My apologies for my unusual silence this week. We've had the girls staying here while they attend Girl Scout day camp, and having to get them up and out the door at a frightfully early hour, combined with just the stress of having a pair of seven-year-olds (well, Brianna turns seven on the 30th....close enough!) in residence, has caused me to fall behind in rather a lot.
Not to mention which, there simply hasn't been a whole lot to talk about. Dmitry began summer school on Monday, and apart from his fears he won't be able to complete the two courses he's taking, he's actually liking it alright. According to him it's surprising how much work he can get through when surrounded with peace and quiet, without the usual distraction of his friends, chatter in the classroom, etc. None of his particular friends are there, and everyone who is, is present with the goal of getting through the course(s), so it's an environment conducive to study. He's also been assiduous about working on the packs at home in the evening, too.
Charles has been trying to find a job, and to give both him and Dmitry their due, they've managed to share Dmitry's room without causing a ruckus. Of course, Charles spent the night at his friend, Aaron's, house the last two nights. ;^)
The other day I went to Stripling & Cox, a department store in the Dunlop chain, which is closing. Sad, sad time. Not a surprise, mind....one of the mysteries of life here in Fort Worth has been wondering how on earth Stripling & Cox managed to stay open at all. The selection wasn't much, the prices weren't much, and the facility itself was tired. But oh my....! Back when I was growing up, Cox's (as it was before merging with Stripling's) was a primo department store. By jingo, I remember when a department store was a department store, with a book department, toy department, millinery department, bridal department, and even a notions department. That last is where my sister, Jeanne, had her very first job. She was an excellent student so was able to get credit for working in the afternoons, and as she was also a skilled seamstress, she worked in the Cox's notions department.
Ah, well do I recall her receiving her first pay check, and Dad's having to go through it with her in the dining room, explaining what all those deductions were for. As is common when one first becomes employed, she'd simply multiplied her hourly wage by the number of hours worked and expected the check to match. Ha. That was a rude disappointment for her, as it's been for several of our children in their turn.
Cox's is where we ordered my wedding invitations, and I'm trying to remember if I got my veil there, too. It was the first place those of us living on the west side who got engaged went to register our patterns, and that's when you knew you were getting married....when you could go up to the china department, find your pattern and see the little card in front of it with your name and wedding date on it.
These are hard times for department stores in any case, as Target has made depredations even into Macy's and Dillard's market share. A mediocre store such as Stripling & Cox had become didn't stand a chance.
I wonder if the locally-owned department store will ever make a comeback? I'd love to see that happen, personally.
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