From Roadkill to Loungewear

This past Valentine's Day my husband David and I were musing about the best gift he has ever given me, and it had nothing to do with Valentine or a birthday or even Christmas.

About 20 years ago, on a snowy winter day, David was leaving a busy shopping mall, and close to our car was a dirty shopping bag that had tire marks on it from being run over a few times.  David being David picked it up.  Now if I had been with him, I would have said "Eww! don’t touch that!" Luckily, I wasn’t there so he picked it up, looked inside, and threw it in the car. When he got home, he proudly showed me his find.  I was looking at the bag with disgust, but when he pulled out the red fleece sweater, I thought, oh, this could be good!

To my surprise, it was actually a very good quality, high-end top. I asked where he got it and he told me the mall parking lot. I’m used to presents like this from David.  I will never forget the first time he brought me flowers. As I was oohing and aahing, he told me the flowers were leftover from a photoshoot, so the roadkill top did not really surprise me.

I washed it and was pleasantly surprised at the quality and comfort of my gift. It’s light but warm, yet not too warm. The fabric is polyester but, not just any polyester it’s Polartec. Yes, my sweater is made from recycled plastic (the label still looks brand new.)   In the fall-winter and spring months, you will most likely find me wearing this top around the house or out running errands.  Twenty years later and after hundreds of washes it still looks new.  We often joke that it’s my “at-home uniform”. I’m sure some of my past homestay guests will remember it well.  I wish I had another one but, I recently found out that the company – Victorinox, Swiss Army - stopped their clothing line in 2017.

This top is hands down the best gift my husband has ever given me.

 Your HomeStay Mom,