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Making the World Cuter: Stay Away Crazy Man & Sewing Help

A blog where one woman is on a mission to make the world cuter, one kid, cupcake or crafty thing at a time.

4.13.2010

Stay Away Crazy Man & Sewing Help

I had the most pleasant (make that unpleasant) conversation with an 80 year old man today at the grocery store.
I took my kids with me in the morning, and so it was mostly older people in the store shopping, all were very nice to my kids and smiled and talked to them until I got to the self-checkout stand.

This man comes up to me and asks incredulously, "Are all of these your kids?"

I looked around to see if some school just dropped off their field trip gang behind my cart, by the way he said it, when I saw that it was just my little ones, I replied, "Yup, all three are mine."

He says, "Well I am turning 80 next week, so I know what I'm talking about-you NEED to listen to me."
"Okay."

He then went on to tell me that I needed to just put them all in front of a big TV and just walk away from them.
Crazy right?
It gets better.
Then he tells me that having children is only good for the government and for eventually paying taxes.

He told me that I needed to put a zipper on "it" (I'll spare you his language) and that I need to be done having kids.
As he was about to walk away, since I wouldn't engage in conversation with him...he asks me if they all got social security cards when they were born.
I warily answered yes.
"Well, then see, they already belong to the government and not to you anyway, so why are you even bothering with them?"

I was so livid, but I didn't want to berate him, so I let him walk away while I fumed.

Can you believe that?
Usually I just get, "You know how that happens right? Ha ha."
This was something altogether new.

Anyway just had to share the crazy with you.

Now onto more relevant news...
All you seamstress's out there, I need your help! I won this fun prize package awhile back of maternity clothes from Moody Mama's by Christian Siriano, and one of the dresses included was this fun little wrap dress...The problem: I am TALL. I am 5'8" and for some reason dresses these days are shorter than my legs permit.
I need to add some length to this dress, but I still want it to be cute.
Ideas?
I know there is a creative genius out there, that just said "duh, all you need to do is..."
What!?!
:)

29 Comments:

Blogger Michelle Turner said...

A flirty little ruffle or two can add some length without much difficulty...

Tue Apr 13, 05:05:00 PM

 
Blogger Jenn said...

If you have a simple tank top dress that's a length you like you could try putting that underneath or add a ruffle or two.

Tue Apr 13, 05:10:00 PM

 
Blogger Lena K. said...

That poor old man. That he doesn't grasp the joy, miracle, and privilege of parenthood. I hope he didn't have children, and if he did that he didn't mess them up too badly. Good job staying calm - that was a great example for your children!

Tue Apr 13, 05:14:00 PM

 
Blogger Anonymous said...

Sorry I don't have any good ideas on the dress, but I just had to drop in and say "CRAAAAA-zy!" wow, thats just wacky weird, yanno?!?! And he thinks OUR brains are wired wrong by the gov't?!?! hahhaa. Wow.

Tue Apr 13, 05:21:00 PM

 
Blogger Camille said...

I would just add a hem, as long as you need, in a coordinating navy and white fabric. Super easy, especial as it's a wrap-around!

Tue Apr 13, 05:27:00 PM

 
Blogger The Activity Mom said...

Wow, that man sounds CRAZY! Good for you for holding it together in front of your kids. I would have been totally tempted to let him have it. Well....I guess that depends on if it is at the beginning of the shopping trip or at the end when I'm scrambling to get out of there before meltdowns happen. =) I just wanted to say I'm sorry that happened to you. What a jerk!

Tue Apr 13, 05:28:00 PM

 
Blogger Jenn Miyamoto said...

Wow. Three isn't that much, in my mind. So sorry this happened to you! If it happened to me, I probably would have started bawling. Hope you're having a better day!
Jenn

Tue Apr 13, 05:39:00 PM

 
Blogger CourtneyKeb said...

Awww, they lose their minds at 80, girl just keep remembering that!
;)

If it were my dress I'd replace the sash with a black one, and then use it in the bottom hem with a black stripe, the navy sash for a stripe, and another black stripe.

Tue Apr 13, 06:00:00 PM

 
Blogger CourtneyKeb said...

Awww, they lose their minds at 80, girl just keep remembering that!
;)

If it were my dress I'd replace the sash with a black one, and then use it in the bottom hem with a black stripe, the navy sash for a stripe, and another black stripe.

Tue Apr 13, 06:00:00 PM

 
Blogger Jaime said...

When you explained it to me Sunday I wasn't sure what kind of a dress it was, but now that I see it,(super cute by the way), I wonder how big of a hem it already has tucked under it. Can you just take the hem down? Usually nice dresses have a nice big hem hiding under there.
*maybe i should borrow it from you before you do any adding on* hehehe ;)

Tue Apr 13, 06:15:00 PM

 
Blogger April J. said...

I love crazy people, I myself have a few kids and get comments often. Although it is totally rude and inappropriate, not to mention none of his business, he did create a very good story to share!

Tue Apr 13, 06:17:00 PM

 
Blogger Denise said...

