Ilost the pom-pom off the top of my warmest midwinter beanie. It is my favorite beanie, too. It is the color of finely-aged Grey Poupon mustard. It has a furry lining. It used to have a furry pom-pom. Now it is pom-less. Grey Poupon minus a pom-pom.

When I was growing up, exactly 1001 miles from Dickinson, I called such hats stocking caps. I made loads of them for all my family and friends when I was in high school.

Sometimes I would make them with long, pointy tops. Like Santa hats. Other times they fit snugly on top, and had a rolled-up brim. And a few even had a longer rounded top, suitable for smuggling bagels into study hall. But all of them had pom-poms.

Poms were my specialty. I made solid color poms that added sophistication. I added contrasting color poms for whimsy. I made gig

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