Jack’s Winning Words 5/4/17
“I have friends in overalls whose friendship I would not swap for the favor of the kings of the world.”  (Thomas Edison)  I recently saw that a pair of designer bib-overalls can cost up to $170.  Edison’s friends couldn’t afford those.  But, in his day, overalls were the symbol of the working stiff.  Aaron Copeland’s “Fanfare for the Common Man” is a favorite of mine and was premiered on Income Tax Day in 1943.  Do you have any bib-overall friends?    ;-)  Jack  

FROM HY YO SILVER:  I love that Copeland piece.  Have you seen Nordstrom's new "muddy Jean" product?  Check it out online and notice the price.====JACK:  Yes, I did read about the "muddy jeans" and their "outrageous" price.  Nordstrom's began as a shoe retailer in 1901 and branched out into clothing sometime later.  The idea of selling muddy jeans probably came after Edison's death.  I read that someone sold a grilled cheese sandwich on E-Bay for $28,000.  Supposedly, it had an image of the Virgin Mary on it.====HY YO:  I heard that, too.  I remember a 20/20 documentary when I was young about a Dorito that people thought had Christ's image on it.====JACK:  I heard of a youth pastor who used Coke and chips for communion at a youth gathering.  I wonder if the chips were Doritos?

FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY:  Most of our new neighbors are bib-overall people.  In fact, I was looking at purchasing some for us just yesterday!!!====JACK:  While you at it, you might check out Nordstrom's Muddy Jeans at $425 a pair. They also have women's bib overall shorts for summer wear at $275.

FROM TARMART REV:  A few, but mostly Lee jeans.====JACK:  How do they look with a clerical collar?  You've probably have never worn one of those.  They do tend to make you look chaplainy.

FROM HONEST JOHN:  And, I know fools in. Overalls who are an ont i magen.    Decent people and jerks come in all types of clothing.====JACK:  There you go...showing off your knowledge of Swedish again.  I suppose you're there in Port Huron, clothed in clerics, campaigning.

FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL:  we still have a couple of farmers in the family,  on Margaret's side.   Brother in law Jake has a daughter who is taking over the farm, all 1800 acres. and she has 4 little children!  but i don't think she wears any bibs:):):)====JACK:  One of the congregations in my first parish was a country church (with outhouses in back).  What great people, over all.

FROM BB IN ILLINOIS:  Love Copeland…going to play the Fanfare now.====JACK:  YouTube is great.  I'm listening to the Fanfare now, as I type.

FROM GOOD SAMARITAN LS:  No but they are working class people, not upper echelon types. Don't know any well to do's to speak of. I identify with these types(working class individuals)  or working stiffs 😊====JACK:  The origin of "working stiff" seems to be clouded, but the source I like says that hard workers tend to get stiff from their labor.

FROM CHESTER THE GOOD:  Strange you should do this one today. Liz and I went to The Machuie Shed fr lunch today. Guess what the waitresses were wearing...bib overalls.====JACK:  Ah, the Machine Shed...one of my favorite eating places.  I've been to that one in Davenport.  In fact, I have a box of bacon-flavored toothpicks from the Machine Shed.

FROM AW IN ILLINOIS:  No, but I have bib overalls, and wear them every halloween...with a straw hat and a straw in my mouth, if I can find a sanitary one.   AlW  I do have  2 pair of coveralls, such as a mechanic might  wear.  At one time they were acceptable CAP  dress.====JACK:  Yes, I remember coveralls which mechanics would wear at car dealerships/  Some deer hunters would wear insulated ones.  The old days weren't so bad, after all.  My dad used yo wear BVDs...one-piece underwear.

FROM BLAZING OAKS:  My uncles on my dad's side wore the  "bibs" as they were farmers. Definitely not designer-types! But yes, good, genuine, hardworking people. Our school code prohibits wearing torn or holy jeans to school, so if they buy the pricey pre-torn variety, it is for after school or weekends. (I can't imagine wanting to look like that...! another sphere where I''m a dinosaur!) I have one friend who occasionally does wear bibs...she is a free spirit, but intelligent, and a lot of fun! :-)  All types of people come in all types of clothing, when you come right down to it!====JACK:  The farm folk usually had Sunday-go-to-meeting clothes.  The overalls were for chores...and mama usually wore an apron around the house.  How long has it been since you've worn an apron? ====OAKS:  Yes, they also were very regular church goers!  I wear an apron a lot...have quite an assortment of them to cover my clothes when I'm cooking or baking. my daughter and in-laws only wear them occasionally, if they are working in "Sunday-go-to meetin' clothes...)   :-)