July 29

Me, age 7: glasses (white, pearly, cat-eye), braids (white-blonde, long because I'd never had a haircut), bangs (well, they'd been cut, unevenly, too short, and goofy because of a cowlick right in front), freckles (which don't grow together into a tan, no matter how much you want them to), and a summer outfit my mom made.

The outfit would have been red seersucker. There would have been a sleeveless top that buttoned up the back. With red buttons (my mom loved that kind of detail). The bottom of the top would have had red rick-rack trim. The shorts, which probably came nearly to my (scabby) knees, had an elastic waist, and were also trimmed at the hem with rick-rack.

This red and white awning reminded me of seersucker and rick-rack.

And, "rick-rack" is a LOT of fun to type. Give it a try: you'll see what I mean.

Lubbock, Texas