Hustle and Bustle

I was wondering about that term. Tomboy me totally gets the hustle part; move quick and don’t get called out. It makes sense in a Christmas context because there is a deadline and the rest of life doesn’t take a break so you can keep up. But the bustle part…

I had to look up bustle to make sure there wasn’t a definition other than the big butt of a Victorian skirt. Of course there is, but I wanted to know the origin of the word defined as energetic and busy activity. The best I got that wasn’t a dress was possibly from an obsolete Norse work buskle, also busk, which meant to prepare oneself. So, hustle and bustle is to quickly prepare oneself. Okay, that works for me!

I saw lots of video and photos for bustle, as in dress, including a how-to for “bustling a wedding dress.” There is so much I missed not doing the wedding thing. I had a very different definition of train for my marriage celebration. But bustling is what the maid of honor does so nobody steps on the train. Because the wedding was so expensive that one last fitting to adjust the hem on the dress would break the budget? Yes, I don’t understand wedding dresses and if there had been a wedding, I think the only train would have been the one we were photographed photographing in our wedding suits.

I suppose that’s one of my few regrets with not having a wedding. The shocking photographs we’d have had done of things you don’t do in a wedding dress and tux. Like the bride and groom trackside photographing a train or mini golfing in a wedding gown. You see a train on the putt-putt course would have messed up my game and let’s not even go there on what it would have done to my skill in the batting cage! No joke; when we talked about what we’d want to do if we were doing a real wedding, it was “take pictures early, because I’m planning to wreck the dress.” Old family tradition is to do something to the brides dress so it can’t be worn again. My mom’s aunt stomped the hen on her dress near the end of the reception because it hadn’t been torn yet. The reason is quite simple; One wedding, one marriage. It is a blessing and if something doesn’t happen to the dress on its own, someone had to ensure that blessing is made on the marriage. Can you imagine in this day and age where a wedding dress can be used several times by the same bride and few bat an eyelash?

I do understand the concept of passing the dress onto a daughter, but even that I question. Styles change so much and a beautiful dress a mother wears could be considered a major fashion mistake by the time the daughter marries. I like a concept Tori want to do much better. She asked if she could have my Mom’s dress. That id my Dad couldn’t send Mom’s dress to Good Will and he gave it to me. Tori asked for it before I had to think about where it should go. She wants to use part of it incorporated into a gown she has designed. Mind you Tori is an 18-year old college freshman, not currently dating. The Wedding Industrial Complex is always glad to see wedding plans on a Pinterest board for very young, very single women. But her idea is mushy wrapped in memories, totally the kind of thing I’m a sucker for. And I’ll happily go to hopefully her only wedding and at the end of the reception, unless she’s already spilled wine on it, like she always did with white shirts and fruit punch as a kid, I’ll stomp on the hem of the dress to wish her luck.

Okay…But bustle in hustle and bustle is only really related to the dress in that the maid of honor hustles to bustle the dress. MY bustle is baking. Er, my hustle is baking? Anyway, holiday baking wave one starts this afternoon.

Right now, why don’t I do the Monday Quiz About Me? Thanks to Heather at Acting Balanced and Wayne at Touristic for hosting again this week!

1. When was the last time you had your picture taken with Santa?

I don’t really remember. I’ve talked to Santa and hugged Santa, but not sure when I had my picture taken with him. The last photo we found in Grandma’s house, under her buffet, was a picture of Dave and me with Santa dated 1972. I was 6 and still believed. By 1973 I’d become an elf, way too young to be an elf already, but I’d become an elf, but I probably went anyway because Dave hadn’t become an elf yet.

In case you weren’t sure about the reference, an elf is what you become when you are no longer receiving the magic but have become part of making it happen; Santa never dies just because you grow up. I never stopped “believing” in the magic.


2. Which do you prefer - ham or turkey?

Ham, although this year we’re planning on turkey for Christmas Day dinner. We winded up not doing Thanksgiving dinner except for Cracker Barrel after all and I’m still craving my mom’s stuffing! But usually I prefer Honey Baked Ham for Christmas. It too makes awesome soup! But we don’t have a set traditional Christmas meal. On Christmas Day it’s usually just David and me, so we decide what special meal we’d like together.


3. Do you give more to charity in December?

No. I think I actually give more of what I can afford; money or time, during the less busy times for giving when it’s still needed.


4. Which US City would you most like to visit and why?

If you remember from Friday, there’s the whole “I saw this place in a dream” thing, so San Antonio, Texas, just to see the place I saw in dreams. It’s also close to Lulling to see the watermelon water tower!


And don't forget to add a 5th Question on your own blog so we can answer as we hop around!

5. My question for you I need 5 jars of preserves for my Crostadas. I have Apricot, Peach, Raspberry and Cherry. I’m not sure if I should get another flavor or double up on one of those four. So question #5 this week is what are your thoughts? Would you pick one of those four for an Italian cookie-cake or is there a different flavor you’d prefer?

For me, being a black forest gal, I’ll always pick the cherry. But I also know that for the crostadas we have for our party, I always make sure there is a raspberry for David too.