Shopping Bag Memory

Hilery and I went on our usual weekly shopping excursion, yesterday. As I was taking my purchases out of this bag this morning, an image came to mind of my Mom. When I was very young, 4 or 5, I can remember that Mom always took along her "shopping bag" when we went into town on Saturday night. (Stores did not have those endless plastic bags.) It was an aqua colored, "satiny" upholstery type fabric, beautifully lined, with wood handles. I can picture it clear as day !! I think she may have made it herself. We would make our trips into JC Penny's, Montgomery Wards, and the "dime store" among other places. She would purchase her sewing notions and whatever else was needed for our home, placing all of her items in that bag as we went from store to store. I especially liked those privately owned clothing stores where we would look at all the beautiful ready made clothes. Mom would look them all over, get an idea what we liked, then go home and make her own patterns to replicate that clothing for herself, my sister and me. I wonder what happened to that bag !! It would be a much prettier bag to carry than this one I purchased at Target !! It would be fun, also, to have one of those dresses she created !!