Stories from the Stringam Family Ranches of Southern Alberta

From the 50s and 60s to today . . .



Tuesday, March 27, 2018

PJs on Vacation

That's me in the green. Dressed appropriately.
Mom was a stickler for clothing customs and traditions.
“Wear a jacket.” “Put on your shoes.” “Where’s your hat?” “You need gloves/boots/armour in the barnyard.” “Get your helmet!” “I don’t care what the other girls are wearing, you are not going swimming naked!”
And others.
Clothes were almost a uniform to her. You wore what was appropriate. When it was appropriate.
Oh, we were still able to dress in what was going. Bell-bottoms. Not-quite-mini skirts. Go-go boots. (Okay those were my sister’s that I may or may not have sneaked out of her room.)
But one had to wear what. And when.
Now to my story . . .
Husby and I are in the sweet little town of Cardston, Alberta.
Husby wants to build a museum here and/or spruce up the main street.
It entails lots of glimpses into history.
Yesterday, he and his partner were touring the period hotel that graces main street. The Cahoon.
And I had my own glimpse into history . . .
Mom and dad and we kids were here in Cardston for some reason.
I don’t remember why. Relatives? Church? Business?
I was five. I had gotten into the car because whenever the family was going somewhere, it was an ADVENTURE.
Soooo . . . Cardston.
While we were here, as sometimes happens in the Great Canadian Prairies in close proximity to the equally-great-but-for-different-reasons Rocky Mountains in the winter, a great storm blew in.
And engulfed us.
And the town.
And probably quite a large part of the surrounding countryside.
Dad decided it was far safer to seek refuge right here where we were.
We drove to the only hotel. The Cahoon. A great stone structure that loomed over main street.
Requested and were granted rooms.
And proceeded to ready ourselves for bed.
I remember three things. That make sense to me now, knowing that the stop-over was completely unplanned. But that didn’t when I was five.
1. A great iron bedstead that creaked and was really springy and perfect for jumping. Except that Argus of the Hundred Eyes (ie. Mom) was watching me.
2. I didn’t have to brush my teeth because I didn’t have a toothbrush. And, most importantly.
3. Mom stripped me out of my clothes and tucked me into the great, springy bed in only my undershirt and panties.
Wait. What? No Pajamas?
I narrowed my eyes suspiciously. Not even a nightie?
This had never—ever—happened before. I was expected to actually sleep? Almost naked?
I know I probably went out like the proverbial candle, with or without my pajamas.
And woke the next morning as refreshed and energetic as if I had been in my own bed, on my own ranch, in my own PJ’s.
To yet another new and exciting thing:
4. Breakfast in the hotel restaurant!
It’s funny how all of this came back as we stood there, staring up at the great, old hotel.
P.S. You have to know that pajamas still make up a large part of preparing myself for bed.

Just ask Husby.

15 comments:

  1. Amazing what we can remember when we see something from ur past...

    ReplyDelete
  2. Are you kidding, PJ's are a HUGE part of your life...especially at Christmas lol.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wouldn't it be lovely to wake up as refreshed and energetic as your small self?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Pj’s are one of the greatest inventions of man (along with yoga pants and a stretched out tee shirt). I try to live in the land of comfort.

    ReplyDelete
  5. A sweet memory - it's amazing what can come back to you. I have not worn PJ's since I was a child. Know what? I wish they had the PJ's with feet in adult sizes; in my senior age I would love them on cold winter nights. Flannel, please! (Ah, childhood memories....)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oooh! You can find them! I know they have tons at the gift shops in Banff, Alberta!

      Delete
  6. What an adventure! It's lovely that this memory was jogged by your Husby's perusal of the hotel. And, by the way, what he's doing sounds fascinating.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Everything he does is fascinating. I just follow him around with my eyes wide open . . .

      Delete
  7. I LOVE pyjamas! I tried sleeping naked once to see what was so special about it, but I couldn't sleep. I had to get up and put on my pyjamas. I especially love days where I don't have to go anywhere and I'm not expecting visitors, so I can sloth around in my pjs all day.

    ReplyDelete
  8. It is such a comforting ritual of getting ready for bed! Beside making my living now selling pajamas and nightgowns, my husband who is my business partner, says his family was so poor they never had pajamas. Got to love the irony!

    ReplyDelete

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