Mrs. Roper

In the late 70's and early 80's there was a television program called Threes Company. One of the characters in the show was Mrs. Roper - the muumuu loving landlady. My mother was definitely not a fan of the show (way too risque for Mom)...but, unfortunately, she was a fan of Mrs. Roper's fashion sense!

Yes, my mother loved muumuus...caftans...call them what you will...we kids called them U.G.L.Y. Mom had a variety of these awful things. All of them were shapeless, wild patterned, and hideous.

Not only were the muumuus ugly they were made out of a terrible, shiny, snaggy kind of polyester material. Do you know the kind of fabric I mean? Anyway, there was one muumuu in particular that was Mom's favorite. We kids affectionately called that one "the oil slick".

On Christmas Eve, when Patti got to Mary Beth's and learned I wouldn't be there she called and said she needed to drop by for just a minute. Apparently, Patti had a special present that she had hoped to give Mary Beth, Don, and I at the same time. Unfortunately, my stomach bug derailed her original plan.

When Patti walked in our house she was carrying a large gift bag. From the top of the bag I could see a little bit of "the oil slick" peeking out. I recognized it instantly! When I opened the bag there she was...Mrs. Roper...a teddy bear made out of Mom's oil slick muumuu. You know the tears started flowing!




A co-worker of Patti's had had a beautiful "heirloom bear" made from her mother's old fur coat. When Patti saw the bear she thought...why not??? Mom may not have had old furs but she sure did have old muumuus!

I really wish I could have been at Mary Beth's when Patti gave the bears to Don and Mary Beth. It would have been so much fun to relive some of the funny Mom's Mrs. Roper muumuu stories together.

I absolutely love this gift...the thoughtfulness behind it...and the fact that Patti had one made for each of us. Each of us...that is...but herself. Unfortunately, there wasn't enough oil slick fabric to make 4 bears...so, Patti didn't get one for herself. Patti's selflessness makes the gift even more special.

I have hugged Mrs. Roper countless times since Christmas Eve. I'm sure you will think I'm crazy but she smells like coffee, cigarettes, and Cinnabar. She smells like memories. She smells like home. She smells like Mom.