
What’s that? The sound of dozens of cyber gasps? (Including my own dear wife’s?)
Oh wait. You must fold it like a flag. Perfectly. Tightly. First the rounded edges must be attacked and mastere
d. Once all four are creased and laid flat you may proceed (preferably with a willing partner) to fold the sheet perfectly in half, and then half again. Then you insert one perfect folded corner into the other and smooth the whole sheet to perfection.
Then you shove it in a drawer and when you later put it in the bed it will look perfectly ironed anyway when you stretch it out.
Does this help Beth? ;-)
This was many years before I ever figured out I was gay—that took me until the late 90s to figure out. I also must say that growing up in a fairly conservative Catholic environment, my former students have been overwhelmingly accepting of my being gay and I am proud to continue to count Beth and Amy and Marg and Jess and Karin and Laurie and so many others as wonderful friends.
Anyway, fast forward something like 25 years here we are. Beth and her husband live in Australia (their blog is in our blogroll) and it’s very fun to have blogs to keep up with the funny and poignant things that go on in each others lives.
So…when I wrote about “pilling sweaters” yesterday, Beth wrote a funny comment and lamented that "if only someone would write about how to fold a fitted sheet". So here we go… (teaching, always teaching ;-)
Beth, just fold it in half and then gently roll it up. Shove it in a drawer and when you later put it in the bed it will look perfectly ironed anyway when you stretch it out.
What’s that? The sound of dozens of cyber gasps? (Including my own dear wife’s?)
Oh wait. You must fold it like a flag. Perfectly. Tightly. First the rounded edges must be attacked and mastere
d. Once all four are creased and laid flat you may proceed (preferably with a willing partner) to fold the sheet perfectly in half, and then half again. Then you insert one perfect folded corner into the other and smooth the whole sheet to perfection.Then you shove it in a drawer and when you later put it in the bed it will look perfectly ironed anyway when you stretch it out.
Does this help Beth? ;-)
4 comments:
You? Peppy? I don't believe it for a second!
I had a sweater that, for the first few times I wore it, absolutely rained fuzzies from the inside. I had to stand over the garbage can and just shake my arms in the morning to get them all out, or else all day long everywhere I'd go I'd leave a fuzzy trail. Not the same as pilling, but I was reminded of it by Beth's comment about wondering what to do with the pill pile.
Anyhow, Lucy said she's having dinner with you guys tonight! Huzzah! Wish I could be there, hope all is well!
- Cheri
Hey C! Yes, we are going to see Lucy tonight and can't wait to hear all her upcoming adventures. Sort of like the Beverly Hillbillies right? Texas Tea and Movie Stars ;-) Hope all is going well and that we see you again before too long. Thanks as always for dropping by (virtually that is!) -M
Pep, it's the first time I've checked your blog after looking at Beth's, and I think it's so funny to see this post. The other blog I check had a list of literature, and I was writing about the Vis lit program and how thorough it was. Then I see this. It's Vis day!!! I hope I'll see you and your family next time you're in MN, and I'll check your blog more often. For those of you who didn't know Pep then, she was a GREAT teacher, and I think for that reason alone I should try this rolling up trick. She was always right then.
--Laura O'Brien Smith
Hi Laura! How are you? What a sweet comment to leave, and I would love to see you next time we're in town. I think it will be early October and we'll definitely coordinate something with Amy. You know, it's funny you should mention Vis lit because I was just thinking that it's a good thing I didn't teach English at Vis. I don't write so good sometimes if you know what I mean ;-) Whereas you guys are all brilliant writers. If you have a blog you've got to send me your link. Anyway, I'm not sure that the rolling up the sheet trick is really good for the health of all marriages, so please do not try this at home (well without a bit of communication first ;-) Have a wonderful day Laura!!! -Pep
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