Getting Pretty Festive Around Here

 If my piano looks like a convention of paper mache angels it must be the week after Thanksgiving. I don't plan to dust this until January.

 These two remind me of my mum and sister. Sometimes in the wee hours of night I can hear them arguing. Something about not giving the milk for free because then no one will buy the cow or something like that. I try to ignore them, as I did in life.

We made a couple of pies for Thanksgiving. This was Danny's Pecan pie, and I made the cranberry/sultana. Sometimes called, "Mock cherry pie" I don't think it would fool anyone, but it was lovely nonetheless. We skipped the turkey in favour of baked cod with wild rice and mushrooms. It was nice, didn't take all day to prepare, and we weren't struggling to use up leftovers. That's my kind of holiday cooking. As we head into December I have several things to do ahead such as putting up the red cabbage, baking lebkuchen, and the like but my puddings and cake are already done. I much prefer enjoying my holiday season rather than spending it in the kitchen. There's so much else to do from opera, to ballet, to theatre, to ice fishing lessons (yep, we're finally going full-Nebraska native and learning how to ice fish) not to mention Danny's fourteenth birthday. I was never big on the holidays until I had a child born five days before Christmas. As long as he wants to make a fuss, I'm more than happy to provide the party.

 I don't do all the cooking myself. Taco John's is a local Mexican food chain that is my guilty pleasure. They don't cook with lard so the beans are suitable for a vegetarian (me) and the prices are affordable. The top picture is of the Potato Oles which are essentially, cumin and chili powder spiced tater-tots. They're good on their own, but better rolled-up in a bean burrito.

Look at that! OK it isn't terribly pretty but on a cold, snowy day in Nebraska I challenge you to find a better meal. I'm not being compensated by Taco John's, but if they were looking for someone to test the Ole's I'd be happy to help😋

I haven't been eating these, but I do love the name and packaging. The regular Titus sardines in oil are pretty good, but Hot Titus makes me giggle. I'm always surprised when people tell me they don't like sardines. Sardines on toast is the greatest dinner on earth. When Danny was about five he made himself sardines on toast and declared that he was ready to move out because I'd told him he couldn't move away until he could cook for himself! He did require assistance opening the tin, so he decided to stay at home a *bit* longer.

 A badly lit no-makeup selfie, but I wanted to show you the beautiful wool cardigan I thrifted. I was afraid it might be itchy, or too warm but as it turns out, it is perfect. Sometimes it is good to take a chance on something outside your typical style. I keep the house somewhat cool, so it has been the perfect at-home cardigan to keep on the back of my chair.

So how about a few outfits?

Some days call for a leopard print skirt. I've owned this since the 80s and probably shouldn't still be wearing it but somehow it has grown longer on me over the years. At the rate I'm shrinking, it should be knee-length any day now!

 If you're going to wear a leopard  mini might as well bring out the big earrings.

 And flat boots because I didn't want to make the skirt look trashy. Not that there's anything wrong with trashy, it just wasn't the look I was going for. Flat boots and a poloneck helped.

Outfit Particulars:
Carole Little vintage skirt-Marshall Field's (I think. Might have been Carson Pirie Scott)
Boots-Target about 15 years ago
Poloneck-can't remember
Faux fur vintage coat-I think it was Goodwill
Earrings-Sears
Fragrance (it wasn't Tigress! See, I'm not completely predictable). Norell

 My coppery skirt made an appearance. I love this skirt so much, but rarely wear it outside of a couple weeks in autumn. I took a chance wearing it with an equally shimmery blue velour top because I had a blue and orange scarf I wanted to wear. I confess-the entire outfit was put together around a scarf I wanted to wear.

I think it worked, though the lovely autumn leaves print on the scarf isn't all that obvious once it was knotted.

 Outfit Particulars:
Vintage printed corduroy jacket-Goodwill
90s velour poloneck (circa '92)-Jordan Marsh (I worked there and had a generous employee discount)
Scarf-Thrift World
Vintage shoes-Goodwill
Vintage handbag-Thrift World
Cazal frames-mum's
Vintage amber cha-cha bracelet-Goodwill
Fragrance-I think it was Calvin Klein Euphoria. I have a large bottle, and I'm trying to understand it. I don't hate it, but it is on the sweet side for me. Anyway, the bottle reminds me of this skirt and that's how my twisted brain works😜

I took my new-to-me vintage wool coat out to Iowa to freeze my behind off! If you look carefully at the water it is starting to freeze and looking slushy as the waves move. It was hypnotizing to watch but bloody cold! I'm wearing an ultrasuede jacket under the coat and even that didn't help.

 Isn't the collar fab? It was a football Saturday, which explains the brooch. You probably want a look at what's under the coat-I don't blame you, it is a great shirt.

