Chasing Sunsets
Sunset was her favorite time of the day. People always said that each sunrise was the start of a new beginning, but to her, it was the last peek of the sun’s rays for the day that meant it was time to start fresh. But this sunset was even more exciting because she was following it West. Her flight had lifted off from Heathrow just as the sun was making its descent, and she’d be following its path for a time, and would get to watch its beautiful rays for a bit longer than usual. Tonight, her new life was beginning.
It started in the middle of chaos. She’d been stationed in France as a field nurse, a British field nurse stationed in the Dordogne. She’d joined Queen Alexandra’s Royal Nursing Corp as soon as the war had begun, having been a licensed surgical nurse before the conflict began. She’d been one of few women in the field but had trained at the Royal College of Nursing and had graduated first. It was hard to deny her the position she had earned but try they did.
When World War two began to ravage Europe and all her male counterparts were called up to fight, the hospital had no choice but to allow her into the operating theatre. But soon, her female friends were heading to work in factories, and she was headed to the battlefront.
She witnessed horrors there that would have taken a lesser soul to the brink, but she had a heart of gold and a spine of steel and nothing deterred her from the work she knew it was her destiny to perform. There were days, weeks even that she ate little and slept less. She performed medical tasks in moments of crisis for which she wasn’t officially licensed but for which she was supremely qualified. She saved soldier and civilian alike, as the Nazi Brehmer division cared not at all which they shot.
All through the war she worked, valiantly, tirelessly. And then VE day had come, and for most the War was at an end. For her, it was at an end. The feelings of elation and confusion were jumbled up in a twisted knot around her so tightly she wasn’t sure she’d ever escape them. After a few weeks she returned home to Britain, where the bombed-out buildings reflected the strange emptiness she felt where her soul had been.
A few months later she was back at the hospital where she had been before the War began, this time handling rounds and general patient care while her own invisible wounds healed. That’s where they met. He was a Yankee, injured when he’d had to eject from his plane as it fell from the sky. Luckily, he’d landed in allied territory, but unluckily his backbone had taken the brunt of the landing. A fractured spine had left him hospitalized for months, and now undergoing treatments to help him walk again. She was placed in charge of those treatments. It began as merely she moving his legs daily to try to push back the atrophy, but it became him working to pull back her smile. As much as she wanted to see him walk, he wanted to see the light return to her eyes. Slowly, both of them succeeded, and together they healed.
Then he was sent home, and she had to remain behind. But letters had flown back and forth, and promises had been made. And now, she was chasing the sunset to see him again, where she knew he would be waiting her for, standing.
Sunset was her favorite time of the day. People always said that each sunrise was the start of a new beginning, but to her, it was the last peek of the sun’s rays for the day that meant it was time to start fresh. But this sunset was even more exciting because she was following it West. Her flight had lifted off from Heathrow just as the sun was making its descent, and she’d be following its path for a time, and would get to watch its beautiful rays for a bit longer than usual. Tonight, her new life was beginning.
It started in the middle of chaos. She’d been stationed in France as a field nurse, a British field nurse stationed in the Dordogne. She’d joined Queen Alexandra’s Royal Nursing Corp as soon as the war had begun, having been a licensed surgical nurse before the conflict began. She’d been one of few women in the field but had trained at the Royal College of Nursing and had graduated first. It was hard to deny her the position she had earned but try they did.
When World War two began to ravage Europe and all her male counterparts were called up to fight, the hospital had no choice but to allow her into the operating theatre. But soon, her female friends were heading to work in factories, and she was headed to the battlefront.
She witnessed horrors there that would have taken a lesser soul to the brink, but she had a heart of gold and a spine of steel and nothing deterred her from the work she knew it was her destiny to perform. There were days, weeks even that she ate little and slept less. She performed medical tasks in moments of crisis for which she wasn’t officially licensed but for which she was supremely qualified. She saved soldier and civilian alike, as the Nazi Brehmer division cared not at all which they shot.
All through the war she worked, valiantly, tirelessly. And then VE day had come, and for most the War was at an end. For her, it was at an end. The feelings of elation and confusion were jumbled up in a twisted knot around her so tightly she wasn’t sure she’d ever escape them. After a few weeks she returned home to Britain, where the bombed-out buildings reflected the strange emptiness she felt where her soul had been.
