Date:         Fri, 12 Sep 2008 13:38:29 -0700
Reply-To:     Don Hanson <dhanson@GORGE.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Don Hanson <dhanson@GORGE.NET>
Subject:      "Westphalian"
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252"

My S.O. coined that word yesterday as she handed me a little rug she just
found at an IKEA store.

  She's been laughingly approving of my 84 Faux-Westie van since I began
using it to replace my diesel-guzzling Powerstroke Ford and Alaskan camper
combo.  My van has pretty nice seats, brown captains chairs, but my
Chesapeake retriever and our barn cat really seem to like that soft velour
like upholstery, so I try to keep the passenger side, at least, covered up
from wet pets, etc.  Usually, it's an old Mexican blanket, folded up, or
sometimes a Pendleton wool throw blanket that matches my dog's hair..She
always has to take the 'seat cover' off to sit in the right seat, to avoid
dog hair and stickers, etc etc.

  On a rare trip to town (Portland, Or.) she went into that store, for some
reason..and came home with this small 'rag-weave' throw rug, just right to
lay across the passenger seat.  "Here, dear" she said, "For you.  I saw this
and it was so "westphalian" that I just HAD to get it for your van"

  Anyone else want to point out other examples of very "Westphalian" stuff?
I have a few more examples:  Those small three legged stools..mine are
Mexican with tooled leather seats.  My rear seat upholstery..Never seen that
pattern of multi-colored blocks on brown background elsewhere but in
Westies...Ummm, that distinctive sound that the slider makes when being
slammed closed...I can hear one of "us" for half a mile in a campsite.. Tie
dyed curtains? Probably more "splitty-specialized"

  anyhow, I liked the word.
 Don Hanson