For Valerie...

...because she asked so nicely
and because it's too early to go to bed.

 

Tunic length sweater, knit pants worn tucked
 into boots and my blazer.
Unless I can work some real magic on that
blazer this winter will be its last.
I can now wear it (buttoned) with both a long sleeve shirt
and my fisherman sweater.

 

 This is one of the cashmere cardigans we bought during
that long-ago shopping spree.
It is one of my few "old" pieces that still fit
and I love wearing it with this
striped shirt.
Here it is with skirt, tights, boots and pearls

and here with grey jeans, and different shoes and necklace.

These trousers have been versatile

 

 as the grey jeans are proving themselves to be.

I do love a flannel shirt

and this one is tunic length so it

presents less casual than most.

 

This worked well before the cold settled in

but we're forecast to hit near 40 this week

so it may make another appearance.

 

And the red coat continues to delight.

 

I haven't made straight-line progress

with Christmas shopping

because I keep finding things for myself.

This week  (THIS week)

I came home with new

(well, some of this was thrifted)

yoga pants

a plaid skirt

2 tops

1 sweater

and a wonderful pair of

berry/burgundy jeans.

Oh - and a new pair of

"alligator" booties.

They look so good with the new jeans.

Can you tell I love those jeans!?

I'll include a picture of them soon.

 

I'm still experimenting to find a reliable way to

take these pictures.  Often it

just doesn't occur to me

until the clothes are in a pile at the end of the day.

 

I have a haircut scheduled for Tuesday. 

It is truly amazing to see

how much my hair grows in six weeks.

 

My to-do list is pretty reasonable

for the week before Christmas.

The gym every morning.

Some last minute shopping tomorrow.

Hair on Tuesday.

Baking and cleaning as it fits

 throughout the week.

Charlie has a bath scheduled on Friday

so any last last minute

shopping can happen then, too.

Jacob flies into Minneapolis on Friday night

then he, Naphtali and Aidan will

come down Saturday.

The Jordisons descend on Sunday.

Fort Dodge on Tuesday.

Kids leave Wednesday.

Naps and sanity resume Thursday.

 

How is your week shaping up?

 

 

 



Monday Night

I find myself at the end of a busy weekend

looking forward to a busy week.

 

So a short recap of the trip to

Minneapolis is in order.

Driving.

Laughing.

Eating.

Shopping

Laughing.

Eating.

Scrabble.

Laughing.

Eating.

Driving.

 

Naphtali took good care of us.

We're all still speaking so we can

call the weekend A Success.

The weather was mild so the red coat

didn't make it's debut

but tomorrow's walk to work will remedy

that situation.

 

This morning it snowed and

though it is that time of year and you know

that snow can fall at

any time, the first

snowfall always seems so unexpected.

Little more than a

light dusting, it still

packs a psychological punch.

 

My calendar actually looks rather full this week.

My work week starts tomorrow.

A lunch date Wednesday.

Quick trip to Webster City and back on Thursday.

An open house that evening.

Friday night I'll help serve

Thanksgiving dinner at Kennybrook. 

 They're expecting 360 guests

- three dining rooms, three seatings -

I'll be at the library all day Saturday,

 partying that night

and finish the weekend by

working Sunday afternoon.

 

I think it's time to set my clothes out for the gym

in the morning and

head to bed!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Today

I have a less-than-roaring but more-than-satisfactory fire to keep me company.

It's cold.  I've finally worn my new down coat*  - several times in the past week.

We had snow yesterday, so I shoveled.

After work I sat up to watch the new episode of Justified making it a long Tuesday 

so I'm having trouble getting a brisk start to my Wednesday.

Good time to blog.

This, as you can see, is the main entrance to the public library at Clive.

I will be doing my 40 hour practicum with the fine folks who work here.

I was here for several hours Monday morning. 

 I have a name tag (magnetic!  just like theirs!) and a mailbox!

Friday night they are hosting an event for ESL students and their families to introduce them to the library.

A meal, presentations, tours, a library card and other goodies. 

They expect 30 families.  It's an ambitious plan.

I'll be there to help.

*Aside: it occurs to me that I haven't told the story of my coat.  Sometime in early November Younkers had all their coats at 50%.  The coat I've been wearing was fine for the short, occasional visits of the past but I knew it couldn't keep pace with the long siege of an Iowa winter.  It seemed that a good down coat would do the job so I went to to see what they had.  Tried on more than a few. Some just for fun. 

 I chose a black, knee length Calvin Klein.  

Even at 50% the price made me swallow hard.

While paying for it I told the clerk that with this purchase I had just guaranteed the warmest winter on record.

She laughed and said that I'd have *plenty* of opportunity to get my money's worth...

Here we are half way through January and its finally had its first outing.  Next week in Minneapolis...

It's Official

I've moved. 

After an absence of 30+ years, I reside in Iowa.

Classes started Monday - well, my class. I have just one class this semester - cataloging - and we're taking an easy start this week.  Our first paper is due next week.  I'm looking forward to this class because it will seem like Dorothy's peek behind the curtain.  Several of our classes - leadership and management for instance - could be applied to any career path, but cataloging belongs to the librarian.

 Charlie had an appointment at PetSmart yesterday for a haircut and shampoo.  I dropped him off and went to the gym which deserves a post of its own and picked him up three hours later.  He looks quite distinguished.  

Worth every penny and only 15 minutes away!!

Aidan, his mother and their new puppy, Proton, will be here Friday night.  Naphtali leaves Sunday.  Aidan leaves Tuesday.  Proton gets another week or so.