Week in Review

 I think I slept a total of ten hours this week-and I'm not the sort of person that functions well on a couple hours a night. This was the sort of week where I'm glad I have reliable clothes, so I can get dressed and out of the house without too much fuss.

This Mexican tourist skirt is easy to wear with a top and cardigan in winter, and just a tee shirt in summer. The black details mean there's ever any trouble finding something to match, and the wide sweep lets it be worn with or without a crinoline depending on mood. I'd have twirled for a photo, but thought better of it, given my current state. You can imagine me twirling. I don't mind.

Fine, go on-I'll wait. Meanwhile, I'll just get down the outfit details, okay?

Vintage Mexican tourist skirt-Hand-Me-Ups
Norton McNaughton top, 80's -can't remember
1960's acrylic cardigan-Hand-Me-Ups
Vintage turtle brooch with pendant hook-Hand-Me-Ups
Tights-Walgreen's
Boots-K Mart
Bamboo bangles-Hand-Me-Ups
Wood bangle-Goodwill
Mexican hand-tooled bag-New Life Thrift
Bakelite clip earrings-New Life Thrift
Fragrance-Bebe (would be an OK starter fragrance for a six year old, but not really much there for a grown-up. It was so cheap, in a cute bottle I thought it was worth a go).

 The bangles that on a normal day are so large they slip off my hand are now a bit of a challenge to get on. It is good to have clothes and accessories in a wide-range of sizes-you never know what life will throw you, and you'll need to be fabulous all the more when feeling shit. Trust me on this one-being able to get dressed has been a welcome distraction.

Who doesn't love a turtle? I had  an elderly woman stop me to examine this brooch. I should have insisted she take it-I didn't think of it at the time. I have so many of these from a company called, Gerry's, that I could start a shop selling nothing but. They're cute, but common and typically sell for around a dollar. Some brands just don't become collectible.



I stopped in at Baker's on Maple street for a few groceries instead of running over to Aldi. This is how they packed the apples I spent time selecting-under four tins of beans. I swear, this is the sort of thing that drives me to madness. I mean, why the hell would you do that?! That's why I prefer Aldi-if the bagging is terrible I have no one but myself to blame. I'd like to say this is an isolated thing, but they always abuse the produce like this.

Right. Moving along...

We spent some time at the Sanders campaign headquarters because Danny wanted to do phone-bank calling for them (his decision to volunteer-I didn't even suggest it). I have one of those pay-as-you-go mobile phones that I keep for emergencies in the car, but I don't really use it. I have to buy minutes every three months to keep it going, so I had over 900 minutes accumulated which Danny was able to use calling people reminding them to caucus. I was happy to donate the minutes, and he was able to bring home printed lists and work from the living room. As we waited for the lists, there were a couple older (than myself) volunteers waiting to go out and canvas. They were both so kind to take time speaking with Danny and the one gentleman even wrote down a list of authors he thought a young person might get something out of reading. That was great because if I suggested any of the people on that list, I'd get an eye-roll, but coming from a stranger it bore more weight. 

 ...And what a caucus it was! We had such great turnout for a state that is overwhelmingly conservative. At our location there was an overflow crowd, so we had to move the caucus from the high school cafeteria up to the gymnasium. This was the Sanders side of the room. I don't think I've been in a room with this many lefties since I moved from Boston! The scene was much the same across the state yesterday, and it wouldn't have happened without all the people that worked so hard to get the caucus organised. The state doesn't foot the bill for the caucus, and the volunteers that do all the work really do deserve some acknowledgement. At our location (and from what I hear, across the state) things ran smoothly. Many people like myself are registered non-partisan, or to another party and had to switch registration when they arrived. The forms, tables, and plenty of extra pens were right there, and check-in went perfectly. So great job you guys, let's do it again in four years!

Plenty of children in attendance too. A sweet little boy of about three was drawing pictures in my notebook as we waited for the caucus to begin. It had the feel of a town-hall meeting with wee ones running around on the court whilst representatives of the campaigns gave their speeches and pretended not to notice. 