A few months later she was back at the hospital where she had been before the War began, this time handling rounds and general patient care while her own invisible wounds healed. That’s where they met. He was a Yankee, injured when he’d had to eject from his plane as it fell from the sky. Luckily, he’d landed in allied territory, but unluckily his backbone had taken the brunt of the landing. A fractured spine had left him hospitalized for months, and now undergoing treatments to help him walk again. She was placed in charge of those treatments. It began as merely she moving his legs daily to try to push back the atrophy, but it became him working to pull back her smile. As much as she wanted to see him walk, he wanted to see the light return to her eyes. Slowly, both of them succeeded, and together they healed.
Then he was sent home, and she had to remain behind. But letters had flown back and forth, and promises had been made. And now, she was chasing the sunset to see him again, where she knew he would be waiting her for, standing.
Sunset was her favorite time of the day. People always said that each sunrise was the start of a new beginning, but to her, it was the last peek of the sun’s rays for the day that meant it was time to start fresh. But this sunset was even more exciting because she was following it West. Her flight had lifted off from Heathrow just as the sun was making its descent, and she’d be following its path for a time, and would get to watch its beautiful rays for a bit longer than usual. Tonight, her new life was beginning.
It started in the middle of chaos. She’d been stationed in France as a field nurse, a British field nurse stationed in the Dordogne. She’d joined Queen Alexandra’s Royal Nursing Corp as soon as the war had begun, having been a licensed surgical nurse before the conflict began. She’d been one of few women in the field but had trained at the Royal College of Nursing and had graduated first. It was hard to deny her the position she had earned but try they did.
When World War two began to ravage Europe and all her male counterparts were called up to fight, the hospital had no choice but to allow her into the operating theatre. But soon, her female friends were heading to work in factories, and she was headed to the battlefront.
She witnessed horrors there that would have taken a lesser soul to the brink, but she had a heart of gold and a spine of steel and nothing deterred her from the work she knew it was her destiny to perform. There were days, weeks even that she ate little and slept less. She performed medical tasks in moments of crisis for which she wasn’t officially licensed but for which she was supremely qualified. She saved soldier and civilian alike, as the Nazi Brehmer division cared not at all which they shot.
All through the war she worked, valiantly, tirelessly. And then VE day had come, and for most the War was at an end. For her, it was at an end. The feelings of elation and confusion were jumbled up in a twisted knot around her so tightly she wasn’t sure she’d ever escape them. After a few weeks she returned home to Britain, where the bombed-out buildings reflected the strange emptiness she felt where her soul had been.
A few months later she was back at the hospital where she had been before the War began, this time handling rounds and general patient care while her own invisible wounds healed. That’s where they met. He was a Yankee, injured when he’d had to eject from his plane as it fell from the sky. Luckily, he’d landed in allied territory, but unluckily his backbone had taken the brunt of the landing. A fractured spine had left him hospitalized for months, and now undergoing treatments to help him walk again. She was placed in charge of those treatments. It began as merely she moving his legs daily to try to push back the atrophy, but it became him working to pull back her smile. As much as she wanted to see him walk, he wanted to see the light return to her eyes. Slowly, both of them succeeded, and together they healed.
Then he was sent home, and she had to remain behind. But letters had flown back and forth, and promises had been made. And now, she was chasing the sunset to see him again, where she knew he would be waiting her for, standing.
This one of a kind cotton pullover blouse is 100% handmade by the artist. Re-imagined from two late 1940’s cotton pillowcases sourced from Arkansas.
Measurements: Bust: 41 Max Waist: 41 max Length 15 no stretch
Care Instructions and General Information: This one of a kind blouse is fashioned from a garment that is approximately 80 years old. It should be hand washed in warm water and laid flat to dry, ironed on medium heat with starch to retain crispness. Due to the age there may be minor discolorations or areas of wear commiserate with age. This is normal and to be considered as part of the beauty of the garment
NO refunds or exchanges due to the one of a kind nature of this piece