Packing Report

This was the original packing list from our recent trip. 

I've crossed out the items I didn't use.

 

4 sleeveless/short sleeve layering pieces:

berry

gray

charcoal

ivory

4 long sleeve tees:

ivory

tan

charcoal

mustard

3 V-neck cashmere sweaters:

navy

gray

teal

3 button-front shirts:

denimish

gray/teal plaid

gray paisley(tunic length)

2 pants:

white cords

charcoal

1 navy skirt and tights

1 charcoal wool blazer

 

With temperatures unexpectedly warm

- upper 60s and 70s -

layers weren't necessary.  I never wore the blazer.

We didn't do any "fine" dining, so the skirt

remained in the suitcase.

 

It's reasonable to assume that many pieces

can be eliminated, because

in Paris I will have access to laundry,

but, December weather should call

 for some layering pieces, so

I'll be looking for that happy medium

to allow more room for

shopping!

 

These items worked for me.

The color combinations were easy and

flexible.  I felt well-dressed and appropriate

in my choices.  The white cords were

fun to wear, though I don't see them

making the trip to Paris.  My boots

proved to be very comfortable.  I had casual shoes

in the bag, which I did wear, and need

to decide which pair of

shoes will accompany my boots

across the pond.

 

Overall it was a relief to see how versatile

the carry-on bag can be. 

It eliminates a certain amount of "stress"

to know that I can do this,

though it's not a convenient system if there are several

overnight stops involved. 

Everything had to be loaded and layered

rather precisely in the bag

(it was full)

which made for less-than-fun repacking

every morning. 

I'm looking forward to having a destination

allowing me to unpack once.

 

 



In Season

The air has been filled with the

long, shifting V-s of

returning geese.

Their honking

alerts the casual

witness to this seasonal

trek pulling the eye to the horizon

where they hover en masse

looking for a place to rest.

 

We've also seen a flock of mallard ducks

and deluded and bedraggled robins

 huddled in the falling snow.

 

Within my four walls there

are signs of impending spring, as well.

This morning I opened the

storage space built into the fireplace shelving

 

 to retrieve some seasonal accents.

 

Today's bright sunshine is whispering that it might

be reason enough to debut

some "spring" clothes at work tonight...

 

Sunday Evening

I still find it

hard to believe that time can slip so quickly

through my fingers.

Intended posts and other projects

were set aside this week

to allow for the unexpected.

 

Last weekend Tim fell while cross-country skiing,

causing something in his knee to pop.

He iced and elevated through the night

and decided the next morning that it should be seen.

Preliminary diagnosis

was a torn ACL.

An MRI on Thursday indicated a torn MCL,

which means that surgery won't be required.

A round of PT twice a week for the next

 month or six weeks

and he should be good as new.

We're very thankful.

It did mean, though, that I was the designated

driver for work and appointments,

a role that will continue for at least another week.

 

We had several snowfalls last week

and the truck just went down our street

spreading the de-icing solution in

anticipation of freezing rain/ice later tonight

and into tomorrow morning.

Yippee.

 

Anyway, I was able to claim

some of the week for myself:

 

Tonight the last few rows of my sweater back will be finished,

bound off, and the front section begun.

 

My navy wardrobe selections are coming together.

A mariner dress from llbean

will be nothing but fun to wear.

A cotton/cashmere blend V-neck sweater

will prove versatile.

Local sales added a solid (but lightweight) 3/4 sleeve cardigan

a coral top (which may not make it)

a tank with embellished neckline

a 3/4 sleeve mariner top

and a pair of tan jeans.

 

 

The sneakers were found online.

A local store carried the style, but not

this color, so they were ordered and shipped to my front door. 

They are cute, comfy and will be a fun option

 for casual outings.

There are a few more packages

scheduled to arrive in the next few days.

Paint chips have proven helpful

when trying to "remember"

a color from one place to the next.

 

And this:



 

was going to be so much fun.

Projects using bleach pens and various

fabric mediums are featured on Pinterest

from time to time

and this was going to be my

grand experiment!

The scarf was clearanced for $3.00 - why not

take the chance?! 

 

It didn't work.

Plan B doesn't exist at this point

but I'm determined to

transform this scarf.

 

 

Appropriate

The third word to describe how I want to

 be seen is appropriate.