A bit of vintage Americana is always appropriate attire for a caucus. This bag has seen better days, and I use it to hold socks most of the time. Still, there aren't that many occasions outside of July 4th to use it, so I took the opportunity. 

I was out after the caucus and had people see the badge and ask where ours had been, and tell me about the crowds at their location. Danny met up with a young woman who caucused at the location he had been making reminder calls for. Everywhere I went yesterday, there was a positive, enthusiastic mood that I can't remember experiencing in Nebraska since....well...ever, really. It was one of the loveliest days I've had in the fifteen years I've lived here. Well done, Nebraska.

Outfit Particulars:

Pendleton blouse-Goodwill

Acrylic cardigan-Gordman's about 15 years ago

Pleated drop waist skirt-Hand-Me-Ups

Shoes-Goodwill (last wear, they finally cracked apart)

Vintage bucket bag-Hand-Me-Ups

Brooch-Jordan Marsh, 90's

Earrings-Thrift World

Fragrance-Mitsouko (which was perfect for being crammed in a hot room full of people as it wears close to the skin and isn't known to get awful with heat). 

I have some new friends for the garden.

"Chicken Child" was so demonic I had to buy it. It appears to be a home-painted project, and you can just imagine someone getting to the eyes and thinking, "Wouldn't it be cool if I just left them?" Hard to find nice Easter decorations, really it is. 

If I'm going to gain twelve pounds in ten days, I would at least like to say I had something good to eat. The only enjoyable thing I've eaten in the past week has been a packet of Rowntrees fruit pastilles that cost much more than they should have (they stick it to you on imports) and there were a grand total of three blackcurrant flavoured ones. Sigh. Three?! I like lemon as much as the next person but come on. Anyway, yes it is the medication, yes it will go away, and yes I do feel like a water-balloon. My ankles weren't this swollen when I was pregnant. I might have freaked Danny out a bit when I plunged my index finger into the mass of swelling and declared loudly, "Let's time how long it takes for the indentation to go away!" Strangely, he didn't think that sounded as fun and exciting as I did. Traumatise them early, that's what I say!

I don't know about you, but when I'm feeling lousy I like to take out my misery on others I like to wear items I save for special occasions. Thing is, I never really have an occasion for an Hermes scarf and a St. John sweater. so they'd never been worn until today. I must say, a vintage Hermes scarf is quite cheering. Just imagine the euphoria I could experience if I found a vintage Liberty (which I never do, and I don't understand why, as everyone else seems to find them). Some people do drugs, I do vintage scarves. 

Outfit Particulars:

St. John Sweater-Goodwill

Vintage Designer Originals knit skirt-Goodwill

Vintage shoes-Goodwill

Vintage Johanssen handbag-Hand-Me-Ups

Talbot's silk jacket-Goodwill

Vintage Hermes scarf (Phaeton)-Hand-Me-Ups

Cinnabar bangle-Hand-Me-Ups

Fragrance-Ivoire

No. You may not call me, tucchas face. My mother always did, but you're not my mother. 

Finally, as we get closer to Easter, I'm baking and freezing holiday breads ahead of time. Last week, I baked the Paska. 

Paska is essentially a rich bread with butter and eggs and the addition of ground up orange and lemon.

Next week, I'll bake the Kulich. I like being able to bring people a holiday bread, and doing it this way permits me to bake at my leisure. If you freeze holiday breads, leave them un-iced, and wrap them first in a layer of grease-proof paper, then tightly in cling film. Always let the bread thaw at room temperature still wrapped, so it won't dry out. You can ice the loaves before serving. 

I'm embracing my Ukrainian heritage and learning to do Pysanky (Ukrainian Easter Eggs). I don't expect to be very good at it any time soon, but that's never stopped me trying new things. I'm cool with failure. Well, I wouldn't be cool with failure if I were learning to skydive. That would be bad. 

I hope you have a great week ahead.