Janvier

Miaou. 

Leg warmers were such a practical fashion trend-I wonder why they fell out of popularity? They're perfect at home where I keep the heat at what I think is a reasonable temperature, but everyone else considers arctic.

I never bothered to decorate the hallway wall this year. All my friends are feeling the doom to come, and the holidays felt more like a wake. I bought a bottle of Benedictine on a nostalgic depressed impulse as it was something I used to enjoy in better times. Figuring I might as well stock the home bar before any tariffs take hold, I've stocked up on brandy as well. And Cointreau. And some Lambic (the peach kind I had last weekend was incredible). I'm not a heavy drinker, so it should last. 

Lest you think we live on alcohol, I'll have you know pantry and larder are full, and I'm not even one of those Doomsday Prepper sorts. I learned from twelve years on a farm in rural Nebraska. Sometimes it would be weeks before I got to town, and in storms we'd loose power for days. Old habits die hard. I'm not sure the people stocking for the end of the world have really thought the whole food storage thing through. I mean yeah, I guess you can always shoot the marauding mobs coming to take your stuff, but if you store it badly, the mice will get it first. and you'd better be a damn good shot to nail a mouse with a rifle. Also, pro tip: Keep stuff off the floor in the cellar. That includes water bottles, which will degrade over time and need replacing anyway. Get yourself a wooden palate to put that stuff on.  Anyway, I live next to STRATCOM so if WWIII breaks out, Omaha has a giant bullseye on it, and I'd rather go out with French liqueur than powdered meal replacements. I'd like to see a mouse try to get into a glass bottle.  

Things have been, tense. I'm certainly not alone, though I can't say that makes me feel any better. I limit my time online as it doesn't really matter if I'm up-to-date on the latest Important News that I couldn't do a damn thing about anyway. If the civil defence sirens start blaring, then I'll worry.

I'm going to take you back a few weeks and then bring things up to the present.

When I'm not humming dirges and hastening the demise of my liver, I get dressed. Oh look, a red velvet skirt. How very festive. 

The earrings are made from vintage holiday bulbs. They're glass, and somewhat heavy, but they do look nice. 

Several years ago, I came across this vintage, 70s long cardigan. This is the first time I wore it as it is such a heavy piece, it has a tendency to overwhelm outfits. If I wore jeans it would look better, so perhaps that's something to try. It is very heavy and warm though, doing away with the need for a coat. 

 Had a good laugh at the packaging of Twiglets.

I suspect for true sensual satisfaction you'll need to dip them directly into a pot of marmite. The first (and only) time Dan tried Twiglets didn't go well, with accusations of me offering tainted food. No, they're supposed to taste like that. I guess the word I'm looking for is Divisive. Definitely not sensual. Anyway, the packet made me laugh.

I've owned this cardigan since the early 80s. Outback Red from the Limited.

Skirt is vintage Gitano. Flannel shirt is modern Ann Taylor that I thrifted.

The enormous purple velvet opera coat has been worn.

Such an absurd thing to own in 2024, though I might really wear it to the opera next month, weather permitting.

It was velvet all around that day with a top I bought in the 90s, a skirt from K Mart years ago, and a recently thrifted silk velvet scarf. The Celtic design is very pretty.

Here, have some flowers. They're fake. I've had them a very long time.

I gave my stollen recipe a diabetic friendly makeover. No sugar except what's in the fruit, wholemeal flour, oat milk, and vegan margarine. Obviously won't be dusting the tops with sugar, though I can offer that at the table for anyone that wants it. They look shiny as the loaves had just come out of the oven and were brushed with margarine and brandy. 

Update :Both loaves were devoured over the holidays.

 All that fruit I candied at the start of baking season is now down to the last bits. I love it when I plan correctly. I've had some gift baking to do, so there was panettone. That one is always so well received. You can buy perfectly nice ones, though they're getting more and more expensive. I saw an article talking about a 60 EUR loaf and my mind just can't imagine what could possibly make a bread worth that sort of dough. I promise, no Panettone is worth that. Go to Aldi, they sell very nice ones for under a tenner. 

That's a swirl of spices in the middle.Anyway, success!
 

The Shiny Brite Christmas corsage emerges from storage.

As does the reindeer cardigan. Absurd, yes. Isn't it all, really?

Keeping with the red theme...

I bought the sweater for Dan, and then took it back once it was outgrown.

Big 80s hand knit sweater vest.

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Yeah, I'm an elf. Not the one that sits on a shelf and rats to Santa. No one likes a snitch.

Hideous but warm coat.

 

The cardigan is made from a sparkly yarn. I don't like it.

I prefer a vintage maxi dress.

and the other Shiny Brite corsage.

Some ethnic costume skirt that works as a Christmas piece as the velvet is red.

The big velvet trousers are going on 35 years old now. I even wore them when I was expecting. I didn't think they would end up a holiday wardrobe staple, but here we are. They're by Tapemeasure.

That was dressed for NYE at home listening to the neighbours exploding things and praying they didn't set anything alight.

Fuzzy vintage mohair cardigan. 70s wool skirt.

 

Amana woolen mills cardigan over a 70s blouse and 80s skirt.

Boring, but gets the job done.


80s corduroy jodhpurs (there's buttons down the calves).

No, no reason. Just liked them. Of course they're awful, that's the point. Fashion. Look. It. Up. 😁

Velvet culottes.

A very well made waxed canvas bag. It needs re-waxing, but I absolutely love it.

The colour is more muted in person.

1970s duffel coat. I look, and felt like a fool.

Duffel coats aren't for adults. I look like Paddington bear.

Nice vintage label.

I have so many layers on I look like an over-dressed child in a snow suit. I was however warm, which is all that matters, even if unable to bend my arms.

So many scarves.

Getting those sleeves in a coat was fun.

Whew, that was a lot of clothes in December. Considering I haven't felt like getting dressed, I did okay. Once I'm home, I live in flannel pajamas and a heavy robe. 

Since this is still sort of a cooking blog, here's some tarts made with homemade vegan mincemeat.
 

Chanukkah fell on Christmas so that's a sweet potato cake with the roast beef (there's an onion and some mustard on the beef if you were wondering what that was). I was worried I might ruin the prime rib as I'm not really expert at cooking beef (vegetarian since 1983), but it turned out perfect.

The pudding was much darker in person-not sure what happened to the photo. 

And that's about it. If you made it this far, I'll thank you with a look at a recently thrifted Stephen Burrows jacket from the early 70s.

I nearly had a heart attack when I saw it. I have wanted a Burrows piece since I first became aware of his colour blocked striped dresses. There was no way my mother was buying me one of those! Once again, if you wait long enough everything eventually turns up in a thrift store, but I was really very surprised. 

Less exciting, but still a fine find was this black dress

Possibly the plainest, most normal looking dress Mugler ever designed. That's okay. It is going to look great with the Burrows jacket.

I still can't believe that happened. Well, we've nearly made it through the first week of January, so that's something. Start as you mean to go on.