Good bye, old friends

Can shirts that have been in the family for years be considered old friends?  The girls usually do their own wash, but I had extra time today so I did it for them.

The first shirt was originally purchased from The Gap for younger step-daughter when we lived in Idaho.  Her mother played that "game" that childish divorced parents sometimes play, which is to not send clothes with the children for weekend visitations.  We went to The Gap and picked up this shirt, a pair of jeans, a dress/jumper, and a shirt to wear under it, in addition to a pair of dress shoes.

Since then all three of the younger girls have worn this shirt (as well as the jumper and other shirt), but when I was folding clothes I saw this one has a little hole in the lower left as well as some light stains and open hem seams.  So this one has had its last wearing.

The red Lands' End polo has an even longer history.  When I was a single parent I was really poor, so I shopped for my children at thrift stores.  However--I only bought the good-quality brand names!  I remember I got this shirt for Kevin for only about $1.50 and he wore it for quite awhile, then my step-daughter, and then two of the three younger girls, in addition to whoever wore it before donating it to the thrift store.

 Kevin tore a three-cornered hole in the lower right early on and I couldn't afford to throw out the shirt so I stitched it up with a needle and thread.  Elizabeth has especially liked this shirt, but the last time she wore it I noticed the edges of the sleeves were frayed and there were some light stains in it as well.

I'm going to cut the buttons off the polo shirt and bravely drop them both into the trash.  Wait.  I've heard little cotton scraps can be composted.  Maybe I'll do that.  Or not.