 But first, have a peek at this Ultrasuede jacket. I don't know if it is my favourite piece of vintage, but it is definitely in the top ten.

 OK! OK! I won't make you wait any longer. This shirt is by the Western wear company Panhandle Slim. They make beautiful clothing. I bought the shirt about 18 years ago on a very deep sale (I wouldn't have been able to afford it otherwise) and don't wear it too often as I don't want it to fade. I once had a stranger offer to buy it from me, and another person make me promise to send it to her if I ever get tired of it. That is unlikely to happen.

Outfit Particulars:
Vintage coat-Goodwill
Vintage skirt-Can't remember
Boots-Goodwill
Vintage handbag-New Life Thrift
Panhandle Slim shirt-A Western store in Lincoln, Nebraska
Belt-Goodwill
Copper earrings-Hand-Me-Ups
Vintage goldstone necklace-Goodwill
Copper bracelet-Goodwill

I really hesitated to purchase this vinyl skirt. Asymmetrical hems bother me, and you're not likely to see me wearing any high-lo dresses. I think the ugly, green, institutional paint colour sold me, along with the working zipper (not that I would wear it any shorter). My first thought was to wear it with the combat boots I've owned since the late 70s, but that would have been too obvious, so I went with a pair of green suede comfort shoes instead. The tee shirt has a print by Posada, and I've owned it since the 80's. A cotton hoodie felt like the right level of casual. This might be the first time I've worn one for fashion, not running!

 A close-up of the tee shirt.

Outfit Particulars:

Vinyl skirt-Hand-Me-Ups

Posada tee shirt-somewhere in Chicago, 80's

Handbag-Goodwill

Shoes-Goodwill

Everlast hoodie-K Mart

Fragrance-Tuscany Per Donna

Haturday Night Fever continues on Instagram (@Goodymcgoodface) where I showcase my vintage hat collection and at home lounge wear (ok sometimes it is a housecoat). 

 By Saturday night a bathroom selfie is as fancy as I get.

 Hanging out by my Canadian Christmas tree. Don't ask.

What did you think I do on Saturday night? Go out? Oh ha, ha, ha. Yeah, I am *this close* to the care home.

I'll leave you with this acrylic cardigan/nylon blouse combo that brings me joy. Oh, I know I don't look like I'm joyful, but trust me, I'm just bursting with the stuff on the inside. Yeah, I'm not buying it either, but *shrug* gotta keep trying. 

Hope this week is treating you well. 

It only looks like I'm judging you, I promise I'm not.

Hello again from Omaha. We had another sunny day so I grabbed the kid, his camera, and bird guide and headed over to Chalco Hills NRD (Natural Resources District) to take exercise and see some of the birds migrating through the area.

 A very determined dandelion. After all the freezes and snow it always amazes me to see something flowering, even if it is a common weed.

I love this time of year when the prairie grasses dry out to a wheat-like hue and the sky looks almost artificially blue. My phone camera really doesn't capture just how striking it is. If I were to make a Nebraska postcard, this would be the sort of view I'd put on it to accurately depict the eastern part of the state.

The Fuzzy-Headed Twitcher had a good day. To me, they're all either, ducks or geese but to someone that can tell the difference, it was a wide variety of waterfowl on the lake. Goldeneye sounds like a Bond movie to me😀.

Outfit Particulars:
Skirt-a store in Cambridge Mass at least 25 years ago (has a matching top)
Silk poloneck-Goodwill
Vintage 70s corduroy jacket-Goodwill
Vintage scarf-New Life Thrift
Key brooch-Goodwill
Bracelets-Goodwill and yard sale
Earrings- K Mart about 10 years ago
Boots-Goodwill
Vintage mesh handbag with lucite handle-Hand-Me-Ups
Fragrance-Burberry Classic (Mr. ETB generously bought me a gigantic bottle at Marshall's and I have fallen in love with it again. It has been reformulated a bit, but that peach/sandalwood/moss mix is still lovely).

 We've spent a fair amount of time out at the NRD this month. That day turned unexpectedly cold so Danny loaned me his denim jacket. He's a gentleman.

These pictures were taken on election day after we voted. I still have the "I Voted" sticker on my vintage suit. I have had this little 60's suit since the early 80s, but I never get tired of it. When I don't know what to wear, it seems to be the right answer for all but the most formal occasions. The lining is showing some age, and I really ought to replace it as there's no reason this suit can't go another fifty years. It is hard to imagine a suit made today lasting that long with as much wear as this has had. I know I sound like an old lady (I AM an old lady) banging on about quality, but it is so true.

These photos weren't taken at the NRD, but instead behind our home. Blazingly sunny autumn days are lovely, but it does pose a challenge to the not very good camera on my cheap phone. We ducked into the shade for a few quick snaps.

