Are you in the Brownies, a Pirate, or both?

Make no mistake about it. Young "Celeste" loves her mother. She thanks her for those trips to the library every week. She loved the excursions to the County Fair where she and her sister were encouraged to try every new food possible. Celeste's single mother took good care of her girls.

Unfortunately, she also did this.
Celeste's biggest issue with this photo is her eye patch. I'm not sure a piece of medically required equipment can be considered your parents' fault. The bigger issue is that Celeste was not in the Brownies, and yet appears to have been wearing the requisite uniform. (And her mother could at least have let her take the eye patch off for the photo. I'm just sayin'.)

And what does that little yellow button say? Yup. It says GOOD CONDUCT. Our little Celeste, who says her mother still has this button, was desperate for one after "bad kid" Mike Hinchey earned it from their first-grade teacher. Celeste would be damned before she'd let that brat take her award, and she worked even harder until she got one of her own. While her mother chose the outfit, Celeste was determined to wear her button.

Years later, poor Celeste still had her patch, and again, was captured on film during an evening trip to Ames. Just a slice of life with the ladies.
This last outfit was made by Celeste's mother, and ensured that she always stood out from the crowd. Can you pick out Laura Ingalls Wilder from the Fuller School Chorus?

The dress itself was a pale lavender, Holly Hobbie-style print. In addition to the severe bun, with baby's breath adornment, Celeste also wore a corsage, which she received for every special event in her life.

One more important thing to point out, beyond the fabulousness of Celeste's formalwear and hairstyle. The "musical evening...included 'The Gigo Effect--A Computer Adventure."

Here's what Celeste remembers of that little ditty:

"Garbage in, Garbage Out.

That's what memory's all about.

When you put garbage in, garbage out."

The evening also included Erie Canal, because, Celeste looked like she would have a mule named Sal.