 

Healthy.

Casual.

Appropriate.

 

So, here's where I am:

 

I hadn't planned to even think about

spring/summer clothes

until April, but everyone else seems to be...

 

Our weather can be unpredictable until

well into April.

Because my internal thermostat

is wacko

my current supply of clothes are

lighter and layerable

and hopefully will see me through

for a while, yet.

 

The undeniable fact, though, is that with my weight loss

I have no spring/summer clothes.

 

If I'm going to shop I want to add

pieces that will fit a broader plan for this

next phase of building my "look."

 

I've spent  many hours

sifting through Vivienne's wonderful archives.

The starting point always seems the

biggest challenge.

Two neutrals?  Three?

A favorite painting?

A scarf?

Just tell me where to start!

 

In spite of my ruminations it has been a good week.

Important decisions have been made;

Nails?  Shorter.

Hair? Longer.

The third word.

 

While looking through my closet for something else

I found several unexpected items that

helped shape a plan.

 

For whatever reason these things

have survived both the moving purge

and the weight loss shuffle and were buried, forgotten,

in the depths of my closet.

 

 

A blue Missioni-style sweater.

A plaid fabric belt. (!?!)

A pair of blue tweed pumps.

Blue and white cardigan.

 

 

 

Add the tan bag

- my favorite summer bag -

and I think we can see a pattern developing.

 

At this point I'm happy to go with a

Not So Crazy Eight

plan in navy.

It's a good starting place for me.

I'm excited to get started.

 

 

 

 



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?

 

 

 



Road Trip

Heading North this weekend.

My mother and sister want to see

my daughter's new house.

Tonight will find me at their place

- a ninety minute drive -

and in the morning we'll point the car

in the direction of the Twin Cities and see what

the day brings.

 

They had snow in the cities earlier this week

and, even though Naphtali

assures me it will be gone before we

arrive, the weather provides a good excuse to

debut a recent thrift store find.

 

 

I rediscovered a forgotten fact about

vintage wool coats:

They are wool.

With a satin lining.

No thermo-tek engineering here. 

It should be well-suited for

the predicted mid-40s this weekend

but probably won't stand up

to the frigid extremes we'll experience

later this winter. 

 

For some women it's all about the

shoes, jewelry or purses.

Me?  It's coats. 

This one was just too fun, and

- even with the dry cleaning -

 too cheap, to leave hanging. 

It will require a certain attitude as

its main accessory

and, as I've pretty much been in a

damn-the-torpedoes mood lately,

it should be perfect.

 

 



Killing Time

It's too late to start anything new

before bedtime

but I have too much time to do nothing

so here I am.

 

Pictures will be added another time

because I'm already at my desk.

You'll have to come back.

 

Tim sent me shopping for my birthday.

(He also came home with flowers,

 and fixed his signature shrimp pizza for supper.)

 

He acknowledged my

thrift store purchases

and alterations

 and said it was time to have

some new things.

Hard to argue with that.

We agreed on a price range and

thanks to a great sale

and some coupons

I was able to spend almost twice

the allotted monies.

 

I came home with a mixture of

classic

fun

and utility pieces.

 

I'm normally a careful

and almost reluctant shopper

but

(and this is where the promised picture comes in)

 my way out of the store

passes the jewelry counter.

Something caught my eye and I

made an instant decision

- and I do mean instant -

that a particular

bracelet was going home with me.

(Well outside the allotment but hey - it was my birthday)

 

It's going to be so much fun to wear

and the c/w will factor out to pennies in no time!

 

 

 

 

 

 



Free time

As I have nothing pressing on my calendar

- or mind -

today, it seemed like a good time for a new post.

 

"Our" hummingbirds are back.

The swooping sound made by their wings is always

a delight to hear.  And they make an odd

chirp, almost like a dolphin's chatter,

that always surprises me.

 

Sadly, this year, I won't be watching for them

while reclining indulgently

in my hammock.

It has disintegrated.

String by string.

You can't imagine how much I already miss it.
I'm glad it held together long
enough for Aidan to enjoy while he was here.

 

Earlier this morning I went through my tee shirts.

The rag bag will be replenished,

with some going on to the Goodwill .

The other day I went through my pants.

