Here's Valentine Ballantyne in his skivvies. Val was made (by me) about 1985. He and his dog Jerry are in for the first fitting of their new Christmas outfits. Val complains about my sewing, says I never get the sleeves right. That's his old Valentine's Day suit in the background, and on his poor old bald noggin. He has a point with his complaints; seems his boots make him look like he has two left feet. I said if he'd be sensible like Jerry and just wear a bow around his neck, maybe I could do a better job.
Val said he's a direct descendent of the Tudor clowns Will Somer and his wife Lucretia, and he thinks I ought to make his costumes out of better materials than plain old cotton. He said Will and Lucretia were issued ells and ells of scarlet velvet to make suits for Queen Elizabeth's coronation celebrations. I said all this sewing is giving me 'ell, and I'd give him all the cloth he wants if he'll take over the tailoring.
He also complained because I haven't made him a Halloween costume. I said I'd think about it, if he'd just shut-tup!
This morning I watched the movie "Wolf" on TV. I've avoided it before, but today there wasn't anything else to watch while I was sewing. It's not that bad a movie; pretty bad, but not that bad. What saves it is the combination of Jack Nicholson's acting and Michelle Pfeiffer's beauty. If I got reincarnated and got to choose how I wanted to look, she would be it. Besides, when this movie was made, James Spader was still pretty--at least until the moon was just right.
I was thinking about the times I believe my guardian angel has rescued me from peril. For some reason, it occurred to me that the heavenly creature may not even like me, but keeps an eye out for me anyway. I know that I don't have the most comfortable and inviting personality in the world, and I was a wicked, wicked child. If I were convinced that I'm a sore trial to my angel, I might be wondering, with Robert Frost, "how to take the curse, tragic or comic." 
