It was during one of my regular volunteer stints at Noble Academy, the Hmong Charter School, when I noticed the fifth grader's knee patches. I was working one on one with her on a reading assignment when I glanced down and noticed her black slacks had knee patches...not the fancy ones that come ready made on slacks but "my mom did them" kind. The school uniform is a school shirt and black slacks for both boys and girls. 97% of the students at school are from families below the poverty level and having patched slacks would not open her to any ridicule from her classmates. I was happy to see such frugality in our throw away society.
It reminded me of all the mending my mother did. Her week was very organized and I'm not positive that I've got it in proper order but it went something like this. Monday was clothes washing day, on Tuesday she did the mending, on Wednesday the ironing, Thursday was for cleaning the house and Friday was baking day....or was Friday cleaning and Saturday for baking? I am I missing a regular item?
She baked almost all of our bread but we thought it was a treat when we could have store bought bread for toast. Of course there was also all the canning, gardening, cooking, cream separator washing and other duties in caring for four children.
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