Where The Wild Things Are

For the last few nights (and for the next few, certainly), I have been mending our beloved “ugly blankets.” These blankets definitely live up to their name. They are cream colored (I think that’s the color they’re supposed to be, although after 30 years it’s really hard to tell anymore) with a brown, black and red plaid pattern on them. I’m not sure what these blankets are made of…it’s almost flannel feeling but not quite as smooth. At one time, there was a rusty brown satin binding that went around the edges. If you look closely enough, you can still see traces of the binding in the stitching.

Why, you ask, am I spending so much time mending 2 hideous 30 year old blankets? Simply put, I love them. These are the closest things to “security blankets” I’ve ever had. When I was little, any time I got sick I had to go to my grandma’s house. My mom had a compromised immune system so in she couldn’t care for me when I was sick. Luckily, my grandma was very willing and able to do so. Each time I was sick, Nana would set me up on the couch with a snack and a drink and cover me up with this ugly blanket. It wasn’t until I was in college (and took the blanket with me) that I realized there were actually 2 ugly blankets. I ended up with both of them. They lay draped over the ends of our loveseats in the family room and are used every night. Joe and I usually each have one (and 1 girl) on our laps while we watch TV at night. He won’t admit it, but I think he likes these ugly blankets almost as much as I do.

All of this nightly use has really taken a toll on them. There are probably at least a dozen holes in each one, some small but many are 3+ inches. Places without holes are visibly worn. I have a feeling that soon I’m going to be sacrificing one blanket to patch the other. When that stops working, I’m not sure what I’m going to do. I’m going to have a really hard time letting them go. For now I’m not going to think about it…I’m just going to snuggle up under my ugly blanket and feel warm and comforted.