 I wasn't about to miss out on photos of both a purple leather skirt, AND a zebra print coat because of a bit of sun.

I wouldn't have dressed like this in the 80s as I was already working and most of my clothes were on the boring side. I didn't go out much because I was working...and going to university at night. By the last year it reversed and I was working nights and doing classes during the day. I dressed a bit better then, but still nothing like this. That's the beauty of thrifting and vintage-it is never too late to try something out. I don't think I could have bought a leather skirt for $5.00 in the 80s.

Outfit Particulars:
vintage leather skirt-Hand-Me-Ups
Faux fur coat-Goodwill
Distressed-look (more like spraypaint) boots-K Mart
Barbie doll carry-all turned purse-Goodwill
Fragrance-Green Water

 This outfit almost didn't happen. I'd noticed the vintage 70s skirt at Hand-Me-Ups for a few months but thought it wasn't quite worth the $10.00 price tag they had on it. Eventually it went on sale, and I bought it wondering what on earth I would wear with a purple and green skirt. As luck would have it, I'd just washed the rarely-worn cardigan and inspiration struck in the laundry room! I love when that happens.

Outfit Particulars:

70s skirt-Hand-Me-Ups

Black sweater-K Mart

Cardigan-Goodwill

Belt-Hand-Me-Ups

Necklace-Hand-Me-Ups

Brooch-Gift from an Instagram friend

Vintage charm bracelet-Goodwill

Boots-K Mart

Earrings-New Life Thrift

40s handbag-Thrift World

Fragrance-Samsara (I love it in the cooler weather)

 Yes, the cake is a little lopsided but I don't think anyone noticed. Those are candied violets from the garden. The cake is the classic fudge cake in the 1950 edition of the Betty Crocker cookbook. It claims that "Boys from eight to eighty go for this cake" and at our home the boys from almost fourteen to fifty-seven thought it was swell, I didn't think it was anything special. I did however like the chocolate sour cream frosting I improvised. It was a nice change from buttercream.

These are a one-rise bread similar to the French-Style bread in the Beard on Bread cookbook. I tweaked it a bit by adding wholemeal flour and a bit of olive oil. It is a good, sturdy bread to serve with soup, but it goes stale quickly. We froze the second loaf and had it later in the week. Shaping bread isn't my best skill. I should have had the State Fair champion do it. 

The squirrel has been eating well. He likes almonds in the shell. At $4.99 a lb. I sort of balk at the idea of feeding the squirrel almonds, but once Danny started there was no going back. He also likes apple slices. That's one seriously health minded squirrel. I think he's eating a peanut in this photo. Not shown-squirrel throwing himself against the sliding glass door and refusing to move until he gets food. I think we know who is "Trained" here. Hint-it isn't the squirrel.

Squirrel lady?! Great, that's just great. Be sure to put that in my obituary when I go.

 A bit more faux zebra fur this time on a blue velvet blazer. The fur appears to have been added later and I found a Prom item in the pocket from the local high school. I can only hope their date wore an equally wacky zebra outfit.

 Isn't the back of the jacket incredible?! I love this so very much.

Outfit Particulars:

Sequin mini skirt-Goodwill

Jacket-Goodwill

Boots-K Mart

Brooch-Thrift World

Earrings-K Mart

Betsey Johnson handbag-Hand-Me-Ups

Staying with minis for a moment-this home-sewn 70s corduroy set was a fun find. 

 Much like the leather mini, I probably wouldn't have worn anything like this at the time-at least not this short. As a young woman, a mini sent a message I didn't want to send. In my 50's, I no longer need to worry as the only message my body is sending is, "Dried up womb closed for business." At this point it is about as far from racy as it gets, particularly when worn with those fetching, heavyweight brown tights. Who'd have thought old age would have me feeling liberated enough to wear minis? Life is strange, eh?

I absolutely would have worn the earrings and necklace though. Big earrings have been my "Look" for as long as I can remember.

Outfit Particulars:

Vintage corduroy skirt and waistcoat-Goodwill

Vintage poloneck-Goodwill

Necklace-Goodwill

Earrings-Costume shop (sold for a fortune-teller's costume)

Tights-K Mart

Boots-Goodwill

Vintage handbag-Goodwill

I will leave you with another photo where I appear to be judging you. I'm not! OK, sometimes I am, but not in any general sort of way. I don't know why I always look this way in photos. *shrug*

The scarf I'm wearing came from the Omaha Weavers and Spinners Guild annual fiber arts show last year. This year's show is tomorrow-17 November at the Westside community center from 9-4. Shop for wonderful things and support local artisans. Every year I treat my feet to alpaca socks. If you find yourself in Omaha tomorrow, I promise you won't be sorry if a pair of those socks go home with you. 

Have a great weekend everyone.