Saturday, August 29, 2015

Dress? Robe? Drobe?

I'm not sure if this was intended as outerwear...but it is now. 


 This is another of my inexpensive dresses from the Salvation Army in Lincoln. The colours are just great, and simple enough to accessorise. I've been looking for an occasion to wear denim clogs (despite my reasoning when I purchased them, there really aren't that many opportunities to wear them) so there you are.

I did a bit of a double-take in the mirror as I was getting dressed. I'm not shocked that I look so much like my mother (I mean, obviously, that happens as one ages) but I wasn't prepared for just how much I looked like her, circa 1975. OK, the Betty Ford hairdo is a bit more than my mother would have gone for, but otherwise...it is pretty darn close-and I'm wearing her eyeglass frames. My mother would have been 80 years old on Monday, so maybe I have her on my mind without realising it.



I caved, and bought a set of hot rollers today, after being disappointed with how my regular roller-set came out. They were inexpensive, so I'll keep you updated if they work out. It was damp outside today, so I shouldn't be too hard on my hair-styling skills-but there's half a canister of Aqua Net in it. There's a learning curve with hairspray, or so I'm told. 
I spotted this whist shopping. Oh, ewwww. Danny wanted to know what was so funny. I told him to ask his dad. Sick jokes aside, what the hell is the big deal with the yoghurt? I mean, if you like it thicker, strain it and use the whey for baking. Personally, I think it is like eating straight sour cream, and being half Ukrainian I'd just go for the sour cream (slathered on a slice of good rye bread). But yeah, body wash is too much.


Outfit Particulars:
1970's Mary Roberts of New York dress/robe-Salvation Army
Beaded belt- The Limited, years ago
Valley Lane denim clogs-Goodwill
Tights-Walgreen's
Cloisonne clamper bracelet-Hand-Me-Ups
Cloisonne pendant-Hand-me-Ups
Shell earrings-World Market
1970's (I think) tapestry-front bag-Hand-Me-Ups
Fragrance-Aqua Net Extra Hold Hairspray and Reformulated Jicky EDT
Lippy-Revlon Fuchsia Flash

My copy of the Marguerite Patten Victory Cookbook arrived just in time to start teaching WWII. Strangely enough, the copy we found had to be sent from Switzerland. Anyway, I'm happy to have it, and plan to use it for home economics class. There's good, solid advice in there whether there's a war on or not. I could do better about food waste, and am looking forward to new ways to make use of what we have. The only thing of hers I've made regularly is the Christmas cake (year after year after year) which is one of the most reliable recipes out there. Exciting? No, but if you follow the directions you end up with a nice cake-speaking of which, it is nearly time to get started with that. I like to have my Christmas cakes and puddings out of the way, and soaking in booze by October. All the dried cherries from summer will be put to good use. 
 The summer garden is winding down, but there's still the cold weather plants like spinach and peas to take us through autumn. I still have a few pattypans to harvest, but they're mostly done. My mint is going crazy, but we've been enjoying it in salads along with basil. We purchased new bird feeders today as well, so the feathered fellas will be taken care of as the weather shift. I caught the squirrel burying things in my gardenia today. I dislodged a gigantic seed/nut from what we think is a nearby sycamore wedged between the branches of my potted gardenia. We've been watching Blondin building up his winter stash with similar items, but I do wish he'd bury them in the backyard rather than my plants. I suppose he figured we would be good caretakers. Ooops. 

I've checked the extended forecast and it appears summer isn't quite through with us after all. Upper-80's to lower 90's by the end of next week. I really hope they're wrong. Fingers crossed. 

Hope you're having a lovely weekend. 















6 comments:

Bibi said...

Clogs are the female pharmacist's friend. (And the bosom pal of any other job that requires long hours of standing.)
Aqua Net smells like Jovan Musk for woen to me. Actually Jovan's White Musk & Coty's white musk does too.
I love your Betty Ford 'do! Very 70's chic!
So I'm guessing one might think Greek yoghurt would be beneficial topically applied due to it's highly emollient milkfat content? Or is it probiotically beneficial to hoo hoo health when washed with semi externally?
Got me?
I certainly wouldn't want to smell like any fermented dairy product, with or without honey & vanilla.
Why do people think 'protein' in a body wash is going to do ANYTHING?
Would rubbing oneself with canned tuna or filet mignon or any other high protein source do a damned thing for your skin?
O the intractable stupidity of human beings.
It's really a good thing I don't work in health care any more.
And a well dressed middle aged Nepali man (in suit, tie, & topi) just pulled up on a motorcycle, barged through the front gate, came in through the front door into the house with nary a 'Namaste' or a knock or anything, looked me straight in the eye as I sit here at my computer, looked through the house to the back door, turned around marched back out the front door & out the front gates. WTH? He then ran down the road to another house & returned with another well dressed middle aged Nepali man got on the motorcycle & left. No 'excuse me', 'kiss my ass', or anything. I shout "PAAGAL" (meaning 'you have no mind') at them as they drive away. Screw it, I'm locking all gates in the compound today. We have a frigging doorbell for a reason. I can maybe understand tribespeople from rural areas wandering into our compound because they've never seen a walled compound or a doorbell before but this is nuts.
Sorry for the rant, I'll shut up now.

Goody said...

Oh, please rant on!

Can you imagine trying a stunt like that in the US? It would be a good way to get shot! Maybe you need a sign at the gate:
"Honk first, don't git shot."
I would have lost it.

I do like the idea of rubbing my skin with a filet mignon. I know people used to take milk baths, but Greek Yoghurt?

Mim said...

I honestly have no idea why anyone would want to wash with yoghurt. That's really odd. Then again, half my instagram timeline seems to be taken up with people eating chia seeds and I've no ideas what that's all about either.

For eating, I tend to use it in Asian cooking - it's a useful souring agent in north Indian curries, and I don't know if sour cream would do quite the same job.

I look like my mum nowadays too. I used to hate it, now I'm more, "Okay, I know, let's MOVE ON".

Goody said...

@Mim
The chia seed thing has taken off here too, along with all the clean eating nonsense. Mr. ETB works with someone that became rather ill from too many chia seeds-so be careful, you can overdo it.

Yoghurt has a place, but not in the shower ;)
I guess there was wheat germ and honey shampoo, milk bath, and beer shampoo, so perhaps it isn't all that unexpected.

Mim said...

Fear not, I'm not going near the chia seeds. Stay in the pink with lard and drink, that's my motto...

Beth Waltz said...

Oy, Bibi's report would most definitely have me toddling down the hall muttering "where did I put that revolver...?"

I'm certain I can smell that yoghurt wash mellowing in the shower drain, even as I read the label. What basic facts about keratin and skin are no longer being taught in health & hygiene class?

Well done on the WWII cookbook! Be sure to introduce Danny to powdered milk, powdered eggs and S.P.A.M. And ration books! Again, I recommend that wonderful Margaret Rutherford film, "Passport to Pimlico", for an intimate view of working class households of the time. We now live lives of plenty, even luxury, by the standards of my own childhood.