Day 69: We Brake for Kitties Around Here

I was all cozy in my office, set to write this post before bedtime. The family was hauling the recycling and trash cans down the driveway, and the dogs were happily assisting. Then there was some commotion, and I came into the living room to find my darling daughter cradling an equally darling kitty in her arms.

We have been kitty-less for a few years, now. But it seems we've been adopted. So there was much oooohing and aaahing all evening, and even a quick trip to the mothership by certain members of the family to pick up kitten food, litter, etc.

Here it is, ready for its star turn...It's young, and we're pretty sure it's a female:

Guess we're off to the vet today!

Sunday's Church Ensemble:

Norma Kamali sweater: $20; Norma Kamali cords: $15; No Boundaries belt: $7; To the Max blouse: $3 (clearance); Earrings: $12; Earth Spirit shoes: $30 (wish I could find some more cute, black leather shoes or mules w/ a heel.  Total: $87

I'm quite happy with this outfit--except for the fact that it looks like I'm sporting jelly rolls of fat down my front. That's the problem with vertical stripes when you're not shaped like a freaking pencil! But I do love the cords--wish they came in other colors. Adore the fine wale and the way they fit. Go, Norma! (I have forgiven you for the coat....)

Got your turkey shopping done, yet? Have fun!

Day 68: "How Sharper Than a Serpent's Tooth..."--Shakespeare

My baby girl came home for Thanksgiving break Saturday night! It was oddly appropriate somehow that I was shopping at the mothership when she got back in town. In fact, she surprised me by tracking me down in the store. And, of course, the first thing she said was, "what is that you're wearing?"


I was crushed. But I confess that I was looking a bit worse for wear. I'd spent all day hanging around the laptop and bookshelves cataloging books, and, late in the afternoon, decided to make homemade pizza for dinner. The mothership being the closest store, I threw on a Green Tea hoodie over my black shirt and jeans and drove there for a quick pepperoni and cheese trip. I looked very close to sloppy, I confess.


Still, my heart was broken in the produce section.


That's okay, though. I'm so excited to have her home, she could say anything and I wouldn't mind.

Ensemble:

Lee 3/4 sleeve shirt: $7; Faded Glory jeans: $15; Green Tea dark blue hoodie (could have sworn it was black); $19; Dr. Scholl Athletic Mules: $20; Earrings: $7  Total: $68

Dull, serviceable outfit....

In the end, the pizza didn't happen. But I did have 3.5  cups of flour turning into dough at home. We went out for dinner, and when we got home, the dough was high, but it still had plenty of body.

So I made bread!

I don't put oil in my bread, but I do put a tbl of olive oil in pizza dough. It made the bread crust and its interior a bit more chewy. Came out very tasty--I've missed making bread.

Hope your week is full of good food and friends!

Day 67: WWKFW?

The question I apparently asked myself before getting dress today: "What would Kevin Federline have worn in 2003?"

You can't see it in the above shot, but here's the awesomeness that is my Sparkly Spidey necklace:

Ensemble:

Norma Kamali vest: $15; To the Max jeans: $17; To the Max blouse: $3 (clearance); 2 Max Azria tanks: $7 ea; George loafer pumps: $12; No Boundaries belt: $7; Sparkly Spidey necklace: $65

Total: $133

Hope you dance through your day! (Get it? That's the KF reference! Oh, never mind.)

Day 66: Read Instructions Before Washing

I've been an extra good girl, taking good care of my Wardrobe by Sam clothes: washing them on delicate, often with special detergent, ironing them, keeping them hung in a neat row in my closet. I've always been a stickler for following label instructions.

When I was laying out my clothes before going to bed, I noticed that the outer left pocket of one of my favorite hoodies was looking a tad gubby. Bleh. My first thought was to toss it in the washer on hand wash. But the label said "Dry Clean Only." Seems the outer cabled shell is polyester/acrylic/3% wool and the rest "other." Have no idea what "other" might mean.

But being occasionally distrustful of the need to dryclean certain things, I decided to wash it on "handwash" in the machine.

Here's the hoodie beneath the jacket:

I was disappointed at how badly it washed. I know. The label did say to dryclean it. But the surface did pill inordinately and the hoodie now looks kind of icky and cheap.  ($24 at Sam's Club) I'll probably listen and dry clean the orange one that's constructed just like it.

Thursday's ensemble:

Ralph Lauren sweater: $24 (Sam's); Jones NY Gray stretchy pants: $17: Scarf: $5: Earth Spirit Shoes: $30; Earrings: $7   Total: $83

Hope you have an amazing weekend!

Day 65: OMG! Only 300 Days Left!

Do I sound excited? I was tempted to go overboard and use up all my exclamation points for the week in my title. But I restrained myself. It does feel good to be below the 300 mark. I like round numbers.

Someone very close to me said a thing that grabbed my attention the other day. I'm paraphrasing...She said that reading my blog has made her very happy to look into her closet and see that it's full of clothes that she likes. Her words certainly didn't hurt my feelings or anything. They reminded me that it's enjoyable and comforting to be surrounded by things that we like--or even love.

So, I'm not loving my clothes so much these days. I am stupidly excited about wearing my Eeyore jammie pants to bed tonight. And even more excited to have all of my pajama tees and pants and shorts clean at once. (BIG laundry day.) A couple of weeks ago, I would drag myself into the bedroom around midnight and paw around for something Walmartish to wear to bed. I wasn't very organized and didn't have much of a repertoire. Now--woo-hoo! It's 100% cotton and Eeyore all the way! Plus, I have my f'uggs to keep me warm when I'm making the boy's lunch in the morning.

It goes without saying that life goes well beyond clothes...other things I like: our silly dogs, the coneflowers still blooming in the garden despite the frost, Ghirardelli 70% Dark Chocolate, dates with my guys, all the amazing plants in our upper pasture that look different every day, my friends--online and offline--who accept me as I am and trust me with their thoughts, that awesome Forever New fabric wash stuff that makes my WM lingerie and sweaters smell pretty like they're worth hundreds, writing, my kids' jokes, the Bose stereo in my car, my favorite pillow, edamame, and capers. I could babble on about world peace and babies' smiles, but everyone likes that stuff....

Kind of makes me thankful, despite the baggy blue jeans.

What are three things that you like?

Day 65's ensemble:

Ha! I find it kind of ironic that I'm wearing one of my least favorite mothership items today. Here's that odd olive sweater. I wore it weeks ago with something ivory beneath it, I think. While it looks better with the black turtleneck, I still find it, well, not cute. It's boxy and such a thin knit that it doesn't hang or drape so much as cling to me. The belt makes it bearable, but I'm not happy that it's woven. A plain belt would've been better. The plainer black ones I have are both too narrow and have silver buckles. Add in blue jeans that have become a little ho-hum, and I have to give it all a big YAWN. Let's not forget That Damned Necklace.

Redeeming characteristics: Love olive/black/denim bronze combo. (could do w/out the denim, but it's okay.) The turtleneck is surprisingly comfortable and warmish.

White Stag sweater: $11; Faded Glory turtle: $10; Faded Glory belt: $11; Faded Glory jeans: $15; That Damned Necklace: $7; Earrings: $7; Earth Spirit shoes: $30   Total of 100%-Walmart Ensemble (no Sam's Club items): $87  (Gucci bags beneath my eyes: $0)

Have a great weekend!