Weekend Getaway to Family, Fabrics, and Fun

Editor's Note: At the end of the calendar year, when work slows down and I have a little free time, I try to catch up with old blog posts. Here's one from a visit to family in Charlotte to celebrate my grandfather's 90th(!) birthday party.

Because I was able to give the clerkship coordinator advance notice, she made the call schedule such that I got off on Friday afternoon and didn't have to report to the hospital until Monday morning. This provided me enough time to fly out to meet my family in Charlotte, North Carolina for a weekend. Left: My cousin did our hair and makeup before the party. Below: The birthday boy as a younger man, effusive, joking, loyal, patriotic, and strong. He spent decades teaching gymnastics, good character, and civic-mindedness with Sokol Dallas. Of course there was cake, beer, cigars, and presents. And a viewing of The Princess Bride!

Before I returned, I asked to see a local museum, and my aunt recommended the Mint Museum Randolph, which is big enough to have a variety of genres but small enough to take in on an afternoon. We saw American glass, porcelain, and textiles. The clothing exhibit was of particular interest; here are some samples.

The American evening gown on the left was made in Baltimore about 1911 and demonstrates a new corset style the placard described as "monobosom." The fan is dyed ostrich feathers.

On the right is a wool Pierre Balmain skirt suit from the first half of the 1960s that I wish I were stylish enough to wear.

Below is an embroidered Mayan traje with a detail to show how intricate the needlepoint can be. I am intrigued by the use of Western numbers and letters as decoration.

A little bit of this, a little bit of that--how soon the visit was over! But it reminded me that there is life outside the hospital and interests beyond medicine. Maybe (hopefully) residency will bring me closer to family, after 16 years away.