Peter's Post-Delirium Post: New Patterns, New Pillow!

Buenas noticias, readers: I am feeling much better.  My fever broke last night and the delirium has passed.  I even managed to do a load of laundry.  Thank you for all your kind words and home remedies.  I have stopped mega-dosing vitamin C and started mega-dosing raw garlic cloves.  People are keeping their distance.

Perfectly timed for this flu-like virus was the arrival of my new pillow!  Something I have never shared with you, friends, is that for more than a year I have suffered with nighttime neck stiffness, no doubt related to the hours I spend with my head frozen in front of a computer screen every day (according to Michael, who knows about such things).  Please understand: I am in no way blaming you, loyal MPB readers, for the chronic stiffness that disrupts my sleep.  In fact I would never have even mentioned it if it weren't for what happened next.

Trolling Amazon last week, I read about the highly rated Mediflow Water Pillow -- like a waterbed for your head and neck -- and after reading the feedback from so many readers who seemed to be dealing with precisely the neck issue I was, I picked one up.  I know it sounds too good to be true, but since it arrived on Friday, my nighttime neck discomfort has disappeared.  Yes, I've had fever-induced night sweats and delirium, but my neck feels great!  Rest-assured that I do not own stock in, nor am in any way compensated by, the Mediflow Corporation, but merely want to share this information with those who might be suffering in silence, or loudly.

My one misgiving about the pillow -- actually not related to the pillow at all -- is the box that Amazon shipped it in: large enough to house a family of chihuahuas.  And if that wasn't bad enough, the box was also stuffed with paper.  Did they fear the pillow was going to shatter?







Anyway, you fill the pillow with water -- how much depends on the desired firmness of the pillow --  close the cap and that's it.  What's great about it is that the pillow never gets stiff; it conforms to any slight movement in your neck.  It's not the cheapest pillow in the world, but it's not the most expensive either.  I've tried memory foam but this is far superior, for me anyway (I sleep on all sides.)

Meanwhile, what a treat it was to find four lovely vintage men's patterns in the mail -- a gift from MPB reader Lynn.  Let's take a look!



I know Lynn will not be offended when I point out that Seventies menswear patterns have not aged well, and this one is no exception.  I mean, putting aside the nipped waists and huge lapels, the guy in gray is wearing a huge bow tie and what looks like a Western shirt (on closer inspection, it's a vest over a shirt with a mega-collar).  As for the other two, let's just say loud plaids paired with polka dots is a look best saved for the Big Top.  The flares, the cuffs -- parenthetically, I had plaid pants just like those when I was in the 6th grade -- awful.



OK, I love this vintage Thirties McCall's pajama pattern.  It actually took me a few seconds to figure out what that guy in mustard was doing (Why is he standing on an encyclopedia?) but I love what he's wearing.  I appreciate that this pattern tries to be a little different; it's a bit fashion-forward, something men's pajama patterns haven't tried to be much since.



Onto the next!



This one is also very cute: it seems inconceivable we'd see a pattern company partnering with The Gap today: their clothing isn't half as stylish.  I don't know if I'd ever wear the vest, but I do like the idea of elastic waistband casual pants, especially as shorts or gym pants, and the shirt is a bonus.  In the old days, patterns often included multiple garments (like those great one-pattern wardrobe patterns from the 60's).  When did that end -- and why?

Finally, my favorite is this one:



This makes both a pull-over shirt (shown here with the plastron front, like you'd find on a tuxedo shirt) and a regular button-down.   It reminds me of a shirt from the Edwardian era.  (I'm sorry but isn't that model's head a little...petit?)



But if you look at Version C, on the far left, that looks more like a jacket, with all kinds of pockets and epaulets -- perhaps just the think for my taupe polyester come Spring. 

Anyway, thanks again, Lynn, for making my convalescence much more fun!

Readers, there's so much more to tell: movies watched, blogs discovered -- but we'll just have to save it for another day.  OK, I did watch Frank Capra's Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, which I'd seen before years ago, and is an absolute delight.  Sure, it's a bit heavy-handed and, arguably, overlong, but it's the kind of film we're unlikely ever to see again: Hollywood at its best.  Rent it, borrow it, steal it, but watch it!

OK, time for my nap.  Anybody use a water pillow like mine?

Have a great day, everybody!