OUR OLD GREEN-STAMP BLANKET

OUR OLD GREEN STAMP BLANKET

PICNIC BY THE PECOS RIVER
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We weren't even married yet, that day in 1956.
as we lolled there on the cool shady lawn along
the Pecos River...on our new Green Stamp
blanket.

One of our mamas had given up several
prized stamp books to make our blanket
possible.

It was our first blanket.

We were at the beach in Carlsbad, having
a picnic of egg salad sandwiches, potato
chips, and cokes. (We'd never heard of
the marvelous Diet Dr. Pepper yet...but
it didn't matter---we were both skinny.)

It was one of the happiest days of our
lives---we lived at Artesia and were down
at Carlsbad, the county seat of Eddy County,
getting our marriage license!

The Pecos River, not a big full river most
of the time, was flowing along, very slowly
and peacefully, in no hurry, and wrens and
chickadees were singing and flitting about
in the trees, over the beautiful lawn which
sloped down to the river.

The sun was shining and the whole world
was young--including "us." We were making
a "day of it!"

We spread our new blanket and sat on it,
and ate, and rested and watched the fluffy N.M.
clouds sail lazily over.

I guess you could say, we were "breaking in"
that blanket for a lifetime of use.

Today, not counting our long love, it may be
the oldest thing we have.

Oh sure, it doesn't look like much now---it is
torn, faded, much of the nap is gone...but...
though the years, good times and bad, it
has been a much-used, faithful companion.

----It has been a "picnic blanket" many times.
----It has been a "lawn blanket" from the earlier
      years when the men at family reunions
      played mumbledy-peg on the front lawn
      after supper...
----It has been a ball game blanket...
----It has been a cushion on hard bleachers...
----BE has worn it around her shoulders, oft...
----It has often been a camping blanket ...
----It has even surrounded frozen steaks, in
      transit...
-----It has been a friend...and servant...

Okay, so I'm an old softy when it comes to
blankets; I can't help it. There's a nice homey
feeling of security connected with them.

Actually, being an old-timer, I have a nicer-
looking, heavier blanket in the den for my
Lazy Boy and winter TV watching---but the
old GS blanket of 1956 is still our "GO-TO"
utility blanket.

Instructions at the house here are: if a hobo
ever knocks at the door on a cold night,
looking for a blanket, give him twenty bucks
for a new Walmart blanket--but don't give
away our early-marriage Green Stamp
blanket, now going on 59 years old.

It is almost like a member of the family.
**************
BY MIL
April 21, 2015