This winter I've been enjoying frequent opportunities for cross-country skiing. Fresh snow invites the idea of skiing along, rather than walking along, with our dog for the usual morning outings. We head for local areas where Sparky can run off-leash while we glide on skis. Good exercise for all!
I typically wear a pair of old wool socks – comfortable ones that have served me well in the past. I pulled them from an attic trunk where they have been stored for years with miscellaneous mittens, scarves, hats and other winter gear. Memories of past camping trips and ski trips sometimes come to mind as I rummage through this collection to select a familiar pair of socks.
A different memory struck me this time: name tags! Do you remember name tags of cloth? Did your mother sew name tags onto your clothing? Mine certainly did. And I carried on the tradition, ordering fabric name tags for myself and my children and sewing those little strips onto many, many articles of clothing that might otherwise get lost at school or camp.
I wasn't surprised to feel a name tag inside the cuff of my sock. I WAS surprised, however, to see the name on the tag: Sandra M. Nichols. I haven't used that name since I married Peter Ward in June 1965. So these comfortable old socks have been around a long, long time – outlasting that eleven-year marriage.
I recently bought a new wool hat and a new winter jacket. When I thought of labelling them, and looked into my sewing box to see if I still had any of my "Sandra N. Ward" name tags, I discovered that only a single tag remained. Maybe I should re-order?
[Update, March 14: I did find options for ordering woven names tags, as well as iron-on or other styles. I chose woven, and chose a shorter version of my name this time: Sandy Ward. They have arrived, and I've now sewn two of them onto new clothing. The tradition continues!]
