Harris Tweed jacket

Today I brought more of Willy's clothes home and amongst them was his Harris Tweed jacket.
Harris Tweed is made in Scotland and has the highest reputation. My mother had a coat made from it and wore it most of my life, never getting threadbare or tired looking.
When I first met Willy he had a beautiful suit (out dated) but in immaculate condition. He had a Vyella dressing gown and this light and dark grey (Shades of grey????) sports jacket.
This is what he wore when we were married in my studio.
He wore it if we dined in a fancy restaurant - which wasn't often but we did go out celebrating our birthdays.
So I knew he knew good quality and had good taste even though he hid it with thrift shop clothes by the time we got together. Even asking me to 'turn' the collars on his shirts because they were ragged. Turning collars means undoing the sewing and re-stitching the underside of the collar to be the top side.
I don't know if the Lord descended on him one night to show him the humble way of life but something happened to make him put away anything elegant from a certain time.
I wrote a poem about that jacket when he left it in my closet by mistake when I knew that I loved him.
And now it's over for him wearing these clothes and I feel sad putting the Harris Tweed coat with the rest to go to someone who could use it. I bet they'll never suspect it was written about in a book.


But he's still going. Today he was stretched out on top of his bed in Pleasantview wearing the slit-back articles. He was agitated - trying to make me get him out of bed which of course I can't do. I had to leave because his face got so angry and I got upset.


I visited my daughter who had just returned from being in Harrison Hot Springs.
All the rooms were full in the large, luxury hotel so the economy must be picking up. She and her friend were rejuvenated by going into the mineral pool and being in the lovely scenery.
We talked about how wonderful to live in this spot on earth with temperate weather, Ski-ing close by,
fishing in the river, golf all around and mineral springs whenever we want.
The table on her deck had spring, pretty coloured flowers and made such a pretty picture. Yes - cherry blossoms are out and the Forsythia is in the garden here next door catching the sun and glowing gold. Hooray!
signed remembering Harris Tweed, my mother and my Willy - Doris