Stuff that is not mine......

[Spinster]

Seems like I have a whole lot of stuff that is not mine.......good things there are a lot of big wooden racks around here that I use to dry wool :D

Early this morning, Barb McCreary and I drove back down into the Kisatchie, where it was 72 degrees and sunny--okay it was 44 and overcast, but at least it was not coming a deluge of biblical proportions.

We picked up all the gear piled at the bottom of Forest Service Road 365-A (much of this was the various pieces of loads lightened by civilians who then walked on out).

We also watched the sides of the road for stuff as we drove FSR 321 to the FSR 365 intersection, and to the end of 365.

There were also a number of folks who rode with me around the site on Friday who shed items as they were warming themselves.

Once I have this whole sodden mess pulled out of the van, and dried, I'll start listing so folks can claim.

There is no long arm in this assortment, but I do know of one man who is missing both gun and saber belt.

I am sooooo glad I do not have to do this laundry in a wash pot in the yard

[Spinster]

Re: Stuff that is not mine......

While socks and blankets and gums and painted cloth are dripping here and there, time to have a bit of fun.

One of the challenges for Barb Mc Creary's hand cart family was the fact that they had an able bodied man of draft age with them. They figured holding on to him was going to be a challenge, as Andy would be needed on the trail, not hiding in the woods. As with many odd scenarios, this one was floated on the OTB, and the idea quickly popped up to dress him as a woman.

Since I make a market in used clothing for women of prosperous period proportions, the first look was to my closet. We've some big Ar-kansas type wimmen around here, but not this big. Nope, Andy is an even bigger ol'boy and this was not happening.

I agreed to take on the challenge of making a set of clothing by measurements. This was an undertaking fraught with peril, as I am a mediorce seamstress at best. It turned out that the most challenging part was dealing with the difference in the way men's bodies are proportioned, and I kept asking for more measurements, for the ones I had made no sense to me. After about two months of cutting and recutting and sewing and resewing like a crazed ferret, it was done.

Alas, the army never caught up to the handcart folks, so no one has the mental image. Here's the one modern image, taken about 2 weeks before the event. Bonnet by Emily Burns. Corset by Beverly Simpson. Knit goods by Kimberlee Bruce. Most underpinnings and petticoats out of Candace Rose's got skinny sell-off box. Apron cleaned out of my Grandmother's house long about 1975. We told Andy he'd have to wear his own drawers.

Yep, even folks who stayed home had fun. :D

[ohpkirk]

Re: Stuff that is not mine......

They went by us on Wednesday late morning....but we were going one way, and they the other.....

I think Ms. McCreary's husband deserted the retreating army to go help them at that point.

[Cottoncarder]

Re: Stuff that is not mine......

Sorry ya'll missed that one. Andy made a fine big boned Swedish gal ready to make a pass at Will. That would'a been a sight.

Terre, Emily and Beverly thanks again for your help and hard work! We weren't able to pull it off due to the weather, but sure had fun with the planning and envisioning what might come about.


Cody, if you passed us on Wednesday, Brooke had not reached us yet. The gent was Andy.

[AndrewGrim]

Re: Stuff that is not mine......

I would like to thank all those who helped with this project, Mrs. Lawson and gang for all the work they did. I said you could not miss me Pete. I can’t help but think that the deluge could be a direct relation to the plans.

[ohpkirk]

Re: Stuff that is not mine......

I thought that the day Brooke left at the water stop was Wednesday....I guess the days all ran together.

I'm pretty sure it was him....he had the checked cloth hat band, right?

[Spinster]

Re: Stuff that is not mine......

Alrighty---all manner of stuff is washed, dried, pressed, starched or otherwise made clean enough to place in the tender arms of the US Postal Service. Some things accumulated a dandy coat of mildew along the way.

I cleaned and laid out to air dry the higher value outerwear items first, and they are none the worse for the experience.

I looked longingly at the various sodden groceries, some of which still smelled pretty good. Still, they have all gone to the kitties and the coons, with the exception of one big hunk of bacon that I was loath to part with. :tounge_sm

All 'personals' and small items will ship U S Priority mail, with appropriate insurance based on my best guesstimate of value, unless you give me one.

I have the following that will ship US Priority Mail:

1. Goods belonging to Chuck/Amos, and he has told me what to ship(coat, leather wallet, canteen) and what to keep for some young feller who needs a good start. I have packed other of his items in that box, as its a 'flat rate' box.

2. Wool wallet and contents I believe belongs to Nicolette. This wallet included a corset.

3. Wool wallet and contents I believe belongs to Janet.

4. Two slat bonnets, one green, one blue. Pasteboard has dissolved in the blue one --I've replaced it with a temporary slat that is more narrow. Identify and describe yours.


I have the following items that will ship U S Parcel Post due to weight. You will need to tell me the amount of insurance desired. Some of these are civilian items, and some are military items left in my vehicle as folks tried to warm up or dry off a bit.

(1) Blankets-- identify and describe yours.

(2) Various painted or rubberized cloths-identify and describe yours.

(3) Civilian water containers--identify and describe yours.

(4) Additional cloth wallets of various design--identify and describe yours.


With your identification of your items, send a mailing address. You'll get a bill for postage. Communicate by email only please--my private message box is always jammed up.