It's rather embarrassing that there were so many

items in both the "keep" and

"toss" piles. 

 

The plan was to do no shopping for a few

more weeks.  Make what I have

work for these last few weeks of heat

and enjoy some new fall clothes.

That is still the general outline of my plan,

but, there are some gaps- literally -

that need to be filled.  Now.

And everyone has everything on sale

so tomorrow I will pick up a few essentials.

 

And scope out some of the fall offerings...

 

 

 

You Have to Laugh

I brought this book home from the library recently:

Overdressed
The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion
by Elizabeth L. Cline.

 

Of course, the next day,

JCP had a flier in my mailbox promising

everything I need for summer

for $20 or less.

 

I already shared the opinion

(and have tried to be responsible in my attitudes and consumption)

that there was something amiss in

the way clothing is

 perceived,

marketed,

produced

 and/or procured

so it won't be a life-changing read.

 

 

One comment, on page nine of the introduction, elicited

a "Seriously!?" when I read Ms. Cline's

earnest exhortation to

"...develop more of a relationship with the things we wear."

 

While I understand, and agree with the

basic premise,

I couldn't help but think that I have

family/neighbors/co-workers

with whom I need to develop relationships!

Please don't add my wardrobe to that category!!

 

 

 

 

 

True Story

I have a sad, but true story to pass along today.  

Actually, more like several vignettes.  I went to a wedding over the weekend
- without my camera.  I know, but it gets worse. 

So you'll find no pictures, here, of the happy couple.  Or Leslie looking wonderful in her dress.  

No record of the table settings or bouquets. 

 Family.  

Incomparable weather. 

 Nothing. 

 I thought of throwing in a picture of my shoes - which are both adorable and comfortable - but I wasn't in the mood for a sop.

Anyway.  The saga continues.  

Not only did I leave home without my camera for this stellar event
 - I left my spanx on the dresser.  I know.  

I had clothes for the dinner Friday night.  For hanging around Saturday morning. 

 Several Weather related  options for the wedding on Saturday afternoon,
 changes if we went out later,
something to drive home Sunday morning - 

but my spanx got left behind.  I know. 

 Of course I didn't discover this until I was out of the shower on Saturday, starting to get dressed. 

 I emptied my suitcase.
I put everything back and emptied it again,
lifting each item and shaking it to dislodge what was not there.  

How could this happen?!?  Aaargh!!

It is both unfortunate and 

I know everlastingly to my advantage 

that Naphtali suspected Aidan was developing strep throat.  

While my private drama was developing they Tim, Naphtali and Aidan were out in search of a drop-in clinic, 

which they found, and

  which confirmed Naphtali's excellent motherly intuition and 

got the lad started on an antibiotic. 

 In the mean time, Naphtali called me asking if I had heard from Leslie concerning the pew bows - 

bear with me that will be in the next paragraph - and 

I spilled my tale of woe.  "Well, I could pick you up a pair."  They were at Target. 

 Just that easily: another crisis averted.

So, back to the pew bows. 

 Over the years I have been acknowledged as competent, even skilled, I know at a variety of crafts. 

 But one crafting basic has consistently eluded me
 - making bows.  I know.  

So imagine my dismay, on Friday night, when a somewhat harried mother-of-the-groom 

asked if Naphtali and I would be willing to make 60 pew bows. 

I looked her in the eye and said the only thing I could:
"Of course.  No problem.  Glad to help."  I know.
Trusting all the while that my multi-talented daughter 

would be able to pick up the slack created by my two left thumbs. 

We got started Saturday morning at what I considered a leisurely hour and pace for 60 bows when Naphtali confessed 

that bows had never been her strong suit.  I Know! 

 But that revelation was counter balanced by the news that we only had to make 16 bows.  

With all the background noise I had misheard Leslie.  She needed 16 - not 60 - bows!
The bows were finished and made it to the church in time.
It was a lovely ceremony on a perfect, classic fall, October afternoon.
Aidan received the appropriate medical attention.
I was sufficiently cocooned in the new spanx.

You've been very patient  and I hope somewhat amused with this epic tale and here's the payoff:

I learned a new skill:  Bows are no longer my bete noir.
I know!  

Today I made this bow.

Who knows what I may make tomorrow!  
I Know!