If that had been someone younger I probably would have lost it. It sounds like the poor man either had a reaalllly bad case of "government paranoia" or some other type of dementia. (which can happen at any age btw) Just have to wonder..Did you happen to see if he DROVE away??? That would be SCARY!
As for the dress, If you want something really feminine, I'd probably go with lace(course, I have scads of it laying around:) or maybe a contrasting color. To unify the "add on" you could also add some of the lace/fabric to the sleeve ends or the decollete area.

Tue Apr 13, 06:43:00 PM

 
Blogger Unknown said...

No seamstress advice here, but about the old man. Maybe he was out of his mind. Three children is NOT a large family or anything out of the ordinary - at least as far as I can tell. ;)

Tue Apr 13, 07:20:00 PM

 
Blogger Deanna said...

I would so love to have known if that man had any children or if he ever married. He sounds very unhappy. Poor guy.

Tue Apr 13, 07:25:00 PM

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Sorry you had to deal with such a rude man. What a wacko!
I agree with some of the other comments that a ruffle would be cute on the bottom of the skirt.

Tue Apr 13, 08:17:00 PM

 
Blogger Sawdust Girl said...

No advice on that really cute dress of yours. All I can say about your "old man" story is it sucks to be him. How sad to be so bitter and angry or just mad (in the crazy dept). Here's hoping a stranger does a random act of kindness for you and restores your faith in humanity. (Or makes you feel better anyway.)

Tue Apr 13, 08:47:00 PM

 
Blogger Unknown said...

i think you just have to be sad for that bitter man. who knows what has happened in his life to get him to that crazy ugly place?
as for the dress, maybe just some leggings under it? i'm not a seamstress.

Tue Apr 13, 09:13:00 PM

 
Blogger Unknown said...

It sounds like that man may be unstable, maybe alzheimer's or a stroke or something. No doubt it was rude but like a previous post said, I'd feel more sorry for him then anything (after the initial shock and embarrassment wore off). It's sad that you and the kids had to experience something like that.

Wed Apr 14, 05:01:00 AM

 
Blogger Lisa said...

I'd say shorten the dress and wear it over jeans or leggings. Or add a ruffle and new sash that coordinate.

As for the old man, laugh it off as telling yourself someday we'll all be elders and think we have the right to say whatever is on our mind!!! :)

Wed Apr 14, 05:18:00 AM

 
Blogger A. Simpson said...

What the....? You're going to have to e-mail me and give me more details.
I woulda clocked him.
No dress advice, Yah for winning the prize package!

Wed Apr 14, 07:18:00 AM

 
Blogger Tailored Trash Queen said...

Oh heavens! Bless him, Lord.

Wed Apr 14, 07:42:00 AM

 
Blogger Callie Warren said...

I have the same problem all the time. There is a store called vintagehem.com and they make slips that go under and peek out with whatever color you want. Lace or fabric or ruffles. Then you could wear it with other dresses too.

Wed Apr 14, 10:08:00 AM

 
Blogger Tonia said...

I would have told that old guy where he could go!
I wanted to let you know that I gave you the Sunshine award over on my blog http://tonia-thenotsocraftycrafts.blogspot.com/2010/04/hello-sunshine.html

Wed Apr 14, 10:52:00 AM

 
Blogger Stacey said...

Sheesh - I am so impressed that you just let him blab and had such grace! Good for you. Silly old man......sad old man that he doesn't know just how joyous being a mama (or daddy) to sweet precious babes is!!!
The dress is adorable - way adorable. I wish I was pregnant so I could buy me one! :) I so don't sew - so I have no idea about adding length - my answer is take it to a seamstress - I know so NOT resourceful. :)
Have a great day!

Wed Apr 14, 02:22:00 PM

 
Blogger Cottage Dreamers said...

Holy moly! He must have ate a lot of lead paint chips as a kid!

I'm 5'8" too, so I understand.
☺ Celeste

Wed Apr 14, 03:28:00 PM

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm with the leggings. I think this would be adorable, a little shorter with a cute pair of capri leggings.

As for the old guy, wow. I probably would have burst into tears and then gotten angry. Good on you for maintaining your composure, especially in front of the kidlings.

Thu Apr 15, 02:35:00 PM

 
Blogger suzanne said...

My paretns are 81 and would have NEVER said those things. So no worries. He's having a case of the crazies.............I think just the opposite - you should have a dozen you make them so well!

Thu Apr 15, 03:27:00 PM

 
Blogger Aunti said...

I am sorry you and your children had to experience that. He must have been a man deprived of a loving mother and nurturing relationship that brings joy into one's world. The good news is: he is in the minority and there are a lot of beautiful people out there that are loving and giving people. May our focus be on those who love much! God bless you.

Fri Apr 16, 03:21:00 PM

 
Blogger Kathryn said...

Sorry that happened to you at the store, but it sounded like you handled it just right. He was looking for an argument and you were right not to give it any merit. I worked at a nursing home in high school and sometimes peoples minds go before their bodies do, or they have been cranky their whole lives and now that they have nothing but free time on their hands they want others to share their misery or they have been hardworking and in control of their whole lives and now angry that they no longer are are and blame the government and everyone else or a combination of all of the above.

Sat Apr 17, 06:29:00 PM

 

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